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Difference between revisions of "Tabletop Overview"

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[[Image:/images/interface_overview.jpg|frame|none|alt=|caption Interface Overview]]
 
  
== 1. [[tabletop-toolbox|Tabletop Toolbox]] ==
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This is the playspace that represents the actual "table" of your game. It's where you can act out RPG combat with minis on a battlemap, deal a hand of cards and throw around some poker chips, move meeples around a gameboard or just display backdrop pictures to set the right mood.
  
The [[tabletop-toolbox|Tabletop Toolbox]] provides you with a series of useful tools for manipulating the table as well as objects on the table such as maps and tokens. Note that some tools may require you to hover over the button with your mouse pointer to view all the available options. Many of these tools are explained in more detail on their own help pages; we've included links to read more about the tool where available.
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== Elements of The Tabletop ==
  
The tools are (from top-to-bottom):
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There's two image element types that display on The Tabletop: '''Background Images''' and '''Tokens'''.
  
The [[tabletop-toolbox-select-and-pan|'''Select/Pan''']] tool switches between a (default) select mode for manipulating objects and an alternate pan mode for quickly scrolling around the table.
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Background Images are any graphics that you don't plan to move or interact with while playing your game. This would be images like the game board of a boardgame or the terrain of a battlemap. You will want to keep these images on the [[tabletop-toolbox-layers|Map & Background Layer]].
  
The [[tabletop-toolbox-layers|'''Layers''']] tool (GM Only) switches between the three layers on the tabletop (the Map layer, Objects/Tokens layer, and GM Info layer, which is only visible to the GM). Note that players are always on the Objects/Tokens layer, and cannot switch between layers.
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Tokens are any image that you plan to move around the Table. This would include images like RPG minis, board game components (treasure chests, meeples, etc), poker chips, vehicles and etcerta. An image that is to be treated as a Token must be placed on either the [[tabletop-toolbox-layers|Objects & Tokens or GM Overlay Info Layer]].
  
The [[tabletop-toolbox-drawing-tools|'''Drawing''' tools]] let you draw free-hand as well as shapes on the tabletop that everyone can see. You can also create text.
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== Placing Images onto The Tabletop ==
  
The '''Zoom''' tool lets you zoom in or out on the tabletop.
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Roll20 accepts the following image file types: JPGs, PNGs, GIFs
  
The '''Ruler''' tool lets you click and drag to measure distances on the table. While you measure, other players will see your measurement line so you can discuss what you're measuring.
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PNG and GIF files with transparent elements will display correctly in Roll20. Animated GIFs '''WILL NOT''' animate on The Tabletop. It will only display the first frame of animation if an animated GIF is uploaded to Roll20.
  
The [[tabletop-toolbox-fog-of-war|'''Fog of War''' tool]] (GM Only) lets you reveal areas of the map gradually so you can hide things you don't want your players to see just yet.
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=== Image Insertion Methods ===
  
The [[tabletop-toolbox-turn-tracker|'''Turn Tracker''']] (GM Only) lets you open up a window to keep track of turn order during encounters. Only the GM can see the button to open the window, but once it's open all players can see the window and the order of the tokens.
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There are two ways to place images onto The Tabletop: direct upload or an image search.
  
The [[tabletop-toolbox-dice-gui|'''Dice Roller GUI''']] is a quick and easy way to roll dice in Roll20, rather than needing to manually type in a formula. It's great for beginning players.
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'''Direct Upload'''
  
The '''Help''' tool is a quick way to open a window that shows the Help site (which you're reading right now!), report bugs, and consult the list of keyboard shortcuts.
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To use images from your own personal files, click on an image from your computer files and drag it directly onto The Tabletop. This will initiate an upload of that image to '''Your Art Library'''. When the upload is complete, it'll display the image on The Tabletop.
  
== 2. The Player Zone ==
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If you would prefer to batch upload a series of images at once, you can do this from the '''''Your Art Library''''' window that you can access from the [[sidebar-art-library|Art Library]] tab of the [[sidebar|Sidebar]]. There is a 10 files/5 MB file size per batch limitation to batch uploads.
  
The player zone shows a player avatar and name for each player currently in the game. Each player is also assigned a color (to the right of their name) which they can click to change. The player color is used throughout the interface to represent the actions of that player (such as drawing on the tabletop and rolling dice). You can adjust the size of the avatars that are shown for the players in the My Settings tab of the Sidebar.
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'''Art Search'''
  
Also note that if you use the video/voice chat features of Roll20, the video box for the player will also appear here.
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This method is accomplished by going to the '''Art Library''' tab in the '''Sidebar''' and running a search for a desired art element. When you find an image that you wish to use, click the thumbnail from the search and drag it onto The Tabletop.
  
== 3. Player Hands ==
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== Moving Around The Tabletop ==
  
If the player has any hands (a feature of the Card Decks system), they will appear here.
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You can pan around your Page by either using the scroll bars to the right and bottom of the Tabletop OR click and drag with the right mouse button.
  
== 4. Macro Bar ==
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You can zoom either by using the Zoom Tool from the [[tabletop-toolbox|Tabletop Toolbox]] OR hold down alt/option while scrolling with the mouse wheel.
  
If you enable the Macro Quick Bar in the My Settings tab, a list of your macros will appear here as buttons which you can click to quickly execute the macro.
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== Pinging the Map ==
  
== 5. [[tabletop|The Tabletop]] ==
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If you click and hold down anywhere on the map, radar rings sprout out from the point of your mouse cursor. These Pings are visible to everyone currently playing the Campaign. The GM/Players' current user color is applied to each Ping to better identify who's indicating what. This tool can help indicate points of interests on a map
  
This is the main feature of the Roll20 interface. It's a shared virtual tabletop where the maps and tokens that you are using will appear. Everything that you do on the tabletop (such as moving a token) will be broadcast to everyone else in the game in real-time.
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=== Shift+Ping (GM Feature) ===
  
== 6. [[page-toolbar|Page Toolbar]] ==
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A GM can force all their players to view a certain area of the map by holding the Shift key while Pinging. This is very helpful if you have a very large dungeon map to explore. When a new Page is loaded, the Tabletop's view is automatically set to the upper left hand corner of the Page. If you have the [[tabletop-toolbox-fog-of-war|Fog of War]] enabled, your players might be greeted with their entire Tabletop filled with black fog. Instead of the players panning around the Page to locate their tokens, a Shift Ping leads your players right where they need to be.
  
Click this button to open the [[page-toolbar|Page Toolbar]], which allows you to manage the pages of your campaign. This is also where you'll go if you want to edit the settings of the current page such as the grid size, grid type, page size, and more.
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== In-Depth Tabletop Topics ==
  
== 7. [[card-deck|Card Decks]] ==
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[[tabletop-manipulating-graphics|Manipulating Graphics]]
  
If you are using the [[card-deck|Card Decks]] feature, this is where any decks that you have shown will appear, allowing the GM and/or players to draw, play, and deal cards.
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[[tabletop-tokens|Token Features]]
  
== 8. [[sidebar-text-chat|Text Chat]] ==
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[[tabletop-aligning-maps|Aligning Maps with Existing Grids]]
 
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This is where you can communicate with the other players in the game via text chat. Enter your message into the box and press Enter (or click the Send button below the box). There are also advanced commands such as whispers, macros, emotes, and more.
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== 9. [[sidebar|Sidebar]] ==
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The [[sidebar|Sidebar]] contains useful tools such as the Text Chat, Art Library (GM Only), Journal, Jukebox, and My Settings. Click the tab to switch between the various tools available.
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Revision as of 18:59, 15 April 2013

This is the playspace that represents the actual "table" of your game. It's where you can act out RPG combat with minis on a battlemap, deal a hand of cards and throw around some poker chips, move meeples around a gameboard or just display backdrop pictures to set the right mood.

Contents

Elements of The Tabletop

There's two image element types that display on The Tabletop: Background Images and Tokens.

Background Images are any graphics that you don't plan to move or interact with while playing your game. This would be images like the game board of a boardgame or the terrain of a battlemap. You will want to keep these images on the Map & Background Layer.

Tokens are any image that you plan to move around the Table. This would include images like RPG minis, board game components (treasure chests, meeples, etc), poker chips, vehicles and etcerta. An image that is to be treated as a Token must be placed on either the Objects & Tokens or GM Overlay Info Layer.

Placing Images onto The Tabletop

Roll20 accepts the following image file types: JPGs, PNGs, GIFs

PNG and GIF files with transparent elements will display correctly in Roll20. Animated GIFs WILL NOT animate on The Tabletop. It will only display the first frame of animation if an animated GIF is uploaded to Roll20.

Image Insertion Methods

There are two ways to place images onto The Tabletop: direct upload or an image search.

Direct Upload

To use images from your own personal files, click on an image from your computer files and drag it directly onto The Tabletop. This will initiate an upload of that image to Your Art Library. When the upload is complete, it'll display the image on The Tabletop.

If you would prefer to batch upload a series of images at once, you can do this from the Your Art Library window that you can access from the Art Library tab of the Sidebar. There is a 10 files/5 MB file size per batch limitation to batch uploads.

Art Search

This method is accomplished by going to the Art Library tab in the Sidebar and running a search for a desired art element. When you find an image that you wish to use, click the thumbnail from the search and drag it onto The Tabletop.

Moving Around The Tabletop

You can pan around your Page by either using the scroll bars to the right and bottom of the Tabletop OR click and drag with the right mouse button.

You can zoom either by using the Zoom Tool from the Tabletop Toolbox OR hold down alt/option while scrolling with the mouse wheel.

Pinging the Map

If you click and hold down anywhere on the map, radar rings sprout out from the point of your mouse cursor. These Pings are visible to everyone currently playing the Campaign. The GM/Players' current user color is applied to each Ping to better identify who's indicating what. This tool can help indicate points of interests on a map

Shift+Ping (GM Feature)

A GM can force all their players to view a certain area of the map by holding the Shift key while Pinging. This is very helpful if you have a very large dungeon map to explore. When a new Page is loaded, the Tabletop's view is automatically set to the upper left hand corner of the Page. If you have the Fog of War enabled, your players might be greeted with their entire Tabletop filled with black fog. Instead of the players panning around the Page to locate their tokens, a Shift Ping leads your players right where they need to be.

In-Depth Tabletop Topics

Manipulating Graphics

Token Features

Aligning Maps with Existing Grids