I love maps and was thinking of buying Battle Map 2

It's a piece of software that allows you to quickly create maps before (or even during a game) for battles. Not just dungeons, but outdoors as well

Anyone use some type of mapping software that you can output to a monitor/tv of sorts?

Hello Warden

For our game sessions I use a freebie software called MAPTOOL
MAPTOOL DOWNLOAD
It allows you to import any jpeg, png, or bmp into it and create a map.

Then you can do the following;
* overlay hex or square grid over the map
* place images as objects, houses, trees, dungeon objects, rocks.... whatever
* place tokens for characters and creatures
* create light blocking layers to control fog of war to hide areas not seen
* different types of d20 light sources
* roll dice (using macros)
* create macros to handle whatever game system mechanics (I haven't done this)
There are macros available for various game systems, but I haven't seen any for TOR

And did I mention ...it is free!

I create maps in photoshop, but you can download .jpg maps from the internet or screen captures to use.

Then on game day I use my laptop. I connect the laptop to a TV and switch the video so the TV is not a copy of my deskktop, it has a separate display.

I open two session of MAPTOOL on my laptop.
One instance I start a server as the GM , the other instance I connect to that server as a player.
I drag the player instance of maptool to the TV. So now what happens is that I can fiddle around with the GM side of things on my laptop, and the players will see only what I want them to see on the TV

People who cant make the game table can also join in the session by connecting to your server.


Here is a copy of the Marsh Bell map I "painted" in Photoshop to use in MAPTOOL for our game session

MARSH BELL DUNGEON MAP

Nice map

I tried getting to grips with maptools but found it too cumbersome

I've just bought Battle Map 2 and it's really good, but still learning it

Hey Venger, I tried to do the exact same thing w/ Maptools, using my bigscreen in the living room as a second monitor or such.

Mostly just to show overhead views of battlefields etc.

Unfortunately I am not computer software savvy, and like Warden said - it's quite cumbersome - I couldn't figure it all out.

So I finally said to hell with it, and abandoned the idea.

Maybe you could stop by my house and do a tutorial.....