What is a Virtual Tabletop?

A virtual tabletop (VTT) is software on your computer. It connects to the Internet and allows you to play traditional tabletop games with people in other locations. A VTT provides a shared view of images, die rolls, and other game components (boards, cards, miniatures, etc.). It also provides a communication platform, generally a chat window but sometimes voice communication too.

A VTT does not provide an automated opponent. It isn’t a game in itself, it’s simply a means of playing games with other human beings.

It’s possible to play most any sort of game with a VTT, but some programs are more suited to one sort of game than another. Some are intended solely for role-playing games, offering features for interacting with character sheets, dice, maps, and miniatures. Others are more oriented to board games, featuring ways to work easily with decks of cards, pawns, paths the game pieces must follow, timers, score counters, and so forth.

How do I choose one?

For starters, what are you hoping to play? The software you choose to play an RPG might not work well for a card game, and vice-versa. Some programs claim to do either, but I have yet to see one that does both RPG’s and board games as well as a program that was designed to do just one. Of course, there’s no reason, beyond perhaps cost, that you can’t buy one for every sort of game you play.

Next, let’s think about who we want to play with. If we have a regular gaming group and you want to play remotely (like during a pandemic, for instance), everyone in the group will need to have the same software, so it needs to be available for whatever sort of device they’re able to use. That isn’t usually a problem for Macs and PC’s, but if someone only has a tablet or a Chromebook it may be a bit more of an issue.

On the other hand, if you’re hoping to find other players, look for the platform that is most popular for the game you’re hoping to play. Most programs have some means of searching for players or available games, whether by an in-game “lobby”, a forum, or a social media page.

Next, consider what games you’re looking to play, and whether anyone has programmed a given VTT to play it. For really popular games like Battleship or the latest version of D&D you’ll have a lot of choices, but if you want to play old or obscure games your options will be limited.

Cost may be a factor too, but we’ll tackle that a bit later.

What else do I need?

It’s probably obvious, but you’ll need a computer, and an internet connection. A typical family or office computer is probably fine, provided it’s fairly modern. Network requirements too, are usually modest. Generally speaking, if you can watch a Youtube video you’re probably good to go. Naturally, you should check the system requirements for the software you choose.

You’re very likely to want voice communications of some sort. There are many, many options for this, including such office classics as Skype and Zoom. Some VTT’s come with built-in voice chat, which simplifies matters. For best audio quality, you’ll want a headset, preferably a wireless one, that has enough battery life to last through an entire game session.

What’s all this going to cost?

Prices for VTT software can range from free to over $100. In general, you get what you pay for. Many of the “free” options have a lot of features disabled unless you buy some sort of subscription, or simply lack the features of the more expensive options.

You’re not done yet, though. The virtual tabletop is just that: a table. You need a game, too. Some VTT’s have some games built in, but if you want to play something else you’ll need to buy that too, or find a free version. In the case of an RPG, the gamemaster will have to buy each adventure module they run, just as they would in a face-to-face game. For board games, if you want to play a different game on your tabletop, you have to buy it, just like in the physical world.

Fortunately, there’s also a lot of free content. Some of it is hardly worth the cost, but much of it is quite good. Many VTT’s have forum areas where players help one another develop game content, and these can be a treasure trove of both complete games and adventures, but also of assets like maps, minis, and the like.

It’s also possible to make your own content. It takes time and effort, but it’s really satisfying to be able to invite your friends to play a game you created.

This sounds hard. Why are we doing this?

Virtual tabletops allow you to play games with people you couldn’t play with otherwise. Whether they’re faraway friends and family, people you’ve only met virtually, or your next-door neighbors during a quarantine, you’ll be able to renew old bonds, create new ones, and have a good time in a way that you otherwise could never do.

What do you use?

Disclaimer: I purchased the software I mention with my own money. However, I did do some development work for Smiteworks, the owner of Fantasy Grounds, and continue to receive royalty payments on sales of my work.

For roleplaying games I use Fantasy Grounds. It has 3D rolling dice that obey actual laws of physics, and they look amazing. Fantasy Grounds allows a great deal of scripting and automation to be built into the rules. For example, it will automatically confirm a critical hit and calculate the correct damage roll (stacking modifiers appropriately as well). It will then apply the damage to the correct monster on the combat tracker, and apply any effects as appropriate. It comes with bult-in support for many games. Among them are 2nd, 3.5, 4th and 5th edition D&D, Pathfinder 1&2, Starfinder, Fate, and a generic ruleset that allows you to play anything you like. You can purchase the rules and automation for many other games, and still more are available for free on the forums.

For board games I like Tabletop Simulator. It has many purchasable games (complete with rules and copyrighted images), and there are also many free versions that use more generic graphics and require you to have a paper copy of the rules. TTS includes voice chat, so you don’t need extra software for that. It has a very nice tool for building your own games as well.

For voice communications my group uses Teamspeak. It’s free for small groups, and it’s possible to host it on your own computer so you don’t need to pay for hosting.

I have also used Vassal and ZunTzu for boardgames, but not recently. I’ve played RPG’s using Roll20, Twitch, Discord, Skype, and Zoom. All of them worked well enough to play.