How best to Battlemat large maps

[RPMiller]

Those types of maps really show the strength of a VTT. I can save on printing by simply dropping them into a VTT and playing on them that way. I can move around easily in the map and do not have to worry about table/floor space. I would be curious if people are actually printing the maps or are using them in a VTT.

That mall one sounds incredible!!! It could easily be used in any modern setting. I would likely use it in a Superhero game.

[Redrobes]

Yeah use a VTT and just zoom to the area your battling in. One of the areas I find a VTT best for is for battles outdoors with bows. The range on a bow is very long but you can still do these no problem with spaced out minis. It really changes the dynamic when you have a large group of goblins with short bows off to one side giving cover to a the main force. You can try to close that 200' no mans land if you like...

I like playing rogues a lot so always liked the bow but often you don't get a chance to use it effectively cos the battles are set up so that your half closed into combat by the map the DM has for the encounter. There was another time I remember where in old D&DV2 one of the party had a monk with extremely fast move rate but it never came into play unless there was the space to work it.

I don't do modern stuff but I imagine that it would make even more of a difference with artillery and snipers.

[RPMiller]

I don't do modern stuff but I imagine that it would make even more of a difference with artillery and snipers.

Or Super Speedsters and Energy Projectors.

[Ceraus]

Those types of maps really show the strength of a VTT. I can save on printing by simply dropping them into a VTT and playing on them that way. I can move around easily in the map and do not have to worry about table/floor space. I would be curious if people are actually printing the maps or are using them in a VTT.

That mall one sounds incredible!!! It could easily be used in any modern setting. I would likely use it in a Superhero game.

Agree with all of the above (including the mall). I figure people use printable material in their VVT and use VTT objects and tilesets to make printable maps.

The best part, though: no minis. I know they're beautiful to look at and fun to manipulate, but they're really limiting. They force you to use their scale and lose much worth when paired with minis that don't corrrespond to the creature they represent or just with things other than minis.

Over the years, I've seen in use minis, LEGO figures, LEGO blocks, coins, assorted junk and chess pieces.

Switching to VTT, you can just put a relevant border (I like blue for players, red for enemies) around an easily-editable image found on the internet. I use World of Warcraft icons for humanoids, representing them as their weapon of choice (very efficient). Monsters just get their picture framed.

[RPMiller]

You might want to take a look at Token Tool from RPTools (see link in sig) if you haven't already. It can make pog style tokens uber fast and easy. They can be used in any VT as well, not just MapTool although if you use it with MapTool you can drag the created token right from TokenTool and drop it in MapTool instantly. Pretty sweet.