Since I have been using VTTs more and more for my gaming sessions I selected that option. The reason is because the players are spread out over the country so there is little other option.
I also selected "some drawing program" because MapTool allows you to create fast drawings while you are playing no different than using a battlemap, but a whole lot nicer.
I also selected "Our game is about imagination" because in my face to face gaming of late and in the past we rarely use battlemats of any sort.

Regarding computers at the gaming table, I find them to be vastly superior in many ways and actually enhances the whole gaming experience for several reasons:

  • If I need to look up a rule, I go to the search box in the PDF type it in and it finds it. Ten times faster than flipping through a book, and gives me the ability to check several books quickly if need be.
  • If I need a quick NPC name, I go to the name generator and hit the button. Instant name and some background information.
  • If the players throw a curve ball at me and actually choose to fight their way through the NPCs in an area that I didn't expect that to happen I can quickly slap a decent looking map together in a couple minutes and don't have to actually print anything out or take up space on the table with a battlemat. (Sorry GP... )
  • I can have my entire adventure in a document format that allows me to make quick notes and jump to different areas without shuffling through a stack of papers.
  • If the players ask what a particular building looks like or the roads in a particular area, I simply jump to Google maps or Google Earth and pull it up.

So, basically instead of a stack of books, papers, binders, etc, and worrying whether someone is going to spill drinks on them, or continually picking up a pencil to jot notes and then later transcribe them to an electronic document I have it all in a nice small area of a laptop that can be closed if needed and the only thing in front of me are dice. That is why having a computer at the table is great.