Tabletop Simulator D&D Setup [Up to 9 Players]

TABLE

I recommend this table because it can support up to 9 players https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=892806499

Personally, I like to remove pretty much all the rules stuff from the table I link above because I use online sources for managing rules

CUSTOM TOKENS

If you want 3D models, here are some good ones

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2036797646

If you want custom tokens, here's how to do that

You go to the Objects menu

Click on the Components button

Go to Custom

Go to Figurine

Once it's created, right click on it and select Custom

Paste a link to an image there

MAPS

You can just draw on top of the table if you want. It works pretty well. But if you want to use the grid I use or you want to create your own maps I recommend you do the following

Let me first say that this part is kind of a pain. With that out of the way, let's get started

The way I like to get maps imported into TTS is to upload them to Discord then copy the link. Any way you can get a link to the image location should work, however

I use these maps[drive.google.com] for the table I use. They have been specifically made to account for the size of the table. If you'd like to make your own maps using them, create a new .png file based of either the BaseGrid file or the BaseGridDark file. Put in whatever you'd like underneath the grid, then export it as a .png file. You should not resize the grid or have the image be bigger than the grid because that will throw the sizing off

One you have the file you want to bring into TTS in a link format, do the following:

Click on Customize Board button on the table. After you do it will change to Lock Board

Right click on the map on the table itself and select Custom

Select Diffuse/Image, and paste in the link to the image you want to put there. Then click Import

SNAP TO GRID

This is made to work with the grid system and table I set up previously. It likely won't work with other grid systems or tables because it's quite finely adjusted

Go to Options

Go to Grid

Copy the values shown

SAVE YOUR WORK

You should make folders and stuff as well in order to stay organised. And name stuff well so you know what you need to load when you run the game

YOUR NOTES

You'll likely be taking a lot of notes as a DM. I like to use OneNote[www.microsoft.com] because it syncs between all my devices and it's feature rich. Use whatever helps you stay organized though

I highly recommend Improved Initiative[www.improved-initiative.com] for running combat because it lets you track monsters, players, automatically roll initiative, and roll for attacks with a single click. It also comes with a bunch of monsters already set up. Improved Initiative deserves a guide of its own:

If you want highly detailed NPCs, this is a great generator[www.npcgenerator.com]

I also made a quick NPC, Inn, and Town generator[docs.google.com]

HOSTING THE GAME

Very very basic overview

THEORY AND ADVICE

It's hard to run games for large groups of players

When there are large groups, I like to give reasons for them to split up so they form smaller groups which are more manageable. This requires a lot of planning and note taking on your part, as well as requiring more scheduling or fewer games per player. The advantage is smaller group sizes and more flexibility with what adventures your players can go on

Also, I like both Matthew Colville and The Angry GM[theangrygm.com]

Q&A

How do you use a custom image as a map?

If you're looking to use a custom image as a map (like a battlemap image you found online, for example), you can follow the same process as you would in the "MAPS" section of the guide, but instead use an image you choose. The table doesn't account for the size of the image, however, so you'll likely end up with a janky looking map if you don't account for the size of the image

To help in that regard, I recommend performing the following steps to create a custom map:

1) Download BaseGrid.png from: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1BUmEHEmDMay-1CIEq0twdSzjWjY2enFc

2) Open up BaseGrid.png in the photo editing software of your choice. Photoshop, GIMP, etc

3) Choose an image you want to be the new custom map, and add it underneath the BaseGrid layer in the photo editing program

4) Resize the map, not the grid, so that it matches about how you want it to look in TTS. Don't be afraid to repeat this step and make multiple copies if you don't like the results

5) Save the resulting image as a png

6) Upload the newly created png somewhere you can get the link. Discord is a good way to do so, just send the image, then click on it and select "go to original", which will take you to the file, at which point you can copy the link

7) Now follow the directions in the "MAPS" part of the guide to upload your new map to the table!

If you haven't worked with a photo editing program before, I'd recommend looking up tutorials for using GIMP, as it is free

CONCLUSION

I hope this helped. If you have further questions, you can ask them in the chat below. Just know I don't check my Steam chat too often, so it might take me a while to get back to you

Source: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2369166679

D&D Setup [Up to 9 Players]