The image above shows you what a virtual board game looks like on the Tabletop Simulator program. Another popular program used by board game designers is Tabletopia, which is a browser based platform. These two virtual platforms are commonly used to develop new board games because it enables designers to create and modify games in a virtual space so they can be played with anybody, anywhere.
I will take you through the basic requirements to get you up and running on these two software platforms so you can try out any of the hundreds of games available, or even make up your own. Of course I would love for you to try my games out, but there also are many other games out there for you to enjoy.
First you will need a computer. A reasonably fast desktop or laptop computer with some type of speakers and a microphone. A camera is nice to have’ but it is optional. A headset with a microphone would make communication much more clear and would be a worthwhile investment if you plan on doing this often.
Next, you need some way to communicate. The “Discord” application is very popular with on-line gamers and makes the ideal tool for talking to and collaborating with other gamers. It will work on your computer, tablet or phone. There are many dedicated discord servers for playing board games and play-testing new games. You could manage without this software but it is a very useful way to meet and communicate with other gamers. The price is right….it’s free.
Tabletopia is a browser based app. which should work in just about any web browser. It is free for the basic package, but you will have to pay a monthly fee for more advanced features and additional fees if you want to create more than one of your own games. The basic package will allow you to play a few games as well as newly developed games. It is a little slow, being a browser based application, but it will do the job. You can get this app through the app store or through Steam for free. You can create a free account or learn more about it here.
Tabletop Simulator is a stand-alone application which is installed on your computer. It is faster and a much more powerful tool when used for creating games, and is where I am currently developing my own games. It is distributed through a video gaming platform called “Steam” which is free to join and has a wide variety of video games. Many of these games are free and most are very reasonably priced. You can get more information about Steam here.
Tabletop Simulator (TTS) will cost a one time fee of $20.00, rather than a monthly fee. It often goes on sale for half price which is a good deal considering the hundreds of games you can play. I can also help you out with the cost if you are willing to do some play-testing of the games I am currently developing. Let me know if you are interested.
If you would like some help getting set-up or would like to play some of my games on-line you can reach me a number of ways.
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