The Interface is Not the Game

I used to dislike virtual tabletops like Roll20 and similar sites because they often felt like they were turning RPGs into board games. Too much attention ended up on moving tokens around, clicking menus, or fiddling with interfaces instead of actually talking, imagining, and playing. I still think that’s a real danger. Digital tools can easily become a barrier between the players and the game itself.

I’ve softened on them over time, though, especially when the interface doesn't have a learning curve and stays out of the way. A good character sheet that’s easy to read and easy to use can speed things up considerably. Maps and images can also communicate things much faster than a long verbal explanation. Sometimes it’s simply easier to show where things are in relation to each other (even if your group doesn't use miniatures), or put an image on screen to establish some atmosphere, than to spend five minutes trying to describe it perfectly.

I also strongly prefer open rolling whenever possible. Part of the excitement of tabletop games comes from everybody seeing the dice hit the table together and reacting in real time. Online play can lose some of that feeling, because no one can see the dice of the other players. But platforms that show the dice rolls in a chat window preserve that tension. Even digitally, there’s something important about uncertainty being shared openly rather than hidden behind the screen.

At the same time, online play creates problems of its own. Running a virtual tabletop alongside a separate communication or recording platform like SquadCast means people are often juggling multiple windows at once. Character sheets can cover maps, maps can bury chat windows, and the whole setup can become awkward unless you have multiple monitors. I still don’t think there’s a perfect solution to this. The best approach I’ve found is simply restraint: keep maps simple, keep the desktop uncluttered, and avoid putting more on screen than the players actually need. If someone has a second (or third) monitor, that helps tremendously, but even then, simplicity matters.

At the end of the day, no interface really replaces human interaction. The actual game still lives in conversation, improvisation, and the chemistry between the people at the table. I don't want to end up managing software instead of running a game. Most of the time our group doesn't use a virtual tabletop; we play in SquadCast and the action happens in our theater of the imagination, as if we were playing in person without the use of miniatures. I think something like Roll20 needs to be a support, not as the centerpiece. I do not want to create a board game on a screen. That being said, it can be helpful to use it for things computers are good at--organization, visualization, quick accessibility--while leaving the important parts of roleplaying in human hands.