RPTools.net

Hello at all. Last time I think about, to buy a Multitouch working Display like the DELL ST2220T...

http://accessories.euro.dell.com/sna/pr ... sku=482825

...to use it with Maptool. One Feature of this Display is, to use it flat on the table and have a viewing Angle to 178°/178°.

Does anyone know about this Display and used it with Maptool?

Funau

"right click"(which is used quite a bit in MT) won't work, so I would say... keep a mouse/keyboard near by....

There were third parties looking into adding multitouch support to MapTool, but last I heard both projects had stalled. If they're still lurking here, maybe those devs will post with an update.

Hello. I just want to use the Multitouch Display for the PCs at the Table, to scroll and zoom the Map and move the Tokens. I have tested the iPhone and iPad App "MaPknakotic", and such as this I think it will be possible!?

Funau

First you need to understand that Mapknotic != MapTool. Second, Maptool was written in 2006 and thus with standard desktop operating systems in mind. OS'es where the users interact via mouse and keyboard. Thus out of the gate, it totally depends on how the Multitouch Display works.

If it can emulate a "mouse click", a "mouse drag" a "mouse drop", and possibly a "mouse double click" you are probably ok with the VERY basics functions you mentioned. What you WON'T get is stuff multitouch device users are typically expecting such as multi touch gestures, pinch to zoom, etc. That WILL NOT WORK since MapTool knows nothing about those events(unless the hardware or OS has some type of emulation mode in some settings somewhere, which I doubt).

If you are going to get it anyway, cool... I hope you enjoy it. But if one of your primary reasons is to do cool things with MapTool with it, you will be woefully disappointed if you have expectations that all of the multitouch "goodness" will work with MapTool.... My rough guess is that it will be 2+ years(or more) before MapTool has support for multitouch devices unless we get some fairly major code contributions outside our existing very small developer pool.

Thanks for your anwsers. Is there any other possible solution, to use Maptool flat on a Display (no homemade Projektor-Table) and all PCs around the Table can move her tokens? I dont need a full multitouch solution, only Map and Token Movement!

Thanks... Funau

Well, as jfrazierjr said, if it can emulate those four actions, it would probably work for basic token movement. You would still want a server running on a standard computer for GM-specific stuff and the more complex operations, though.

Essentially, you'd have the multi-touch connected as a client, with ownership of all the PC tokens. As long as the multi-touch can emulate the drag-and-drop action, it should work for basic movement. Single-clicking to select tokens and activate macros should work with no issues.

Another option would be the convertible laptops with the screen you can rotate and flip over, like this. With that, you can flip the laptop screen so it faces up, hook up a mouse, and you're good to go. This option would allow full use of the tool, since you'd be using an actual mouse.

EDIT: Actually, now that I'm looking at the specific link you posted... The Dell ST220T is just a monitor, so you can always run the mouse up to the table from the computer it's hooked up to. Or, for that matter, just hook the monitor up to a closed laptop on the desk, and set the mouse right beside that. Either way would allow the players to move their tokens if the touchscreen won't work for that. The convertible laptop would take up less room on the table, though.

Yes, it is just a Monitor, but with a viewing angle to 178°/178°. So I can use it flat at the Table. Actually we use the Paper Flip Map and draw the RP Situation on it. But I like Maptool including FogOfWar and so on... The Dell ST220T with 21,5" is big enough to use it instead the FlipMap. The Convertible Laptop is a nice thing but only with 10,1" I think it is not big enough.

Thanks Funau

Hello,

I own a Dell ST2220T and have recently starting using it with Maptool for my in-person gaming sessions. I registered for the forums here to post in this thread.

So far, it works great. The screen is a very nice size, and has good viewing angle when laying flat.

As for the multitouch features-- as long as you are running Windows 7 (which I believe is a requirement for the monitor anyway), it works like a charm. Windows 7 provides basic multitouch functionality for all programs. Pinch-to-zoom, for example, works in Maptool just fine (I believe it emulates ctrl+mouse scroll wheel, and Maptool just ignores the ctrl part). Right clicking is achieved by holding your finger down for about 1.5 seconds, and then you can move the map around normally.

I use it by hooking it up as the secondary monitor to my laptop. I then run two copies of Maptool, as the GM on my laptop screen and then connect the second copy as a player on the touch screen monitor and enter full-screen mode.

Excellent. Thanks for the recap, SullyDM.

It's always interesting to hear about how people use the RPTools applications, in particular with new(er) technology.

Hello again; just to add a little more info:

The pinch-to-zoom does emulate Ctrl+Mousewheel. If I hold down shift on a keyboard and pinch after touching an icon, I get token rotation with fine contrl (not the 45 degree turns).

There are a few things that would make it a little nicer. For example, if there was someway to get the waypoint feature while moving a token. I tried with an on-screen keyboard (customized to just have a spacebar icon), but the monitor was unable to read the keypress while I was moving a token. What we have started doing now is using a portable 10-key usb keyboard, and putting it near the monitor, and then using software to remap those keys. Enter becomes a spacebar, so while dragging the token around you can use your other hand to hit the enter key and set a waypoint. Works pretty nicely!

There are a number of UI issues that need to be resolved for MT to work well with a multitouch device. It would be ideal if the Java runtime would provide an appropriate library, but waiting for that isn't practical...

Just want to share my opinion on the Dell ST2220T and on using it with maptools.
If your into replacing minis and such with a VTT and the only thing you want to do is moving tokens and revealing the map and showing images..it works great.
The viewing angle on the screen is nice and the size is perfect, also it portable and no hazzle to set up.
But there is a flaw, not with the screen or MT but with Windows and multitouch. If you are runing both client and gm on same computer, the touch will steal your mouse cursor everytime its touched. :S
So you´ll need a seperate client computer for it to work best.
The 2point multitouch works great when you get used to it, but its a bit odd to move tokens at first...you have to be gentle.^^

Other then that there is really no bad sides, my gaming group loves the screen, myself included.

Great Great!!! I read all your answers today, and I was really happy to read this.

Now, there is one more question about the Dell ST2220T with Maptool. How does the Monitor works with Minatures on it. Is it possible to use a Miniature directly on the Display to Drag And Drop the Tokens? And can I use more Miniatures on it?

Thanks for your testing.

Funau

Hello at all! I found a Multitouch Gamingboard called EPAWN at the WorldWideWeb. What do you think about this hardware? Is a MT Support possible?

http://www.epawn.fr/