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One thing I find rather fun in my D&D games is background music. I think it would work even better in Maptool seeing as you're not trying to listen to anyone talk over the music. Is there any chance an attachment where a DM might play a song and the players can listen to it via streaming? Or does anyone know of a program that already exists that might do the same thing?

So, you are not currently using voice program? Then use one to send the music. Download the free ventrilo server and have everyone connect. No need for anyone to have microphones, just speakers. Then you connect with your vent and play music. Here is a link that I used to be able to stream music while using vent to talk as well. So, it will be even easier for you.

http://www.ventrilo.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34421&highlight=play+music

I've been searching for the same thing. Apparently, there's a way to do this with Yahoo messenger 9.0, but you have to be on a "call" with the folks that you're streaming to. It can't be done on a normal chat session.

What we need is a way to stream music & sound effects to players with the option of looping and/or ending those sound files as necessary.

So, why doesn't ventrilo fit the bill? You hear everything that Windows Media player or whatever other player you want to use, is playing. You can loop your playlists, turn them off or whatever. Read the post from the link. This is not a hold your microphone up to your speakers thing. I turn off my speakers and use my headphones for talking to the group with my first instance of ventrilo. My second instance of ventrilo broadcasts the music to the server, so everyone can hear. I just have playlists and folders ready to go, so I can loop or switch music easy. If you are playing by text you would not even need the headset or second instance of ventrilo running.

I think some people are put off by installing separate software that they have to learn to use ust to listen to music. I used to raid when I played WoW and Ventrilo was a must. But the Mac version of the program is utter crud for compatibility with Windows clients. Server admins HAVE to know what they're doing and be familiar with the program in order for Mac users to be able to listen/speak over Ventrilo. Coming to MapTool from OpenRPG, my DM's only peeves with the program is the inability to insert a sound clip URL, hit a button, and have it play to everyone in the room. It helped set the mood without worrying about players having problems with a separate program (I suffered terrible Ventrilo disconnects and sometimes server lock-outs).

So, yes, there are other options. Currently, my DM will just host the mp3 to our campaign wiki and he'll post the link to the chat window if he wants us to listen to something. But lately we've just been ignoring music.

It would be a nice feature or separate tool to make. MusicTool; host servers and allow connections where you just play music uploaded from the net or your computer. I could actually see that branching outside of the RPG community to enabling radio DJing to anyone with a music library and an internet connection. Hm...

Maybe YOU'VE been ignoring the music, but I play each link. (We're in the same campaign, if that's not obvious.)

It seems to me like it would be pretty simple to create a little Java app that just plays an online-hosted .mp3 file. I may take a crack at it one day when I get time and see if it could be incorporated to the Greater MapTool.

Here's the trick: I got the Vent trick to work, but I can only have one record source going off my sound card at a time- it won't let me choose both my Mic and Stereo mix at the same time. Is there any app out there that doesn't involve me switching record sources?

What kind of sound card do you have?

SoundMax- it's onboard sound for my motherboard.

For the vent trick to work and still use it to talk you either need a usb headset or 2 soundcards. That is the drawback, but my headset was usb anyway so it didn't effect me.

I didn't realize vent had problems mixing pcs and macs. Guess I am lucky all of my players so far have been pc.

Ventrillo doesn't really have a problem mixing Macs and PCs... the issue being referred to is the server operator setting the default codec to one that doesn't work on Macs.

Noted. Thanks, that bit of information will be good to know in case I ever pick up a mac use for my group.

Aye, sorry if that was unclear. Default codec is not Mac-Vent compatible and most (almost every one I've known) server admins don't know how to change it or which one they need to use. It caused several hours of annoyance most of the time.

@Merk: Most of the time, I can't be bothered to swap back and forth between MapTool and Firefox. I'm usually working on a macro script for a spell in the game

It sounds like Ventrilo would fit the bill for this, if all the players agree to install it. So, if I'm reading the posts correctly, you really need to be using a USB headset so that the soundcard is free to process audio. Can you have 2 or more audio files broadcast at the same time, say for example, background music plus an explosion?

Only if whatever program you are playing the music on can mix it.