Hi all! I’m trying to run a CYOA-style wargame for friends on facebook, wherein they just pick up a role of a commander, give me orders, and then I roll all dice, pick up all cards and move their troops on a map.
After tangling with Roll20 and tabletop simulator, I think VASSAL seems like a better fit. However, I’m not sure how to use the client.
What I need to do:
Have a game running for just one person with admin access (me)
have pogs representing 28mm figures that I can easily move around on a drawn battlemap that I supply.
What would be nice to have:
Integrated dice rolls and tables
graphics indicating pin markers and other conditions that have to stay on units for extended times
Text boxes for easy of understanding by the player viewing my screenshots
How do I do all of this? Is there a mod-set for wargaming that I can load and gain access to generic pictures of WW1 soldiers? We’re running a game with the ruleset Through the Mud and the Blood, if that matters.
As you are completely new to Vassal, and to building Vassal modules in particular, I strongly recommend that you take a look at Joel Toppen’s tutorial on youtube.
All possible, some things easier than others depending how far you want to go with refining your module.
Not exactly. Vassal does have in-built ability to build your own wargame counters using NATO designs, but you’ll have to look elsewhere for anything more in respect of game graphic libraries. However, there are lots of modules. Perhaps one of them is a good starting point for you. There’s the Commands & Colors module The Great War, for example. That has counters with troop graphics. Maybe you can re-purpose those. Perhaps someone can suggest a better one, more aligned to miniatures.
Integrated dice rolls & tables: here & here. If you mean to tie the two together, that’s an advanced topic. You’ll need to master Action Buttons, Trigger Actions, along with other piece traits to get your desired effects.
graphics indicating pin markers and other conditions that have to stay on units for extended times: the Layer trait is a common technique for this. Or you could look at defining the units as Mats.
Text boxes for easy of understanding by the player viewing my screenshots: Sounds like the Text Label trait but the Mouse-over might be worth considering.
Hope that helps. Vassal learning curve can seem a bit daunting but if you follow that video series it will help you understand the essentials and get useable module up and running quite soon.
My method, when I was just starting, was to download a module for which I had the game and knew how to play (in my case Tokyo Express). I then played a game with the module, so I could see what it all did, and then dove into the editor with that module to see how it was all set up.
That have me a good starting point for designing my own module.