GM Forge - Virtual Tabletop
- May 29, 2018
- Game Master LLC
Get on Steam"GM Forge - Virtual Tabletop" is a standalone game mastering tool with competitive features, allowing friends to join through their web browser without purchasing a copy. It includes dynamic lighting, worldmaps, music and video integration, combat tracker, custom character sheets, and a full system builder. The game comes with 6 sample systems and additional user-created content is available through the Steam Workshop. It also supports online, offline, and local network play.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- GM Forge offers a one-time purchase model, making it more cost-effective than subscription-based alternatives like Roll20.
- The software has a strong feature set, including dynamic lighting, fog of war, and extensive customization options, appealing to tech-savvy users.
- The developer is active and responsive in the community, providing support and engaging with users to improve the platform.
- The application is considered abandonware, with many users reporting a lack of updates and support since its last release.
- The user interface is unintuitive and has a steep learning curve, making it difficult for new users to navigate and utilize effectively.
- Numerous bugs and performance issues hinder gameplay, with reports of crashes, slow loading times, and data loss during sessions.
- optimization6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, users report mixed experiences with optimization; while some encounter game-breaking issues and slow performance, others praise the desktop client for its superior handling of large maps and dynamic elements compared to web-based alternatives. The software is noted for its minimal hardware requirements and efficient management of line of sight and fog of war, resulting in little to no performance impact.
“- No limits besides what your hardware and network performance allow, and the requirements are very shallow.”
“- Line of sight and fog of war with little to no performance impact.”
“I didn't mind the small bugs and slow performance until I ran into a game-breaking issue that persists even after a restart - maps not loading or allowing new tokens to be placed.”
“Slow performance.”
“As a desktop client, GM Forge has better performance than Roll20's web client when dealing with large maps with many tokens and dynamic lighting walls.”
- stability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Users report that the platform suffers from significant bugs and feels incomplete, leading some to prefer free alternatives that offer similar features without the stability issues. Overall, the experience is marred by instability, prompting recommendations to combine other tools for a more reliable solution.
“I bought this hoping for an alternative to Roll20 with just a one-time purchase, but it is rather buggy and feels incomplete.”
- graphics2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Users suggest that for complex graphics involving layers, a dedicated map builder or graphics editor may provide a more user-friendly experience than the game's built-in tools.
“If you need layers (drawings combined with objects on a background, etc.), you will find less frustration in using a dedicated map builder or even just a graphics editor.”
- story2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users appreciate the story aspect of GM Forge for its robust design philosophy that empowers them to create personalized maps, tokens, and narratives. The platform enhances storytelling through modern features like dynamic lighting, fog of war, and linked maps, allowing for immersive world-building and engaging vignettes.
“I love creating my own maps, tokens, and storylines.”
“Most of GM Forge's strength is in its fundamental design philosophy to create a platform and framework for designing and running VTT games that provides compelling modern features like dynamic lighting, fog of war, world-building with linked maps and area transitions, and rich journal/storyboard vignettes.”
- gameplay1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users find that GM Forge offers more immersive gameplay experiences compared to Roll20, allowing for greater creativity and engagement in their sessions.
“I feel that I can create more immersive gameplay experiences within GM Forge than I am able to do with Roll20.”
- music1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The music aspect of the game is noted for its support of music tracks through audio management tools, but users find the configuration options for playback to be quite limited.
“The audio management tools in GM Forge support music tracks, but they are quite limited in their ability to configure how those tracks are played.”
“The music in the game feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“The soundtrack doesn't match the game's atmosphere, which detracts from the overall experience.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers highlight the game's exceptional replayability, noting its value as a one-time purchase that provides unlimited gameplay options, free assets, and a comprehensive workshop for years of continued enjoyment.
“It's hard to beat a one-time purchase for a whole group that offers unlimited replayability, free assets, and an entire workshop ready to be used over the next several years.”
