Mote: A Powerful, Friendly,& Open-Sourced Virtual Tabletop, an extension of MapTool is an open source VTT system featuring a large number of additional functions including HTML5 support and a macro editor.
Basic Information
Estimated Delivery: August – November 2014
Location: San Jose, CA
Game overview
Forum: http://geekerskeep.com/topic/mote-powerful-friendly-open-sourced-virtual-tabletop/
Kickstarter Specifics
As the title suggests, Mote is an open source virtual tabletop system which is based on MapTool. However, Idle Ideas Inc, the creators of Mote, decided that MapTool was lacking quite a bit of functionality and needed to be extended. These extensions include HTML5 support, macro scripting, superior vision tools (equivalent to MapTools’, but optimized), sound controls, Alternate data manipulation, hosting, and dissemination (essentially SQL database integration at the moment), and a headless server mode.
One of the features Idle Ideas Inc. is most excited about is the die bar. The die bar allows complex dice rolls without the need for creating a macro script. “[You] just construct [your] expressions through the bar’s text fields and toggles, and [you] can save the resulting expressions for future use, or pass these expressions to someone else.”
Essentially, this brings quite a few robust tools used in web development to a virtual tabletop really opening up the number of possible uses for the system. The headless server mode also means being able to run large scale virtual tabletop configurations. Depending on how robust Mote truly ends up being, it could be used for a whole host of applications beyond normal VTT configurations. Idle Ideas Inc. also pointed out that “headless servers can also be used as is, hosted somewhere where no firewall configuration is needed, making it easier for people to connect to each other, without the need for UPnP.”
HTML5 support as well as OpenGL/hardware-accelerated graphics, and mobile clients are some of the stretch goals for the Mote project. HTML5 support is probably one of the most interesting features, at least in my opinion, since HTML5 allows for very robust content production.
Note that Mote, like MapTools is written purely in Java and so will be compatible with essentially any Oracle Java Runtime Environment. So you’ll be able to run Mote whether you use Linux or Windows, and possibly even Haiku.
Geekers Keep is looking forward to seeing progress being made on the system and make take advantage of the system ourselves for certain custom games as well as connecting our members who aren’t local. We’ll keep you up to date on the progress of Mote and how Geekers Keep will utilize the platform.
Goal: $5,000
Pledge Levels: 7 levels ranging from $1 to $200
End Date: Sun, Mar 16 2014 11:34 PM EST
Chances of success
It’s difficult to say whether or not Mote will be successful. Open source is always tricky business. However, while there are a fair number of virtual tabletop systems on the market, Mote does promise quite a bit that the others do not. If Idle Ideas Inc. is able to get a more robust proof of concept out, as well as perform some more advertising, that will help their chances of success.