I used your guide to make the DM screen I've been dreaming off for years. Thank you for that! My players are loving it. Furthermore, I used the app Dungeon Alchemist to build a haunted mansion. With the first person walk-through feature, they have the ability to explore the mansion by themselves with a wireless keyboard and mouse from their places at the table.
Same. I've played online many times, and the vast chasm of difference between that and in-person is literally game changing. I know not everyone can do it, but in-person is just infinitely better. I'll never play online again unless it's against my will. xD
A little thing for OBS :- OBS also has a "Virtual Webcam" mode that can be outputted to whatever chat software you're using. Might cut down on the number of screen shares and save a few CPU cycles. :)
Bro, you put me onto Improved Initiative a while back and it's changed my whole game! I can't stop talking about to my friends who DM. It imporved the flow of my combat significantly !
a few others have already pointed it out, but I just want to reiterate that MythJourneys uses AI to generate their images, and is not an artist! Ethical concerns aside, I think it's important to as least stay informed of when AI is involved. Use their images if you like, so long as you're aware of where it all comes from
Another option is to setup an incognito window (or another browser) for player view from the VTT and stream that window through OBS/discord. Still a separate window, but much easier to run off a laptop with limited output ports :)
It's funny you're making this video now, as I have been doing exactly that for a while now with my "digital battle mat" aka flat lying, modified TV 😅 I am usually showing some atmospheric pictures during "normal" play and my Maps whenever one is needed plus Improves initiative player view next to the map during combat. Also to display the maps, I use Owl ear rodeo, as I can easily navigate it and place enemy tokens if I don't feel the need to craft something physical. Those I can move easily from behind my dm screen... 😊
@@powerwordspill Do it, it's really cool, as I am more of a "use a Programm" than a "draw by hand" kinda guy, and printing maps in large is just a pain... I bought an old used TV, stripped it out of it's casing and built it a wooden enclosure, now it can just sit on top of any table and is portable 😊
@erica.9431 I actually do something very similar to everything you're saying! 😂 I use a flat TV for all my batylemaps, using owlbear rodeo to run it all. I used to use paper maps, but you're right, printing was an absolute PAIN (and also expensive)! I also put up pictures as sort of a "scene setter", but instead of putting it on the map-TV, I have a monitor set up in from of me as part of my DM screen. I actually made a whole video about my setup if you wanna check it out!
@@powerwordspill ohh wow kelly that's the Bees Knnnneeesss, i have a big TV but just a HDMI to the computer but it stat dormant, is there a MAP resizer? or gird tool? to drop on a hand drawn map? scanned in the TV is 58" so it snot a recommended 42", all maps are HUGE to the minis, any ideas on resizing or reshaping maps, So many questions, nut this is a perfect channel , merci
Omg... ive been using OBS for years! Using it to record calls, dnd, book club anythint and i had no idea about the making a scene with urls ugh!!!!! What a live saver.
Foundry VTT Version: The majority of the information in this video is applicable. The big difference is that Foundry has the module named Stream View that allows for automated camera movements as well as other handy VTT-in-Person settings you can adjust. Make an additional user account that Stream View will use. Make sure that user is set to Observer of all PCs so that all PC Token vision will be shared to it. In the Stream View Settings, there are a variety of things that you can use to better tune the experience to your needs. For my personal preference, I remove all HUD elements and leave the Initiative Tracker only when there is an active encounter as well as set up Dice So Nice! in the Stream View's User's settings to show VTT rolls while not having a massive chat log take up a good portion of the screen. Pan speed will dictate how quickly the camera moves when the players move, and the camera will zoom out to keep all players in view out of combat. In combat, the camera stays at an adjustable zoom level and centers on the current token's turn UNLESS no player can see it, in which case it defaults to the non-combat position. Clicking Show Players on any Journal or Image window will also show it to the Stream View User and you can set how long the window stays open for as well as where it's displayed. Aside from that, following the same OBS Browser source works here, but might not be as necessary as all of the relevant information (Initiative, Art, etc.) is handled within the client if all you're doing is casting to a reference display. In that case, you'd be able to open the user in a dedicated Chrome window, cast it to the device, and Stream View will handle the rest. Happy Gaming!
@@powerwordspill Exactly! And OBS can pretty well remove the background in your Webcam. With the Studio Mode you can build a nice scene and blend it over the live one. So you dont have to work in the streamscene.
I think it’s cool to see how you put all this together. The results look nice and the transitions are an improvement over what I do. Seems like a lot more work though for that extra bit of slickness. I run two instances of fantasy grounds, one on the external monitor (wireless or wired) for the players and one on the laptop screen for me. Can do all the same things but in one place, but with less fancy transitions (but there’s lighting and line of sight). It also means I can do all this without an internet connection (which is super important in one of the places where I DM….the internet is garbage at that location). For virtual games I screen share the player instance for people that aren’t logged into the vtt directly.
great vid man. i run online with my own homebrewed system and this has given me some great ideas on how to increase immersion for my players! thank you!
I actually tend to use OBS’s virtual camera if I’m on discord instead of having to use an adapter and such. It can be a simple alternative to an online dm screen.
Instead of a Chromecast, I use a "Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter". It doesn't have any extra software on it, but allows my to wirelessly cast to a TV with an HDMI port AND it shows up as a second monitor.
You can actually use command prompt to create a virtual second monitor in Windows, so you don't need to buy an adapter. Tutorial can be found on RU-vid! Maybe helps someone, it's what I did 😊
7:26 a solution for casting your screen but keeping things private or editing things behind the sence is virtual desktop. Both windows and linux has this. Use 1 for the stream labs preview and the other for to edit your VTT or take notes. This is even usful for the steam deck which is the pc I run my D&D game off of because linux lacks any casting features that isnt direct connecting an HDMI
You're lucky your players pay attention to the initiative. We play in person and I have a TV that I put the initiative up on behind me. And they still don't know know when it's their turn.
@@powerwordspill The worse is there are times I skip people on it because I'm looking over my shoulder at the TV and misread things. Not to mention I'm running like 15 bad guys with 4 initiative spots and I'm the cruel DM for getting mixed up!
Great video as always! However I don't really liked the dice stacking clip in the background I think it kinda lower the quality of the video, your content is great as it is. I don't think you need to use those cheap tricks to make your videos interesting!
As I am starting the build on my televised DM screen project this week, your timing couldn't have been better. The OBS part of the equation is by far the least obvious aspect, and I'm going to have to teach it to the others in my group who serve in the master role.
Feels kind of weird to watch a video recommending an AI art website followed up a couple minutes later with a recommendation of commissioning an artist to create portraits of your PCs
I was going to say the same thing, it's sad too because it feels like D&D is having a massive AI issue. Can't even find good hand made art (and thus, artists) anymore because image searches/browsers are just flooded with generic AI slop.
“Use a low cost customizable tool for creating background content, use an expensive expert for high quality, important references” Different tools for different purposes.
It should be noted, you could instead use the Virtual Camera feature for online play! granted if you use face cam this will replace your own video camera, but you could add it in as a source if need be!
Great video. I have a question...Say I had Photoshop open on my laptop. Could I make a OBS screen capture of the image in my open instance of photoshop? Let say I wanted to use it, instead of Owlbear Rodeo for maps, for example. Would it show it even if I minimized photoshop? Thanks!
You could make it capture the Photoshop window, so I think your players would still see the Photoshop UI, but you could scale it in OBS to get rid of the UI. Yeah it'll keep showing even if you minimize which is nice
Hey Kelly, thanks for the video. I'm trying to figure this out, my entire screen is being projected to the monitor instead of just a selection. The players will see everything on my screen, notes, etc. What am I doing wrong?
I like your videos, have watched many of them. Am subscribed and notifications on... that being said. I'm disappointed that 33% of this video is an advertisement. I also am a fan of improved initiative however, I didn't click on this video to learn about that, i wanted to learn about OBS and how to easily display things, NOT to spend 33% of this video tricked into an advertisement. As someone who has watched many of your videos, I am disappointed in the blatant disregard for your community and the fact you spent 1 out of every 3 minutes on this video talking about the promotion. As a fan, please do better.
Also, if you go to mythjourney's Monster section, it says 404 error not found... and the only photo of a skeleton is the one selected. You have to go to their top banner, then gallery, then monsters.. to which you'll find a grand total of 20 images in the gallery. I'm convinced this was another advertisement to drive traffic to their website
I think it's important to be transparent that "mythjourneys" is AI garbage and not someone sharing their own art. that's why it's free - it's plagiarised computer slop
