Battlegrounds: RPG Edition vs Rolisteam

Battlegrounds: RPG Edition (BRPG) is downloadable virtual tabletop software for running pen-and-paper roleplaying games online or offline on macOS and Windows. It is designed to work with any RPG rules system or genre. Groups can use battle maps with optional square or hex grids, move digital miniatures and props, and reveal explored areas with Dynamic Fog of War that accounts for light and special vision. Its dice roller supports standard and polyhedral dice, while the configurable Turn Sequencer tracks turns and can keep character stats. Built-in text chat includes group and private conversations, in-character and out-of-character modes, aliases, macros, and exportable logs. Users can supply maps and artwork or use the maker’s free and commercial artpacks and digital game conversions. BRPG also supports LAN and online games, though users provide their own internet service. A free Demo has usage limits; one-time paid licenses start at 14.00 USD. The maker says the programs remain supported but are no longer being developed or updated.

Rolisteam is a virtual table for tabletop role-playing sessions, available on Linux, macOS, Windows, and self-hosted setups. Its chat provides global, direct, and extra channels, with dice commands and clickable links. Mind maps connect notes with nodes, images, packages, and tags. Users can create interactive, multi-page character sheets on PDF backgrounds, adding fields, buttons, formulas, or JavaScript. Three independent audio players handle ambient music, effects, and background tracks, but they play referenced files or URLs rather than streaming audio. The PDF viewer can crop page content to the clipboard for sharing or placement on maps and mind maps. DiceParser uses the same commands in Rolisteam and its Discord bot. Three-dimensional dice are a technical preview supporting d4 through d100 denominations. Rolisteam is free and open source under GNU GPL v2.0. Roliserver can host multiple games on one computer.