As you may have heard, we’re in the process of undertaking our major modernization of the Roll20 virtual tabletop called Project Jumpgate. At the end of this process, we’ll be delivering an overhauled version of Roll20 that’s modern, performant, and a joy to use.
We won’t bury the lede: Jumpgate is now in Beta for Pro Users as of March 27, 2024! Click here to learn more.
Potato, Potahto
One of our main goals with Jumpgate is to make sure that the Roll20 Tabletop works on as many devices as possible. That way you can always play your games wherever you are – whether that’s on a gaming desktop, your college laptop, an iPad, or even a Chromebook.
The Chromebook is an interesting test case for us. First off, it runs on its own operating system called ChromeOS. Secondly, these devices are typically made with very low specs – CPUs that are designed to maximize battery life, and the integrated GPU is a far cry from what you’ll find even in an iPad, let alone a desktop gaming computer. Our thought process is pretty simple – if it runs on a Chromebook from 2019, with a Celeron processor and Intel UHD 600 integrated graphics, it should run on a whole lot of devices!
We’ve still got some work to do on this, and we’re confident there are further performance gains to make, but we’re already really pleased with how well this is running. Here’s a quick sample of Jumpgate running on a variety of devices – including a 2021 Surface Studio, a 2020 iPad Mini, and a 2019-era Chromebook:
We’re already seeing amazing results on all of our test cases, including the relatively powerful Surface Studio, the iPad mini, and even the Chromebook. But the real test will come when we get Jumpgate into your hands and see how it runs on a whole lot of real-world devices. Which is why we’re very excited to announce the date for our Pro Users Beta!
Accessing the Beta
How do I opt-in to the Jumpgate Beta?
The Beta is open to Roll20 Pro subscribers only at this time. Once logged-in to a Pro account, if you create a new game or copy an existing game, you should see the option to “Use the Jumpgate Beta” on the game creation screen:
This is a one-way trip – once a game is opted into Jumpgate, it can’t be opted out. After opt-in, you can play in that game with all of your players, including players without a subscription.
Can I migrate an existing campaign INTO Jumpgate?
Yes, by making a copy of that game, and selecting the “Use the Jumpgate Beta” checkbox as shown above. Note that since Jumpgate is a Beta, and once a game is using Jumpgate it can’t be opted out – we’re only letting you use it with new games and copies of games to prevent any accidents.
In the future when Jumpgate exits Beta, all games will automatically become Jumpgate games.
What should I expect from the Beta?
You should expect to be able to play any copied or created games in Jumpgate with all of your existing maps, tokens, and other content – and gameplay should be smoother and more responsive overall! Furthermore, the Roll20 Tabletop should work better on tablets, Chromebooks, and other low-end devices. We encourage users to explore the full potential of the VTT by pushing its limits.
A few features will be missing at launch (such as our revamped F/X tool). These will be added while the Beta is ongoing. This is a Beta, and there will be bugs – but we’ll be working to squash them on an ongoing basis as they’re reported. If you’re comfortable using pre-release software and helping us make it better, we’d love for you to game in Jumpgate.
How can I give feedback during the Beta?
Please fill out this form and share the good, bad, and the ugly of your experience with Jumpgate. Your candid feedback will help us find and stomp out all the bugs to make the full launch as smooth as possible.