How do you start or join a game room on VirtualTabletop.io?

Updated

Open virtualtabletop.io, enter a room ID, and have everyone else enter the same ID — or start the room and use the share button to send the room URL to the people you want to play with. Each browser tab with the room open counts as one player connection, so the same person can occupy several seats by opening multiple tabs, and several people can share one device by adding local players and switching between them.

Starting a room

  1. Open virtualtabletop.io in a browser.
  2. When the page asks for a room ID, type one and confirm. The page shows "Loading room..." while it connects.
  3. Anyone who should join you enters the same ID. The prompt states it directly: "Please enter an ID and ask your friend to enter the same one."
  4. Once inside, the room loads the game shelf and table interface, with a toolbar containing Game Shelf, Active Game, Players, About, Edit Mode, Feedback, Sound, zoom, Fullscreen, and Hide Toolbar.

There is no account step described in the interface — the room ID is the only thing that has to match. If you want a private table, pick an ID that is hard to guess, since anyone who enters the same ID lands in the same room.

Inviting remote players

Remote play means everyone uses their own device:

  1. Open the Players panel.
  2. Use the share button in the player table.
  3. Send the room URL to the other players.
  4. They open the URL and join the table. Their browser tab appears in the player list as a connection, and they can pick their own name and color there.

The share button's stated purpose is exactly this: "Share the room URL so other players can join."

Hotseat: several people, one device

If everyone is gathered around one computer:

  1. In the Players panel, use the person_add row to add a player for each person at the device.
  2. When it is someone's turn, use the visibility button to switch this browser tab to that player.
  3. Only the browser tab switches — the game state itself stays untouched.

The visibility button is greyed out while a player is connected and playing, and the delete button only appears while a player is not connected (and asks first if parts of the game still belong to them).

How connections and players relate

Action What it does
Open the room in another tab Adds another connection; each tab is one player connection
Add a player while the room is open in multiple tabs Switches the current tab to that player, so each tab can be its own player
Edit a player Renames the player everywhere in the game
Visibility Views the game as that player
Delete Removes a player from the list — only shown while they are not connected

Switching games

To change games, return to the main server using the "Return" control in the game-selection area. From there you can browse the game shelf, filter by player count, duration, language, or whether a game was made with AI, and sort by name, similarity, stars, popularity, last update, or year. You can also add games by uploading VTT or PCIO files downloaded from the web; the interface points to compatible files on a BoardGameGeek geeklist, the PlayingCardsIO subreddit, and a Notion page. Your personal game library starts empty until you pin public games with the stars, use Add game, or drag VTT files in.

Common snags

  • Nobody can find the room. The ID has to match exactly for everyone. Sharing the room URL avoids typos entirely.
  • You seem to be two players. Every tab with the room open is a separate connection, so close extra tabs if you only want one seat.
  • A player's visibility button is greyed out. That player is currently connected and playing; disconnect them first.
  • You cannot delete a player. The delete button only appears while that player is not connected.