Notes regarding MapTool

MapTool is a free VTT (might have been one of the first) that is available under https://www.rptools.net/toolbox/maptool/
We were using MapTool for a game of Labyrinth Lord recently, and I was thinking maybe my notes on that might be of interest to... someone I guess.
* MapTool worked great until it didn't. At the end we had some issues when two of us got disconnected while the others still could see things move around. I think I should have restarted the server in that case, but as it was in the very end of the 2hour timeslot we just played out the rest without it.
* MapTool now has a function (marked as experimental) that allows to create a server and connect to it directly from other clients. No more futzing around with port forwarding in this case. Unfortuantely maybe not as stable as it could be (see above). Still, the lack of such a function was one of the reasons I did not use the software before, as it would have been too much work to get it running with my network setup. Now that problem is gone, it literally has become a matter of creating a server, having players connect (they are prompted for a PIN), and their computers downloading the media files from my computer.
* Speaking of media files, MapTool allows to use  media files from the players computers to use in the game. Those are also added to the campaign file automatically. In fact it even allows to run a remote server where the campaign file is stored, I just haven't been able to try that one yet. But other than that? Want to have a new token? Drop a picture in the related TokenTool, make a suitable token, then just add it in a folder and use it as you will. Nice.
* I do find the use of MapTool surprisingly convenient. There are a few things that one can't do in the tool (e.g. animated maps would be nice, but can't be done in the current architecture), and some stuff that can be done but needs to be configured properly (noone has bothered to create a script framework for OSR games yet it seems), but I have a lot of options to show the players exactly what I want them to see. Still there are a few things that I still have to figure out.
* The dynamic lighting in the dungeon is of course the star of the show. One can add a vision blocking layer and have PCs walk through the dungeon and have them see whatever it is that they have a) lit and b) what they can see. This can make for some interesting tactical gaming where some monster or character can see some things, but cannot see others. I noticed that it also takes a lot of mental strain from me as a DM as I don't need to track either light or walking order in this case.
* The other thing that helps a lot is the way one can organize a scenario here. Players can generally see 3 layers on the screen: tokens, objects, and background, and they can interact only with the first one. Another hidden layer is present, but is only available to DMs. This is useful, as it allows you to drop information (e.g. attached to a numbered token) at the appropriate places, and just call it up by going over it on the token layer. As it's hidden it is not actually visible for players, and you can have your whole adventure in there, slowly following along as the PCs explore. Incredibly useful.
* That said, there was an annoying issue with players movign tokens over specific (invisible to them) GM tokens with information, and me not being able to access them then. I think this might have a button that allows DMs to get a hold of tokens under oters.  but if it has I haven't found it yet.
* Not every part of the lighting system is perfect though. I still can't make head nor tails out of elevations and depressions. I don't quite know what to think about them. They don't update in ways that I would expect from either. I would for example depressions with a light source inside expect to be lit inside, but they aren't. The lighting system also takes a little to register someone has updated settings. More than once we got stuck in a place with a newly lit lantern not lighting anything because we didn't move.
* Doors are one of the things I will have to get into more. It is possible to create movable doors, but how is still a bit of a mystery to me.