It allows you to search the
messageboards, send and receive private messages, give yourself a
custom usertitle, turn ads on or off, create a custom style for your
profile, get a nifty badge under your username, and gives you a special
warm glowy feeling! Oh, and it gets rid of this annoying message, too!
For those that don't know, Second Life is a free, virtual universe. Your virtual self (your 'avatar') can be just about anything and you can shape the world around you to some degree.
I have visited Second Life for a few months last year and ultimately found it unsatisfying.
In the end, Second Life is a very pretty chatroom. And, like most chatrooms, the quality of conversation varies and usually isn't worth having.
But then it hit me, what about a RPG played in Second Life? The idea of a bunch of fantastic characters playing a conventional pen-and-paper RPG in the clouds or underwater is very charming to me.
I don't know who would interested or what games and schedules would even be possible so I am just guaging interest right now.
Interested responders should know that Second Life is free but is very graphics-intensive and requires a fast internet connection. It might be possible to play a post-related game through Second Life (or use ENWorld) but the world of SL works best in real-time chat so schedules might have to be coordinated.
Let me know what you think and maybe we will start our Third Lives.
Within second life, your avatar can sit at a virtual table, roll virtual dice, and view maps on a virtual whiteboard. Voice-chat is also available. An enterprising DM might even go so far as to create dungeons, taverns, castles and the like; though there are already such places to explore in SL.
__________________
My Games
Into the Land of Black Ice (retired) - An arctic PbP adventure in the mysterious frozen lands of Oerth
Penance of the Damned (retired) - A planar chat-based game, set in Hades, where the PCs began as larvae
Beneath the Pinnacles of Azor'alq (retired) - A mid-level PbP campaign set within the Dramidj Ocean Heirs of Turucambi - An entry-level chat-based game set within the waters of Turucambi Reef in the Oljatt Sea Nature of the Beast (in design) - A sylvan adventure where the adventurers are forest animals.
I played secondlife for a while week before. Gotta say my opinion of this.. thing.. is very low. but playing D&D using it could actually make sense. and I dont think you need such a conection for it, since all ther lag is from the servers themself...
Thank you both for posting. I had thought this thread had reached rock bottom and was starting to 'dig.'
I wasn't as articulate or as awake as I should have been my first post.
I think what I'm trying to say is that human beings posting will always be far more interesting then the most beautifully realized virtual world. I guess it helps restore my faith that people still have more 'soul' than machines.
In fact, there is no technical reason why Second Life would work better for an online 'pen-and-paper' game than other methods. I believe it would be more work in some ways.
So, for goodness' sake, why am I trying to garner interest in using such a virtual world in order to ignore most of what it offers?
I guess the reason is why all of us RPG in the first place, to imagine what it would be like to be someone else.
But my thought is, in Second Life, the players would be pretending to be someone else who was pretending to be someone else entirely yet again.
Well, let me share the mental image I had that inspired my first post.
A bunch of ENWorlders take up Second Life identities, making their ENWorld affilation known or not, as they choose. Then these fantastic avatars (for example, an angel, spaceship, giant robot, vampire, etc.) sit down to virtually play a mundane pen-and-paper RPG probably in a perfectly mundane setting (Here and Now, say, Spycraft d20) while the ordinary game table is amongst the clouds, in an undersea grotto, randomly teleporting across the cyberscape.
The surreality of that scenario just tickles. If the avatars kept their real-world ID's secret (or at least less obvious) then the entire exercise would be a kind of RPG squared.
Strange? Needlessly so? Perhaps, I doubt 1% of the ENWorlders would be interested but that would still be enough. But I wanted to be sure to try and get gamers into Second Life rather than Second Lifer's into gaming (that, and I could never quite get the Second Life group feature to work for me).
Although it didn't occur to me at the time, a text-based MUD might be a purer attempt at this, only the sheer quality of the writing and posting would matter. I am thinking of something similar to LambdaMOO.
Anyway, those are my thoughts so far... Posters and lurkers, let me know what you think...
A bunch of ENWorlders take up Second Life identities, making their ENWorld affilation known or not, as they choose.
Oh well. There are two members in SL, with Aeolius at their first name. I'm one of them.
With a bit of help, one can use SL for role-playing, as one can enable the option to damage others, be damaged by others, and die. "Spells" can also be purchased. There are also communities for elves, merfolk, steampunk, goth, furries, and more. Adult settings can also be enabled or disabled.
__________________
My Games
Into the Land of Black Ice (retired) - An arctic PbP adventure in the mysterious frozen lands of Oerth
Penance of the Damned (retired) - A planar chat-based game, set in Hades, where the PCs began as larvae
Beneath the Pinnacles of Azor'alq (retired) - A mid-level PbP campaign set within the Dramidj Ocean Heirs of Turucambi - An entry-level chat-based game set within the waters of Turucambi Reef in the Oljatt Sea Nature of the Beast (in design) - A sylvan adventure where the adventurers are forest animals.
I had hoped that an ENWorld presence in Second Life wouldn't cost anyone any money, real or virtual. But it seems that to have any kind of meaningful experience, you need some kind of resources, which is exactly the kind of 'mallrat' behavior that I am trying to avoid.
It seems to me that the shine is coming off of the SL world, maybe even any kind of other virtual existence, even down to text-based MOOs & MUDs.
Still, there is enough interest left for me to continue a little bit longer. Let's fish or cut bait...
Is there anyone out there willing to meet in one of these virtual worlds? If so, what world and what times?
For myself, I will try any free environment my laptop can run (most if not all of them) and I have Second Life installed. I am free most nights (American Central Time Zone).
Let's give it a week from this post to see if we can get enough people to give it a try. I say we need at least three people to make a meeting, two people is a conversation.
I had hoped that an ENWorld presence in Second Life wouldn't cost anyone any money, real or virtual. But it seems that to have any kind of meaningful experience, you need some kind of resources, which is exactly the kind of 'mallrat' behavior that I am trying to avoid.
As I suggested over in this thread about Gleemax and the D&D Facebook application:
"I think WotC should set up shop on Second Life, for their "social networking". They could set up a virtual tavern where gamers could meet, above a virtual dungeon that all could explore. Avatars representing various core races and monsters could be made available for sale, along with props for weapons, equipment, and so on. Members could purchase a virtual plot of land in a nearby village, to keep their belongings. Next door, in a virtual castle, gaming rooms are equipped with tables, chairs, dice, and whiteboards for sharing maps. "
Quote:
I s there anyone out there willing to meet in one of these virtual worlds? If so, what world and what times?...I am free most nights (American Central Time Zone).
I'm on the East Coast, just let me know when. I'll bookmark some appropriate landmarks to explore.
__________________
My Games
Into the Land of Black Ice (retired) - An arctic PbP adventure in the mysterious frozen lands of Oerth
Penance of the Damned (retired) - A planar chat-based game, set in Hades, where the PCs began as larvae
Beneath the Pinnacles of Azor'alq (retired) - A mid-level PbP campaign set within the Dramidj Ocean Heirs of Turucambi - An entry-level chat-based game set within the waters of Turucambi Reef in the Oljatt Sea Nature of the Beast (in design) - A sylvan adventure where the adventurers are forest animals.
While I'm thinking about it, there is a group in SL, "Dungeons & Dragons in SL", that was established specifically for the purpose of playing D&D in SL. You might join the group and IM them, for more info (yes, I'm a member).
__________________
My Games
Into the Land of Black Ice (retired) - An arctic PbP adventure in the mysterious frozen lands of Oerth
Penance of the Damned (retired) - A planar chat-based game, set in Hades, where the PCs began as larvae
Beneath the Pinnacles of Azor'alq (retired) - A mid-level PbP campaign set within the Dramidj Ocean Heirs of Turucambi - An entry-level chat-based game set within the waters of Turucambi Reef in the Oljatt Sea Nature of the Beast (in design) - A sylvan adventure where the adventurers are forest animals.
I did read the thread, I liked the "furries, gambling and porn" comment.
If there is already a D&D SL group, then perhaps I am trying to re-invent the wheel. I don't know if there is anything new that can be added.
Still, it's time for me to ante up.
I will get back on Second Life (I will probably have to upgrade something or other), if for no other reason but to check out the D&D group. Since you are already there, Aeolius, that's two out of three (SarahRequiem, still interested? )
M me or message me (message more like, I'm on less than I'm off), let's get this party started...
Done.
__________________
My Games
Into the Land of Black Ice (retired) - An arctic PbP adventure in the mysterious frozen lands of Oerth
Penance of the Damned (retired) - A planar chat-based game, set in Hades, where the PCs began as larvae
Beneath the Pinnacles of Azor'alq (retired) - A mid-level PbP campaign set within the Dramidj Ocean Heirs of Turucambi - An entry-level chat-based game set within the waters of Turucambi Reef in the Oljatt Sea Nature of the Beast (in design) - A sylvan adventure where the adventurers are forest animals.
I won't be completely content until I can have my avatar play Second Life for me. Otherwise it's just too much work.
__________________ Shackled City PBP OOC - IC - RG
Shatterscape, A Cooperative Design PBP Campaign OOC - IC - RG
Dr. Si's Curse of the Crimson Throne PBP OOC - IC - RG
Aeolius, Thanks for the welcome, please ignore any confusing replies I may have sent re-entering SL. It's good to hear from you.
airwalkrr, Hi. I thought living a mundane life in a virtual world was the point of Second Life. I mean, think how many people let their chores go undone so that their Sims can finish theirs.
Since it looks like this experiment might actually work, I suppose I better suggest a game to actually run in SL. My thoughts are that the method of play is actually what we're testing rather than the game itself.
So, does anyone have a classic module from a simple system that they would like to relive? I have a little DriveThruRPG credit left...
I've been running a beginner level 4th-Edition D&D game in Second Life for a number of months now. I rent a house on an island that floats in the sky, we play the game "tabletop" style (not dressing up and running around after monster avatars), but with the Second Life slant of being able to upload map grids, parts of dungeons, images for use as minis, etc.
The timezones may prove problematical as we play on Thursday from 12.00 noon SLT (8.00pm UK) until 2.00pm SLT (10.00pm UK). I'll try and post a picture of our game setup below from a few weeks ago....
And a week before that....
And where we ended up last session....
If anyone is interested in D&D in SL, please Search in SL for my avatar, Si Lytton, and in my profile Picks you'll see a TP to the location. Otherwise, feel free to join Si Lytton's Dungeons & Dragons Group to receive IMs and Notices while in Second Life.
As for exploring new realms in Second Life, one of my favorites is Chichen Itza
__________________
My Games
Into the Land of Black Ice (retired) - An arctic PbP adventure in the mysterious frozen lands of Oerth
Penance of the Damned (retired) - A planar chat-based game, set in Hades, where the PCs began as larvae
Beneath the Pinnacles of Azor'alq (retired) - A mid-level PbP campaign set within the Dramidj Ocean Heirs of Turucambi - An entry-level chat-based game set within the waters of Turucambi Reef in the Oljatt Sea Nature of the Beast (in design) - A sylvan adventure where the adventurers are forest animals.
But it looks like WillieW has been doing what I was hoping for all along.
Good Luck, and I (for one) will try and drop by during game time.
Please do. In any case, we're soon playing a one-shot that jumps to a slightly scaled up model of floorplan. I'll post a pic of the game in session with the minis that come up to the player's knees....
There's a FAQ section for the Group available online [not in Second Life] at this link.
We had to resort to kidnapping players and passersby to finish off the game on Thursday. New experience to me. 4th Edition combat is *long*, isn't it....?
)
I mean, think how many people let their chores go undone so that their Sims can finish theirs. 
Linear Mode
