Our First Game -- What some non-RPG fans Learned that they want to share!

[FireLance]

This is the sort of thinking that led to the creation of the 3e BattleBox, and is guiding the 4e BattleBox. To compare RPGs to computers, the rules and system are the software, and what you did here (and what Fiery Dragon aims for with the BattleBoxes) is to provide better hardware, to make your game run faster and smoother.

Actually, I think it's more to do with the user interface than the hardware, as it makes it easier for the player to make sense of and understand what is going on in the game. I do many of the same things myself. One refinement that I've done for hit points is to use tokens of different colours (I use white and red poker chips). When I'm down to red chips only, everyone at the table can see that I'm bloodied.

 

[Whimsical]

Okay ... where is a nice free hosting site so I can post some pictures/files?

Chances are that your internet provider has already provided you with a space to upload files as part of your account. Check it out.

 

[Bagpuss]

The only issue with this I see is at high levels were the number of hit points a character has might mean introducing some sort of graded token system, IE: dark red gems 10 points, light red 1 point. Otherwise your sheet will be lost under a mound of gems.

 

[Bagpuss]

Okay ... where is a nice free hosting site so I can post some pictures/files?

Flicker or Photobucket do what you want.

 

[Bagpuss]

This is the sort of thinking that led to the creation of the 3e BattleBox, and is guiding the 4e BattleBox. To compare RPGs to computers, the rules and system are the software, and what you did here (and what Fiery Dragon aims for with the BattleBoxes) is to provide better hardware, to make your game run faster and smoother.

Kudos!

Surely the rules are the Code and stuff like this is the GUI?

 

[DanmarLOK]

As a suggestion for hit points, use poker chips split in half white and red? Player always removes white ones first, when he's 'in the red' he's bloodied. And they stack pretty easily. And players have fun fondling them for some reason.

 

[Prestidigitalis]

Those are all great ideas, but there is one thing that concerns me.

The markers that you put under the miniatures, whether they be poker chips or cardboard, or whatever: isn't it a pain to keep having to pick up the miniature, put down a new marker, remove an old one, etc.?

I have a mental image of the miniatures falling like dominos because of trying to add/remove markers from under a miniature in the middle of a crowd.

I can't help thinking that it would be easier to put something on TOP of the miniature.

Obviously, I haven't played with this method yet -- am I inventing a problem that doesn't exist?

 

[Mistwell]

Okay ... where is a nice free hosting site so I can post some pictures/files?

I don't have a digital camera handy, but at the very least I could upload some PDFs of the mats and documents, right? (Office can save as PDF, I'm pretty sure ...)

How about right here? Post a message, click the Manage Attachments button below your message, and attach it. EnWorld accepts PDFs.

 

[Mistwell]

I wonder, is there any reason to not make "power cards" for your trained skills? They are typically at-will standard actions (though some are not standard actions), there are rules for what you can do with them and the general DCs you need to hit, they increase with level, they pretty much fit most of the pattern for all other powers.

I think if my Ranger had at-will power cards for "Twin Strike", "Nimble Strike", "Acrobatic Stunt", "Athletic Movement", and "Sneaky Movement" I would be more inclined to use Acrobatics, Athletics, and Sneak than I am right now.

Similarly, the character with a lot of trained charisma skills might have a "Communication" card, and the guy with the knowledge skills might have a "Knowledge" card.

Providing "power cards" for activities you can already technically do but which is normally on a part of your character sheet that is not often referenced during encounters is likely to encourage those activities.

 

[Bodhiwolff]

Well, it took me a bit, but I managed to find a .pdf converter and a digital camera.

Here are some shots of the components I was talking about, and a .pdf of the game mat. Forgive the graphics quality -- I may revisit the game mat and make a nicer version now that everybody has confirmed that they do indeed wish to start a campaign.