Playing Online

[EP]

Just found out that one of my players is moving far, far away and that he wants to continue playing the campaign with webcams and Fantasy Grounds. While I'm all in favour of the idea (hell, his character has become the central story figure for the entire campaign), I'd like to hear some good/bad/uglies about online playing. I should mention that we will continue to actually use dice and I will take my players' word when they tell me they rolled a natural 20 - I've known them for 5+ years and can trust them.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I tried something like this with Java chat rooms. The problem I found that, by having everyone in their normal circumstances "just at their computer," everything else in their life can and will interfere. Play takes longer than you'd expect -- leaving aside the time needed to prep stuff in Fantasy Grounds -- which I found frustrating.

I now prefer play by post, which is super-slow, but which can be done at a group's pace during the day, in the middle of the night or whatever, especially if you're doing it on a private board and not a crowded one with other groups playing as well.

 

[Hussar]

I can't speak for Fantasy Grounds, I've never used it, but OpenRPG gaming can really work.

Hrm, I made a post around here somewhere that talks about this:

Take a look here and that might answer your questions.

 

[Philotomy Jurament]

In my experience, online play is not worth the effort. For me, part of the "RPG experience" is sitting around a table with the other players, and playing online just isn't the same, for whatever reason.

Sorry to chime in with a bunch of negativity. I know some people get by with (or even enjoy) online play, so maybe you can make it work. If it were me, I'd keep in touch in other ways -- perhaps playing games designed to be played online.

 

[2WS-Steve]

Voice chat makes a huge difference, so pick up Skype or Yahoo with Voice if you can. Things move much faster and people pay better attention.

 

[The Hound]

I've been playing (testing) at a website devoted to an online persistant "living" game (not yet open). For me, nothing can compare to an evening around the table with friends, but online is still fun, and when the gaming group isn't around (or your not around them) its the only choice. Quality for me depends on the GM and the adventure (as usual), ease of use of the software, and a few basic features (voice chat and being able to move miniatures around on a map display are important for me). I'd say get openRPG for free and try it. BTW, there is a list of a whole bunch of online RPG programs at www.battlegroundsgames.com/links.html.

PS: What happened to GhostOrb? They had full page ads in the mags for a fee based online virtual tabletop site last year, then dropped off the radar screen. Their site looks like it hasn't been updated in nine months.

 

[DungeonmasterCal]

I'm playing in a Fantasy Grounds game at this very moment... it's fine...though it took some time to get the maps to work and it disconnected several times at first. We're using Ventrilo for our VoIP.

 

[Hussar]

Methinks Ghost Orb turned into vapourware. There's something ironic there.

 

[kroh]

ghost orb was a neat idea... probably too ahead of its time or dwarfed by mmorpg's...

Regards,
Walt

 

[Hussar]

Well, personally, I think the idea that they were going to start paying DM's was going to be a problem. I would think the copyright issues alone would be pretty hard to get around. I mean, if I run Shackled City, and get paid for it, I think Paizo or WOTC might get a trifle miffed.