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<blockquote data-quote="Steel_Wind" data-source="post: 3393863" data-attributes="member: 20741">Assuming everyone gets past any persistent connectivity issues and router snafus,&nbsp; port forwarding and so forth (which can be an entirely frustrating experience) the use of Fantasy Grounds plus a voice communication program - such as Skype (good for small groups - poorer for larger) or Teamspeak or Ventrillo (much inferior to Skype in smaller groups - but outperforms with larger chat groups) will lead you to a very decent game experience that can be, paradoxically, a more focused game experience and can - when it is going - even be a faster game experience then face to face.Those who suggest gaming via IRC is slow and, therefore, FG must be too have simply never tried FG and stuck with it.The additional speed for many comes from a more clear and faster battlemap display together with a combat tracker and die roll system that - once you get used to it - is damned fast. It's the connectivity issues (and keeping connections) that tends to frustrate users&nbsp; - not the use of the software itself. For that purpose - it is extremely serviceable. Once everyone gets to know the software so that it no longer becomes a new barrier to the game but simply a means to an end -&nbsp; the novelty of which has worn off - you will find that Fantasy Grounds is an excellent means of overcoming distance barriers and continuing your game.You need to stick with it though. The first session will probably be awful and the next two or three still quite awkward.&nbsp; After that, it starts to slip into the background and the technical dragons will be largely slain by that point as well.Stick it out. Can't emphasize that enough. Good luck!</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Steel_Wind, post: 3393863, member: 20741"] Assuming everyone gets past any persistent connectivity issues and router snafus, port forwarding and so forth (which can be an [B]entirely[/B] frustrating experience) the use of [I]Fantasy Grounds[/I] plus a voice communication program - such as Skype (good for small groups - poorer for larger) or Teamspeak or Ventrillo (much inferior to Skype in smaller groups - but outperforms with larger chat groups) will lead you to a very decent game experience that can be, paradoxically, a more focused game experience and can - when it is going - even be a [I]faster[/I] game experience then face to face. Those who suggest gaming via IRC is slow and, therefore, FG must be too have simply never tried FG and stuck with it. The additional speed for many comes from a more clear and faster battlemap display together with a combat tracker and die roll system that - once you get used to it - is damned fast. It's the connectivity issues (and keeping connections) that tends to frustrate users - not the use of the software itself. For that purpose - it is extremely serviceable. Once everyone gets to know the software so that it no longer becomes a new barrier to the game but simply a means to an end - the novelty of which has worn off - you will find that[I] Fantasy Grounds [/I] is an excellent means of overcoming distance barriers and continuing your game. You need to stick with it though. The first session will probably be awful and the next two or three still quite awkward. After that, it starts to slip into the background and the technical dragons will be largely slain by that point as well. [B]Stick it out. [/B] Can't emphasize that enough. Good luck! [/QUOTE]

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