Gaming + Text Messages

[Scribble]

So I was thinking the other day, about using my cell phone/text messages to confer "secret" info to various players around the table...

Not for nefarious purposes or anything, but for instance, if one PC is the only one that speaks say, Elven, and is translating for the group, to enhance the RP aspect I could speak some sort of Elvish sounding gibberish, but text the actual English message to the player that knows it, and his character could then translate for the group.

Or if one PC spots something the the rest don't I could text that PC with the info they know, and let them actually alert the rest of the group.

I've done similar things with paper.

Anyone doing anything like this already?

If so- how's it working?

 

[IronWolf]

We have not tried this in our group - using cell phones to send text messages during the game. I think I would be inclined to continue using paper.

The largest reason being that now everyone has their phones out and potentially more of a distraction as they notice that they received a text message from someone else and now they are texting someone out of the game. So the potential distraction issue is why I would stay away from it and stick with paper notes. Plus I can write faster than I can text on a phone.

This may not be an issue in your group though, in which case that means of sending secret information may be perfectly valid.

 

[Stoat]

I tried something similar using IM a few years ago. It didn't work.

What wound up happening was me exchanging messages with one player while everybody else sat around doing nothing. The players who weren't getting IM's got bored and felt left out of the action. The player getting the IM's wanted to respond right away, which drew me away from running any other part of the game.

 

[Oryan77]

Hmm, I've been getting this text message all month:

Attn: We are looking for
shoppers to get paid to eat
& shop! Pay up to
$50/hour. For current jobs
Call (a-holes phone number)

2 end reply STOP

Could this possibly be a secret D&D message from one of my players? And here I thought this was a spammer disregarding the fact that my number is on the Do Not Call list and the fact that text message spam is illegal.

I had to call AT&T yesterday to block all texting from my phone because I don't text and I'm not paying .15 cents for every secret message my player sends me. I would tell him to do it the old fashioned way and hand me a note. But the last time a player did that, the note said, "Will you be my boyfriend? Yes, No, Maybe (check one)." And now I'm married to her. He does look at me funny like she did, that's why I'm worried.

 

[tenkar]

Paper is so 80's!

Seriously, I don't think the texting will work as well at the dining room table as IM'ing works at the Virtual Table.

Stick with notes. This coming from the iPad living, PDF loving, VTT gaming geek that I am. Sometimes the simplest solutions are the best solutions.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

Personally I'd just go with the paper option. It's quicker for me to jot down a note on paper and hand it to the player than it is for me to get my phone out and text someone.

Plus there is the whole phone distraction that another poster mentioned.

Olaf the Stout

 

[Verdande]

Definately a possibility for distraction. Once, I had a player who was using a computer to play music. It was fine, until I left the table to use the bathroom and came back and he was looking at random stuff on the internet.

Luckily, I said, "Hey, lemme change the music on that real quick", took it, and then put it behind me after I changed the music.

Unfortunately, you can't do that with phones, and phones these days are miniature computers. Some people are addicted to texting, some people like to watch videos on their phones, some people check email... Once you let phones come out during the game, there's really no telling what people will use theirs for.

 

[coyote6]

Personally I'd just go with the paper option. It's quicker for me to jot down a note on paper and hand it to the player than it is for me to get my phone out and text someone.

I know some folks who would be faster with their phones than I'd be with paper and pencil.

I'd probably have better spelling, though.

 

[maddman75]

I was hoping this was a 'how to keep people from texting while you're trying to run a game' thread. I know a Savage Worlds GM that charges a Benny to make or answer a text. Works pretty well.

One day, I'll build my dream gaming room. It will be inside a gigantic Faraday Cage.

 

[MortonStromgal]

For Shadowrun we all had laptops and IM, but playing in the future this didnt break any suspension of disbelief that I would have say playing D&D, Dark Ages Vampire, or Call of Cthuhlu.