Gaming + Text Messages

[fba827]

though neat in concept, I think it would offer too many options for distraction for some players. As well as too much potential for delays if you aren't a fast typist.

(as a side note, i am a faster typer on ims than I am with writing by hand or texting. So once or twice in the past if the player wasn't seated too far from me and I had my laptop for game notes, I'd open up a blank text document and quickly type off a needed sentence or two for the nearby player to read. otherwise, i might resort to written note, but I write somewhat slow and sloppy. so i avoid it if it can -- or have prewritten notes for things i expect might happen - but as a dm you can only anticipate so many contingencies...).

 

[IronWolf]

(as a side note, i am a faster typer on ims than I am with writing by hand. Once or twice in the past if the player wasn't seated too far from me and I had my laptop for game notes, I'd open up a blank text document and quickly type off a needed sentence or two for the nearby player to read. otherwise, i might resort to written note, but I write somewhat slow and sloppy.

Oh yeah, I am *way* faster typing than I am writing, with the added benefit people can actually read what I wrote! Not so fast at texting on a phone though. I can write faster than I can text on a phone.

 

[maddman75]

One problem we would have is not everyone in the group uses a cell phone.

I know, but it does happen

 

[Scribble]

I guess I'm weird... I've never felt the need to like ban texting while gaming.

I guess no on I ever gamed with was THAT obsessed with texting that it caused a problem.

 

[Wolf1066]

I have entertained the idea of sending texts to the PCs as part of the plot - not a private DM-to-player text, a NPC to PC text...

As I'm running Cyberpunk, it would not be anachronistic and could be used to great effect to heighten the realism of what's going on if done properly.

E.g. if the team is waiting to hear back from a contact to get the go-ahead for something. Instead of saying "your contact texts you and gives you the go", actually text one of them with an appropriately worded message. They're waiting, a phone chirps, player checks message and says "OK, guys, we're good to go!"

I can see that it might open a can of worms, tho' - might pay to have a signal jamming device on hand...

 

[mattcolville]

I've done it. Works great.

 

[IronWolf]

I have entertained the idea of sending texts to the PCs as part of the plot - not a private DM-to-player text, a NPC to PC text...

As I'm running Cyberpunk, it would not be anachronistic and could be used to great effect to heighten the realism of what's going on if done properly.

I think it could work much better in a Cyberpunk game.

 

[Wolf1066]

I think it could work much better in a Cyberpunk game.

Though it might pay to limit the references to gun/drug deals and racketeering in case the texts are being monitored for keywords...

Having the door kicked in, mid-game, by armed cops might "heighten the realism" a tad too much...

 

[Scribble]

I have entertained the idea of sending texts to the PCs as part of the plot - not a private DM-to-player text, a NPC to PC text...

As I'm running Cyberpunk, it would not be anachronistic and could be used to great effect to heighten the realism of what's going on if done properly.

E.g. if the team is waiting to hear back from a contact to get the go-ahead for something. Instead of saying "your contact texts you and gives you the go", actually text one of them with an appropriately worded message. They're waiting, a phone chirps, player checks message and says "OK, guys, we're good to go!"

I can see that it might open a can of worms, tho' - might pay to have a signal jamming device on hand...

On a D&D bent, I think it might be kind of interesting to use a text message to simulate any number of message sending spells.

Like the PCs are in some random dungeon and all the sudden a player gets a text... It's a message from a local mage about something else.

 

[Wolf1066]

On a D&D bent, I think it might be kind of interesting to use a text message to simulate any number of message sending spells.

Like the PCs are in some random dungeon and all the sudden a player gets a text... It's a message from a local mage about something else.

If the in-game universe supports some form of remote messaging - technological or magical, it could work.

Dunno about trying it in a straight historical swash-buckling adventure, though. Pretty hard to pass it off as semaphore...