Has anyone tried gaming via webcam?

[evildmguy]

I have been doing this with a remote location for over a year now. We have only lost internet once and had technical problems twice. Not that bad, we think.

We use four computers and four webcams, two on each side. Skype for each of the calls. I, the DM, have a logitech orbit AF camera to get the whole group. Then I have another Logitech 9000 that I point down at the map. My friend uses two logitech 9000s for his side, there are two guys there, and it works pretty well. As I use a laptop, I also IM with the remote guys. In fact, with wireless internet and iTouch and other devices, we can almost have everyone IMing.

After doing this for a year, I think the audio is the most important thing. If we have a good audio setup, the rest isn't as critical. Then, a camera for the map, especially with DND (although we are playing WoD currently) for its tactics works well.

I keep being told by the remote guys that it works well. They have kept coming back for over a year now, so something must be working!

I have looked at Klooge, Fantasy Grounds and some others but in playing around with them, I haven't found anything that works the best or that fits my style. But that's me. They looked great and at times I think it would be better if we could get one of those to work.

That's been my experience. It's working well and doesn't show signs of stopping.

edg

 

[Edgewood]

Although playing remotely would be a great idea, I find the biggest hassle is schedules. When I was playing with my group face to face, it was hard enough to schedule games, what with families, work, school, and other vagaries of life getting in the way. Now that I am two time zones away from them, its a near impossibility. We have tried many times to get a game going but it just doesn't seem to be in the cards for me.

I have also tried setting up games with other people via webcam closer to my area (or at least in my time zone) and still, I get nothing. Scheduling is the biggest hurdle and it sucks because I haven't gamed in nearly two years, and I'm starting to loose it just a little....sigh

Sorry, I was just digressing at that last part....

 

[Harlander]

I'm curious if anyone here has tried iTabletop (iTabletop™ - The only Face-to-Face Online Virtual Tabletop) which is supposed to give kinda 'conference video chat' (multiple people all getting video from eachother) along with a simple game table dealie.

So, has.. has anyone tried it?

 

[evildmguy]

Now I am curious about iTabletop as well.

However, I want to know more about its video capability not the other stuff. Our video quality isn't the best but it gets the job done.

edg

 

[D'karr]

I'm curious if anyone here has tried iTabletop (iTabletop™ - The only Face-to-Face Online Virtual Tabletop) which is supposed to give kinda 'conference video chat' (multiple people all getting video from eachother) along with a simple game table dealie.

So, has.. has anyone tried it?

After looking through the site I noticed the pricing and was not impressed.

If I get a product like this, and have to pay for it, I want a flat fee. Not a subscription.

 

[evildmguy]

After looking through the site I noticed the pricing and was not impressed.

If I get a product like this, and have to pay for it, I want a flat fee. Not a subscription.

Ouch.

I didn't get that far reading on the web site. Now that I see that, I agree. No way will I pay for a subscription when Skype does what I want and is free.

edg

 

[Night]

I really do not understand why more people do not use KLOOGE WERKS.

It's a great piece of software. It's relatively cheap for the DM and free for the players. Combined with Skype, it works quite well.

Because Map Tool is free and also works quite well (though I'm not knocking Klooge Werks, really; it doesn't really visually appeal to me but it's clearly well put-together).

On topic, if you're looking to game online, I would look to virtual tabletops like are being mentioned; wrestling with webcams just to get that face to face component seems like it'd ultimately be more trouble than it's worth for four or five or six people to be doing at once (use a fair bit of bandwidth, at that).

I run in Map Tool weekly and it works really smoothly, now, but before that I was considering some pretty arcane notions, and they went across about like you'd think. If webcam were a good way to game, someone would be doing dev work for that that wasn't on an ugly-looking by-subscription site.

 

[gorteck]

looking

I too am looking for some people who would like to try gaming via skype, or something simler. I have never DMed but would be willing to try if that ment getting a groupe.

My email is happymusicplayon@yahoo.com for those who wish to explor futher.

 

[Wombat]

My group includes a remote gamer; we have used Skype and things have worked very well.

Of course, during the time that he has been a remote gamer (and for about a year before that), we have not played any games requiring battle boards or miniatures, so things have been easy -- we only needed the connection. It's not the same as having him at the table, but it is the next best thing.

 

[kitsune9]

After having moved away from my two previous groups, starting a new job, and an expanding family, I really don't have time to go out and find a new group. Given the DDI game table release is about as eminent as the apocalypse I have to find an alternative to itch where I scratch.

I had the idea of sitting in with the old group via the webcam. Their end could focus on the battlemat during combat or on the DM during roleplaying. I was just wondering if anyone had given it a go.

Well, I think it could work, but have webcams pointed at you and everyone else is likely to be resource hog on your computers. Probably need to make sure your system has a lot of RAM and super fast cable or DSL connection.