D&D General Has online play changed your DM style?

[Doc_Klueless]

And another thing that's changed for me (I was thinking about this on the way to have breakfast with my brother.)...

When I look at a new rule set/game, I immediately start to think one of two things:

1) Does my preferred VTT have the rule set already supported so I can just plug-n-play and/or
2) How difficult would it be to program/enter the rule set into my preferred VTT.

If the answer to #1 is yes, I'm more likely to pick up the game. If the answer to #1 is no, I then look at #2. If the answer is much past Simple or Quick, I stop looking at the game.

For example, I'd love to run a Star Trek Adventures game on Fantasy Grounds. However, the rule set is not supported except for a few fairly well made community rule sets. But even those rule sets take a bit of work to get them polished.

Now, I could and am capable of spending the time and effort to get a rule set together. But... and dis is a big butt... er.. but there are so many other things I could spend that time on that it's just not worth the effort to me.

Same with The Expanse RPG. I have a theme/extension all set up to run the game, but I don't have the data entry completed for the Reference Module. I stopped doing it because the ROI wasn't good enough.

 

[Doc_Klueless]

This is against the rules I guess?

Where's the guess on this? He came right out and said it: "burdening a discussion thread with arguing with moderation is not constructive, and against the rules. If you have an issue, take it to separate discussion in PMs"

Myself? I'd appreciate it if you took your pissing contest with the Mods to PM and not clutter up a pretty good thread with it.

 

[CapnZapp]

Pissing contests against mods tend to be quick and brutal affairs, so I expect very little clutter.

 

[Nevvur]

@Doc_Klueless and @CapnZapp

I'm not pissing at anyone and I hope Umbran doesn't take this side conversation as such. I would like him to acknowledge exactly where and when the aforementioned posters crossed the line, because I did not see either of them cross it. Again, I'm fine with my protest being shut down because I'm aware of the rules. Open discourse about ALL tangents related to the topics I post are VALUABLE to me, and I do not appreciate moderators shutting down the discourse I want to create.

If Enworld fails to serve my needs because a single moderator interferes, I have options outside Enworld, and so does everyone else. I can hang around here as long as I can tolerate interference, and no longer.

 

[jmucchiello]

ENWorld has been around for 20 years. Given how large and thriving it is, do you think the mods have a rep for being overbearing or for being fair? Take your complaints to PMs. The rest of us do not want to hear your complaints about the mods.

 

[Umbran]

This is against the rules I guess?

Yes, it is against the rules.

From the Terms and Rules:

"2) If you really, really disagree with a moderator's position on a moderating issue, please don't argue about it on the boards. That means no calling out of moderators, and no challenging their decisions in the thread. If you honestly feel that you have been treated unfairly, please contact the moderator in question privately and discuss it with them...."

You were very specifically told to take it to a private discussion - given an avenue to voice your concerns... and you didn't even try to use it.

So, you won't be posting in this thread again. And my suggestion is that you avoid controversial topics until such time as you feel ready to work with the moderators, rather than against them.

 

[Larnievc]

I've had to become more descriptive that I used to be during social encounters. I used to rely on gestures and facial expressions as part of my role-playing, and without the players ability to see I have to decribe it instead. Of course, I often still perform the gestures anyway, out of habit.

I really ham up the accents and try to mimic popular actors to help get over my face being on a screen and voice sounding distorted (because most of my players are using old laptops/iPads etc).

 

[SkidAce]

I've had to become more descriptive that I used to be during social encounters. I used to rely on gestures and facial expressions as part of my role-playing, and without the players ability to see I have to decribe it instead. Of course, I often still perform the gestures anyway, out of habit.

Yeah, just a few days ago I had to stop and ask my online players (voice/roll20) "You dont see me waving my hands and pointing towards where the monsters went do you?"

Really used to gestures being a part of NPC personality also...one of my best NPC mannerisms included tilting his head when he was angry or put out.

Oh well, good times.

 

[Rhenny]

In short, yes. Online gaming has changed my style, but the changes can also be used for enhancing tabletop play.

First, since online I can’t use eye contact or body language to engage players, I make a point of using character names more often to grab player attention.

Second, I’ve sped up my delivery of detail and become much more conscious of keeping pace of play moving faster. It is much easier for players to tune out online so I try to counteract that.

Third, I use many more maps and images to show players detail and track movement/combat on grid. That said, I still use gridless combat when there are few foes and the situation is less complex.

Since using Fantasy Grounds for most of my games, I even use it to help me during live, tabletop sessions. The ability to use the FG map pins to quickly look up details about rooms/encounters is a game changer.

 

[FrogReaver]

Where's the guess on this? He came right out and said it: "burdening a discussion thread with arguing with moderation is not constructive, and against the rules. If you have an issue, take it to separate discussion in PMs"

Myself? I'd appreciate it if you took your pissing contest with the Mods to PM and not clutter up a pretty good thread with it.

Weird.… I get told by the mods not to call threads mine..... I bet you don't