Is your group like this?

[wedgeski]

That describes about 'as bad' as our sessions get, in terms of digressions and distracting talk, which is not to say it doesn't sound like a fun game, cos it does.

 

[xnosipjpqmhd]

We play via OpenRPG, and I use the log function...

I'm curious what you see as the biggest differences in the play between PnP and online games (or chat-based and play-by-post games, for that matter). Do the conversations stay on topic more in online games?

I briefly dallied with IRC gaming a while back, and since players weren't in the same room, the game didn't have the same jovial atmosphere that was both positive (very fun, silly faces and funny voices, etc) and negative (distractions, side conversations, etc)...

What do you think?

ironregime

 

[Seonaid]

Sorry, I tried to pick a color that would show up under normal Enworld colors and in Stealth mode, too.

Sorry, I hope I didn't sound too upset! Part of it was the machine I was on, part of it is the colors. I use normal, and the blue is hard against the dark background. Maybe making it bold would help.

I have found that online games (of all sorts) are DEFINITELY less distracted and distracting than PnP. It's part of what makes PnP appealing, I think. Obviously, both have positives and negatives.

 

[Tolen Mar]

Well, I think it all depends on the group you have. The group I'm with was together for the better part of a year before I joined, and I've been with them over a year myself. So as a whole we get along great, joke, laugh, and I really haven't noticed too much slowdown.

I've been in games online where no one gets into character, and everyone spends more time chatting than playing, but a good DM can keep the group on track easily enough.

We have out of character conversations just as much in the online environment. We handle this in two ways:

1: we make sure everyone knows its an out of character comment. Generally we do this with the standard ((double parens)) marker.

2: We whisper to each other. OpenRPG allows you to send secret messages to one or all of the others in the room, so if you don't want to bother the others, you can just whisper and the only clue they'll have is your status will change.

Another advantage, is the chat buffer. If we get caught up in an OOC discussion and miss something important, we can scroll back up and see what it was. As long as the OOC comments dont get too out of hand, everyone can stay up with the group pretty easily.

Aside from that, things are pretty much just like a regular PnP game. (Of course, everyone is reading and typing as opposed to talking, but there are ways around that we've employed in the past.) Thanks to OOC markers and chat buffers, its easier to regain lost focus. Also, there's less clutter around the players. Their record sheets are usualy some digital version that can be sent to the DM, the dice roller means we dont need actual dice sitting near us, and a spilled drink isnt a major disaster.

On the other hand, everyone is reading and typing, instea of talking. We dont need true record sheets, nor do we get to use our dice collection. In other words, it isnt what anyone would describe as true roleplaying when held up to the typical gamer yardstick...

Play by post or PBEM? Never done those. I look into it on occasion, but it is way way too slow. I doubt Id ever be able to get into one of them.

 

[xnosipjpqmhd]

OpenRPG ... a spilled drink isnt a major disaster.

Depending on where it spills, right?

ironregime

 

[Tolen Mar]

well, yeah sticky key syndrome can be a problem. One that has eaten up at least two of my keyboards (though never during game time).