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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Goonalan" data-source="post: 5381676" data-attributes="member: 16069">Maptools and Skype use... DM Tips needed.I DM a group of six players using Maptools and Skype once a week, and a group of five players face-to-face once a week also. We're in the process of making the Maptools game a little less combat orientated and more investigative, and/or a little bit more mystery/unknown kind of flavour. Trying for the immersion I get with the face-to-face game.First step was to ditch WOTC Core adventures- that helped.Now we run into problems, and so on screen things are looking good and yet because of the aforementioned tools (fan-bloody-tastic as they are) things are not running as smoothly as they should, I am therefore looking for some hints and tips as to how we can improve our situation.Example- PCs are inside and undercover in a ruined town (home to a horde of Goblins and Kobolds- think Kiris Dahn from Slaying Stone and you'd be absolutely right). PCs manage to beat down a bunch of minions (and a few others) and capture the leader type. PCs are undercover and out of sight, little or no chance of interruption- they've got the a prisoner and they need info.What happens next-First from my sit down group- players take a five minute break discuss what questions they need answering by the Goblin Leader type and then are back around the table and on with it- organised with a crib sheet with notes on. Result, answers to their questions (after some persuading).Secondly from my Maptools group- players talk over each other, babble of voices, some questions get asked, many get missed, somebody takes control of the situation, somebody doesn't know that the other guy has taken control of the situation, Skype stops working for one guy- mid-sentence, several players decide job done and kill the Goblin. Result, some answers- dead Goblin.All of the players are very good D&D players, the around the table group complete their task in significantly less time and with greater success. In the second (Maptools & Skype) group the voices of reason are lost at times in the babble (or are quiet), or are experiencing difficulties and talking in voices usually reserved for Star Wars Droids.In short I want to find a structure, system or etiquette that I can put in place for my on-line game that makes moments such as the above easier to play out with better results (like the first group).I'm sold on the five minute break idea, although sometimes that means a loss of immersion.The chat window seems too small on Maptools for the players to use it to create lists of questions, also typing takes significantly longer and things are soon lost (or need to be constantly scrolled back to), and with six players offering input... and nobody reading the last reply (which is sometimes the same as the previous reply).Mixture of voice and typed responses results sometimes in the same conclusion- things get missed, players (not their fault) miss things because they're also in the family home and the family are home- and the do not disturb sign means nothing to your four year old daughter.Other solutions- over to you?How do you play these moments, and keeping in mind that the above was just last nights example, there are many more instances- do we stick to initiative order throughout, do we appoint a spokesperson, although in the above example all of the players want to get in with their skill checks- Intimidate, Bluff, Diplomacy et al.Do we have a separate space (some sort of scribble pad) all of the players can use on-line in real time so that they can formulate the questions that need answering...Other people must have got around this- what's your solution?</blockquote>

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