VTT group just played a session in person...should have done a one‑shot of another system or played board games

[MNblockhead]

Had an opportunity to get my long time group together in person on a visit home. It was great to get together in person, but transitioning from an online game to in person fell flat. We still enjoyed our time together, but my lesson learned is that when you have been playing complex campaign, with crunchy, battle map focused system/play style, it is hard to make a smooth transition.

I was pretty confident going in, because even when we were playing in person I had eventually transitioned to using a vertical display and digital battle maps, with physical minis. I had rented a room at my FLGS, hauled the vertical display there, had a my t‑mobile hotspot as a backup in case the game store's wifi was insufficient (didn't need it, the wifi was solid), and had the latest backup of my campaign synched to my local Foundry instance so I could run completely offline if needed. I printed out all of the players character sheets. The Foundry game system I was running (Warhammer Fantasy Role Play 4th edition, "WFRP4e") has a setting that allows the DM to enter player rolls to support rolling physical dice while still taking advantage of various automations. I had no tech issues, but it wasn't a satisfying experience.

The problem came down to this being a campaign I've been running online for over a year. Everyone was just used to using the VTT and doing things hybrid just slowed everything down. It is hard to put my finger on the exact reasons, but I think I could have run a WFRP4e one shot just pen and paper more easily, but I don't think I could run a session of this ongoing campaign pen and paper satisfactorily. The best analogy I can think of is if you and a group have been working out of workshop for a long time, but then have to work out of a different workshop for a day, it is frustrating and less efficient because things just aren't laid out and organized the way you are used to.

Normally, I would have jumped at a chance to run a one shot using another system that's been sitting on my shelf unplayed. But I went against my better judgement because I wanted to make progress in our current campaign and not skip a month. But it led to a session that moved slowly with almost half of it just spent chatting about non‑game topics. None of us were very invested in the session. I suppose part of it is that we hadn't gotten together in person for so long that the chatting and catching up was more important and interesting. Would have been a great opportunity to play some lighter board games.

With more rule‑light systems, switching between online and in‑person would likely go more smoothly, but I think even with a rules light system, if you go extended periods without playing in person, I seems that the switch would harder to pull of than just doing a one shot of something else or playing board games. Likely depend a lot upon the personalities involved. Also, I have to assume that I may have been overly focused on making sure the tech would go smoothly that I perhaps it took my head out of the story and I wasn't running the game as well because of it.

Interested in hearing other experiences in going from a long‑running online game to an in‑person session. Did it go well for you? If so, or if not, why do you think that is?

 

[Thagdal]

Though both my groups started as in person, they have been VTT now for years. One group was hybrid in early stages, but after about six months became purely VTT. I did some digital maps on a screen, but often used maps with 3d terrain.

We still arrange in person meet ups, (one group twice a year, the other four times) but do a one shot or work on the board game backlog. Mostly because as DM I'd need to do more than a few hours prep just to be ready for a smooth in person experience. I'm very used to having my notes/maps/etc on big screen easily visible. My players use PDFs and web resources more than books, so they would more likely need to be on their phone which is less than optimal.

Doing the board games or similar instead of the normal campaign seems to work well socially too. There's more chit chat and less focus when we are in person, more communal eating, drinking, sharing of stories. Catch up time is more beer and pretzels gaming in tone. Not DMing and everyone being players is a nice break too.

 

[Reynard]

My regular Monday group was in person before the pandemic, then went online, and we have recently started trying to do one session per month in person. We are playing Even of Ruin, if that matters, and use Fantasy grounds as our VTT.

The biggest issue we have found so far is keeping character sheets up to date when we go back and forth: found items, notes and we have leveled once. But as far as the actual transition to tabletop play, it has been fine. Only one player has trouble doing things in person versus on the VTT, and that is because he is not always paying attention. he is the same player that will sometimes interrupt the GM with a cool reel he just discovered (when he was supposed to be listening and engaging).

 

[Jd Smith1]

I'm not sure I would ever want to meet my group in person. We're gamed together for years, and I don't know what they look like, or even their real names.

I think it would be jarring to actually meet them.

But then again, I was born to master the secret paths of hermitdom.