(Virtual) Tabletopping

[Rias]

Does anyone fancy themselves a capable DM that is willing to run a virtual (online) tabletop campaign sometime? As much fun as GMing is, it doesn't have that charm of being part of a new world with places to explore and things to discover. Knowing everything can be a curse.

I'm not overly picky about what system is used, as long as the DM thinks it's good and can use it effectively. I do loathe rules lawyering/arguing. I've played with people where that became a significant time sink, and always respectfully bowed out of the campaign. Not worth the free time I have to listen to people argue with the DM over rules minutiae.

I also really, really want to make use of roll20.net sometime. It's amazing. And by "make use of" I mean "be a player in someone else's campaign" because again: I want to play, not run the thing!

[Elystole]

For a moment I was all, "Ooo! Tabletop!"

And then I remembered that I have a 3 Mb DSL line that chokes if I try to Skype.

[Lysse]

I might be interested in running a game. I'm at work now, so I can't discuss much, but I've been itching to run a game of some kind lately.

[preiman]

Don't have time to rum anything at the moment, but would not mind joining a game

[Lysse]

Okay! Home now, so I can expound a bit.

I have a number of years of experience with tabletop RPGs, and boardgames. particularly with running them. I think I've been involved with tabletop gaming in one fashion or another for over a decade. Provided people are interested, I'd be glad to try to set up a game to run. At the moment, I'm most likely to be interested in one of the following settings: a low to mid powered urban fantasy game, a low to mid powered Medieval fantasy campaign (with a Norse bent to it), or a non-Force User Star Wars game. So, yeah. If people are interested in any of those (and I might have other ideas I'd like to try), I'd be glad to get at least a one shot going.

[Sneaky]

I'd love to be a player in any of those games. Just sayin!

[Rias]

I'm feeling like a more traditional setting fantasy at the moment, so I'd be up for the medieval/Norsey one. I know, I know, I'm not very progressive.

[Fayne]

I have like no experience in tabletop RPGs (you try finding others interested in that sort of thing in a small town in the middle of nowhere where the best-funded school class is AG) but I've always been interested in learning and playing, so yeah, count me in, as long as teaching someone the basics wouldn't be too frustrating.

[Lysse]

Neat. Okay, so I'm going to start planning out an adventure for 3-8 adventurers. I'm not entirely sure what system I'll use, but when I know, I'll post here. If you definitely want in, and you can definitely find time to play, please let me know by posting here. My schedule is fairly flexible, so I'm not sure that I can promise regular games, but I'm more than happy to at least try to arrange a one shot game in the evening, with the potential for future games.


So a bit about the game. It will be, thematically, more of a traditional fantasy game, set in a world that is fairly primitive compared to modern day. The system I use is what will ultimately determine the actual power and breadth of "fantasy" included in the game. But even if I use a game that is traditionally higher powered fantasy, don't expect really far out there things to be commonplace. You'll (likely) start with slightly more experience/etc. than a level 1 game. So if I use D&D, you folks will probably start at level 2 or 3, instead of level 1, that sort of thing. We'll be using Roll20, because it's so neat. I don't like rules lawyering, and as GM I'm okay bending things if it makes sense to the story. However, I don't subscribe to the "Rule of Cool". So actions have consequences, things won't exist just because it's awesome, etc.

We'll probably play using a VOIP system if possible to actually communicate, with Roll20 for rolling, general map stuff, etc., just because it tends to be a bit easier (I've found) for storytelling purposes.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask here, or PM me if you like. I'm open to new players, and I'll be willing to run anyone that is going to participate and needs help through the basics of whatever system we end up using.

[Fayne]

Awesome! Count me in! I will need the basics for sure since I've never done tabletop at all, but I pick up on things really fast, and I'll likely have a decent grasp on things shortly after putting them to practice if I have difficulty learning beforehand.

[preiman]

Let me know when, and I'm in

[Adaria]

I would definitely be into play myself, my schedule is pretty flexible.

[ydia]

count me in!

[Lysse]

I've decided on using the Cypher generic system for this. It's a system that provides me with extreme flexibility to do what I want with the world, as well as having a higher emphasis on driving story, and a much lower emphasis on combat. I'm currently working on a framework for the actual world the game is taking place in. I'll be PMing folks that said they were interested in playing, to try to arrange a first play time.

[Kunren]

I've never once either played tabletop or really seen much of it, and it seems a bit overwhelming, but I've been watching some YouTube videos of dnd campaigns and I think it'd be tons of fun to at least try it! Count me in I suppose, though I'm not really sure how virtual tabletopping works( will it be over something like Skype?)

[Kunren]

I've never once either played tabletop or really seen much of it, and it seems a bit overwhelming, but I've been watching some YouTube videos of dnd campaigns and I think it'd be tons of fun to at least try it! Count me in I suppose, though I'm not really sure how virtual tabletopping works( will it be over something like Skype?)

So, I found a random group starting a pathfinder campaign on roll20, and I loved it! I was a bit apprehensive going in, but it was great. I can't wait for this one.

[Lysse]

For any of the visually impaired folks interested in the game (apologies, I'm very bad at remembering this sort of thing, if I don't regularly speak to a person), do you know if Roll20 functions with a screen reader? Specifically, the dice rolling function is most important.

[Lysse]

http://cypher-system.com/

Just as an additional thing, here's a link to a quick descriptive overview of the Cypher System, for anyone interested.

[Kent]

I would dearly like to play tabletop Maelstrom RPG , set in almost-historical Britain of c. 1675, it's the closest thing to CLOK I've seen in an RPG.



Game was posted about on this BBS about 3 years ago. PDF of main rules a mere $10 at


http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/542 ... t_filtered

Worth the price even if just for a fun weekend read.

[preiman]

I can test it out tomorrow and let you know

[ydia]

Well since he will test that program, we will know if it works. When I did tabletop we used GMA dice, so I don't know what else is accessible dice wise.

[Tangela]

I'd also be interested in playing in any of those worlds, if there's still room for more players. IF not, maybe I can join the next one.

[preiman]

sorry this is a bit later than i said it would be. but the answer about Roll 20 and screenreaders is, that it does seem to work, for the most part. anything i could test out by myself seemed more or less usable, but I strongly suggest if you're going to be using it, that you spend a bit of time BEFORE the game getting to know it. I can not emphasize that enough, I know it's easy to say "it won't be that bad, I'll figure it out as I go." it is, and you won't. do it before or we're going to spend most of the session trying to figure it out with you.

[Lysse]

sorry this is a bit later than i said it would be. but the answer about Roll 20 and screenreaders is, that it does seem to work, for the most part. anything i could test out by myself seemed more or less usable, but I strongly suggest if you're going to be using it, that you spend a bit of time BEFORE the game getting to know it. I can not emphasize that enough, I know it's easy to say "it won't be that bad, I'll figure it out as I go." it is, and you won't. do it before or we're going to spend most of the session trying to figure it out with you.

Thanks for the heads up! I've actually used Roll20 before, but I'll poke around on it a few times before the actual game itself just to be on the safe side.

[ydia]

I don't know I'll get a chance to poke around this weekend on it. I'm having a pretty busy stressful week, and I have so much hw... ugg but sounds like this saturday will just be fleshing it out.