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View Full Version : Transition from online to tabletop



Sajiri
2013-01-13, 05:21 PM
Any 'tabletop' game I have played, has been restricted to online. Even though I live with my DM, we have members in places that can't reach us, so we've always used messenger programs and online maps.

As I've said in other threads over the past few weeks, I'm preparing a solo game for my DM, to give him an opportunity to be a player for a change while our usual game is on hold, which means we don't have to sit in seperate rooms and type everything out. And frankly, I'm finding it a bit daunting. He tells me playing in a group is very different in person, but has never really given me any examples of how, all I can imagine is it'd be much faster paced without waiting on everyone to type responses, and not having a handy srd with a search bar right there in front of you at all times.

So not only is it my first time DMing, it will be my first time NOT staring at words on a monitor. What should I expect and prepare for to be different?

inexorabletruth
2013-01-14, 12:10 AM
Thinking on the fly.

That's really the meat and potatoes of it. An IRL DM has to be able to adjust the campaign to meet the demands of sudden PC interference on the fly, and if you can't roll with the punches quickly, the game will stall a lot or seem railroaded. Either way, the PCs will lose interest in the game.

Just make sure you are prepared. Have some contengency side plots ready just in case they do the one thing you didn't prepare. Always pre-roll your random encounters before the game starts, and make sure you understand how to use them. Bookmark tricky rule sets (like grapple rules) or any frequently addressed issuus in the DMG, PHB, and monster book of your choice, and you should be fine.

Flickerdart
2013-01-14, 12:12 AM
IRL action goes a lot more quickly, since PCs can't be distracted by things and don't have time to look everything up. However, that also means that it's trickier for the DM to wing things. Keep some generic NPCs and encounters in a stash just in case.

Nobody is stopping you from having SRD access, though - laptops and tablets are a thing.

doc neon
2013-01-14, 01:16 AM
Indeed. I personally keep almost all of my DM material on my laptop, while DMing IRL. Even with a laptop, though, make sure to keep the action moving–it's more important to have good rules now than the right rules later. Just make sure to look it up after the section and alert your player to the right one later.

If you're planning on making your own adventure, I'd make it fairly linear. It may not be super-interesting, but it's your first time DMing; it's fine. I personally write out text to describe areas and people beforehand, and read it like you would read a monster description; it's very hard to come up with evocative descriptions on the fly.

If you're in a place where you have to improvise, don't feel bad if you need to ask to take a 10-15 minute break, and as it's been suggested, keep a few generic stats on hand. Don't be afraid to give the town guard the same stats as the orc warrior, or even the monstrous spider.