PDA

View Full Version : Questions about playing online..



Tassyr
2014-02-13, 04:54 AM
So my track record for finding games is the definition of terrible. I've rarely had a game last more than a few sessions, but the most fun I've had was on roll20. Realside groups are effectively out of the question due to a terrible night job, bad location and the fact that I get far too nervous.

So when it comes to playing online, how DO you find a group short of play-by-post? I've set up a few 'looking for groups' on forums, but have had no luck.

And- if play by post is the only option... how does that work? I mean, how quickly do you post? How long of a delay is acceptable?

SPoilaaja
2014-02-13, 05:00 AM
A good option is to play through voice softwares like skype, mumble, teamspeak. Skype obviously being the best solution, since it has the best integrated chat system out of those 3.

Tassyr
2014-02-13, 05:02 AM
A good option is to play through voice softwares like skype, mumble, teamspeak. Skype obviously being the best solution, since it has the best integrated chat system out of those 3.

Honestly I prefer using the text of roll20 or other systems to voice. Having someone say 'Huh? Huh? Well? huh?" while you're trying to think up a nice bluff- if you're not someone IRL who's great at bluffing- is a bit of a moodkill. =P Plus I can just plain be more descriptive.

Sir Pippin Boyd
2014-02-13, 05:50 AM
I've always liked Maptools, though you'll probably need hamachi or tunngle to get it to work, since that utility has epic level networking goblins. As for finding a group, there are numerous sites dedicated specifically to helping players find games, but even giantitp has some pretty active player/dm correspondence boards.

Hyena
2014-02-13, 05:56 AM
Skype's group conference combined with google docs for maps and charsheets. There's a diceroller addon for it, too. If I'm feeling blue, I can also call everyone for an OOC conversation.

Dawgmoah
2014-02-13, 02:12 PM
So my track record for finding games is the definition of terrible. I've rarely had a game last more than a few sessions, but the most fun I've had was on roll20. Realside groups are effectively out of the question due to a terrible night job, bad location and the fact that I get far too nervous.

So when it comes to playing online, how DO you find a group short of play-by-post? I've set up a few 'looking for groups' on forums, but have had no luck.

And- if play by post is the only option... how does that work? I mean, how quickly do you post? How long of a delay is acceptable?

I've had good luck, sort of, using Rpggamefind.com and searching for Skype games. I say sort of since I receive about a 10% return message rate so most queries go unanswered. But I've been able to build and keep a good group of players from there and we use Roll20. Roll20 also has a finding games section though I've not had opportunity to use it.

Good luck finding a game to suits your situation.

Amidus Drexel
2014-02-13, 02:22 PM
And- if play by post is the only option... how does that work? I mean, how quickly do you post? How long of a delay is acceptable?

The group agrees on what's appropriate for them. I'm in a few PbP's, and they all work a bit differently:

One is pretty laid-back; we post whenever we have time, and the plot moves forward when it does, and it's no big deal if nobody posts for a day or two.

Another is a little more fast-paced, and if you haven't posted in a full day (in combat only), then someone else will take your action for you to keep the game moving (honestly, it's nice to have that, or that game would stall every time someone was busy). Out of combat, you just don't do anything if you don't post, and you might miss your opportunity to say or do something if you ignore the game.

The third (the one I'm DMing) is somewhere between the two - I'm pretty laid-back, but I remind my players to post if it's been a while or if their input is needed.

Now, I've been in a game that moved incredibly quickly, and we were expected to post something on the order of twice/day. It worked pretty well when I had nothing to do during the summer, but it was too hard to keep up with here at uni.

--
The most important thing about pacing is that it's whatever the group agrees on. Most DM's that post recruitment threads have a decent expectation of what pace they can handle, and if they don't have it posted in their thread, you're well within your rights to ask them, as a potential player.

Bazza McSpleen
2014-02-13, 03:15 PM
Don't forget that Roll20 has integrated voice. I can't comment on how good it is, because the group I'm in that uses Roll20 also use a Vent server...

But there is voice on Roll20, and video in theory

Tassyr
2014-02-13, 04:08 PM
Honestly I prefer using the text of roll20 or other systems to voice. Having someone say 'Huh? Huh? Well? huh?" while you're trying to think up a nice bluff- if you're not someone IRL who's great at bluffing- is a bit of a moodkill. =P Plus I can just plain be more descriptive.


Don't forget that Roll20 has integrated voice. I can't comment on how good it is, because the group I'm in that uses Roll20 also use a Vent server...

But there is voice on Roll20, and video in theory

Why is everyone mentioning voice? o.O Why do people like this? I've literally never been in a 'voice' game that didn't end one of two ways: one, story got ditched for mechanics as no one bothered to act crap out because they were all self conscious, or it devolved into OOC chatter about monty python, cheetos, or hey isn't this a cool shiney thing on a string." Doesn't anyone enjoy being able to describe out an action in TEXT? :(

(Besides, with my nasal-as-hell, annoying voice it's very hard for me to imagine myself as a hero that anyone'd take seriously. Less so should I play a female character, even. =p)

Gavran
2014-02-13, 04:26 PM
Text in a roll20 situation has a whole host of other problems though. I do sympathize (a lot, actually) and am nowhere near comfortable with the idea of roleplaying over voip with a bunch of strangers. I pbp here, and it can be quite difficult to find a game that lasts (maybe that's not as bad if you play 3.5 instead of 4E, playing 4E pbp is a bit more complicated.) I do have some RL friends who all moved, and we've played over skype and it was almost as good as the real thing. I imagine if you found the right group and just forced yourself to get past your difficulties you could get there with a group of randoms too but... randoms are scary. :\

So my advice is actually to PbP or try harder to make people you know irl play with you. I haven't succeeded in the latter in a while myself.

Dawgmoah
2014-02-14, 05:01 PM
Why is everyone mentioning voice? o.O Why do people like this? I've literally never been in a 'voice' game that didn't end one of two ways: one, story got ditched for mechanics as no one bothered to act crap out because they were all self conscious, or it devolved into OOC chatter about monty python, cheetos, or hey isn't this a cool shiney thing on a string." Doesn't anyone enjoy being able to describe out an action in TEXT? :(

(Besides, with my nasal-as-hell, annoying voice it's very hard for me to imagine myself as a hero that anyone'd take seriously. Less so should I play a female character, even. =p)

Why voice? Because the majority of people in the hobby can talk faster than they can type. As to games falling into OOC chatter or ditching the story for pure mechanics it is up to the DM to moderate and lead the discussion to keep it on the proper path as much as possible.

And no matter what your voice sounds like, if people want to truly game they will concentrate on what you are saying and not how you sound. Take for example General George Patton for a minute. You may have seen the movie with he is played by the craggy and deep voice George C. Scott. But General Patton did not look anything like that and had a very high pitched voice. Did that stop him from leading the Third Army and rolling through France into Germany in '44 and '45? No. Don't sell yourself short.