OniLever
2007-10-17, 10:18 AM
With any transition to a different medium, it is almost always necessary to adopt a piece of work to fit its new container. Books don't always translate well into movies without some editing, but some plays are just better watched than read. D&D -- I think -- is no different. As an aspiring PbP DM, I'd like to know how best to transform the tabletop experience to the message boards. From you, fellow Playgrounders, I'd like four things:
1) Differences between the two media that seem to be a drawback -- These may be major issues that need real fixing, or they may just be something to be aware of.
2) Reasons (1) happens -- This is sometimes obvious, but sometimes needs explaining.
3) Workarounds or fixes to mitigate any wonkiness that comes from (1) and (2) -- Sometimes the best solution is "Just deal with it".
4) How well (3) worked.
Here are some examples from my experiences. I'll add more as people comment.
A. Combat sequences take even more time.
Reasons: If it's not your character's initiative when you log on and check, sometimes it's difficult to post your actions. The next time you do check, the game may have been waiting for a long time for your actions.
Fix 1: Create if-then posts that attempt to cover the most likely possibilities.
Result 1: Long posts are hard to read, which means some information is sometimes lost. But it does usually get the job done.
Fix 2: Players post actions whenever they are on, and if their actions become invalid (due to their target dying, etc), the DM extrapolates what that player would have done.
Result 2: Again, it does speed up combat, but as a DM, I'd rather not control my player's actions, even if I could probably guess accurately what they would do.
Fix 3: Players post their actions in a given round whenever they are on. Initiative is decided by posting order.
Result 3: I've heard of this one, but I have never seen how well it works so I can't really comment.
B. There are prolonged times of game inactivity.
Reasons: With a fairly good variety of time zones and posting habits present, there are bound to be gaps. I find weekends are either the slowest or the busiest times. Major US holidays (as most Playgrounds are in the US) are usually dead days as well.
Fix 1: Recruit players that are on at the same time as the DM.
Result 1: Never tried it so I can't comment.
Fix 2: Just deal with it. Although I'd like the instant gratification in know if my arrow finished off the BBEG, I'm OK with waiting until the next day. And I think most people are pretty tolerant of this difference from tabletop gaming.
C. Each player has a different set of mechanics and fluff available to them.
Reasons: Obviously, not everyone will have the same sources. In a tabletop game, books can easily be shared; the internet does not afford this luxury (at least legally). This means that within the allowed set of rules for a particular campaign, a player without certain resources may not be playing her character to her full potential. For example, in a game where the Completes are allowed, a diplomat without CAdv may not even think to use her Sense Motive skill to assess an opponent's CR or a rogue without CWar may not attempt to eek out some sneak attack damage with a surprise off-hand attack. People who rely on SRD without a PHB may not be aware of Elves' sleeping habits.
Fix 1: Use a rule set that you know is available to everyone.
Result 1: Not a bad fix, but people want to play with the supplements they've purchased. CrystalKeep (http://crystalkeep.com/d20/index.php) helps to broaden what's universally available, but it doesn't present any fluff. And it's still a small subset of all the published mechanics. There's also the extensive homebrewed section here that could provide common ground, but this implies a great deal of time and effort learning a wide swath of fluff and mechanics.
1) Differences between the two media that seem to be a drawback -- These may be major issues that need real fixing, or they may just be something to be aware of.
2) Reasons (1) happens -- This is sometimes obvious, but sometimes needs explaining.
3) Workarounds or fixes to mitigate any wonkiness that comes from (1) and (2) -- Sometimes the best solution is "Just deal with it".
4) How well (3) worked.
Here are some examples from my experiences. I'll add more as people comment.
A. Combat sequences take even more time.
Reasons: If it's not your character's initiative when you log on and check, sometimes it's difficult to post your actions. The next time you do check, the game may have been waiting for a long time for your actions.
Fix 1: Create if-then posts that attempt to cover the most likely possibilities.
Result 1: Long posts are hard to read, which means some information is sometimes lost. But it does usually get the job done.
Fix 2: Players post actions whenever they are on, and if their actions become invalid (due to their target dying, etc), the DM extrapolates what that player would have done.
Result 2: Again, it does speed up combat, but as a DM, I'd rather not control my player's actions, even if I could probably guess accurately what they would do.
Fix 3: Players post their actions in a given round whenever they are on. Initiative is decided by posting order.
Result 3: I've heard of this one, but I have never seen how well it works so I can't really comment.
B. There are prolonged times of game inactivity.
Reasons: With a fairly good variety of time zones and posting habits present, there are bound to be gaps. I find weekends are either the slowest or the busiest times. Major US holidays (as most Playgrounds are in the US) are usually dead days as well.
Fix 1: Recruit players that are on at the same time as the DM.
Result 1: Never tried it so I can't comment.
Fix 2: Just deal with it. Although I'd like the instant gratification in know if my arrow finished off the BBEG, I'm OK with waiting until the next day. And I think most people are pretty tolerant of this difference from tabletop gaming.
C. Each player has a different set of mechanics and fluff available to them.
Reasons: Obviously, not everyone will have the same sources. In a tabletop game, books can easily be shared; the internet does not afford this luxury (at least legally). This means that within the allowed set of rules for a particular campaign, a player without certain resources may not be playing her character to her full potential. For example, in a game where the Completes are allowed, a diplomat without CAdv may not even think to use her Sense Motive skill to assess an opponent's CR or a rogue without CWar may not attempt to eek out some sneak attack damage with a surprise off-hand attack. People who rely on SRD without a PHB may not be aware of Elves' sleeping habits.
Fix 1: Use a rule set that you know is available to everyone.
Result 1: Not a bad fix, but people want to play with the supplements they've purchased. CrystalKeep (http://crystalkeep.com/d20/index.php) helps to broaden what's universally available, but it doesn't present any fluff. And it's still a small subset of all the published mechanics. There's also the extensive homebrewed section here that could provide common ground, but this implies a great deal of time and effort learning a wide swath of fluff and mechanics.