Ultima
2008-11-16, 01:17 AM
I'm not sure if this is the correct forum to be discussing this in, but I'll try anyway:
I'm interested in starting a Dungeons and Dragons group with several friends I know from various forums around the web. Not knowing them in real life and being relatively young, I am unable to travel to play D&D physically with them, with even more obstacles being posed by the fact that the various players are spread across states, countries, and continents.
Now I've heard of roleplaying games like D&D being held over instant messaging programs such as AOL Instant Messenger. Since AOL Instant Messenger (or AIM) is the main medium for most non-forum related communications, I'm sure it would be easily accessible by all members. However, while AIM is great for instant messaging, I feel that the chatroom features may come up lacking for D&D. Complications may be posed by the need to share maps and grids for combat as well as actual imagery in place of what might be props in a traditional game. In addition, dice rolls can be faked by players, and if left to DMs, who's to say the DM won't fudge the rolls in favor of what he or she wants to happen? A system for rolling dice to be publicly broadcast is not available on AIM, so die rolls must rely on a bit of an honor system instead.
The point I'm raising is that it might be easier to play Dungeons and Dragons in a form where all of the above is possible. My question is: what would be the easiest way to support a real-time chat involving the above? Is there some sort of magical program engineered by elves I'm unaware of that might provide all of the above and more? Some systems that would make a channel for OOC and IC messages? While this program sounds unreal to me, I'm almost confident some internet-goers were anxious to play D&D in the same manner I do and had the same problem... hopefully being skilled in the ways of whatever talent would be helpful in making this program.
Thank you for any help in advance!
- Ultima
I'm interested in starting a Dungeons and Dragons group with several friends I know from various forums around the web. Not knowing them in real life and being relatively young, I am unable to travel to play D&D physically with them, with even more obstacles being posed by the fact that the various players are spread across states, countries, and continents.
Now I've heard of roleplaying games like D&D being held over instant messaging programs such as AOL Instant Messenger. Since AOL Instant Messenger (or AIM) is the main medium for most non-forum related communications, I'm sure it would be easily accessible by all members. However, while AIM is great for instant messaging, I feel that the chatroom features may come up lacking for D&D. Complications may be posed by the need to share maps and grids for combat as well as actual imagery in place of what might be props in a traditional game. In addition, dice rolls can be faked by players, and if left to DMs, who's to say the DM won't fudge the rolls in favor of what he or she wants to happen? A system for rolling dice to be publicly broadcast is not available on AIM, so die rolls must rely on a bit of an honor system instead.
The point I'm raising is that it might be easier to play Dungeons and Dragons in a form where all of the above is possible. My question is: what would be the easiest way to support a real-time chat involving the above? Is there some sort of magical program engineered by elves I'm unaware of that might provide all of the above and more? Some systems that would make a channel for OOC and IC messages? While this program sounds unreal to me, I'm almost confident some internet-goers were anxious to play D&D in the same manner I do and had the same problem... hopefully being skilled in the ways of whatever talent would be helpful in making this program.
Thank you for any help in advance!
- Ultima