OpenRPG

[Were-Sandwich]

To put it bluntly, how do you use this thing.

[Maxymiuk]

If you have time right now, log onto the Tangled Web server. It's easier to explain stuff when I can show it to you.

[Were-Sandwich]

No time, sorry.
Besides, I'd be a player. Im askling cause my friend wants to DM using Open RPG, but he can't work out the program and is too shy to ask himself.

[Maxymiuk]

Honestly, it's not something that can be explained via a forum. Tell your friend that the best idea is to frequent lobbies during busy days (weekends) and simply ask. Everyone there was a newbie once, so almost everyone will be willing to help.

[Were-Sandwich]

The node thing confuses me no end. Can someone give me a simplified explanation? The documentation goes on and on about them, but never explains about what they actually do.

[Maxymiuk]

Ok, I'll give it my best try.

Nodes can be used for any number of things. They can serve as an alias list, a character sheet, a shorthand for attack rolls, etc, etc. They're not complicated to use, but actually making one takes some experience with the program and how the whole system works. As a simplification, the downloadable copy of the program comes with a lot of node templates that you can simply clone through the right click menu and then edit to your heart's desire.

The neat thing about nodes is that they can be shared between players, so that the GM can send you the typed out history of the world, for example, or if you make some new useful gimmick, you can immediately show it to someone else. You can do that, once again, through the right click menu.

Past that, I'd need to hear a question about some specific feature or node type to help you. Sorry.

[Were-Sandwich]

Hmm. We're using Heroforge for sheets, so thats not a problem. Nodes just seem to be...confusing in their open endedness. I suppose my best bet is to jsut lurk on some ongoing games and watch what they do.

[Jack_Simth]

It's handy once you've played with it for a while.

You can write up something in advance (say, a description of a room) and simply use Send to Chat when you want to invoke it. With a few options, you can even bury HTML for formatting and embed OpenRPG commands - die rolls, name changes, and the like.