Virtual tabletop gaming - RPG

[sinewyk]

I'm not so sure about the subject but meh ...

I've just found this http://roll20.net/.

It's really good actually. I've been looking forever for a way to be able to play without any logistic problems (someone forgot his sheet, not enough dice, someone is missing, we suck at drawing a map).

Tried tweaking a map ... it's pretty sweet, you can see examples of the thing in action here it's pretty awesome (-edit snip- in this video he's not premium, no dynamic lightning). And it seems I've found it. I'll just need to find a campaign, and maybe play around with the tools to see if I can master something but ...

Just wanted to share it if maybe nobody found it =).












... anyone interested =D.

 

[daniel_gudman]

... anyone interested =D.

You offering to GM?

 

[sinewyk]

First, I ask if anyone is interested either as a player or gm, then we'll see.

I'm interested in roleplaying for keeps with 3.5/Pathfinder rules. Or maybe trying the D&D 5th edition (next) with some of the rules that are already out to test them.

And then testing out some stuff, like call of cthulhu. I've always heard about it but never tried it. So, if I could easily reach some guys out for this and try it out, why not do it :O.

Some thoughts ?

I'm in France, so that's GMT+2 zone right now.

 

[zerohour]

I'm up for playing, maybe GMing if we rotate it. Not really in the mood for developing a full campaign myself.

 

[daniel_gudman]

If it's game system, I pretty much burned out on d20 in college. I'd rather do FATE or one of the variants like "Strands of Fate."

...since those systems take less prep time, I would be wiling to GM in that case.

As for timing, I'm usually at GMT+5, but also +0 and +7 often enough. Plus disconnect from travel.

 

[zerohour]

Interested in Dresden Files RPG? It uses the Fate system.

 

[daniel_gudman]

I never read the books, so no.

 

[NewAgeOfPower]

Hey, this sounds interesting. I've played D&D, WH40K Dark Heresy & Rogue Trader, and Eclipse Phase. I ended up GMing for both WH40k and Eclipse Phase with two different playgroups.

Both WH40K and Eclipse Phase are primarily D100 systems.

Anyways, I am EST or GMT-5.

 

[daniel_gudman]

I played a Rogue Trader campaign one time; I rolled up a Navigator that had like all the defensive buffs (plus "obese") from the backstory-generator that ended up getting flight as a Warp Power. So basically, Baron Harkonen.

As for timing, I'm usually at GMT+5, but also +0 and +7 often enough.

Ha ha whoops, make that GMT-5, +0, -7 for me, I completely just didn't even think about it.

ANYWAY
with four, we're actually one person away from having what I feel is an "ideal" group size: 5 = 4 players + GM.

 

[Fellgrave]

If it's Pathfinder, I'm game. I've got all the books released so far, and I got the Advanced Class Guide on pre-order, plus a collection of third party additions I can lend out if that's the route taken.

I'm on the west, so GMT-7 hours for me.

 

[NewAgeOfPower]

That's quite funny, our Inquisitor NPC was a bit of an Atriedes expy.

One of my playgroups tried a 7 player game- did not work out too well. For in-person pen and paper games (more like laptop and paper games), four was definitely the optimal playercount.

I'm willing to try almost any game, and I've heard of Pathfinder, but I'm only comfortable GMing games I've played before.

 

[zerohour]

I'm GMT -5 as well.

I would argue the best number falls somewhere between four and six.

Four fills the basic roles.
Five allows you to have the jack of all trades to split the party without completely screwing one group.
Six would allow two groups to function fairly well separately, though this is really pushing it.

Pathfinder is essentially D&D 3.75, so if you've played that, you should be fine.

 

[NewAgeOfPower]

I would argue the best number falls somewhere between four and six.

Four fills the basic roles.
Five allows you to have the jack of all trades to split the party without completely screwing one group.
Six would allow two groups to function fairly well separately, though this is really pushing it.

I've seen good 3 player + 1 GM groups before, personally.

Anyways, how will we communicate? If skype, my SN is the same as my forum handle.

 

[sinewyk]

That's actually the cool stuff. The system smartly handles all the communication part.

Video (if you want) + audio (via WebRTC for the front developers) on a sufficiently up to date browser (that means latests chrome and firefox).

There is also a chat on the right, with all roleplay stuff handled (private chat + private rolls). And as always, it's all tools. There is a kinda a initiative tool, where you can put numbers and then click "next" and easily follow who's turn it is. You can chose to roll dices as you want (via for example 2d6+3 formula). Or you can just chose to trust the player, ask him to roll 2d6+3 and he tells you the result if you still want to roll dices.

Me, I'm even going to use it simply with a tablet for the map helper in the center of my players when I'm GM-ing in real life, with my laptop as a GM tool for the hidden gm layer stuff on the map.

 

[sinewyk]

Actually, if you want to take a look, I've a campaign where I play around just to see how powerful the system is.

This is my "share" link to invite players : https://app.roll20.net/join/482065/2z6B_g

if you want to try the system & stuff.

- edit -

Intro video for GMs
and
Intro video for Players

 

[sinewyk]

By the way, a question, and a pro feature ... the grid is either square based or hexagonal (vertical or horizontal) ... and you chose the unit and the size of each spot ... that means I'm able to chose 2 meters for each square instead of 3 feet ... but it could also mean that I can chose 1 square (unit) per 1 square (on the map) if we don't want to bother with meters or feet while speaking tactics . (Same thing for the ruler for the map).

For example the StarWars book was quite smart about that, and went 2 meters per square, and then only talked about squares for all rules, so, you just had to squares * 3 feet, or squares * 2 meters for some quick conversion.

So, feets ? meters ? squares ?

(pounds ? kgs ? some random unit of weight ?)

 

[daniel_gudman]

If it's possible to leave it at unspecified "units" I would prefer to do that.

But before that, there are two questions I would like to get settled:
1) System
So far, the "default" option is Pathfinder.
However:
Combat in d20-based systems takes a really long time, and that will only be exacerbated by the game being online instead of IRL.
Are we sure we really want to spend ~80% of the game on fighting orcs?

I would prefer to use Strands of FATE as the game system. It's only USD 9, so I think it's a relatively safe thing to try out for a session or two.

Plus that gives us the option to play something in a different setting than "pseudoMedieval high fantasy" without having to sink a bunch of effort into finagling the rules.

2) Who would we like to have as the GM?
I've GMed FATE games and 3rd Ed D&D (but never Pathfinder specifically), so I could do it.

So I guess the thing is, for those two items, what's everyone else's votes?

 

[Fellgrave]

I'd personally prefer Pathfinder, given it's what I'm most familiar with, but I am willing to try something else if everyone else wants to go for it.

As for GM, personally I'd prefer it were not me, though again, if everyone else decides otherwise I've got a few ideas for a campaign that I've been kicking around.

 

[FinalMax]

Yeah, I've been playing stuff on Roll20 for the past 8 months or so. Mostly Pathfinder Society, but I've been trying to get in on some Adventure Paths. Friday's are pretty set for me in terms of what I'm playing on Roll20. Other days depend on if I've signed up for a Society game.

I wouldn't mind playing Pathfinder with some of you guys, as a player. Just FYI, I prefer using Google + Hangouts for the voice chat over Skype. G+ doesn't try to eat my CPU, and the in-game voice chat on Roll20 is still buggy.

A point I have to mention: Go with the Fog of War options rather than Dynamic Lighting. A lot of latency issues occur with Dynamic Lighting, as well as other glitches on the player's end.

 

[sinewyk]

I'm pretty sure I give 0 fuck about which system I will play.

What I want is RP-experience. All of us should wish for that.

Ok, min-maxing is cool, criting for 500 is epic as fuck.

But being someone else. Live an entirely different self, that is the dream. That is the reality of RPG. That is what I'm looking for.

I'm pretty sure we should organize a vote for systems if it's that important.

I'm pretty sure at this point, either systems vote then form a group with a gm and go do stuff with some luck for timezones, or just form group right now with a gm and worry about the system later.

I'm all for trying stuff, found a website to download rulebooks so all good to check out new rules if necessary.

 

[NewAgeOfPower]

I'm pretty sure I give 0 fuck about which system I will play.

As Mr. Gudman has stated, he believes utilizing a D100 system will allow us to spend our limited (virtual) Tabletop Time much more efficiently; instead of

spend ~80% of the game on fighting orcs?

I'd personally prefer Pathfinder, given it's what I'm most familiar with, but I am willing to try something else if everyone else wants to go for it.

As for GM, personally I'd prefer it were not me, though again, if everyone else decides otherwise I've got a few ideas for a campaign that I've been kicking around.

Why don't we take a simple vote? Everyone, please state the Tabletop Setting that you want to play in, and what games you are familiar with?

 

[Fellgrave]

Pathfinder to play. Or the Anima RPG.

Others I'm familiar with... Numenara I'm passingly familiar with. Outside of that... nothing else really. I'm willing to learn though.

 

[FinalMax]

I think Pathfinder will likely win this vote, as most of us are familiar or already playing it. I'd be willing to try out D&D 5th ed, since there is some more fluff related stuff than crunch. Shadowrun is out, just due to character creation and an unavailability of the books for me. I've seen Anima before, but never played it. Not familiar with too much beyond that.

Star Wars is a firm no, though. I've got one friend that completely burns me out on that franchise, and I don't know how you'd translate the dice for the latest version into Roll20.

 

[sinewyk]

I'm in for anything. Just read around for d100 system. Seems really weird. No real advancement and stuff ...

dafuq ?

 

[NewAgeOfPower]

Shadowrun is out, just due to character creation and an unavailability of the books for me.

I believe I have the books in PDF somewhere. Could give it to you if you want.