07-10-2006, 03:00 PM
Quote:Was it fun? I've heard of those before, but never got into them. I think I tried a PBM (or email rather) version and found it entirely boring. I believe the live chat ones feature die rollers and everything, correct? I wouldn't mind giving it a whirl, although nothing can replace ye old pen-and-paper, IMO.Hi Meat,
I didn't look at your handbook since it is DnD (3rd Ed or later) but I think it is great that you are providing your work for Lurkers to benefit from. Since it seems that you and a few others here are interested in starting up an online game I will offer some ideas and feedback based on my 2 1/2 years of experience doing exactly that. Maybe my post will inspire you to run your own successful online campaign. The online games that I've run are the closest thing to real PnP ADnD that I have experienced and are certainly worth the effort and time.
First a little background:
I use a combination of 1st and 2nd Edition + home rules for my online games. The main reason for sticking with older editions of ADnD is my familiarity of the old system as well as the 20 or so years of customized background material that I refuse to waste my time converting to a system that fails to impress me. My first adventure started with 3rd level characters and ran from Nov 2003 until May 2006. This was an experimental adventure created mainly to test the concept of running an online ADnD game that I didn't spend as much time on as I could have (for example, I was distracted by 7 months of WoW) and I am grateful to all the players who tolerated my ineptness :P. My games are a combination of role playing, hack and slash and puzzle solving (riddles and other mental exercises). A couple players were new to ADnD and learned how to play from the rest of the group. The group members changed over the course of the adventure and ended up with 4 people who are now in my second adventure with 2 new players. The second adventure will be more ambitious now that I am confident in the abilities of the players, and is mid to high level, with characters ranging from 14-16L. It started where the last party left off continuing an unfolding story.
Now for the feedback and ideas:
An online ADnD game played once a week for ~3 hours a session is feasible, even for people who live in different time zones. I currently have 6 players in my game from eastern Europe to the eastern US and one from Singapore, so it is not impossible to have a multi-national game. Choose a time frame that is reasonable for your players, but it should be a time when the DM is alert and unhindered. DM'ing an online game requires more effort, time and attention than a RL game due to the restrictions on how information is disseminated. Players should also restrict their activities during the game session (they should not be playing other games).
Party Size- The DM should limit the party to 4-6 people, preferably one character per player. A smaller group gives each player and the DM ample time to become more involved in the game and the story.
Staging- there are numerous programs available to support/enhance the online ADnD gaming experience, some that include mapping support with character icons and chatroom dice rollers, but I prefer a simpler method: chat program (irc) + white board (net meeting). A log of the game session is a great reference (for absenteers and senile DM's ;)) and it is the main reason I have not switched to teamspeak. A chat program like irc also provides a real time visual log of everyone's actions for those who might have missed it (non-native English speakers tend to prefer "subtitles" especially with all the unfamiliar accents and slang that comprise the English language). A combination of both can be used although that might create confusion.
Dice- I allow my players to use real dice and post their rolls in channel. I trust them to be honest; if you can't trust your players then you are wasting your time. Sometimes I make secret rolls for the characters just as I would in a real life game (one of the few benefits to an online game is that the players don't see me doing this ;)). Other DM's might prefer a chat supported program for this, especially when people don't have real dice.
Mapping- as the DM, I do most of the mapping during the game by copy-pasting sections of my maps to whiteboard (this is a quick and easy way to keep the game moving while providing detailed visuals). Players can indicate their positions by moving colored dots (or whatever you prefer to use as markers) on the map. This is especially helpful during combat situations (imagine using miniatures in a RL game; that is exactly what this is except the mapping is faster and more accurate). When that fails (sometimes netmeeting is unreliable) I rely on a back up mapping system: a pre-made pdf file that contains small, detailed mapped areas containing one image per page with a reference number at the top of each page. When this method is used I prompt the players to open the document and "con+F+(insert reference number here)". This requires a lot of trust from the players since they should not look at anything in the file until prompted. It also requires some pre-game preparation from the DM who must create and distribute the file. A grid system can be used to indicate PC/NPC positions on the map.
Map making programs- A few good ones that I use are Dungeon Crafter (discontinued freeware that can still be found here. A helpful guide can be found here) and Campaign Cartographer. Photoshop/paintshop are used mainly for enhancement rather than for map creation.
Graphics- I use the same method for revealing graphics as I do mapping: I copy-paste images to whiteboard or I give a file reference and prompt players to access a specific page. A little eye candy can enhance the mood of the game but try not to overdo it.
To give you an idea of what can be done in a 3 hour session I will cite some examples:
The average 3 hour session in my game allows a 4-5 person party to thoroughly investigate 2 dungeon rooms. This includes a bit of OOC socializing, a brief recap, dealing with encounters (traps, riddles/puzzles, NPC's and monsters) and role playing. A newly formed 6 person group of strangers can be introducted to each other to form a party in about 1 1/2 sessions. A party of 4 PC's and 1 NPC can spend an entire session role playing while less than an hour has passed in game time.
The once per week sessions allows the DM to create intriguing puzzles and riddles for the players to dwell on until the next game. The break between games also gives the DM ample time to work on the adventure, adding more detail to an area or changing it all together. I tend to keep a rough outline of an entire adventure and flesh out areas as the players gravitate toward them. I want the game to be guided by a purpose that is driven by a storyline, but I also want the characters to have the freedom to add a bit of spontaneity to the game. A collection of generic maps (interior tavern/inn layouts and random "treasure" maps), prepared random encounters (include portraits, stats and as much detailed info required to keep the game rolling without a hitch) and detailed sub-scenarios filled with interesting and helpful NPC's (I tend to use NPC's to steer the PC's back on track when necessary so they are my "little helpers") will allow the DM to improvise on the fly.
I am sure I left out a lot of things that I do and take for granted that would be helpful, but I think this is sufficient for now. Good luck with your adventures!