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| Alternate Play Options http://www.the-unbound.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=322 |
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| Author: | admin [ Mon Jul 25, 2011 9:36 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Alternate Play Options |
Hello all, Just a quick thing I wanted to put by all of you for discussion. As I'm sure you know, our GMs look at running upwards of 8 tabletop games per month, which is quite a bit for three people to manage. We've looked at other people that are interested as joining up as additional GMs but one of the requirements until now has been the ability for the potential GM to get themself around Sydney given how widely our player base is spread. I've been looking at one option to lighten the load slightly - the occasional use of virtual tabletop software. The idea would be that the occasional tabletop game would actually be run over the internet - each player would need a free piece of software and some headphones or microphone (along with a computer and the internet obviously). This would allow us the occasional leisure of running a game from our home, and allow us to put on an additional GM which is not always so mobile. Obviously this option has some pros and cons - and I wouldn't want to make it the rule rather than the exception. Tabletop games are about getting together with your friends in a social context and I wouldn't want to take away from that unless it was occasionally necessary. I just want to get your thoughts on the idea because investigating the options may have a dollar cost for me - if everyone is deadset against the idea, I'll hold on to my money. Let me know if you think it would work, and any considerations you think we should keep in mind. James |
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| Author: | Dakerious [ Mon Jul 25, 2011 9:54 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Alternate Play Options |
As far as dollar cost goes - you can negate most of it with the highly customizable "rptools". Free to download, has its own chat/dice rolling feature, and tokens can be easily created on the fly. I've used it in comination with ventrilo and teamspeak successfully. |
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| Author: | gargoyal [ Mon Jul 25, 2011 10:38 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Alternate Play Options |
Generally I think the main complication is players who do not have access to a computer with the suitable hardware. I for one do not have a microphone (since I have Skype on my mobile), so would need to get one. Though players could collect together as needed, I know that there will be at least two on my rig. Personally I prefer the face to face gaming and would definitely find it hard to focus during a virtual game, though this depends whether there is a visual interface or even video. If it came to it I would feel uninspired to play a virtual game, though would still give it a shot, and most likely just play when it is face to face or LARP. If the premise for the game lent itself to the near isolated radio/telepathic style communications, I would be more interested and willing to give it a shot. |
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| Author: | CommissarStein [ Tue Jul 26, 2011 1:46 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Alternate Play Options |
While I also prefer face to face, I understand the dilemma. What of doing something in between. What's the likelihood of having crews meet up at a location with a computer, conference access or skype? This allows the GM to call into the players, and the players only need one net access, and one computer. They at the same time, can still work with each other face to face. This also means not everyone is financially burdened with needing a computer or a headset. Thoughts? Cheers, Kylee |
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| Author: | Brother Simeon [ Tue Jul 26, 2011 5:58 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Alternate Play Options |
While not a huge fan of online gaming myself, it's certainly better than either No games, or GM burnout. The option of some/all players getting together and videoconferencing with a GM and/or other group does sound like an ever better compromise. Short answer - Without GMs, no games. Therefore, the Players adapt to the restrictions the GM has, or they find another game to play. There's always more players, but GMs are few and far between. Blunt, but realistic. |
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| Author: | VII [ Wed Jul 27, 2011 11:07 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Alternate Play Options |
I think I'd prefer to play less frequently (go to bi-monthly tabletops?, crews take turns skipping a cycle?) than to trade in some tabletop games for online games - unless the online game was a different type of game to the tabletops we currently play. Different group's experiences will differ, but I don't see our current experience translating well to an online play style and I may be overly cynical in this regard, but I fear would result in sessions that were almost as much effort for the GMs, but players would enjoy them an order of magnitude less enough that they would play them just for their 500xp rather than the joy of play. May I ask how the multi-crew tabletops impacted on GM workload? Are these kind of sessions something we should be trying to arrange more of, or does organising them create more hassle? Also, what is the current philosophy on capping new crews entering the game? Damon. |
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| Author: | Kresimir Hawkwood [ Wed Jul 27, 2011 11:54 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Alternate Play Options |
I'm pretty much with Damon - part of the appeal of gaming in general is the social side of things, so I'd be much less motivated in an online format. And given our group's style of gaming is much more wangsty RP-focused, it really doesn't translate into the online space. I'd be more than happy to have less games, rather than switch to online. |
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| Author: | T Stormcrow [ Thu Jul 28, 2011 2:35 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Alternate Play Options |
I really liked having the multiplayer game that we had last weekend. I realy liked having the crews working together for a common goal. Maybe the answer is more of those. 2 to 3 crews all in one go. and to stop adding more crews. |
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