wbcreighton

They are supposed to be going live with roll-able Tables later this month, which will help with critical hits and fumbles ( so I wouldn't try to use macros for that ). Setting up the specials, criticals and fumbles would probably be the most important part of the process, but I haven't looked into it yet. The macros don't support If Then statements or anything complex so I'm not sure there is much that you can really do.

You do need to get online at the same time, but you don't have to be in the same LOCATION. I use a VTT to play a weekly game with players in 2 countries and 4 different cities. Of course you can do the same with PBem /PbP but if you can use a VTT to meet up then I say take the opportunity. A drawback of PbP games is that it is more convenient unless you are having to wait for other players to post. I could see a fusion of the two methods. PbP for more of the rping between session stuff, especially if you can only meet up once a month for instance.

I think that the what is being worked on is obviously not for you. I'm guessing that Skype or Teamspeak plus one of those free whiteboards is all you ever need. As we all know there is a very wide spectrum of gaming styles and rules systems. What works for me doesn't work for you and vice versa. Gamers will come into the hobby from different backgrounds. I came in from PnP and then PbP, then to VTT. For those who might be coming to the hobby from WoW or SW:KotOR, their expectations might be different. They might feel the need for more visual cues than what we are used to.

The announcement and the rather interesting 3d VTT are: Kickstarter Project Idea Thread - Page 15 - Fantasy Grounds Message Boards 3D Virtual Tabletop - role playing table online & on iPad, iPhone, Mac, Android, Kindle Fire & Chrome Given time, advancements in tech applications are being made. I wonder if the 3d VTT could be implemented with Roll20 ?

Trying to get back to the focus of the thread: Just the fact that you are using a computer for rpging has to change the gaming model. I want to use the computer to do the tasks that it is best suited for: enabling voice communication and chat, presenting useful visual data (such as maps and pics), keeping records, doing calculations, setting mood with music, etc. The more of those functions that the cpu can handle the more time I can spend playing the game. I think sitting in front of a computer, flipping through pages in a rulebook, while making lots of written notes is going to slow the game down. With rules agnostic tools you can speed up a game by using rules lite games or games that you know well. As I get older I have less interest in learning new complex rp games. I would rather play a less complex game or a game that I know inside and out. A tool like Mythic: GM Emulator could be used to literally make up the story as you go. There are plenty of games where the rules are available on line and therefore at your fingertips when playing with a VTT. A possible drawback could be the expectation of gamers coming into rping thinking that the games will be as visual as Mass Effect, or Oblivion, etc.

I think Smiteworks understand their dilemma, but their revenue stream is tied to the license model. To be fair I have made a $40 investment ( cost of an average rpg hardcover ) in a license and have been using it for more than 2 years. All of the upgrades they have done and there have been many have have not cost extra. As long as I have my laptop I have access to my campaign whether I have internet access or not. I definitely see benefits to the portability of Roll20, a wiki, and cloud storage. I have been playing Pathfinder *shudder* this whole time and I can't imagine not using FG. The ruleset comes built in, and it automates so much of the mechanics and record keeping it really is great. With Roll20 having access to the internet and being able to search quickly for maps, music tokens etc. I can see it as a great way to create games on the fly, and meet up with players that you don't know quite easily.

TTF is no longer, it merged with Roll20. If you backed the TTF KS then you get a KS supporter account with Roll20.

Not sure if this qualifies or not, but in one of our first Runequest 2 campaigns back in junior high school we had a "know it all" player who was playing a jerk of a PC. He was constantly getting on all of our nerves doing all the classic stuff ( trying to steal extra treasure, I found it I get to keep it , etc ). We were in the midst of a big battle when one of the PCs fumbled his bastard sword attack. The result was a 92 which is hit nearest friend and do critical damage. The player rolled hit location it was the Head. The nearest PC was Mr Know it All. The GM notified Mr Know it All that his beloved PC had just been decapitated. The player looked down at his character sheet for a few seconds, picked the sheet up, burst into tears and ran out of the room. After he left I looked around the table, and all of the players and GM had the biggest smiles on their faces, it was priceless. Mr. Know it All never came back to play again.

I'm curious what software you are using ? and what rules you are playing. I think the tools and the rules have a big impact on how well the game will run.

What type of game our you running ? Is it a complex ruleset or is it a more rules lite game ?

I have been using Fantasy Grounds to run a weekly campaign online since March 2011. I supported a KS for Tabletop Forge which just recently merged with Roll20 so I am now a KS supporter of Roll20 as a result. It doesn't have anywhere near the functions of FG, but you can have a free account and it is fairly simple to use from what I can tell. I have been thinking about running a rules lite game sometime to test it out, and seeing what the pace of the game might be like. I have a strong feeling that Roll20 will work best with rules lite games ( and short campaigns or pick up games) and FG will be better for rules intensive and long campaign style games. I like the voice altering software idea. I know one of the players in our campaign listens in but won't talk because he doesn't like the sound of his own voice.

I would agree that grid based/complex combat might take longer ( but to be honest I haven't played FTF for so long I'm not really sure ) That doesn't even take into account that the online games can be a range of all voice only to text only games. Text only games are slower for sure. From a GM's standpoint I find the record keeping for online games ( if you are using a tool like Fantasy Grounds) is much easier. All of the text chat and die rolls are saved. Tokens and maps are exactly the way they were at the end of the previous session. The players can't mess with the character sheets or lose them.

Has anyone ever used Eclipse Phase ? It is a percentile skill based system. You can download free pdfs of all of the books from the authors blog. It is also written under a Creative Commons License. Sounds like the perfect setting for a conversion to BRP, and you can distribute the results if you follow the conditions of the license. Eclipse Phase PDFs | Rob Boyle

I was recently looking at Outbreak: Undead a rpg/simulator that uses a d100 system. It is on drivethrurpg.com and there are a couple of free preview downloads that give a good feel of the game. There are some neat systems for creating missions and scenarios. The group have a stronghold that they venture out from and return to at the end of each scenario. I was thinking of using the info on this forum and the linked forum to port a Gore/OQ system, but use the mission/hazard generator for O:U. Read the reviews before you buy especially if you don't like unusual fonts.

OOC: Have you ever used G+ Hangouts for a game ? It looks interesting especially for games that don't have ruleset support in FG2.

Yes. I GM a group of Pathfinder gamers on a weekly basis. We play using Fantasy Grounds 2 and Skype in conjunction. FG2 has all the tools for running a campaign ( mapping, tokens, story, die rolling, combat tracking etc) and Skype adds the voice element to help speed things up a little instead of having to type everything. I don't do any FtF gaming so I look forward to the weekly session on line. Why Pathfinder ? The GM who got us into FG ran us through a BRP scenario then later admitted that he would rather play Savage Worlds. After he had to quit the SW campaign I decided to GM. Because I have been collecting the PF stuff, and have lots of resources to use, and because BRP gamers aren't as numerous I started a PF campaign about 1.5 years ago. I had been playing pbp online in a RQ2 game and GMing RQ2 pbp, but once we tried FG2 we couldn't go back to the slow pace of pbp.

This group doesn't get much activity either but it would be worth a post: GloranthaInternetGaming : Glorantha Internet Gaming

At first I thought you were working on theatre: monologue: BRP Cyberpunk then I realized it is a monograph

For pbp it is important for the player to specify their actions and what they will "do X if Y happens" or "do Z if A happens". The more info for the GM the better.

The d100 II SRD was written specifically so you can run the Gloranthan Classics and you can also download it for free. D100II System Reference Document v1.2 « Dreamscape Design

I noticed that there is an online gaming convention this weekend using roll20.net Nov 16-18 AetherCon I wonder if this con might be a good place to try out roll20.net VTT. According to the website it is completely free. I've never used roll20, but I play in a weekly online game using Fantasy Grounds 2 VTT. It might be worth a try. Depending on timing I might be able to join a session.

Some more goodness from The Design Mechanism: Star Wars RQ6 http://basicroleplaying.com/runequest/rq-star-wars-3063/

I'm curious how much of a difference it would make to the sales of CF if it wasn't written for BRP. How much involvement does Chaosium have for a licensed BRP product published by someone else ?

In all honesty, CF has so many cool features that in a lot of ways feels like a different game than BRP. OQ does have the simplicity that could easily be built upon. Legend has the advantage of the Mongoose distribution machine, so Legends of CF would have a potentially larger audience. The OGL has the advantage of all those OGL monsters, spells, magic items that could be converted over to CF. There is always the option of publishing your own BRP licensed product with the help of an established publisher. I can see why you need time to ponder the options. My suggestion once you decide which way to go is a Kickstarter/Indiegogo. Sounds like the fans of CF will be lining up to help you out.

I think the write-up on Chaosium's web site is wrong. I'm guessing your adventure is included, they just don't mention it in the description.