kjleigh
Initiate Douchebag
Posts: 24
Preferred Game Systems: Savage Worlds
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Online RPG
Sept 16, 2016 15:18:06 GMT -8
via mobile
Post by kjleigh on Sept 16, 2016 15:18:06 GMT -8
I'm going to be GMing a game over google hangouts/Skype. I've never run a game online before,and am not sure how it will differ from at the table. Any tips,tricks or tools?
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Post by greatwyrm on Sept 16, 2016 15:27:29 GMT -8
Without knowing what you're specifically running, I'll throw out two.
First, it's easy to get overwhelmed by the technology. It feels like you have to do tons of prep. Tokens, maps for everything, macros out the wazoo. Just make sure you can do the minimum to run the game at first. Add pretty stuff as you get more comfortable.
Second, you may have trouble with people talking over each other. Depending on what chat/voice service you use, people can't always tell when someone is done, due to lag or lack of facial cues. Just expect it and you'll work around it over time.
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kjleigh
Initiate Douchebag
Posts: 24
Preferred Game Systems: Savage Worlds
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Post by kjleigh on Sept 16, 2016 15:52:46 GMT -8
I'm running Savage Worlds in a homebrew fantasy setting.
That lag though... It worries me a bit; I never have had great audio quality online.
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Post by greatwyrm on Sept 16, 2016 15:59:41 GMT -8
I'd encourage people to keep side conversations to text chat so the voice chat has less competition. That helps, too.
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sbloyd
Supporter
WHAT! A human in a Precursor service vehicle?!
Posts: 2,762
Preferred Game Systems: Storyteller; Dresden; Mage
Favorite Species of Monkey: Goddamnit, Curious George is a CHIMP not a monkey! Stop teaching my daughter improper classification!
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Post by sbloyd on Sept 17, 2016 6:41:47 GMT -8
Consider that hand gestures and the like may not be fully captured by your camera, so emoting will have to be done largely via voice and face.
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mysticfedora
Supporter
The truth lies somewhere in between.
Posts: 281
Preferred Game Systems: 5E, PbtA, OSR
Currently Playing: LotFP, 5E
Currently Running: 5E, PbtA, Stars Without Number, CoC 7e
Favorite Species of Monkey: Kong
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Post by mysticfedora on Sept 17, 2016 7:03:00 GMT -8
I have run tons of games on Roll20 (you should use it--it's designed specifically for online tabletop gaming and is packed with features). The biggest challenge I've run into is variable connection speeds creating audio problems. While Roll20 is great in terms of sharing a table space with minis, handling dice rolls, and awesome interactive character sheets it is not the best on audio--mostly because it works through browsers.
So I make everyone use Discord, which is a stable audio program WAY better than Skype designed for online gamers. It's free and can run by browser, through PC/Mac programs, or Android/iPhone apps. Set up a free server and give everyone the link. So when browsers crap out, you can always use the desktop program or mobile app. I often will simply use my iPhone with earbuds because I can switch between mobile data and wireless depending upon which one works better.
In short, don't mess around with Hangouts or Skype, use Roll20 and Discord. Believe me, I've tried them all. And once you get into Roll20 you'll wonder why you hadn't been there before. It's also a great place for one-shot pick up games if you have free time. It's perfect for me, because I don't have a local group.
Another cool thing about Rolll20 is that it connects you with gamers all over the world. In my weekly Sunday game that has been going for about a year now, I have an Italian, Russian, Brit, and Iowan in the party. It's pretty sweet.
Good luck!
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sbloyd
Supporter
WHAT! A human in a Precursor service vehicle?!
Posts: 2,762
Preferred Game Systems: Storyteller; Dresden; Mage
Favorite Species of Monkey: Goddamnit, Curious George is a CHIMP not a monkey! Stop teaching my daughter improper classification!
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Post by sbloyd on Sept 17, 2016 7:19:30 GMT -8
I had no problems with Hangouts, myself, save when I was on a shitty wireless connection in the garage.
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maxinstuff
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Posts: 1,939
Preferred Game Systems: DCC RPG, Shadowrun 5e, Savage Worlds, GURPS 4e, HERO 6e, Mongoose Traveller
Favorite Species of Monkey: Proboscis
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Online RPG
Sept 17, 2016 14:00:47 GMT -8
via mobile
Post by maxinstuff on Sept 17, 2016 14:00:47 GMT -8
That's funny, I found the roll20 audio quality to be very good.
Maybe because it was outside of their peaks or something (I'm in a weird timezone)?
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Post by saulster on Sept 19, 2016 17:57:18 GMT -8
I jumped into the Online table top playing a couple years ago, and though it isn't as desirable as face to face gaming, it makes gaming with friends that have moved out of state possible. I use Roll20 and it works just fine. Everyone should get a headset with Mic. Using computer speakers and the web mic, will cause at the min. echo or at worse feedback loops. I say try to get at least one person to do a test run. On your first try just use the white board and don't worry about mini/tokens. Use more theatre of the mind type playing. You can add the bells and whistles later. Also I would tell your players this is your first game, keep the game simple and play for a short period. No more than a four hour game. Have a great game.
Saulster
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mysticfedora
Supporter
The truth lies somewhere in between.
Posts: 281
Preferred Game Systems: 5E, PbtA, OSR
Currently Playing: LotFP, 5E
Currently Running: 5E, PbtA, Stars Without Number, CoC 7e
Favorite Species of Monkey: Kong
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Post by mysticfedora on Sept 19, 2016 17:59:21 GMT -8
I jumped into the Online table top playing a couple years ago, and though it isn't as desirable as face to face gaming, it makes gaming with friends that have moved out of state possible. I use Roll20 and it works just fine. Everyone should get a headset with Mic. Using computer speakers and the web mic, will cause at the min. echo or at worse feedback loops. I say try to get at least one person to do a test run. On your first try just use the white board and don't worry about mini/tokens. Use more theatre of the mind type playing. You can add the bells and whistles later. Also I would tell your players this is your first game, keep the game simple and play for a short period. No more than a four hour game. Have a great game. Saulster Also, in my experience the iPhone earbuds work great. I mean before they made them whatever they are now.
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maxinstuff
Supporter
Posts: 1,939
Preferred Game Systems: DCC RPG, Shadowrun 5e, Savage Worlds, GURPS 4e, HERO 6e, Mongoose Traveller
Favorite Species of Monkey: Proboscis
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Post by maxinstuff on Sept 19, 2016 18:06:12 GMT -8
play for a short period. No more than a four hour game. Short.... 4 hours.... bruuuuuh... My brain is fried at the 3.5 hour mark. (that's GM'ing though)
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thegrimace
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Posts: 45
Preferred Game Systems: Anything
Currently Playing: D&D 5.0, Pathfinder, L5R
Currently Running: L5R
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Post by thegrimace on Sept 21, 2016 14:04:20 GMT -8
I concur with the roll20 recommendation. My college gaming group has been using it for years now with very few issues. Occasionally we'll run into feedback loops, but always because someone is doing something silly with their audio (i.e. having two laptops in the same room using speakers and built-in mics).
It can be as involved or not-involved as you want. I tend to spend a lot of time pre-prepping maps, character/NPC tokens, etc... but you can also just use it as a die-roller and audio/chat client.
I'll say I slightly prefer some other chat clients (with respect to private messages/whispering etc), but that could also be a matter of me not putting enough time into settings and macros on roll20.
Our sessions tend to run 2-3 hrs, which works pretty well for us.
I'd also second the comments about people talking over each other. That's my main issue with online play, but if people are aware of it you can definitely work around it. on that note though (given that there's another active thread talking about this) I'd avoid ambient noise stuff (mood music/sound) as it will have a tendency to just get in the way of active conversation when playing online.
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Post by saulster on Oct 21, 2016 22:26:45 GMT -8
play for a short period. No more than a four hour game. Short.... 4 hours.... bruuuuuh... My brain is fried at the 3.5 hour mark. (that's GM'ing though) Well I am an old time gamer, meaning I started with Original D&D white box edition. At 11 years of age and through recently games were at least 8 hours. As I am nearly at age 50 with players having Real Life stuff going on it is hard to set aside 8 hours for gaming and I do get a bit tired these days. But I think 4 hours is a minimum time to get people to play. Yea I still think I am a teenager at times. Sauslter
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Post by saulster on May 6, 2017 22:38:06 GMT -8
play for a short period. No more than a four hour game. Short.... 4 hours.... bruuuuuh... My brain is fried at the 3.5 hour mark. (that's GM'ing though) For any game 4 hours is the bare min. Online I can see it being shorter because I feel there is less "table" talk and at least for the people I play with they concentrate more on the game than when I meet in real life. In Real life there is always... eating, drinking, going to the bathroom and the conversations that have nothing to do with gaming. Talks about kids, spouses, work etc. Yea four hours min. But like I said not so long back in the day 8 hours is what was considered normal, but there was a lot of non game time in those 8 hours. Saulster
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Post by uncommonman on May 7, 2017 0:21:57 GMT -8
One thing that no one has mentioned is that you will have problems starting so it is a good idea to log in before the game is supposed to start an get all audio and video problems sorted out.
If you plan on playing 8:00 log in 7:45.
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