Comments on: Playing Online Part 2: The Mediums http://critical-hits.com/2008/12/21/playing-online-part-2-the-mediums/ The Journal of Gamer Culture Wed, 10 Mar 2010 02:50:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Gaming In Code » Classifying Digital Gaming http://critical-hits.com/2008/12/21/playing-online-part-2-the-mediums/#comment-53727 Gaming In Code » Classifying Digital Gaming Thu, 05 Feb 2009 05:57:17 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=2088#comment-53727 [...] (and even play by twitter) systems are available.  For more information on playing online see this series of posts by Wyatt Salazar guest posting on Musings of the Chatty [...] [...] (and even play by twitter) systems are available.  For more information on playing online see this series of posts by Wyatt Salazar guest posting on Musings of the Chatty [...]

]]> By: What Do You Know About Web 2.0 Web Chat? | IRC News http://critical-hits.com/2008/12/21/playing-online-part-2-the-mediums/#comment-53726 What Do You Know About Web 2.0 Web Chat? | IRC News Mon, 19 Jan 2009 01:51:46 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=2088#comment-53726 [...] » Playing Online Part 2: The Mediums [...] [...] » Playing Online Part 2: The Mediums [...]

]]> By: Dean http://critical-hits.com/2008/12/21/playing-online-part-2-the-mediums/#comment-53725 Dean Mon, 29 Dec 2008 15:18:31 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=2088#comment-53725 I play by post at Plothook, http://www.plothook.net Enjoy both playing and DMing, though I tend to either have too much time on my hands and fume over the slow pace, or have too little time to devote to my games. But this can be really fun, especially for ROLE players who get into the interaction of the game. I play by post at Plothook, http://www.plothook.net

Enjoy both playing and DMing, though I tend to either have too much time on my hands and fume over the slow pace, or have too little time to devote to my games.

But this can be really fun, especially for ROLE players who get into the interaction of the game.

]]> By: Wyatt http://critical-hits.com/2008/12/21/playing-online-part-2-the-mediums/#comment-53724 Wyatt Tue, 23 Dec 2008 21:25:43 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=2088#comment-53724 Thanks for your experience Walkerp. It's good to see everyone chiming in about their preferred methods of play, and more important, why they use them and for what. It gives a lot more perspective to this article as a resource than what I can offer alone. Many thanks, and keep on strong! <abbr><em>Wyatts last blog post..<a href="http://spiritsofeden.wordpress.com/2008/12/20/inspiration-where-you-least-expect-it/" rel="nofollow">Inspiration Where You Least Expect It</a></em></abbr> Thanks for your experience Walkerp. It’s good to see everyone chiming in about their preferred methods of play, and more important, why they use them and for what. It gives a lot more perspective to this article as a resource than what I can offer alone. Many thanks, and keep on strong!

Wyatts last blog post..Inspiration Where You Least Expect It

]]> By: walkerp http://critical-hits.com/2008/12/21/playing-online-part-2-the-mediums/#comment-53723 walkerp Tue, 23 Dec 2008 19:23:50 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=2088#comment-53723 Great article. Just to throw out a small argument in favour of Play-by-eMail, there are some people who just aren't comfortable with forums or don't have the time to go to them. I have one such player who is a busy executive, but is always on his blackberry. So email works way better for him and he has an excellent response time! I've been running a PBeM game for 4 or 5 years now and it has been pretty good, though there are always periods where I have to re-light the fire under my players' asses. I'd say that PBeM is more suited to a seat-of-the-pants style campaign, with fewer plot, setting and NPC details. It's hard for players to remember campaign info and they don't have the forums to go back and reference. I usually accompany the game with a small wiki showing the basic data (character sheets, main locations and npcs, rough summary of what's happened, etc.). Even then, I try to keep it quite light. It's more about the moment, which is good training for you as a GM as well. Great article. Just to throw out a small argument in favour of Play-by-eMail, there are some people who just aren’t comfortable with forums or don’t have the time to go to them. I have one such player who is a busy executive, but is always on his blackberry. So email works way better for him and he has an excellent response time! I’ve been running a PBeM game for 4 or 5 years now and it has been pretty good, though there are always periods where I have to re-light the fire under my players’ asses.

I’d say that PBeM is more suited to a seat-of-the-pants style campaign, with fewer plot, setting and NPC details. It’s hard for players to remember campaign info and they don’t have the forums to go back and reference. I usually accompany the game with a small wiki showing the basic data (character sheets, main locations and npcs, rough summary of what’s happened, etc.). Even then, I try to keep it quite light. It’s more about the moment, which is good training for you as a GM as well.

]]> By: Vampir http://critical-hits.com/2008/12/21/playing-online-part-2-the-mediums/#comment-53722 Vampir Tue, 23 Dec 2008 18:49:15 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=2088#comment-53722 Finding a good game isn't easy... fortunately, there are those that die very quickly and there are those that just don't want to have anything to do with death... You need to find the right people! Finding a good game isn’t easy… fortunately, there are those that die very quickly and there are those that just don’t want to have anything to do with death…

You need to find the right people!

]]> By: Wyatt http://critical-hits.com/2008/12/21/playing-online-part-2-the-mediums/#comment-53721 Wyatt Tue, 23 Dec 2008 17:19:19 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=2088#comment-53721 @Vampir: Definitely! Play-By-Post is my personal de-facto choice of gaming because I like to write a lot and don't have a lot of free days I can devote to gaming (Saturday noon is my Gametable commitment, and about the only possible one)! I may go down on it a lot sometimes, but that's because I oh so wish I could get into one that wouldn't die off on me! I'm cursed. <abbr><em>Wyatts last blog post..<a href="http://spiritsofeden.wordpress.com/2008/12/20/inspiration-where-you-least-expect-it/" rel="nofollow">Inspiration Where You Least Expect It</a></em></abbr> @Vampir: Definitely! Play-By-Post is my personal de-facto choice of gaming because I like to write a lot and don’t have a lot of free days I can devote to gaming (Saturday noon is my Gametable commitment, and about the only possible one)! I may go down on it a lot sometimes, but that’s because I oh so wish I could get into one that wouldn’t die off on me! I’m cursed.

Wyatts last blog post..Inspiration Where You Least Expect It

]]> By: Vampir http://critical-hits.com/2008/12/21/playing-online-part-2-the-mediums/#comment-53720 Vampir Tue, 23 Dec 2008 06:36:47 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=2088#comment-53720 It's true that many forum games die an early death but there's nothing like participating in a 3 years long forum game that is nowhere near stopping... it makes up for playing in all those games that did die... and the best part about playing on a forum is that you don't have to play just one game :) It’s true that many forum games die an early death but there’s nothing like participating in a 3 years long forum game that is nowhere near stopping… it makes up for playing in all those games that did die…

and the best part about playing on a forum is that you don’t have to play just one game :)

]]> By: Christmas Weekly Link Adventure « Jonathan Drain’s D20 Source: Dungeons & Dragons Blog http://critical-hits.com/2008/12/21/playing-online-part-2-the-mediums/#comment-53719 Christmas Weekly Link Adventure « Jonathan Drain’s D20 Source: Dungeons & Dragons Blog Sun, 21 Dec 2008 20:54:24 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=2088#comment-53719 [...] Chatty DM: Playing Online Part 2: The Mediums [...] [...] Chatty DM: Playing Online Part 2: The Mediums [...]

]]> By: Wyatt http://critical-hits.com/2008/12/21/playing-online-part-2-the-mediums/#comment-53718 Wyatt Sun, 21 Dec 2008 17:15:47 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=2088#comment-53718 @Flying Dutchman: I have some, and in places like Myth-Weavers, you're bound to find more good people than bad. In message boards not totally dedicated to online gaming, you may come across more people like that, but it's not very rampant. During your recruiting process, keep an eye on the people you come across. Even though it's a bit weird, go through their posting history briefly, and check to see if they're in any other games, and how they're doing. Also, Myth-Weavers has some good stats on people for your perusal, including their average posts per day (lets you see if they're active) and their "reputation", marked by a D&D-style alignment. The good thing about reputation is that it is given on a post-by-post basis, so you can see what posts earned what reputation. @John R: Agh! I knew I was forgetting something. Yeah, OpenRPG is free and very full-featured. I did have a lot of trouble trying to install it, and used it very little, which is probably why I forgot about it. But thanks for catching that oversight! <abbr><em>Wyatts last blog post..<a href="http://spiritsofeden.wordpress.com/2008/12/20/inspiration-where-you-least-expect-it/" rel="nofollow">Inspiration Where You Least Expect It</a></em></abbr> @Flying Dutchman: I have some, and in places like Myth-Weavers, you’re bound to find more good people than bad. In message boards not totally dedicated to online gaming, you may come across more people like that, but it’s not very rampant. During your recruiting process, keep an eye on the people you come across. Even though it’s a bit weird, go through their posting history briefly, and check to see if they’re in any other games, and how they’re doing. Also, Myth-Weavers has some good stats on people for your perusal, including their average posts per day (lets you see if they’re active) and their “reputation”, marked by a D&D-style alignment. The good thing about reputation is that it is given on a post-by-post basis, so you can see what posts earned what reputation.

@John R: Agh! I knew I was forgetting something. Yeah, OpenRPG is free and very full-featured. I did have a lot of trouble trying to install it, and used it very little, which is probably why I forgot about it. But thanks for catching that oversight!

Wyatts last blog post..Inspiration Where You Least Expect It

]]> By: John R. http://critical-hits.com/2008/12/21/playing-online-part-2-the-mediums/#comment-53717 John R. Sun, 21 Dec 2008 12:41:51 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=2088#comment-53717 What? No mention of OpenRPG? Scandal! It's great, open-source and free. It has plugins for many, many kinds of systems, and though the map system is kinda crusty, it's got a decent userbase on lots of different servers, and supports the easy development (if you're prepared to spend two hours or so learning the underlying plugin system) of extensions for auto-rolling stuff for NPCs, skill tests, and so on. Check it out: http://www.openrpg.com/ What? No mention of OpenRPG? Scandal!

It’s great, open-source and free. It has plugins for many, many kinds of systems, and though the map system is kinda crusty, it’s got a decent userbase on lots of different servers, and supports the easy development (if you’re prepared to spend two hours or so learning the underlying plugin system) of extensions for auto-rolling stuff for NPCs, skill tests, and so on.

Check it out: http://www.openrpg.com/

]]> By: Flying Dutchman http://critical-hits.com/2008/12/21/playing-online-part-2-the-mediums/#comment-53716 Flying Dutchman Sun, 21 Dec 2008 06:54:15 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=2088#comment-53716 Quite a read, but certainly worth the effort ;) I liked the Myth-Weaver look, and your article(s) certainly got me working up an appetite to give this thing a shot. Do you have any experience with teaming up with total strangers, because I'd imagine it might take a while before you finally find a good group between power-playing, self-centered people and "god-modders"? Anyway, good going on the article. When time to experiment is available, I think I might sail over to some of those sites to give it a shot! Curious to see the wrap-up! Cheers! Quite a read, but certainly worth the effort ;)

I liked the Myth-Weaver look, and your article(s) certainly got me working up an appetite to give this thing a shot. Do you have any experience with teaming up with total strangers, because I’d imagine it might take a while before you finally find a good group between power-playing, self-centered people and “god-modders”?

Anyway, good going on the article. When time to experiment is available, I think I might sail over to some of those sites to give it a shot! Curious to see the wrap-up!

Cheers!

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