Technology and tabletop roleplaying

[idleknight]

Being an IT Bod I tend to bring IT into most things to make life easier. When running a game I will use the internet to research, type up notes, handouts and print out character sheets.

However once the game is being played I dont allow laptops, PDAs or anything like that. I like pencils, paper and getting away from technology for the night.

How does everybody else feel about it?

[Kuseru]

I'm waiting for affordable holographic projectors to come out on the market myself...

[Sehson]

Well in the Rifts game I play. we embrace the technology.

It is far easier to carry 40+ books in pdf then in hard copy. Not to mention making sure everyone gets the game notes is as easy as sending an e-mail immediately after the session.

Not to mention pulling an image of a monster or baddy is far easier to limit knowing what it is if its just an image instead of a page that can be referenced later.

[idleknight]

I use LJ to coordinate between events and send out briefings
I also avoid too many books in a game as they get in the way and if im not hosting they end up stuck in the car.

However a laptop being used is a dangerous distraction in the game

[Ecchi_Kitty]

Aye, depends on the group. For some, can't even let them have books, because they'll be too busy looking for the next feat they want to pay attention to the plot. Others, can let then bring their laptop with no problems.

[idleknight]

I agree, lots of roleplayers i know will invite anyone they know who might be even the slightest bit interested.

You need the right numbers and the right people to run a good game.

On the subject of distractions i used to play and make chainmail, didnt effect my game at all as i was listening all the time.

[Claidhmore]

The DM's the only one allowed to have a laptop - that way I can keep up with combat on a spreadsheet and look up my notes on the fly. If the players want to have spiffykeen itemry/classes/etc for their characters, they have to have the physical book there to prove it exists. I'd love it if everyone had a copy of the Player's Handbook (for whatever game we're playing) but if only a couple have it and I have mine that's usually good enough. If their cell rings and they have to answer it *now* (barring an actual emergency of course - meaning things are on fire, someone's dying, etc), I get to control their character until they get back, and suddenly that character wants to drink all of his potions, strip and charge the dragon with intent to do blunt (as well as psychological) trauma.

[Seolta]

If their cell rings and they have to answer it *now* (barring an actual emergency of course - meaning things are on fire, someone's dying, etc), I get to control their character until they get back, and suddenly that character wants to drink all of his potions, strip and charge the dragon with intent to do blunt (as well as psychological) trauma.


House Rule last time my brother DM'd: Every time a cell phone rings(counting separate rings for the same call as individual rings), the corresponding PC takes one point of damage. Almost lost a party member that way, once...after that, everyone made sure their phones were either off or on silent/vibrate.

[Mike Taylor]

Just adding a post to get rid of something unwanted.

[Jamcat]

I always thought those "dragonbones" (electronic dice rollers) were cool. Too bad they don't make 'em anymore.

But I have seen electronic 6 sided dice. Basically you tap the dice, and the LEDs at the top light up a random number.

[sableagle]

To some extent, having limited IRC would help, because a GM could give parts of the party bits of information by copy-and-paste without having to scribble them out on scraps of paper or tell everyone, but I doubt it's really worthwhile for that.

What would be very handy, especially for Werewolf with its shifting stats, is an automated dice-rolling programme, preferably one that knows your stats and skills but even just one that'll let you type 12d7 and tell you how many of 12 10-sided dice came up 7 or more would be really useful.

Added features: Missing out the "d7" or "d8" would go to default difficulty 6, naturally, and adding an r to the end would tell it to reroll 10s. 6d4r is six dice, difficulty four, with rerolls.

[Akuma]

To some extent, having limited IRC would help, because a GM could give parts of the party bits of information by copy-and-paste without having to scribble them out on scraps of paper or tell everyone, but I doubt it's really worthwhile for that.

What would be very handy, especially for Werewolf with its shifting stats, is an automated dice-rolling programme, preferably one that knows your stats and skills but even just one that'll let you type 12d7 and tell you how many of 12 10-sided dice came up 7 or more would be really useful.

Added features: Missing out the "d7" or "d8" would go to default difficulty 6, naturally, and adding an r to the end would tell it to reroll 10s. 6d4r is six dice, difficulty four, with rerolls.


Using a combo of IRC and Ventrilo would be an awesome way to do traditional pen and paper style games. There are scripts to simulate dice rolls, so you can roll them in channel to keep people honest. Even all IRC would be neat, just a lot of typing, and it would be easier on the DM to send messages to players. A lot less suspicious looks from other players when you're getting a piece of paper passed to you.

Also from what I understand the 4th Edition of D&D is supposed to support internet style gaming in a more barebones manner than NWN did.

[sableagle]

There's nothing in IRC to stop one player copying and pasting that message to a player in the other half of the party who has no way of knowing it, though, is there?

[Akuma]

No, not at all. And it would be too much of a pain to have people dip in and out of public and private channels on a Ventrilo server to do that, as well.

Hoping for people to reliably keep things to themselves is about your best bet. Which won't always happen. However an astute DM would probably be able to cue in on people cheating and punish them accordingly.

[Sehson]

Ah but it's rather easy to tell if a character has player knowledge of something the character should not have. And good players can separate the the two.

Me, I have a strong engineering background, and in one game my char has an engineering background which means I can easily pull shit out of my ass as long as the dice are being nice.

My other char for a different campaign is a military man. And I have to sometimes remind the GM that he has NO engineering skills other then making things go boom or disarming things that go boom.

[Jamcat]

Nah... I'd rather have a computer handle all dice rolls and even combat between characters. Keeps things fair. Like keeping the GM from cheating and favoring certain characters, while trying to go out of their way to kill off others.

That's the best thing about computer-based solo RPGs, no cheating GM's or PC's.

[Sehson]

yea right... what games do you play....

OK it's not cheating the computer can just control more units then you simultaneous across the entire screen.

No true this doesn't matter if the AI is stupid. But if the AI is decent your fubar.

[Jamcat]

yea right... what games do you play....

OK it's not cheating the computer can just control more units then you simultaneous across the entire screen.

No true this doesn't matter if the AI is stupid. But if the AI is decent your fubar.

I've never known the old D&D style computer RPG games like Telengard, Temple of Apshai, Wizardry, Eye of the Beholder, or Bard's Tale to cheat.

Dumb or smart, the computer AI basically plays fair as opposed to a live human GM. In other words, AI doesn't play favorites.

[Rapscallion]

Sometimes, a GM has to make allowances for things that the players aren't necessarily aware of.

Rapscallion

[Akuma]

Dumb or smart, the computer AI basically plays fair as opposed to a live human GM. In other words, AI doesn't play favorites.

And at least the computer doesn't get vengeful when you outsmart it. Vengeful DMs are teh bad.

[Jamcat]

And at least the computer doesn't get vengeful when you outsmart it. Vengeful DMs are teh bad.

This is exactly the kinda of stuff I mean that a computer RPG doesn't do.

Sure, a computer doesn't have the interaction like a live GM, but it's no fun playing when a GM is out to get you because you did outsmart him or her.

[Mike Taylor]

If the GM is out to get you, then he's not doing his job. That's not a guy that I want to game with.

[Sehson]

And at least the computer doesn't get vengeful when you outsmart it. Vengeful DMs are teh bad.

Eh my favorite GM is always vengful....

it comes with the territory of GMing our gaming group... he's still tweaked that we completely obliterated 3 levels of his custom made dungeon in 45 min of starting the campaign.

then the other GM was a little perturbed that we successfully made Ravenloft eject our characters because we were being tooo good.

Anyone know what happens when you cast resurrect on a mummy? You get a living being whose class and alignment are based off a chart based off the casters alignment. Yep the dice liked us we wound up with 10 paladins joined to our party in a week. then their was the issue of resanctifying mass amounts of land and a few churches...

[Claidhmore]

That is AWESOME. I must keep that in mind. :D

[Sehson]

note-- I don't know how well that would work in the newer editions of DnD

the rules are a bit more restrictive for some things.

[Jamcat]

note-- I don't know how well that would work in the newer editions of DnD

the rules are a bit more restrictive for some things.

You don't have to follow them. Rules can be guides, but not set in stone.

If it makes a game more fun to bend, break, or drop a given rule, then why not. As long as everybody agrees about dropping or altering a given rule.

[Sehson]

Oh believe me I know. We have many house rules in our campaigns.

however there are many people that if it's not in a book it can't be done.

Which is the thing that I got the first time I introduced a mage that still used cantrips. Then I had to dig out the rules for cantrips....In the players books....yada yada yada. And oh that GM was pissed when I took down 8 charging warriors with cantrips...befoer they could get to my char.

Hairy, and orgasm (netbook of spells) both instants and no saves.

Hairy- ALL to specific body hair can either be removed or grow to a length of 12 inches.

Imagine wearing armour and all body hair grows 12 inches this includes facial eybrows nose and ear hair. its now difficult to move see hear and breath.

Orgasm well thats self explanitory... And quite distracting...

[Jamcat]

Oh believe me I know. We have many house rules in our campaigns.

however there are many people that if it's not in a book it can't be done.

Which is the thing that I got the first time I introduced a mage that still used cantrips. Then I had to dig out the rules for cantrips....In the players books....yada yada yada. And oh that GM was pissed when I took down 8 charging warriors with cantrips...befoer they could get to my char.

Hairy, and orgasm (netbook of spells) both instants and no saves.

Hairy- ALL to specific body hair can either be removed or grow to a length of 12 inches.

Imagine wearing armour and all body hair grows 12 inches this includes facial eybrows nose and ear hair. its now difficult to move see hear and breath.

Orgasm well thats self explanitory... And quite distracting...

Orgasm?! Interesting. Kinda gross if used on 8 charging warriors. Roll die to make save against slipping on man cream.

Now if they were 8 female amazon warriors, now that'd be a different story. To the GM I'd say, as the amazon's squirm in pleasure, I use my helmet to catch their sweet female nectar to which I drink to heal 1d20 of hit point damage. :p Yummy!

[Mike Taylor]

You don't have to follow them. Rules can be guides, but not set in stone.

If it makes a game more fun to bend, break, or drop a given rule, then why not. As long as everybody agrees about dropping or altering a given rule.

That becomes somewhat problematic with D&D 3.0 and later (as well as d20), as the rules tend to be linked together. Changing one rule can have the effect of having to change several others in order to keep things balanced out.