Thac0? You have no idea how deep the rabbit hole goes…
Pike, pike. What do we DO with the kids their newfangled D&D?
What could anyone possibly need beyond AD&D copyright 1979?
I mean AD&D has the word “Advanced” right in the acronym for Gygax’s sake!!!
BTW. To prove my nerd cred: Thac0 = To Hi Armor Class Zero 
Bah.
Six 20s before going to 21!
Bah, get off my lawn.
Why? Is it mined? 
While listening to the podcast (Geek II), I’m wondering whether there are other people out there that like to play RPG Dice games (in its various forms - LARP, online,etc).
I myself play a Star Trek text MUSH online (Trying fighting in 3d space on a 2d medium), and I also play a white wolf vampire the masquerade online too.
It would be cool to hear what other peeps are up to, any recommendations…It would also be cool to see if something could be set up that’s GWC but I have no idea how that would work.
The games i play online
White Wolf: VtM
Metro II - Toronto by Night (I play a Ventrue vampire, but they also have garou, demons, mortals, mortal+, wraiths)
Star Trek
Among the Stars
I look forward to rolling the dice with ya 
Some interesting discussion about D&D and other paper and dice games on this thread I started a few weeks back: “Dungeon & Dragons (or other RPG) Stories and Memories” http://forum.galacticwatercooler.com/showthread.php?p=319844#post319844
EDIT: This post doesn’t make sense cuz this is the thread your in right now. The reason is I’m guessing that the moderators merged this and other posts from another thread.
I used to play a variety of usually 3.5 based games online, kinda did too much and burned myself out though =/
Threads merged for great justice.
First of all, I’ve never actually played or even seen played a pen & paper D&D game. But have a fairly strong interest in it. I’ve read quite a bit from the manuals on my own but having never really seen a game played there’s still some pretty foggy areas.
But, surely there must be some type of web-based system in which many players can get together online, probably voice-chat / Skype through it, and play a “traditional” pen & paper D&D game online with an actual DM (and not some type of software application system mutilated in to a ‘game based on D&D’). Does anybody have any experience with such a system?
Because if not, being a web applications developer, I may have a project to do.
I envision some kind of website with a Skype or chat type system integrated in it. Of course server-side random number generator for dice throws. Ideally even some type of graphical map generator and system (as I know the game can be played without it, but appears to provide a richer experience with maps and pieces) And library repository system for character sheets and whatever along those lines. This part does scare me a bit because I’d like to have full browser-based editable character sheets with all relevant info but from what I’ve seen that can be virtually limitless. But those such issues can be addressed later.
Primarily, first, does anybody know of such a system already and if not is there anything else I would probably need to take in to consideration to start such a project as for the game rules itself (as I don’t know the game too intimately yet)?
And right after I post that I go one search result further and discover this…
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2007/10/16/dungeons-dragons-offline-online/
I’ve never heard of such a thing, but that’s fascinating idea.
Nothing beats a face to face in person RPG, but let’s face it, it can be hard to coral a group together these days in person.
I love the notion of perseving the best elements of a face to face paper and dice RPG, but using technology to do it virtually. Go forth with your web project! (And use a straightforward RPG gaming system like Savage Worlds)
Hah! I was just reviewing that vid to make sure it covered what you were asking about.
There’s also some less flashy stuff. Really all you need is an IM and a die roller.
We’ve talked about doing a GWC campaign, but so far its just talk.
I of course like the 3D and “ooo ahhh” factor they show in that demo. But yes, it seems to be a lot more than would be necessary, and the additional levels of complexity and staff needed to support such an application typically incurs additional costs to the end-users.
I’d like something, much more simple… (Voice) Chat (maybe even webcam support as the digi-face-to-face is probably the next best thing to real face-to-face), Maps, PDF/Images Library, and Dice. Thus something I can make as a hobbiest-interest, and ideally provide for free.
Before I tell my whole story can someone tell me about the use of a physical board in playing D&D as I am confused by how it would be used. I am of the Advanced D&D background. I don’t know if my DM just decided not to use a board but basically all we had was our bag of dice and individual pieces of paper with our character stats. The whole experience was more like a crowd-sourced story with the DM leading. The only physical activity was rolling a die.
What is the board for? By the way Audra was describing it I felt like she was actually describing a board game ala Clue.
Hmm… I used to use http://www.irony.com/mailroll.html as an online diceroller, but looks like it’s gone.
But google finds a bunch out there. Here’s one:
Again, I haven’t really played the game, but from what I understand while the game is at it’s core all envisioned and areas described by the DM, but having printed table-top maps with pieces on it allows one to see opportunities or envision player and monster positions relative to one another. So while not necessary, I think would help things feel a bit more engaging.
It’s just a way of keeping track of position. We used to do that by description (often using miniatures to keep track of marching order.) These kids today can’t seem to keep stuff straight in their heads.
Actually, it’s a bit of a reversion to the miniatures gaming rules that D&D evolved from in the first place.
Definitely it was Advanced D&D that I played back in the day.
There was never a board used, but we did use metal painted figures to represent where each of our characters where. Sometimes this was just to representing “marching order”— and that was important because if your 7th level barbarian fighter was in the front of the line, he’d be the one who would get attacking by the oncoming hobgoblin or whatever.
Then when the battle starts, it was import to know where your character was in relation to the bad guy(s). And there were painted metal figures (usually) representing each of the enemies.
Now, some people do play D&D or another RPGs WITHOUT using figures or anything else to represent who is where, but that is so anathema to me that it makes me cringe. Perhaps its by wargaming/boardgaming background, but tactics mater and the “feel” of seeing who’s where and what’s where is so important to experience for me.
Well as someone who didn’t play with figures and stuff, there’s still that tactics but you gotta keep it in your head. It’s a different skillset maybe? But it’s still there