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Anyone up for a game of D&D? (Roll20.net)
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Author:  X2-PB [ Sun Feb 17, 2013 5:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Anyone up for a game of D&D? (Roll20.net)

I've just discovered this website http://roll20.net/
It's a virtual tabletop program for D&D games. I first heard about it from reading a PC Gamer article on it earlier today and looks really interesting. I'm tempted to sign up (it's free) and have a play around.

Author:  Azzameen85 [ Sun Feb 17, 2013 5:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Anyone up for a game of D&D? (Roll20.net)

Gonna take a look later on.
Probably while at work :p

Author:  Dragon Fire [ Mon Feb 18, 2013 1:35 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Anyone up for a game of D&D? (Roll20.net)

I will probably lose all my street cred for this... I have never played D&D, or any other tabletop / pen & paper RPG. I did play some forum based RPGs (sgnonline.com had a few star wars clone wars based rpgs) that were to one degree or another based on some pen & paper system and some heavily customized rules.

I don't know how avaliable I am to set aside a 3hr online gaming session currently (work + couple of classes + pregnant wife + house hunting) has me busy, although I still manage a few hours of gaming a week despite that.

I remember Roll20 on kickstarter, I am not sure how well this would work for our group with timezone and commitment issues. Perhaps something more forum based or play by post (i think is what they are called nowadays) rpg might work better (or be disasterous because of the slower gameplay and ease of going AWOL).

If we have enough interest in moving forward with something like this I would love to play/contribute an hour or two a week (not necessarly one sitting). I find most of these things really require a GM that is very committed and knows the system.

RPG systems have been kind of popular Kickstarter projects, like Fate Core and Others

Author:  X2-PB [ Tue Feb 19, 2013 3:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Anyone up for a game of D&D? (Roll20.net)

Dragon Fire wrote:
I will probably lose all my street cred for this... I have never played D&D, or any other tabletop / pen & paper RPG.

Neither have I! I've never found enough willing people! I have a whole bunch of books though!

I did, once, attempt a play by post game with other Avians a few years ago. We all got our characters together but the game never got started.

I agree it needs a dedicated DM. If we found someone who had the time to do all the background work, I think it would be possible to even cope with timezone issues.

Author:  Cetera [ Tue Feb 19, 2013 5:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Anyone up for a game of D&D? (Roll20.net)

I've been running a Pathfinder campaign for my brother and a friend using roll20.net for maybe the last three months or so. I really like it. It has some minor bugs, and it takes quite a bit of setup time for anything big and complicated, but seems to be working really well. I almost prefer playing this way than in person.

Of course, we only use it for the maps. We do a lot via email, and when we play "live" we just use the maps and tokens, and don't use any of the chat features, rolls, or anything else via the site. It is pretty cool, though.

The benefits of doing things online this way:
1.) Better RPing. You get some time to have some good, in-character dialog, and think a bit more about what you are trying to do. It is easier to ad-lib something for the GM, as I can cross-reference and check some sources without completely winging items.
2.) Better graphics. The very best graphics engine in existence is the imagination. However, this is a very nice solution. Rather than trying to draw out and recreate all the pre-done maps in any book campaign that has all the cool details and atmosphere, you can put it up directly for everyone to play on. Any art you can find anywhere can be used as a map/backround or a token/figurine. Just upload it via drag-and-drop.
3.) Quick and easy reuse - your party revisits a location? Just move them back to that map. Nothing to recreate!

Cons:
1.) Setup is a bit more intensive. The more you get set up ahead of time, the less time it takes, and the more you can reuse. It probably takes longer for the GM to set up a session this way, but it may run faster. I'm not certain on that.
2.) If you aren't running a pre-generated campaign you can use art from, it is a laborious process to create it, unless you happen to be good at doing graphic design on PCs.


If there is interest, I'd be happy to run a campaign and see how it goes. I'd recommend we do a play-by-post on the boards for the most part, and use the Roll20.net for battles and things when necessary. The reasons for this are two-fold:

1. Generate some activity on the forums.
2. Archive/repository for historical info.

I'm not sure if we can have people log in to the roll20.net campaign without the GM present and logged in. We may have to test that.

Options:

I could run a couple of campaigns that I have previously started for others. They are:

1.) Pathfinder Kingmaker - A campaign with the express purpose being getting the player characters into leadership roles in their own kingdom. Pathfinder is a revamp of D&D 3.5, and seems to be a very good system. I'm not terribly familiar with the system, though, and am learning it as I run this campaign for the 2-player brother/friend combo. I have lots of work done on it, and could copy it over.

2.) Star Wars: Rise of the Empire/Dawn of Defiance - At one point I was running a SW campaign where everyone wanted to be Jedi, which I didn't particularly want to do, but had some good material I was adapting. It would start during Episode 3, and deal with the emerging Empire cracking down and taking over. If anyone wanted to play a Jedi, this is the one to do it in, but being a Jedi would not be required. We never got very far in this one, so I don't have a ton worked out yet, but it would be fun. We would use the D20 Star Wars ruleset, not the Saga Edition.

3.) Star Wars: Darkstryder - This is a HUGE campaign published by West End Games when they still had the d6 version of games and the SW license. It occurs after the Zahn trilogy, and deals with hunting down a remnant of Imperials in a far outer-rim sector where new technology has been brought to light by the Empire. Player resources are limited, but you start out serving on a run-down, converted, captured capital ship, and are basically on your own in a big sector, with almost no info, no maps, other than an urgent need to take care of business. I have all the books and materials, and a lot has been converted to D20 by an enterprising group once upon a time. We could run this with either the WEG D6 version rules, or the D20 rules (again, not Saga). The D6 rules are very simple and quick, but characters tend to not be as customizable, as more of that takes place in your descriptions and imagination. There is less structure to the rules as well, but they do provide a very good flavor to the game.


As far as rulebooks and things go:
I have PDF copies of anything we'd need/use. Whatever we would decide to do, there would need to be a concerted effort by all involved to read through the rule book thoroughly and really learn the rules. We can certainly look things up as we go (especially in a play-by-post environment) but it is a heck of a lot easier if everyone has a good idea of what is going beforehand. The D20 SW rules are fantastic, but extremely complicated when it comes to vehicular and space combat. Assistance is required at times with rules.

The other main rule is: NO CHEATING. Since we'd basically be playing on the honor system with board posts, we'll just have to trust everyone for dice rolls. I've never had anyone older than 15 want to cheat in an RPG game (you're just cheating yourself - the point is the story, the randomness, and the imagination).



So, let's have a show of hands: Who's interested, and in what? Please list in order of desirability which of the three campaigns you'd like to play, and for DarkStryder if you have a preference as to the ruleset used.

Author:  Dragon Fire [ Wed Feb 20, 2013 11:58 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Anyone up for a game of D&D? (Roll20.net)

I would lean toward Pathfinder I think. (For some think I am leaning more fantasy then scifi generally (Reading/TV) at the moment)

The funny thing is I was thinking about this when X2 posted, I was over at the Dresden Files RPG and checking that out since it is probably one of my favorite series and I have been reading a couple other Urban Fantasy type of stuff (Iron Druid - decidedly mediocre compared to Dresden). DFRP (based on FATE which is based on the FUDGE system) seems to use http://www.invisiblecastle.com for logging rolls for their pbp games, not that I really think that is necessary with this group.

Author:  Cetera [ Wed Feb 20, 2013 2:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Anyone up for a game of D&D? (Roll20.net)

I'll PM you a link to the Pathfinder rule book from my dropbox, DF. You may as well get started on reading it. Anton seemed to want a D&D style too, so I'm guessing that is where this may end up. Sent a link to Anton and Ace too.

Author:  X2-PB [ Wed Feb 20, 2013 2:38 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Anyone up for a game of D&D? (Roll20.net)

Cet beat me too it! Yeah Pathfinder looks like the way to go; I'm a bit burned out on Star Wars at the moment.

I've been leaning towards D&D style as I have the three 3.5 rulebooks plus forgotten realms setting and the same for 4th ed. plus PH2 and arcane power supplements! All that and I've never, ever played a game of D&D!!

But, yeah, I'm up for it.

Author:  Cetera [ Wed Feb 20, 2013 2:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Anyone up for a game of D&D? (Roll20.net)

OK, in conjunction with the rule book which I PMed you three, if we are interested in the Pathfinder Kingmaker Adventure Path, here is the Player's Guide for the campaign. It gives some brief background on what the campaign will be about and where you will be from.
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/62531235/Pathf ... 0Guide.pdf

Here is some more detailed information on the country Brevoy, where you'll be from, extracted from one of the campaign books:
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/62531235/Pathf ... Brevoy.pdf

Here is some other supplemental info from another source book:
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/62531235/Pathf ... 0Guide.pdf

Author:  X2-PB [ Wed Feb 20, 2013 2:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Anyone up for a game of D&D? (Roll20.net)

... 577 pages! That's gonna take some reading!! I think I'll read the most relevent bits first!

Author:  Cetera [ Wed Feb 20, 2013 2:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Anyone up for a game of D&D? (Roll20.net)

For character sheets, we have two options:

1. Yet Another Pathfinder Character Generator, which is very good but somewhat clunky and large Excel spreadsheet which more or less walks you through the process of creating a character in conjunction with the rule book. They release new versions frequently. It requires Excel 2007 or 2010, I believe, and takes a bit of time to open and run.
http://sourceforge.net/projects/yapcg/

2. A stripped down, home-brewed sheet created by my friend whom I'm GMing for, with some updates from me. It isn't very pretty, and you have to actually read the rules, but it works very well, especially for easily keeping track of money spend and treasure received on the Journal tab:
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/62531235/Pathf ... plate.xlsx

Author:  Cetera [ Wed Feb 20, 2013 2:51 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Anyone up for a game of D&D? (Roll20.net)

X2-PB wrote:
... 577 pages! That's gonna take some reading!! I think I'll read the most relevent bits first!

It is basically the D&D 3.5 book on steroids. The races and classes are important sections, as lots have been changed there, and also the feats section. The skills are basically the same, but some have been combined. It has a very comprehensive spell compendium as well.

For rolling stats, I think we'll use the "heroic" build, with 2d6+6 rolled x6, and then assigned to stats.

Maybe we need to move this thread to the RolePlaying forum?

Author:  Dragon Fire [ Wed Feb 20, 2013 3:19 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Anyone up for a game of D&D? (Roll20.net)

I have mod powers so I moved it (actually all three of us have mod powers here), left the shadow topic so people can follow if they want from general.

Now we just need more people, any takers? manti, cyrus, azz, angelus, obo?

Author:  Azzameen85 [ Wed Feb 20, 2013 7:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Anyone up for a game of D&D? (Roll20.net)

Havenøt been online the last couple of days...

But I got the PM.

Wondering if I should skip the MCITP-EA for this book...
Haven't played D&D since 1994. Had a dwarf...
So it has been years.

I know the basics... But that's it.

I'm in.
Should we agree on a week from now for a test run?
(Please use GMT/London +/- times... I dunno the american timezone-system)

And I am still wondering who "Ace" is...

Author:  Azzameen85 [ Wed Feb 20, 2013 7:58 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Anyone up for a game of D&D? (Roll20.net)

I noticed that the only guys writing in here are old timers.

Author:  Cetera [ Wed Feb 20, 2013 10:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Anyone up for a game of D&D? (Roll20.net)

Ace is you, Azzameen. Ace Azzameen, whom you got the name from in X-Wing Alliance.

I'm probably not going to have much time to do much of anything until next week. I'll get the campaign set upon roll20.net. PM me your email addresses so I can invite you to the campaign. Then we'll test next week if we can each login without having the gm present. If not, we'll have to schedule fights around everyone's availability.

Author:  X2-PB [ Thu Feb 21, 2013 5:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Anyone up for a game of D&D? (Roll20.net)

I've managed to log into the campaign. Looks like this is going to work!

Author:  Dragon Fire [ Thu Feb 21, 2013 6:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Anyone up for a game of D&D? (Roll20.net)

Azzameen85 wrote:
I noticed that the only guys writing in here are old timers.

we are less old timers and more ghosts that just won't leave the damn building. :lol:

So I read through character creation and classes last night. Did you know they make 20 sided dice and 3 sided dice? Its okay if I just cut one of my six sided into two for 3 sided? :P

Author:  X2-PB [ Thu Feb 21, 2013 6:24 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Anyone up for a game of D&D? (Roll20.net)

Dragon Fire wrote:
So I read through character creation and classes last night. Did you know they make 20 sided dice and 3 sided dice? Its okay if I just cut one of my six sided into two for 3 sided? :P
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, I also have a full set of dice that I've yet to use in anger!

Author:  Cetera [ Thu Feb 21, 2013 6:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Anyone up for a game of D&D? (Roll20.net)

Cool, 'cause I was not logged in. That is good news. That means we can each log in as we're available and do round-by-round combat without me having to be logged in for everyone. That means we can play as we're each available, play-by-post on the boards, no troubles.

For the purposes of quickly going through as much as we can, I'll probably roll skill checks for you on things you wouldn't know what you rolled anyway (perception checks, etc). We won't need to wait for the dice rolls to come back, and I'll just describe what you end up noticing, or whatever.

As a general rule, anything that you would normally inform the other party members of in a reasonable manner I won't keep separate from everyone knowing, unless anyone dislikes that idea and would rather have the final say of what their character shares or doesn't. I'll work on a separate Campaign thread for RPing and the like. Let's continue to use this one for OOC discussions, tests, rules info, recruiting members, etc.

You are completely free to make any kind of character you'd like, no restrictions from me. I'm not a fan of half-orcs, but if you really want to, feel free. It would probably be a good idea to have you supplement each other's classes. Having three wizards or sorcerers would probably be a bad idea, as would three barbarians or fighters, although the three barbarians would probably survive MUCH longer than the three spellcasters.

I will give out bonus XP for good character backgrounds, and also journals/write-ups/summaries of the campaign, especially if done in a short story from their character perspectives. We won't be ready to start for a while yet, but think about the party relationships and how you know each other or have come to meet each other.

Author:  Azzameen85 [ Thu Feb 21, 2013 6:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Anyone up for a game of D&D? (Roll20.net)

Cetera wrote:
Ace is you, Azzameen. Ace Azzameen, whom you got the name from in X-Wing Alliance.


True...

Just haven't been referred that way in years.

Dragon Fire wrote:
we are less old timers and more ghosts that just won't leave the damn building.


We had 10-year anniversary as a guild, some years back.

Still reading the pdf...

Author:  Cetera [ Thu Feb 21, 2013 7:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Anyone up for a game of D&D? (Roll20.net)

New thread is up, if you want to subscribe to it. I'm going to be out of town this weekend, but if someone else wants to partake, feel free to forward them the PM with the rulebook. I don't want to put that out there willy-nilly for anyone to drive by and pirate.

The adventure opens on the day of your choosing (no earlier than March 1st) of the year 4710, eleven years after the ruling family of Brevoy all mysteriously disappeared overnight throughout the kingdom. You will start the adventure at Oleg's Trading Post, roughly 100 miles west of the city of Restov (see Brevoy Map from the Player's Guide). Oleg's is roughly three days from Restov by horse, or maybe two days with a stage and a big team of horses in a hurry. It is at least a 4-5 day walk.

The area you are exploring will be revealed as you fully explore each hex space on the map (see the Player's Guide). Each hex space on the map is 12 miles across. As you get pretty familiar with the territory, I'll give you a real map with the areas explored. You are the Lewis and Clark of Brevoy, sent off to explore lands to be settled and claimed.

Keep in mind the weather of this land when picking your start date. It is generally shitty and cold in Brevoy, with terrible, nasty, really unpleasant winters up by the Lake, and cool weather most of the rest of the time. Expected highs in the summer around 85°F, and lows in the winter around -20°F. For you foreigners, that is ~29°C for the summer high, and ~-29°C for lows in the winter.

To fully explore a hex to map it and claim it takes between 1 and 3 days depending upon terrain, your speed, and maybe a bit more if you are encumbered.

Author:  X2-PB [ Thu Feb 21, 2013 7:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Anyone up for a game of D&D? (Roll20.net)

I'm going to do some reading before I get stuck into the RP.

My inital inclination is to roll a Spellcaster (Wizard or Sorceror, depending on which of the class rules I like better). If someone else has a burning need to roll a spellcaster then I also fancy the idea of a Dwarven Fighter.

Author:  Dragon Fire [ Thu Feb 21, 2013 10:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Anyone up for a game of D&D? (Roll20.net)

I suspect I will go fighter/ranger

Author:  X2-PB [ Sat Feb 23, 2013 5:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Anyone up for a game of D&D? (Roll20.net)

Dragon Fire wrote:
I suspect I will go fighter/ranger
I'll take the Spellcaster role then.

Author:  Azzameen85 [ Sun Feb 24, 2013 12:22 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Anyone up for a game of D&D? (Roll20.net)

I was gonna go Ranger with wee bit of spellcasting (Archane Archer in mind)

Author:  X2-PB [ Sun Feb 24, 2013 11:10 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Anyone up for a game of D&D? (Roll20.net)

If DF is happy to go Fighter, that's our tank. Azz going ranger can cover the striker role. I can pick up area spells to do the crowd control role. And then all we're short of is a healer, which we could probably manage without initially so long as we stock up on potions.

I suggest, in terms of the campaign, with kick off with the party of three when we're ready to start and then if anyone else wants to join in we can RP it as someone we meet along the way.

Author:  X2-PB [ Sat May 24, 2014 11:05 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Anyone up for a game of D&D? (Roll20.net)

Roll20 have been doing some very cool updates to their system over the last year. A new update at the end of this month will finally introduce character sheets. That was the main thing that dissuaded me from properly setting up my own campaign.

Author:  Cetera [ Sat May 24, 2014 3:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Anyone up for a game of D&D? (Roll20.net)

Blast from the Past!

I'm actually a low-level subscriber now to Roll20. They seem very, very good. I've been playing a Kingmaker campaign (Pathfinder Adventure Path) with my little brother and a good friend from school, and we're about to start the 4th book. It is taking forever, with our limited playtime, but it is fun.

Author:  X2-PB [ Tue May 27, 2014 1:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Anyone up for a game of D&D? (Roll20.net)

I'd like to try and get our Pathfinder campaign up and running. It would be cool to do as much of it as we can in Roll20. Particularly as it seems to allow us to run it on a sort of play-by-post system where we each just log in when it's convenient. Although, getting anywhere with it probably won't happen!!

Author:  Cetera [ Tue May 27, 2014 6:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Anyone up for a game of D&D? (Roll20.net)

It may be a while again. I got signed up for an online course for work with project management. It is a summer course, online only, but condensed. I won't have any time to work on it actually at work, so it is going to suck a lot of my free time after work, again. Seems like something always comes up with these things. I just got into the class today. I don't think the coursework looks difficult, but it'll be time consuming.

Author:  X2-PB [ Mon Feb 23, 2015 6:45 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Anyone up for a game of D&D? (Roll20.net)

Well I'm still entertained by the fact that every time I've tried to play an RPG, whether real time or play-by-post, it's never got past the organisational stage :D

So how are things with people at the moment?

Author:  Cetera [ Mon Feb 23, 2015 5:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Anyone up for a game of D&D? (Roll20.net)

Work seems to be going in a southwards direction. Not sure that it is a death spiral, but I'm not terribly optimistic.

Author:  Master Gui-Jan [ Sat Feb 28, 2015 9:33 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Anyone up for a game of D&D? (Roll20.net)

Things are going pretty good. Been playing in a regular RPG group here near Boulder for a while now, mostly Savage Worlds and Dungeon Crawl Classics so I can keep my RPG cred up. The Convention I help run is in it's 4th year (April 16th 2015) and seems to be growing nicely.

Cetera, I know I've asked you before, but what is your trade profession?

Author:  Cetera [ Sun Mar 01, 2015 10:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Anyone up for a game of D&D? (Roll20.net)

I'm the director of customer service for a small managed services IT provider. I've also been doing some project management. There is a reason MSPs don't do rural clients, because it is very, very difficult. While clients may have a desperate need for your services, they also generally don't have the volume of business to pay for your services. It is very much a Catch-22.

It also doesn't help when we don't have a high level strategic plan or a developed business model. Too much hopping around and changing direction.

Author:  Master Gui-Jan [ Wed Mar 04, 2015 1:26 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Anyone up for a game of D&D? (Roll20.net)

Check out https://careers-zoll.icims.com/jobs/search?ss=1&searchLocation=&searchCategory=&hashed=0 if you're looking. I know we're a bit south of you, but it's a damn good company to work for! If you see anything you want to apply for let me know first and I can refer you.

robertdoolittle@yahoo.com

Author:  Cetera [ Tue Mar 10, 2015 7:42 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Anyone up for a game of D&D? (Roll20.net)

MGJ, FYI, I've sent you an email.

Author:  Master Gui-Jan [ Wed Mar 11, 2015 1:14 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Anyone up for a game of D&D? (Roll20.net)

Got it. I'll reply in the morning!

Author:  Mantison Tau'rus [ Wed Jun 28, 2023 11:51 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Anyone up for a game of D&D? (Roll20.net)

Wow, digging up old posts is fun.

I started playing DnD during Covid, and am currently playing in 3 remote games.

If any of you folks want to take a crack, I would be tickled to hook up iwth ya'll again.

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