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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.
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Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God!
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