Our Last Saving Grace
2009 November 12
Grieving for the loss of D&D yesterday, we got to thinking of a way to play D&D without having to rely on webcams. It’s been mentioned before, but we’ve now come to the conclusion that the only way (That we have come up with, at any rate) we can reliably do D&D is to use a web-based game table, such as RPTools or Gametable. Now, I know that these options are hardly ideal, but I can’t think of any other reliable way to subvert the fish eye viewing problems that come into play when trying to run an intricate board-based encounter (As D&D is want to do) over a webcam.
So let’s have a conversation. Any other ideas? I’m sort of at a loss.
I vote we get to a stopping point before you guys leave.
Yes, that will definitely happen. In the meantime, though, I worry about the ability to execute intricate game board stuff (COMBAT) with a webcam. In the past it was sort of unwieldy at best. RPTools, if we could get it working, would save our sorry asses, permanently.
Is there a reason why we’ve moved away from something that had worked so well over webcam to something that’s near impossible over webcam?
Basically, just the reasons Ben mentioned in the original posts: Trying to convey a physical gameboard with a webcam was sketch at best, and the more intricate the map, the harder it is to deal with. We’re looking at bigger, more complex dungeons in the future, and we’re trying to avoid a total pain in the ass.
Also, this wouldn’t work to the exclusion of webcams, but in addition to them. The three of us could have one laptop with which to DM and manage the gameboard, and one to play on the gameboard and watch us with a webcam, maybe with an external monitor. When I get home, I might take a second to visualize this with Sketchup or something. The fact that you don’t have a laptop shouldn’t be a problem at all.
I don’t know where you’re getting “nearly impossible;” it’ll just take an ounce of effort. Believe me, if we get this set up now, you’ll be a whole lot better off once the three of us are in Portland.
Just so long as theres enough time for me to learn whatever it is we will be doing. My computer is old and tired and I am the least tech savvy of the group. I fear you all would lose patience with me. I still vote we get to a stopping point before you cats leave.
You won’t need a computer for what we’re doing – not until we leave, anyway, and we’ll have the bugs ironed out by then.
Also, stopping point? Are you not interested in continuing the campaign after January?
It just seems like it’ll be to difficult to continue past that point.
Not to be hella argumentative, but I don’t see how it’ll be any different than what we’re doing right now: three of us in one city, one in another gaming via webcam. The only difference is that you’d be the odd man out rather than Matt—it wouldn’t be any harder at all.
In fact, it’d probably be much easier for the four of us to game after January. Right now, you, Ben and I all have wildly disparate obligations to deal with, Matt’s own busy workday notwithstanding. Once we’re in Portland, we three will be living in the same apartment, on similar schedules and out of school. All us Portlanders will be on the same page, which will make it easier to match up to whatever schedule you’ll have in the Spring.
We haven’t forgotten about Matt just yet! One of the main reasons that I’m so concerned about keeping D&D going between the four of us after January is to make SURE that we get a chance to spend some time with you at least once a week. I really don’t want to lose touch with you, and D&D is a great way to ensure some face-to-face Steve-time in my life.
I’m also super frustrated that games keep being canceled. I mean, doubleyou tee eff, mate. I’ve been trying super hard and I don’t think I’ve ever been late/absent. It’s just really important to me that we schedule this shit and stick to it, especially since it’ll be our one solid way to keep in touch later on.
Yeah hmang I’m just gonna miss you doods when your in Portland forever and I’m stuck doing boring shit forever. I just seem to have a hard time keeping common ground when I’m not frequently around you guys, you all have common interest and knowlege that i’ve always just kinda tagged along with. With you all living together I worry that I’ll rapidly fall out of the loop.
AND NONE OF THE OTHER QUARTETS ARE HIRING!!!
P.S. sorry iffn mah prior post came of as dicky. Didn’t take time to think about what I was writing. I’m at work and crabby about it.