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[Constantcon]Playing D&D on Google+
SUPERSUGA
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
So, those of you who are part of the huge group of RPG players without regular groups have probably tried PbP and play by IRC in the past. This is me all over, and I've had some great games in both formats, but some duds.
After trying play by hangout, the video-conferencing feature of Google+, I'm pretty much sworn off IRC and PbP games. For me it grabs a large part of the tabletop experience that playing by text can miss. I was introduced to the idea by Zak at the "D&D with Pornstars" blog (an excellent read but sometimes nsfw). He's trying to unify the Google+ gaming community under the idea of Constantcon, which he explains much better than I could.
So where are all the Critical Failures people when this new trend is spreading? We need to get on it!
The quickest and easiest way you can do this is by saying "Hey, Sooga, I'd love to play in your hangouts game you're running on Thursday at 8pm UK time!" and I'll get you in on one of the two slots remaining. Then you just roll up a character, show up and play. You might feel braver and try running your own game!
For all your technical questions I've copied Zak's Constantcon FAQ and pasted it below, but it can all be found in his weekly posts on Constantcon.
Edit: Having trouble with links, so you're probably better off viewing the FAQ on the link above than reading it in the spoiler tags below, as all links have been lost in the copying.
FAQ taken from Zak at DnD with Pornstars
After trying play by hangout, the video-conferencing feature of Google+, I'm pretty much sworn off IRC and PbP games. For me it grabs a large part of the tabletop experience that playing by text can miss. I was introduced to the idea by Zak at the "D&D with Pornstars" blog (an excellent read but sometimes nsfw). He's trying to unify the Google+ gaming community under the idea of Constantcon, which he explains much better than I could.
So where are all the Critical Failures people when this new trend is spreading? We need to get on it!
The quickest and easiest way you can do this is by saying "Hey, Sooga, I'd love to play in your hangouts game you're running on Thursday at 8pm UK time!" and I'll get you in on one of the two slots remaining. Then you just roll up a character, show up and play. You might feel braver and try running your own game!
For all your technical questions I've copied Zak's Constantcon FAQ and pasted it below, but it can all be found in his weekly posts on Constantcon.
Edit: Having trouble with links, so you're probably better off viewing the FAQ on the link above than reading it in the spoiler tags below, as all links have been lost in the copying.
FAQ taken from Zak at DnD with Pornstars
-Who rolls the dice in a videoconference game?
It's up to the GM. The GM can roll all dice, you can use the dice robot app on the Dragonsfoot forums (you have to register) (I'm sure someone who isn't me can explain it), or you can just all roll your own dice and trust each other because we're grown-ups here.
If you use the whiteboard at www.twiddla.com know now that you can roll dice on it. Just keep the little window that opens on the far right open when you start playing and type "d6" and hit enter and it'll roll a die. You can write like "d17" or whatever, too.
At this point it seems like most players and GMs would rather roll their own dice, though.
-What's the deal on moving PCs from one game to another?
We have an official agreement on that called The FLAILSNAILS Conventions. Check it.
-Is there some ap that allows me to draw maps everyone in a game can see?
You can use this. More info here...
Though it may be slow on some connections if you do it simultaneously with the hangout.
-I don't see any games I want to play yet on the calendar but I know they're going on...
A lot of GMs already have gotten continuing groups together over the last few weeks so there may be fewer "advertised" games than there were. Don't worry, people are always doing games, so just join Google +, add people to your "circles" and check them regularly--they will probably announce something soon.
-I keep getting kicked off the hangout!
Close all your windows and if it still happens, mute your video so you're audio-only. I have a crappy connection where I am now and the same thing was happening to me until I did that.
-I can't see the calendar that's supposed to be on the right!
If you can't see it, reload the page--if you still can't, go here and hit "agenda".
-Are Google + games fun? Are people liking them?
Yes. People have been playing on G+ for two weeks and the responses have all fit into one of 2 categories:
A) "That was awesome, when can we do it again" and
"I had technical problems so I couldn't play."
So, basically, if you can get your computer to do it right, it's fun and you'll probably like it. Some computers just take to G+ some don't. I don't know much about computers but have had no technical problems so far.
G+ seems to be an especially good place to playtest new game ideas.
-Whatever, buddy, I can't trust you--what does Jeff Rients think?
That.
-Why not use Skype instead?
Multiperson videochat on Skype is not, as of this moment, free. On G+ it is. But hey, you wanna list a Skype game here, no problem. If you want to list an all-voice game on any platform, that's cool, too.
-How many G+ games have you, guy writing this post, played?
Nineteen before I lost count... Two were with all real-life friends. The GMs and systems were: Me 4 times(3.5/AD&D mashup), Tavis (Adventurer Conqueror King ), DarrenE (AD&D), Welcome To Dungeon (AD&D), Jeff Rients (Labyrinth Lord/Basic/Expert), 3 with Arcadayn (Swords & Wizardry), Il Male (Labyrinth Lord), Empire of the Petal Throne twice with Ckutalik, Ulek Xek (S&W), Ben A (Gamma World), Dungeon Crawl Classics with Arcadayn, AD&D with Allandaros, and Neoclassical Geek Revival with Zzarchov. Way more since then, actually....
-Any noticeable difference between systems?
None at all. Systems all feel extremely similar so far. After playing we go "Wait, was that Labyrinth Lord we were playing?" Who is GMing seems much more relevant.
Played 7th Ed Gamma World which has 4e style tactical movement but GM Bennet Akkerman managed it fairly smoothly.
"How many squares away is the giant eyeball?"
"5."
Not that complicated, so long as the DM sets up the game so it can work.
Other than my mash-up and AD&D I'd technically never played any of those games before.
-I see an interesting-looking game on the calendar--how do I join it?
I have tried--when it seemed appropriate and privacy-respectiful--to put the GM's G+ name on there so you can contact the GM on G+. If that doesn't work, check the comments on this thread or the thread for the previous Wednesday for the GMs announcement--it should have his/her contact info.
-Why Google +, why not ______(some other platform besides Google+ or Skype)____?
It just happens to be what I know about and it's free--if you want to run a game on some other platform please go ahead and post it.
-Why should I announce when I'm running a game here? Why not just announce it on G+?
Because, even assuming everyone who might want to play in your game is already in your circles, G+ still isn't perfect: on your feed, if one person in your "Online RPG pals" circle announces "Hey I'm starting a game in 2 hours" and then 12 people announce "Hey, here's something WOTC did today that pissed me off and/or a picture of my cat", then your game will get buried in peoples' feeds.
Even if every gamer in the world eventually gets on G+ and adds you, until G+ finds a way to tag posts (and everyone agrees to use that system) and/or people stop wanting to tell other gamers that they have a cat there will have to be an outside sorting mechanism for games starting up. This is the mechanism.
-Is there some certain game system I should run?
Run whatever you want. Please run whatever you want. Sooner or later someone's gonna try it, you might as well be a pioneer. GURPS, OD&D, FASERIP, FUDGE, Mechanoids, Kill Puppies For Satan--whatever makes you happy.
Tips: 1) Be prepared to explain the mechanics as you go along, many people will be new no matter what system you use--this isn't that hard. 2) If you like to keep your life simple, start with a rules-lite system. 3) The only hard part is character generation--if it's D&D-related you can just tell people to give you race, class and 6 stats before the video session starts and smooth out translation issues then. I do this all the time, it's easy.
-Isn't playing with people you don't know weird?
Yes. That's why it's fun. If the game sucks you can always say you hear your mom calling and have to leave.
-How long is Constantcon going on?
Forever.
-Can I start a campaign?
Yes. You can do whatever you want. Stop asking.
-I want to do a game where______ is that ok?
Yes. Everything is ok. It's your con, too.
-Would anybody out there maybe possibly be interested if I ran a game of_____?
Yes to whatever you were about to say. Pick a time and post it. If nobody else is interested, I am. I'll play anything once.
-I see all the guidelines here about how to announce that I want to GM a game, is it ok if I just, like, totally ignore some of those guidelines?
Sure, just prepare for the possibility of people not signing up for your game and don't complain that I didn't warn you and that this G+ game thing is totally bogus and nobody loves you.
-Hey, I'm up to GM anything whenever, can I just announce that and wait for the game to assemble around me?
Well you can, but it will make scheduling really hard and take forever and require a million emails back and forth and re-announcements once you have a time and de-announcements to say you are no longer available "whenever" because you have games scheduled now and...
So if you actually want to roll you may be better off actually saying a day and a time if nothing else.
Remember: The more specific you are about when you are running your game, the faster shit will get itself organized. If you're worried people won't be able to make that specific time, just say like "3-5pm(flexible)"and if anybody wants to change it they'll hit you up.
-Can I just say I'm available to GM any time?
No, because you're lying, because you sleep, and maybe work or go to school. If your free spirit just cannot be contained to one hour, at least put a range of hours you are available (in two different time zones, as usual). If you say "I am available whenever" then you are begging several questions--do the community a favor and answer them up front so as not to generate more noise (as opposed to signal) than you need to. Anyone answering your thread is immediately going to ask what hours you're awake--please realize that ahead of time and deal with it.
-Help, I'm having technical issues with G+!
Post here. Or, if you can, on G+. People will probably help you out. If I don't comment it's 'cause I don't know.
-How's the video quality?
It ain't Stanley Kubrick--but do you need Stanley Kubrick? It'll freeze for a second here and there, but relax, you'll live. Audio's pretty good unless there's an actual connection problem. I can go in the kitchen and make pasta and still hear what's going on in the game.
-Why do I have to send you an email saying who I am on G+, why not just add you?
"I always thought it must be quite handy being called John."
"Why?"
"You can tell when you're going nuts."
"Sorry? I don't follow.”
"I mean, a real sign of megalomania, when a John starts thinking that 'John' will do. 'Hi. It's John.' Or: 'Yours ever, John.' So what? Everybody's called John."
-Martin Amis "The Information"
Plus if your screen name is DisplacerBeast28 and your G+ name is Fred Walsh I am not going to make the connection. And if I don't then I won't know who you are or why you started following me (art fan? porn fan? somebody's ex-boyfriend? Spambot?) and I will not add you to my "Online RPG People" circle.
A lot of people who follow me on social media are anonymous citizens who don't want to be followed back or play RPGs. So if you want in, please send an e-mail to zakzsmith at hawt mayle dawt calm and type your actual Google + name into the text of the email using the letters of the alphabet if you want to be added. "Hi, RPG, Fred Walsh I am holding a sprite in my picture G+" is enough. "Hi, add me on G+" isn't.
-I'm shy.
Wear a mexican wrestler mask.
-Won't this Constantcon thread get hopelessly long and confusing eventually?
Nope. Once a week I am going to close comments on these Wednesday threads and post new ones where people can post games they're running that week.
-Wouldn't it be cool if James Raggi, James Smith, and James Maliszewski all agreed to GM games in one week and called it JamesCon?
Yes.
-Do I need a webcam?
No, you could just use a mike and go audio-only. Do be aware that webcams are like 10 bucks though.
-The hangout window keeps shuffling from head to head and it's annoying.
G+ senses who is talking loudest and makes their head big. To tell it to chill just click on one person's little head below and their head will stay big.
-I need a G+ invite!
Complain here. Motherfuckers will hook you up.
It's up to the GM. The GM can roll all dice, you can use the dice robot app on the Dragonsfoot forums (you have to register) (I'm sure someone who isn't me can explain it), or you can just all roll your own dice and trust each other because we're grown-ups here.
If you use the whiteboard at www.twiddla.com know now that you can roll dice on it. Just keep the little window that opens on the far right open when you start playing and type "d6" and hit enter and it'll roll a die. You can write like "d17" or whatever, too.
At this point it seems like most players and GMs would rather roll their own dice, though.
-What's the deal on moving PCs from one game to another?
We have an official agreement on that called The FLAILSNAILS Conventions. Check it.
-Is there some ap that allows me to draw maps everyone in a game can see?
You can use this. More info here...
Though it may be slow on some connections if you do it simultaneously with the hangout.
-I don't see any games I want to play yet on the calendar but I know they're going on...
A lot of GMs already have gotten continuing groups together over the last few weeks so there may be fewer "advertised" games than there were. Don't worry, people are always doing games, so just join Google +, add people to your "circles" and check them regularly--they will probably announce something soon.
-I keep getting kicked off the hangout!
Close all your windows and if it still happens, mute your video so you're audio-only. I have a crappy connection where I am now and the same thing was happening to me until I did that.
-I can't see the calendar that's supposed to be on the right!
If you can't see it, reload the page--if you still can't, go here and hit "agenda".
-Are Google + games fun? Are people liking them?
Yes. People have been playing on G+ for two weeks and the responses have all fit into one of 2 categories:
A) "That was awesome, when can we do it again" and
"I had technical problems so I couldn't play."So, basically, if you can get your computer to do it right, it's fun and you'll probably like it. Some computers just take to G+ some don't. I don't know much about computers but have had no technical problems so far.
G+ seems to be an especially good place to playtest new game ideas.
-Whatever, buddy, I can't trust you--what does Jeff Rients think?
That.
-Why not use Skype instead?
Multiperson videochat on Skype is not, as of this moment, free. On G+ it is. But hey, you wanna list a Skype game here, no problem. If you want to list an all-voice game on any platform, that's cool, too.
-How many G+ games have you, guy writing this post, played?
Nineteen before I lost count... Two were with all real-life friends. The GMs and systems were: Me 4 times(3.5/AD&D mashup), Tavis (Adventurer Conqueror King ), DarrenE (AD&D), Welcome To Dungeon (AD&D), Jeff Rients (Labyrinth Lord/Basic/Expert), 3 with Arcadayn (Swords & Wizardry), Il Male (Labyrinth Lord), Empire of the Petal Throne twice with Ckutalik, Ulek Xek (S&W), Ben A (Gamma World), Dungeon Crawl Classics with Arcadayn, AD&D with Allandaros, and Neoclassical Geek Revival with Zzarchov. Way more since then, actually....
-Any noticeable difference between systems?
None at all. Systems all feel extremely similar so far. After playing we go "Wait, was that Labyrinth Lord we were playing?" Who is GMing seems much more relevant.
Played 7th Ed Gamma World which has 4e style tactical movement but GM Bennet Akkerman managed it fairly smoothly.
"How many squares away is the giant eyeball?"
"5."
Not that complicated, so long as the DM sets up the game so it can work.
Other than my mash-up and AD&D I'd technically never played any of those games before.
-I see an interesting-looking game on the calendar--how do I join it?
I have tried--when it seemed appropriate and privacy-respectiful--to put the GM's G+ name on there so you can contact the GM on G+. If that doesn't work, check the comments on this thread or the thread for the previous Wednesday for the GMs announcement--it should have his/her contact info.
-Why Google +, why not ______(some other platform besides Google+ or Skype)____?
It just happens to be what I know about and it's free--if you want to run a game on some other platform please go ahead and post it.
-Why should I announce when I'm running a game here? Why not just announce it on G+?
Because, even assuming everyone who might want to play in your game is already in your circles, G+ still isn't perfect: on your feed, if one person in your "Online RPG pals" circle announces "Hey I'm starting a game in 2 hours" and then 12 people announce "Hey, here's something WOTC did today that pissed me off and/or a picture of my cat", then your game will get buried in peoples' feeds.
Even if every gamer in the world eventually gets on G+ and adds you, until G+ finds a way to tag posts (and everyone agrees to use that system) and/or people stop wanting to tell other gamers that they have a cat there will have to be an outside sorting mechanism for games starting up. This is the mechanism.
-Is there some certain game system I should run?
Run whatever you want. Please run whatever you want. Sooner or later someone's gonna try it, you might as well be a pioneer. GURPS, OD&D, FASERIP, FUDGE, Mechanoids, Kill Puppies For Satan--whatever makes you happy.
Tips: 1) Be prepared to explain the mechanics as you go along, many people will be new no matter what system you use--this isn't that hard. 2) If you like to keep your life simple, start with a rules-lite system. 3) The only hard part is character generation--if it's D&D-related you can just tell people to give you race, class and 6 stats before the video session starts and smooth out translation issues then. I do this all the time, it's easy.
-Isn't playing with people you don't know weird?
Yes. That's why it's fun. If the game sucks you can always say you hear your mom calling and have to leave.
-How long is Constantcon going on?
Forever.
-Can I start a campaign?
Yes. You can do whatever you want. Stop asking.
-I want to do a game where______ is that ok?
Yes. Everything is ok. It's your con, too.
-Would anybody out there maybe possibly be interested if I ran a game of_____?
Yes to whatever you were about to say. Pick a time and post it. If nobody else is interested, I am. I'll play anything once.
-I see all the guidelines here about how to announce that I want to GM a game, is it ok if I just, like, totally ignore some of those guidelines?
Sure, just prepare for the possibility of people not signing up for your game and don't complain that I didn't warn you and that this G+ game thing is totally bogus and nobody loves you.
-Hey, I'm up to GM anything whenever, can I just announce that and wait for the game to assemble around me?
Well you can, but it will make scheduling really hard and take forever and require a million emails back and forth and re-announcements once you have a time and de-announcements to say you are no longer available "whenever" because you have games scheduled now and...
So if you actually want to roll you may be better off actually saying a day and a time if nothing else.
Remember: The more specific you are about when you are running your game, the faster shit will get itself organized. If you're worried people won't be able to make that specific time, just say like "3-5pm(flexible)"and if anybody wants to change it they'll hit you up.
-Can I just say I'm available to GM any time?
No, because you're lying, because you sleep, and maybe work or go to school. If your free spirit just cannot be contained to one hour, at least put a range of hours you are available (in two different time zones, as usual). If you say "I am available whenever" then you are begging several questions--do the community a favor and answer them up front so as not to generate more noise (as opposed to signal) than you need to. Anyone answering your thread is immediately going to ask what hours you're awake--please realize that ahead of time and deal with it.
-Help, I'm having technical issues with G+!
Post here. Or, if you can, on G+. People will probably help you out. If I don't comment it's 'cause I don't know.
-How's the video quality?
It ain't Stanley Kubrick--but do you need Stanley Kubrick? It'll freeze for a second here and there, but relax, you'll live. Audio's pretty good unless there's an actual connection problem. I can go in the kitchen and make pasta and still hear what's going on in the game.
-Why do I have to send you an email saying who I am on G+, why not just add you?
"I always thought it must be quite handy being called John."
"Why?"
"You can tell when you're going nuts."
"Sorry? I don't follow.”
"I mean, a real sign of megalomania, when a John starts thinking that 'John' will do. 'Hi. It's John.' Or: 'Yours ever, John.' So what? Everybody's called John."
-Martin Amis "The Information"
Plus if your screen name is DisplacerBeast28 and your G+ name is Fred Walsh I am not going to make the connection. And if I don't then I won't know who you are or why you started following me (art fan? porn fan? somebody's ex-boyfriend? Spambot?) and I will not add you to my "Online RPG People" circle.
A lot of people who follow me on social media are anonymous citizens who don't want to be followed back or play RPGs. So if you want in, please send an e-mail to zakzsmith at hawt mayle dawt calm and type your actual Google + name into the text of the email using the letters of the alphabet if you want to be added. "Hi, RPG, Fred Walsh I am holding a sprite in my picture G+" is enough. "Hi, add me on G+" isn't.
-I'm shy.
Wear a mexican wrestler mask.
-Won't this Constantcon thread get hopelessly long and confusing eventually?
Nope. Once a week I am going to close comments on these Wednesday threads and post new ones where people can post games they're running that week.
-Wouldn't it be cool if James Raggi, James Smith, and James Maliszewski all agreed to GM games in one week and called it JamesCon?
Yes.
-Do I need a webcam?
No, you could just use a mike and go audio-only. Do be aware that webcams are like 10 bucks though.
-The hangout window keeps shuffling from head to head and it's annoying.
G+ senses who is talking loudest and makes their head big. To tell it to chill just click on one person's little head below and their head will stay big.
-I need a G+ invite!
Complain here. Motherfuckers will hook you up.
SUPERSUGA on
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Posts
Good luck!
I've got around 100 people in my rpg circle and have managed to get a full group for all three sessions I've GMed. You can add me yourself if you search for Chris McDowall and add the one with the cigar. I'm enjoying it enough that if I can get the time I'll try and run a second session each week.
SoogaGames Blog
i remember people using gdocs and pbworks to run games, so i guess using vid conferencing tools is the next logical step
SoogaGames Blog