Unhappy Realization

[Ronin]

With much sadness....

I think I have realized that Play By Post just doesn't work for me at this point in my life...I get so wrapped up in wanting the game to go so well and then something happens, life mostly, and long stretches go by when either I cannot respond or one of the players cannot and the steam goes out of my sails.

I LOVED the characters that were made for the Star Trek game and I really wanted that to go well...maybe I need to concentrate on games with only a few players or just try not to GM at this point but only play. I am thinking very strongly about this.

I apologize to those players that I have left hanging on...if you want to continue we can I just feel awful!

[Papa Bear]

Well, it was fun while it lasted.
Sorry it came to that. I hope you can figure out a way to balance things, mate. I know I love my time gaming. My FtF group can't meet much any more these days but we've started doing it via google meet and things. its a nice way to get in the fix... funny thing is, we only meet like two hours and get more gaming done (or about the same on a good day) as we do when we get together for 5 or 6 hours. For some reason, on line, we get more focused and less BSing and joking around. Still, would rather FtF. I miss my mates.

My daily or semi-daily RPGing fix in PbP helps keep my sanity I just kinda NEED to escape from this world if only for a few moments when I'm typing up a post

So... I don't know who I can help, but if you want or need to try something, I'm there for you!

[Ronin]

PB thanks! I think it’s me wanting pbp to be the same as ftf and it can’t. I think something with maybe two players might work for me...I may take you up on your offer to assist!

[Papa Bear]

I'm also over a MythWeavers doing PbP. Nice site. There's a lot of solo adventure games going on there. Its a thing

[Ronin]

I just never liked their layout...

[Comicfan]

Have you tried roll 20 or Discord? I think Discord can be set up for dice rolling, although don't ask me how

[Papa Bear]

I'm not a fan of discord. I am doing some gaming with my face to face group on Roll20. I am getting better as I get more familiar with the set-up they have, using the journal to grant info to the group. I'm in a PbP from MW where the GM is just using the map functions for us to move our characters about. That's pretty nice and much more user friendly than the way I do it here and other PbP, where I update a game map and post it up each round then players tell me where they want to move on it. So, I am enjoying the Roll20 options

[Comicfan]

I've got a roll20 account, and I've set up a test game for myself to get familiar with the interface. It does Star Trek Adventures really well having character sheets and the dice roller set up for it. Haven't figured out the maps and character tokens yet. The only reason I haven't joined, or started, games with it yet is because I'm having issues with my microphone headset.

[Papa Bear]

it is a great tool for distance gaming. My FtF group is very much enjoying it. Plus, we play for two hours one evening instead of setting aside half a day and get as much actual gaming done as we would. Though, its nice to actually get with your mates and BS and joke around. Way more preferable. Still, I'm thinking of incorporating Roll20 maps and stuff in my tabletop game sessions, if we ever get back to that. Real dice, real interaction, real handouts, but a nice map that won't get messed up if someone drops something on the table or something... AND it leaves the table for snacks! I don't know... depends on what the guys think. I've still got 80 mbs of my 100 on my free account so I've got an easy 50 or so to build two different adventures.

All I know, and I bet you've already figured this out, is that in the settings tab far right of the screen, scrolling all the way down, are the various options for broadcasting and such. We've discovered issues with using other applications with the same browser, but in different tabs, and certainly using other sources of image or voice capture causing problems.

The maps thing is easy... once you get it worked out about the "Map Layer". Once that stuff gets to the map layer, you don't have to worry about it any more. I personally pull my 'map' out and resize it in the token layer... unless the image has grid lines already. Then you'll have to go to the map layer to match them up to the grid. I do not know how to change or control the grid on their system. Search for 'stuff' like chairs and what not in their search library. Those things, when used, don't suck up your allotted memory so I like to try that first but I don't go too deep trying to find the 'perfect image'. Small uploaded images don't take up much. I do place these things on the Token layer, using the ALT key to fine tune the movement. Then right click on the item and choose the layer option on the popup to send it to the Map Layer. Once stuff is on the map layer, it cannot be moved or altered unless YOU (the GM, players don't have the option) go to the map layer to change it. Same is true with the GM layer... great for placing traps on the board and hidden creatures that you can see but the players cant, then when triggered, go to the GM layer, right click, and send them to the token layer.

I enjoy using the "Fog of War" stuff... you have to manually 'unfog' stuff unless you are paying and can use their dynamic lighting. I'm not going to pay though.

anyway, I don't have a lot of experience, but feel free to ask, I've learned a couple things and certainly could benefit from things other people know. It is fairly robust.

[Ronin]

Nov 16, 2020 2:27:37 GMT Comicfan said:

Have you tried roll 20 or Discord? I think Discord can be set up for dice rolling, although don't ask me how

I am thinking of looking into that but I am afraid of all the tech side that I will not enjoy.