IRC RPGS?

[Lancer]

With all the activity lately on these PnP forums with the Vampire IRC game and the Diplomacy game and what not, my curiosity has definitely been piqued enough to consider exploring IRC gaming. It has been getting more difficult to get a good tabletop group going and although I have never tried IRC, I'd be curious to know what you guys think about it.

 

Granted, I am aware that it can never beat tabletop.. I mean, party interaction suffers when you don't see everyone face to face and more than likely the GM has to do *all* the rolling.. All that said.. Is it still fun? Is it a reasonable enough substitute?

Is there any way to make combat fast-moving and tactical in an IRC RPG?

 

I had tried PBEM although never liked it. It isn't fun waiting for days before getting a response. The "real-time" aspect of IRC, OTOH, does catch my interest enough to consider it.

[EnderAndrew]

It is a bit slower than a table-top game, but in the absense of a table-top game, I'm enjoying it.

[Magena]

With all the activity lately on these PnP forums with the Vampire IRC game and the Diplomacy game and what not, my curiosity has definitely been piqued enough to consider exploring IRC gaming. It has been getting more difficult to get a good tabletop group going and although  I have never tried IRC, I'd be curious to know what you guys think about it.

 

I enjoy it, though admittedly I haven't played online for a couple of years now.

 

I mean, party interaction suffers when you don't see everyone face to face

 

Not really. The way that the games I've been in have worked is that we have a "channel" for the game and one for nonsense dribble. :D and of course you can talk in private from one person to another, which is more obvious to others while you are sitting around a table and passing notes, than it is online.

 

and more than likely the GM has to do *all* the rolling..

 

Nope, that is the lovely thing about dice bots. Everyone puts in the code, and it works just like real dice... only it can't be loaded for specific people

 

All that said.. Is it still fun? Is it a reasonable enough substitute?

Is there any way to make combat fast-moving and tactical in an IRC RPG?

 

Well. I'm not sure what you are talking about. In most pnp games that I've been in, we use the table top only to show relative relations to a map, and with IRC you can't do that as easily - but creating maps in ascii seems to help. What you end up doing is typing a lot more and explaining your actions.

 

Depending on the DM, you are either typing quite a bit to actually describe what is going on, or you can type less, and just give a general of what you are doing. The best games that I've been in have had people with lots of descriptions.

 

The "real-time" aspect of IRC, OTOH, does catch my interest enough to consider it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

The only problems that I have had with playing on IRC is that lags can cause problems, but that depends more on what net you are on than anything else, the smaller the net the less that gets factored into it. The other problem is people popping in to see what the channel is about, which either means locking the channel, making it private, or allowing only so many people into it at any given time. - the other option there of course is to find a nice quiet net and play there if you are expecting people who aren't always on time.

 

I actually think the biggest problem I had with the games is that people are more likely to drop in and out online than in person... though not necessarily.

 

I really haven't found the game going slower... the DM's that I have played with always expected the players to keep things going, and they set the pace.

[Lancer]

I like tactics and used miniatures and grids when I ran my tabletop games for instance.. I'd like to do something similar if I ever were to run an IRC RPG. Is there any good way to do this? Is there a bot somewhere that has a grid program specifically for RPGS?

 

A grid could have two columns.. One "numbers" and the other in "letters" so that it would be a trivial matter to determine positions of PCs and NPCs (Jack is on A2.. Sue is on D4..etc). If "virtual" representations of the characters were possible on this grid it'd be very easy to visualize movement and make combat run a lot smoother.

[EnderAndrew]

Well, because we're playing online, I'm trying to run a game with less combat and more social-interaction.

 

WoD also doesn't rely on positioning and maps so much since powers don't have specific ranges so much. It's not like you have to worry who is being affected by a 30' Cone of Cold.

 

I think certain games probably lend better to IRC.

 

Edit: WebRPG allows for maps, minis and character sheets online while you play, but it isn't free.

[Magena]

I like tactics and used miniatures and grids when I ran my tabletop games for instance.. I'd like to do something similar if I ever were to run an IRC RPG. Is there any good way to do this? Is there a bot somewhere that has a grid program specifically for RPGS?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I haven't seen one, but that doesn't mean they don't exist.

 

I actually would think that by now someone has done something similar.

 

I was just so use to seeing most things in my head anyway with gaming that I hadn't thought about that ability, nor missed it.

[Lancer]

Nope, that is the lovely thing about dice bots. Everyone puts in the code, and it works just like real dice... only it can't be loaded for specific people

 

What I meant was that instead of the players rolling for their own characters in most situations and the GM mostly rolling for the NPCS.. In an IRC game, the GM has to do all the rolling for both PCs and NPCs regardless of whether he uses real dice, bots, or MATLAB code (like I have) :D.

 

 

Well. I'm not sure what you are talking about. In most pnp games that I've been in, we use the table top only to show relative relations to a map, and with IRC you can't do that as easily - but creating maps in ascii seems to help. What you end up doing is typing a lot more and explaining your actions.

 

What I would like to see is a grid with designated number and letter columns so that determining positions of combatants is simple. Movable "virtual" miniatures representing the PCs/NPCs that can be picked up, dragged and placed in new locations like chess pieces would making combat fun and its visualization easier. This is what I would try to shoot for.

 

 

 

The other problem is people popping in to see what the channel is about, which either means locking the channel, making it private, or allowing only so many people into it at any given time. - the other option there of course is to find a nice quiet net and play there if you are expecting people who aren't always on time.

 

I don't have much experience with IRC but wouldn't the /mod screenname +i, +p. +s and similar commands help here?

[EnderAndrew]

What I meant was that instead of the players rolling for their own characters in most situations and the GM mostly rolling for the NPCS.. In an IRC game, the GM has to do all the rolling for both PCs and NPCs regardless of whether he uses real dice, bots, or MATLAB code (like I have)  :D.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Nope, players can roll for themselves with dicebots.

[Child of Flame]

I've been enjoying the WoD game a lot...

 

...although I haven't ever done a real tabletop PnP game.

[Magena]

Nope, that is the lovely thing about dice bots. Everyone puts in the code, and it works just like real dice... only it can't be loaded for specific people

 

What I meant was that instead of the players rolling for their own characters in most situations and the GM mostly rolling for the NPCS.. In an IRC game, the GM has to do all the rolling for both PCs and NPCs regardless of whether he uses real dice, bots, or MATLAB code (like I have) :D.

 

no. Each player can do it. The dice bot is in the channel, so that when a roll needs to be done, the player can type 2d6! or some such, and the bot will come back with a number between 2 and 12. The time when this doesn't work well is when the DM is trying to do "private" rolls, but I think opening a private window will allow that.

 

 

What I would like to see is a grid with designated number and letter columns so that determining positions of combatants is simple. Movable "virtual" miniatures representing the PCs/NPCs that can be picked up, dragged and placed in new locations like chess pieces would making combat fun and its visualization easier. This is what I would try to shoot for.

 

yes, that is a problem. As I said, I don't know if there are any. For the most part the DM has to really know what is going on. And what they say is the final word when it comes to where N/PCs are. IF the player can't explain it well enough, then they need to learn better.

 

 

 

The other problem is people popping in to see what the channel is about, which either means locking the channel, making it private, or allowing only so many people into it at any given time. - the other option there of course is to find a nice quiet net and play there if you are expecting people who aren't always on time.

 

I don't have much experience with IRC but wouldn't the /mod screenname +i, +p. +s and similar commands help here?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

yep. but different people tend to do things differently, and sometimes that part is forgotten until someone pops in when you aren't expecting them.

[Child of Flame]

I think the thing that sucks the most about playing online is scheduling, especially if you're in a large group.

 

Because not only do you have to account for job schedules, family, etc. But because you're often playing with people from around the globe, there's the day/night difference too.

 

For instance, the Friday night gig we got going isn't the most convenient for several players especially not myself, but that's only if I end up finding a job that conflicts with that and my church activities. But even though Sunday would hypothetically work for most in the group, it doesn't work for our (trio?) of Scandinavians because they'd be blurry eyed for work the next morning.

[EnderAndrew]

Again, check out WebRPG.

 

http://www.webrpg.com/gamesystem/index.phtml

[Lancer]

Nope, players can roll for themselves with dicebots.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Really? Well, that takes quite a burden off! :D

 

Speaking of which, I tried using a dicebot very recently on my recent venture through IRC although I can't get it to work. I installed it and everything into my channel, however, when I type "roll d6" or whatever in my own window the dicebot window doesn't carry on with the calculations... Does anyone have any idea what I am doing wrong?

[EnderAndrew]

It depends on the dicebot. The dicebot we use on irc.psionics.net, you must type @roll 2d6

[Lancer]

Again, check out WebRPG.

 

http://www.webrpg.com/gamesystem/index.phtml

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Hmm.. thanks! Yeah, I will definitely check it out!

[Hydrogen]

Nope, players can roll for themselves with dicebots.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Really? Well, that takes quite a burden off! :D

 

Speaking of which, I tried using a dicebot very recently on my recent venture through IRC although I can't get it to work. I installed it and everything into my channel, however, when I type "roll d6" or whatever in my own window the dicebot window doesn't carry on with the calculations... Does anyone have any idea what I am doing wrong?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Is it in the channel with you so that it can see what you are rolling?

[EnderAndrew]

Heck! I didn't realize it was free now, or I might have used that for our game! Last time I saw you had to pay for the software.

[Lancer]

Heck!  I didn't realize it was free now, or I might have used that for our game!  Last time I saw you had to pay for the software.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Better download it ASAP before webrpg changes their minds!

[Lancer]

Is it in the channel with you so that it can see what you are rolling?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Yeah, it is. I start the dicebot and it just signs in normally. Then I direct it to my channel and after that I am stumped. It might just mean I need to play with it a little bit more. I am sure I must be missing something.

 

The one I am trying to get to work is the following one.. The "standard" dice bot on this page:

http://richards.sdf1.org/dice/download.html

[Kaftan Barlast]

I think the main playing advantage of online PnP RPG is the immersion and acting potential. We cant see eachother so when we speak as our character, that is who we imagine is speaking. So its actually more roleplaying that what is possible if you sit everyone together in your GM's livingroom.

[Lancer]

Ok.. here is the problem with my dicebot..

 

I go online and join my own channel I made up.. With "/diceopt" configuration I put in the command so that it starts up automatically at the channel I had created.

After configuring I type in /loadbot to load it and then its IRC screen pops up.

 

I type "roll d6" or whatever on my screen but my dicebot stays put. Another peculiar thing is that even though my dicebot has entered my channel I don't see it on my own screen's list of current channel users. Nor do I see my userid on the dicebot's screen. Is this normal? I would think that both our names would be seen on both screens..Could this be related to my problems with it?

[Lancer]

In case my own dice bot is defective for some reason, does anyone know any websites where I can find another one?

 

I can't figure out my current dice bot despite my troubleshooting attempts.

[Magena]

Heck!  I didn't realize it was free now, or I might have used that for our game!  Last time I saw you had to pay for the software.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

you are talking about webrpg? I read the info and it says that to use the program they are charging monthly rates. It seems that it had been free (with advertizing), then they asked that people contribute what they want - that didn't work, so now they are charging by the month for use of the program and thier servers.

 

I don't know if you can use the program without using their servers.

[Magena]

Ok.. here is the problem with my dicebot..

 

I go online and join my own channel I made up.. With "/diceopt" configuration I put in the command so that it starts up automatically at the channel I had created.

After configuring I type in /loadbot to load it and then its IRC screen pops up.

 

I type "roll d6" or whatever on my screen but my dicebot stays put. Another peculiar thing is that even though my dicebot has entered my channel I don't see it on my own screen's list of current channel users. Nor do I see my userid on the dicebot's screen. Is this normal? I would think that both our names would be seen on both screens..Could this be related to my problems with it?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Make sure that you have two windows open. - 1 for the bot, and another for you. And yes, you should see a list of everyone in the channel, including you and the bot in both windows.

 

other than that I'm not sure what the problem might be.

[Lancer]

Make sure that you have two windows open. - 1 for the bot, and another for you.  And yes, you should see a list of everyone in the channel, including you and the bot in both windows.

 

other than that I'm not sure what the problem might be.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Ok.. Lemme make sure I know how to make a channel.

 

On mIRC, all it takes is for me to put /join #Lancer123.. and that's it. I have created my channel right?

 

And as long as I specify the same channel "Lancer123" under dice options for my bot then it would be configured for it..

 

Then I load the bot and the second window pops up when I load the bot.

 

And after that, world stops. The only other thing I can think of is thay my bot enters IRC through a different server than mine's.. But I wouldn't think it would make a difference whether or not they use the same server.