grip

[hirch duckfinder]

grip sounds like a great idea , but its a lot of money to lay out so i am curious : has anyone used it ? what are your experiences of it ? can you only play with people you already know or does it help you find players ? does the game go smoothly?

any thoughts appreciated .

 

[Ben W Bell]

Grip isn't bad. It is a little buggy and quite frankly we find it to be unstable at times, but it does the job. It is the best on the market for the character sheet system, though it is long and cumbersome to design spending the time doing it right will automate most things in your game.

Games run a lot slower when using it as you wait for people to type in their responses, and conversations can get jumbled up, but this is not a fault of Grip rather a general problem with playing on-line.

All in all it is good. I tried TRIS and couldn't get on with it so yes it is good enough. Download the 30 day trial and see for yourself, best way to decide if you wish to pay for it.

 

[Flynn]

Isn't there software (Roger Wilco, I think) that allows you to talk person-to-person via the internet? Could it be used in conjunction with GRIP, or one of the other online gaming tools, such as OpenRPG, WebRPG or Screen Monkey?

Thanks,
Flynn

 

[Ben W Bell]

Roger Wilco can be used via GRIP. I believe the connections are built in, but I haven't tried it as yet.

 

[flyingsquid]

Hey gang,

Perhaps I can help.

Duckfinder: "... has anyone used [GRIP]? what are your experiences of it ? ...does the game go smoothly?"

I've used GRIP, and it's a great system - once you get used to it. The learning curve is a little steep, especially where character sheet design is concerned, but a complete understanding of the software isn't at all necessary to begin playing; anyone can download the free player version, and most are able to interact smoothly within just a few sessions of gameplay.

Duckfinder: "... can you only play with people you already know or does it help you find players?"

This is the main gripe most of us GRIPsters have with the GRIP system, and we're trying our best to remedy the situation. GRIP has a "Game Scheduler" built-in, and the schedule is posted on the RPGRealms website; however, it's not been greatly effective, and we (the users) have generally resorted to promoting games ourselves. For anyone interested, I would suggest you drop by the following Yahoo Groups list:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/griplist/

This is the best place to get answers and friendly help.

Ben Bell: "Roger Wilco can be used via GRIP."

Yep, it's a separate program, but it can be opened from within the GRIP interface - It works VERY well. Roger Wilco consumes very little bandwidth for a voice program, and it's great in conjunction with GRIP; OOC (out-of-character) chat can be sent via Roger Wilco, keeping the GRIP chat window available for role-play.

Flynn: "... OpenRPG, WebRPG or Screen Monkey?"

Try them all - I did. But save the best for last; there's simply nothing better than GRIP, and when you discover the same, come help us better populate the GRIP community.

I'm a GRIP enthusiast, and there are a number of us GRIPsters who'd be happy to lend a hand to those interested in GRIP.

- milo

a.k.a. swankalot (on the yahoo griplist)

 

[tenntrav]

flyingsquid,

Here is our groups situation and perhaps those much more savvy regarding online gaming could help.

I've got a group of gamers who've played since LBB and are mostly D&D D20 crazed. We are all in our 30s and really can only get together once every 2 months at best. We'd likely play more, but real life interrupts on a regular basis. However, the five of us would get together more often if say we could dedicate 2-3 hours Wednesday evening after the munchkins are all asleep.

One problem is that we like FTF play and any online experience would have to include some sort of voice or ideally webcam addition, as just typing would likely be too cumbersome. We are also a strong wargaming crowd, so shooting, pushing miniatures, or fisticuffs happens at every session. The other problem is distance 3 in tennessee, 1 in florida and one in Alaska.

So, Roger Wilco? does everyone have to own a copy? can I do all the GRIP work and let the players just show up, or do they also need to come to grips with GRIP. If we try webcam, does everyone absolutely have to have DSL or other broadband connection? What if one works at NASA in Florida and the other in Alaska????

Thanks

Tenntrav
3 of the five players (besides myself) live in the same state and the other two live on opposite sides of the continent

 

[Ben W Bell]

Tenntrav.

Everyone needs a copy of RogerWilco, but there is a free version of it that works reasonably well.

Location isn't an issue, my players are spread across 2 countries.

Webcam, if you're trying that with voice it will work on standard 56k dial-up, but would be far better with DSL, Grip sends very little in the way of packets and doesn't hog the connection.

The players will need to know how to use the Grip iPC player interface and how to use your character sheet, but an hour or so at the beginning of the first session should teach them that if you prod them correctly and guide them through it all.

 

[flyingsquid]

tenntrav,

I pretty much second BenBell's reply, but I'd caution against trying or expecting too much at once -- especially where "video conferencing" is concerned. Like BenBell stated, GRIP won't hog the bandwidth (nor will Roger Wilco), but I recommend first trying a game or two without video (your friend in AK will want to keep his transmissions low-key anyway, as the Moose will be attracted to any excess "noise" in the area)

tenntrav: "We are also a strong wargaming crowd, so shooting, pushing miniatures, or fisticuffs happens at every session."

GRIP includes a map screen, and players can be allowed to move their characters around; I use it mainly as a positioning aid for small combats and encounters, but don't expect it to come anywhere near the tabletop experience.

But there are trade-offs in both directions. The whisper mode in GRIP, for instance, can't be duplicated at the kitchen table; imagine a game of Paranoia, for instance, where instead of passing little notes or stepping into another room for a private conference, you simply sent a "whisper" to the player or GM? And then there's the CSML -- a well-coded character sheet can really be cool, and automated NPC actions help alot to speed up play.

 

[tenntrav]

Much thanks,

I guess I'll be asking/buying this for my birthday.

 

[Ben W Bell]

Download the free 30 (or is it 60) day version and try it out. The player modules are free so they don't have to worry about it, it's just the GM module that you pay for if you like it, but try it for free first. I did, and then bought it.

 

[flyingsquid]

And please don't go it alone. I can't stress enough how important it is to join the Yahoo GRIPlist. We lose too many newbies on account of the steep initial learning curve. Post any question you have; You'll likely find an answer.

As BenBell pointed out, the player module is free, so anyone can jump in and learn the essentials in just a few sessions, and without paying a dime. Of course, GRIP's strongest aspect, the character sheet designer, is only available with the GM module, but that too is available as a 60 day trial.

WARNING!!! Designing a character sheet can be a time-consuming process, and oftentimes (far more often than we'd like to admit) a GM loses sight of the goal and chases instead after the perfectly scripted GRIP adventure tools. I'm not really criticizing the obsessive compulsives; madness has produced a number of really fine add-ons and tools for GRIP. But the veterans on the list will tell you that the best way to learn GRIP is by ROLEPLAYING. Just jump in and learn it as you go.

If anyone wants to give the software a test-run, just post your request on the Yahoo list. If it's a group of you, so much the better...

Join the Yahoo GRIPlist here

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/griplist/

post that you'd like to test fly the software, and list the dates and times that you have free...

 

[Ozric]

Has anyone happened to encounter a T20 character sheet for GRIP of similar quality to the fine example of a Classic Traveller sheet that's out there?

 

[hirch duckfinder]

finally got around to getting hold of grip ( crap pun shamefully intended ) but the trial version seems to have dissapeared ,
anyone know whats happened ?
thanks .

 

[Pierce_Inverarity]

I got a question, too!

This GRIP thingie sure looks interesting, but I was wondering which Traveller edition(s) it supports (i.e. in chargen). CT only?