Internet Games in real-time?

[Gadrin]

I'd say before buying anything we run a proposed campaign on some free-ware first.

A lot of people commit then change their minds after a few weeks for
whatever reason(s).

I suggest trying to get everyone together on something like MSN Messenger or GMail Chat and see who even bothers to show up.

I have a free Photobucket account (to post graphics), and as someone mentioned there's free groups to post notices and files to everyone.
Email is fine for that too.

The nice thing about MSN Messenger is:

1. It's free
2. And you can send files over it to people during the chat

As for who does what, I'd be willing to GM a "one-off" adventure just to get us going. This should only last for a few sessions at most, and this way it'll give the next guy a chance to GM and so on.

I'm most familiar with GURPS Traveller, but I'm not stuck to doing things one way. The nice thing about a diceless game is that it focuses less on mechanics (meaning any character in any version of Traveller can participate) and more on the adventure.

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[Gadrin]

Things I'd like in a game would be story, financial progress to help me
vicariously live entrepreneurial dreams, teamwork, and space travel. Things I
dislike are being forced into situations just becuase "that's the way the
module runs", nitty-gritty milleau where everthing is dark and there's no
chance to feel you've made the galaxy a better place.

Pretty standard stuff. I for the most part follow those themes in most of
my adventures. If it is "dark" then the whole reason is so that the players
can make it nice an shiny and bright by the end

Things I'm ambivilant about but don't mind if other players or the DM wants
them are Psionics, "the Force", house rules, mercenary tickets, politics,
nobility. I would normally play a Scout or Merchant but would have no
problems with a Mercenary or Naval Officer if that was the game setting.

Psionics don't bother me, but I stay away from it becoming a Star Wars type
universe, where the force is a religion. Star Wars in nice, but I prefer the
neutral-ness and common-ness of Traveller.

I have a few scenarios that are made for the ex-scout who's still helping out
his old employer and is also keeping an eye out for making nice credits to
help his own survival. Of course his old employer pays the best...

I spent some time digging last night and can't find any of the books, don't
recall if I still have them or not. I do have a few old modules. Since T5 is
enroute and that's the only rules set I'll have, guess which one I'd like to
play.

You might think about getting the Classic Traveller CD ROM. It's got everything in one place.


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[Leitz]

You might think about getting the Classic Traveller CD ROM. It's got everything in one place.
>

Yeah, but I'm a sucker for helping play-test stuff. That's why T5 is enroute.

The downer about MSN Messenger is it might not run on non-MS operating systems and you can't run it on Firefox. Google chat should take care of us; I think we can get multiple people in one chat.

L

 

[Kilgs]

I've pottered with Google Docs, and use Chat, Mail, and Calendar a bit. Docs has shown some flakiness but I just toured Google groups and it looks pretty good. I especially like the way we could integrate all the different parts into one place.

One of my campaigns was ported over to Google Groups so people could do Downtime in between sessions and I definitely liked it. We never completed it so didn't use it but being able to put all the information up there (like a wiki) made it look really effective.

 

[Leitz]

Well, we have one full time volunteer DM, one "get us started DM", and me as a player. Anyone else interested? I have a few character concepts echoing around in the back of my head that are dying to get out and see some action.

L

 

[Gadrin]

bad, bad!

DM = Dungeon Master

GM = Game Master

:rofl:

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[Leitz]

bad, bad!

DM = Dungeon Master

GM = Game Master

:rofl:

>

Hey, a thirty year habit is hard to break. You should see the youngster's brains boggle when I roll a d6 and d10 to get 1-20. Remember when we didn't have d20?

Besides, after running a few games you should be used to being called lots of things!

L

 

[RandyT0001]

You should see the youngster's brains boggle when I roll a d6 and d10 to get 1-20. Remember when we didn't have d20?

We used crayons of various colors to fill in one series of 0-9 numerical imprints on the d20 die for higher numbers. When I started there were no actual ten sided dice but 20 sided d20 with two sets of 0-9 numerical series imprinted on it.

 

[RandyT0001]

What day of the week and what time of the day will this online game be held? That has typically been the problem with real time online games in my experience.

 

[morgrave]

I have a bunch of CT books and experience. Is there still a slot open?

 

[Leitz]

Dates and times: I'm on US Eastern time and have commitments for Sunday and Monday evenings, Sunday AM and often on Saturday. Otherwise I'm boringly available.

Dice: I think I still have one of the 20 sided. Something in the plastic wasn't good so it quickly rounded the edges. Almost a game in itself, watching the die roll around the table.

L

 

[Leitz]

Anyone interested in running with a merchant in T5? I'm bouncing some ideas around in my head and would like to get something going before both brain cells wear out.

For those of you considering running the game, how do you prefer character generation? Do you allow weighting of stats, rearranging, etc? One of the things we used to do was allow die modification as an option. If you had access to a die modifier that the character could control, they could roll and then decide whether or not to take advantage of their modifier. For example, if you got a DM +1 for EDU 9+, you were assumed Educated enough to make the choice of applying the +1 or not. That was not allowed for penalty DM, like DM -1 if EDU 9-.

Having been in the service myself I'm aware of how much personal influence you can exert of such things.

The character I have in mind is a merchant with a few skills but not galaxy shaking in anything. He's been a steward/trader and general lackey on the ship as he worked his way up the ranks. Recent events ended his career path so now he's out on his own. I'd like to romp about, make some money, and help others. Would be willing to work with a sane team.

Takers?

L

 

[Gadrin]

Dates and times: I'm on US Eastern time and have commitments for Sunday and Monday evenings, Sunday AM and often on Saturday. Otherwise I'm boringly available.

Dice: I think I still have one of the 20 sided. Something in the plastic wasn't good so it quickly rounded the edges. Almost a game in itself, watching the die roll around the table.

L

What day of the week and what time of the day will this online game be held? That has typically been the problem with real time online games in my experience.

I have a bunch of CT books and experience. Is there still a slot open?

How about this weekend ? On Google Chat ?

My gmail account is Gadrin@<gee mail dot com>

I'll get online around Noon Pacific time, which is 3 Eastern.

If that's not good then post your preferred days + times.

Do you guys have Gmail accounts ?

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[Leitz]

How about this weekend ? On Google Chat ?
I'll get online around Noon Pacific time, which is 3 Eastern.
If that's not good then post your preferred days + times.
Do you guys have Gmail accounts ?
>

Note sent. How long would you like to go, to start?

L

 

[Gadrin]

Note sent. How long would you like to go, to start?

L

Well at this point let's see:

1. Who Shows Up or bothers to..
2. Who comes prepared with a character or idea
3. Who stays on line for most of the time

As these can be crucial.

I've got a few scenarios to run, they'd be a bit simplistic as we need to
test the software/programs so that everyone can get into the game (but that's
fairly simple) and that people understand things, like how to take turns and
not blurt things out.

I'd probably start you guys out in the Reaver's Deep Sector. You'd be either
merchants, or ex-scouts "working for the Imperium", which also means just
about any other type of character concept will work, including psionics
(you're out in the wilds, on the front lines and they need the job done, not
nitpicking about mores). You will also have a starship.

So hopefully people will read the above and come to the game with an
idea for a character in mind.

Or not.

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[CosmicGamer]

This weekend Sat or Sunday or both?

In case an alternate time is arranged, here is my availability - all based on EST, GMT -5. Weekdays between 8am and 5pm. Tuesday and Wed evenings 7pm-1am.

Weekends are possible but I have an every other Sunday in person game starting in a few weeks and I don't know what time. Saturday afternoons are usually for family events like birthdays, anniversaries or just getting together with folk.

 

[Leitz]

Thanks for taking the lead! I'll be there, and if T5 arraives in hte next day or two should have my character. If not I'll send you the concept.

L

 

[Gadrin]

This weekend Sat or Sunday or both?

In case an alternate time is arranged, here is my availability - all based on EST, GMT -5. Weekdays between 8am and 5pm. Tuesday and Wed evenings 7pm-1am.

Weekends are possible but I have an every other Sunday in person game starting in a few weeks and I don't know what time. Saturday afternoons are usually for family events like birthdays, anniversaries or just getting together with folk.

Cool, okay, we'll wait and see who can do what then.

Saturday was just a starting point. Tuesday & Wednesday eve's sounds good too.

People seem to be much more amenable to weekdays than weekends.

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[Leitz]

Tues or Wed 7pm --?? would work for me as well.

CosmicGamer, you have any character ideas in mind?

L

 

[CosmicGamer]

I'm pretty flexible in regards to character. I prefer playing a character that is not the overall leader. It will be fine as long as my character has some skills necessary for the type of adventures that will be run.

Roleplaying is roleplaying, right? I'm familiar with CT LLB 1-3 and MGT and don't know a thing about T5. Is it 2d6 or d20 or something else? Are the skills broad or very specific? How easy would it be to transfer a MGT character?