Hi Dark, I am specifically referring to online games run using tabletop RPG rules, which have just as few players, relatively, as those played in-person with a GM. THere are sites dedicated specifically to playing these games online, and plenty of places to find players depending on what games you’re interested in.
YOur points about flexibility are well-taken. A human GM will always be better than anything computerized. I just think you’re overlooking a lot of online options which might not be immediately obvious. FOr instance, there are forums at rpg.net <http://rpg.net/>, the Roll20 site, innumerable discords and places to look for online GMs just like you would in person. Best, Zack. > On Dec 23, 2019, at 2:51 PM, Luke Hewitt <[email protected]> wrote: > > Zack, I have two specific problems with online rp. > > Firstly, is simply the matter that it's online, you just don't get the same > atmosphere and level of adrenaline or camaraderie that you get with people in > the same room, Rp when done properly can be as much fun as improvised theatre > and can make for a massive amount of creativity in both the gm and the > players, and you just don't get that sort of buz or fellowship over the > internet. > > Secondly, most of the times I've seen rpgs online they've usually been in the > setting of pre existing online worlds like muds or browser games, or at least > forums with a large number of participants and a pre defined world or set of > actions. This means most of the other human players are player characters in > their own right. > > > Maybe some people who enjoy the second life aspect of gaming like this setup, > but myself, one of the things i loved about tabletop games is that with a > small number of players and a human Gm, the party were always the heroes, and > the story about them. > > the Gm could provide all the npcs we needed, be they ever so miner, or could > tailor the interaction of the villains or allies to the party and their plot. > > > To take one example, the longest running game we played was mutants and > masterminds (and yes, that from me who really isn't keen on suepr heroes). > > > My character was a concert pianist who picked up a magitech battle suit which > turned out to be an ancient Egyptian device. > > When finding out the history of the suits, we disocvered one of them was > dedicated to the god Set, and was supposedly the guardian of chaos, whereupon > slightly later, someone in a snake armoured suit showed up as a vigilante. > > > The gm later said he'd made this character to be a villain and my character's > personal nemesis. Only problem? My character was quite into the idea that > someone could use the so called evil suit for good, and on the occasions that > the evil suit went wrong, we were clear it was the suit's fault not the > pilot's. > > > In the end the character intended to be a villain actually became an ally, > and the gm admitted that we were all just way too nice to him :D. > > > this is what I mean, a human gm is not only as adaptive as the players, but > can also tie the world around them. The players want to go and warn the > authorities instead of exploring the spooky house? Well let's follow that and > see what the authorities do. The players decide that actually the captive can > wait whilst they deal with the oncoming enemy hoard and so defend the city? > Well let's deal with that. > > And of course that's aside from all of the shop keepers, bystanders, and > goodness knows who else. > > You just don't get that sort of flexibility in story in an online world, > since in an online world, everyone is the main character of their own story. > > > At most you wander around a while and have perhaps a desultory conversation > in a room or to, then go off to do something else. > > > Of course I admit part of this might be me. I'm no fan of pvp, and a lot of > rp in muds is based on factionalism, which just doesn't interest me in the > slightest. > > > > Of course, there are rp games run over skype I've heard, which might work > despite missing all the social factors of roleplaying, and I have heard of a > few instances which specifically have smaller groups such as storyium, though > I've not seen one which works quite the same way a good tabletop session goes > up to now. > > > All the best, > > > Dark. > > > > -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Groups.io Links: You receive all messages sent to this group. View/Reply Online (#121504): https://groups.io/g/blind-gamers/message/121504 Mute This Topic: https://groups.io/mt/68853804/21656 Group Owner: [email protected] Unsubscribe: https://groups.io/g/blind-gamers/leave/607459/1071380848/xyzzy [[email protected]] -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
