Gaming in the IRC Chat

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Hi everyone.

Through reading many of the comments by authors and readers here on BC, I know that many of us are gamers of the role-playing kind.

It's still being worked on but a few of us are going to start gaming in the IRC Chat in the #dungeon room.

The room isn't permanent, but it's still being worked on. Also there isn't a dice rolling module in the chat yet either but I've been told that's being worked on as well

I am not a site admin, but after a few of us in the IRC chat professed an interest in gaming, this came about.

It's Tentatively scheduled, but a few of us are going to start playing Pathfinder on Thursdays from 7pm to 10pm EST.

I'm the one who is going to be the dungeon master. As for how confident I am I can do this, I admit that this is new to me. By new, I mean being a DM in pathfinder. I've played Pathfinder, but never DM'd in it. I've only DM'd in Battletech and Rifts/Palladium.

There are three players so far. I know many of you will want to join in, but I don't want more than 5 people playing at any time while I run. Preferably 4. So far there's a Catfolk Rogue, Undine Bard, and Half-Elf Paladin of Qi Zhong in the party. Everyone is starting at level 1. It's only a small home-brew module I'm going to run and to make it easier for those new to playing. I'm being generous with starting equipment and everyone will have a magic item of some sort given to them. Like I said, I want it easy as I think all of the players are new to playing Pathfinder and one is new to RPG's in general. I don't expect this module to last more than 4 weeks of play time but I understand missed events may cause delays in module progression.

For the two extra players who may yet join, I'm creating a Half-Orc Ranger that two-weapon fights, and a Tiefling Druid so they don't have to spend time building a character.

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I just had one more person sign up for this little module. That leaves the half-orc ranger that two weapon fights.

The ranger is taken as well so no more sign-ups, but there's always future games.

Comments

Have fun.

IRC Role playing can be quite fun. I've done it - both sides as a player and gamemaster. IRC puts a WHOLE lot more responsibility on the GM/DM than fact-to-face (no drawing of pictures on the fly... And, if you don't have a place to put them, only ircc send to share pictures/maps/etc.). Your ability to paint pictures with words will be key! (Players have to work harder as well! Typically they have to maintain their "character sheets" - and they have to pay closer attention to what is typed.)

One thing you do have via IRC that isn't there via face to face - is the ability for two players (or one player and GM) to have a conversation that others are not aware of. When used carefully (and in a limited way) it can very much enhance play. If a party gets split up, a second channel can be opened for each group - so that they can be kept apart (and if players don't have characters in each area) and actions can take place in one that indirectly impact the other without that being telegraphed... (Imagine group getting split - we'll meet on the other side - and one path is shorter than the other... The group on the longer path could find itself following the first group, wondering why it's so empty... And the first group, might hear someone behind them and setup an ambush... Oh, the possibilities.

Have fun,
Annette

Sounded interesting

until you mentioned not getting to build my character myself :P I've never played Pathfinder, but I've heard a lot of interesting things about it, and the concept of a BC run RP is really cool, but I HAVE to make my own character for these kinds of things, I just HAVE to, so, maybe next time.

I've always thought it'd be fun to run a RISUS game based on Ghostbusters: six points to start, every character has three skills, and one of them HAS to be "paranormal investigation." RISUS being simple enough to learn in ten minutes but a great simple dice system, it would be an easy one to set up quickly, and would be only minimal real leg-work for a game that would probably only last a handful of sessions.

Last major game of RISUS I ran the party included a yeti time lord and a lovecraftian horror/jedi. It was rather... strange, to say the least.

(A rundown of the RISUS system: it's a D6 system with freeform character creation. No stats, levels, classes, or anything. Instead, characters have a handful of skills and a handful of points to throw into them, each point representing a D6 they can roll in checks with that skill. Total of points versus an opponent's roll or target roll determines success, and failures, especially in combat, cost points from the skill used. If a skill reaches 0 points, the character dies. It can get a bit more complicated than that, with bonuses for using skills in unlikely ways, but overall it's a quick, simple system devised mostly for more quick-play or comedy type gameplay. Still a lot of fun!)

Melanie E.

I'm only pre-building the

I'm only pre-building the chars to make it easier. It's a tiny module with a few things to teach people how to play the basics of the game. Once past that, people can play with a character they build should anyone want to run another campaign.

(•_•)

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Stardraigh

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In that case...

if the Ranger is still open, I'd give it a go. That's the IRC here on the site, right?

Melanie E.

Interested

Hi, I've been interested in this sort of thing for a while but never actually done it before. What would you guys suggest for a complete beginner who knows barely anything??

<3
- Lexie

For a Complete Beginner

It may be a good idea to find an established IRC campaign in an RPG you already play. If you've not played any, then an established campaign also has advantages.

An IRC network (with a web presence) that's been hosting gaming for a LOOOONG time is Otherworlders. That's where I did most of my IRC playing (until IRC got blocked on my work LAPTOP). A lot of nice people, and several ongoing adventures as well as opportunities to join.... Or, there were a few years ago, when I lost touch with the owners/sysadmins.

If you've never been involved in online IRC Chat based gaming, starting with a new group that's also not done so is likely to be confusing at start (as different play styles try to mesh and as mechanics are worked out).

Good luck. If you have the time, it can be very rewarding!

Annette

Gaming in chat is pretty weird

There are chat services designed around gaming now, including tools like dungeon mapping, charsheet sharing, and die rollers, but even with all that, gaming tends to lose a lot of its personality when done in a chatroom rather than in-person. Everything is much less visceral, much slower, at least to me, when you have to wait for people to type out their responses rather than simply saying what they're doing.

That said, nowadays it's easier to find a group of friends who will play online rather than in person, so ease of accessibility is a major plus.

Try starting with something simple, like a basic RP server rather than a gaming one, before moving into a real game. Frankly, of all the PnP systems out there the one that likely works best for chat RP is the diceless version of the WoD systems, but that's just my opinion.

Melanie E.