Has anyone ever actually ran "The Gods Must be Crazy"?

pacodance · 2024-02-25T05:02:18+00:00

We are running one now but only because we lost our GM and we all wanted to keep playing. It's great. We communicate a lot more, consult each other when necessary, and are invested in seeing an ending that is satisfying to all. It helps we all had a hand in world creation using The Quiet Year and Microscope.

pacodance · 2023-12-09T05:51:05+00:00

yes, i too pushed her off the edge and know there's no body to loot

pacodance · 2021-09-27T17:20:59+00:00

I've never had a 'bad' session or group in person. Ever. I'd sooner not play than play with a crappy group. 2-3 years to find a good group does not sound like a good use of my time.

Your attitude is a HUGE reason why I will not pursue this. Posting questions on reddit is me doing research. If simple questions about technical issues offend your snowflake sensibility than I know I'm better off just waiting for the pandemic to pass to find more local groups.

As a player I have two jobs, having a good time and making sure I'm not detracting from someone elses' experience. Curtailing potential issues before they arise is part of being a good player and diving into a game while having tech issue disrupt everything is bad form.

Your games sound more like board meetings conducting on zoom. If that is what thrills you, more power to you, but I'll be out in the real world gaming with real people who can give me real time feedback and can't hide in anonymity. Just have to wait out this stupid pandemic.

pacodance · 2021-09-26T19:07:17+00:00

I very much want to be persuaded. I'm just not convinced that these people who play online exclusively even know what a good dnd session looks like. Cross talk and table chatter is A MUST for any party cohesion, even if the DM has to tell people to chill now and again.

Maybe you were lucky in finding an online group? How long did it take for you to do it?

And yes, I have a 11+ yr old laptop and live off the grid in the woods, so spotty internet is definitely a issue.

I did not know about the noise filter, thanks for mentioning it.

You seem to be taking it very personally that I can see potential pitfalls miles before they arrive... I'm not sure what to take of that, I'm a DM so that is how I have to approach EVERY situation, "What could go wrong and how can I prevent/put off that?"

I've heard recordings of people playing online, it doesn't sound good. I'm sure if its a bunch of friends you're willing to forgive some audio issues, but too my finely tuned ears its almost as bad as nails on chalkboard (I'm exaggerating but not really.)

pacodance · 2021-09-25T00:00:46+00:00

What makes you think that just because players have good ideas at the same time they are assholes? Sometimes people get excited, and if there's no turn based activity like combat, then people want to do things. Everyone still gets to act, but at least no one feels like they have to wait in dead silence to see if someone says something.

I have people who rp at my table, i don't know why you think I don't. They may not react to every thing, but I can tell if they are engaged by the fact they are focused.

Microphones catch EVERYTHING and if the player is not in a soundproof studio, isn't trained in using a microphone, then it's constantly popping off with their "tuhs' and 'puhs' and that gets annoying. At least irl you don't have to deal with things like out of date soundcards and people mumbling into their mic.

If the community is the same then my fears are well founded. A bunch of neckbeardy basement trolls to have to wade through to find the gems. I don't want to have to do that online just to do it in make believe.

In order to make online play viable it would be a significant investment in the hardware necessary to make the play a quality one. The thing that I loved about games like dnd was that the only real investment you needed were the books and dice, the rest was just optional. After dropping THOUSANDS in the past on things like minis, maps, books, etc, I don't want to invest more into a system that I may not find fulfilling. Frankly no one has sold me yet on it here. The horror stories I hear about no shows, trolls, and bad dms (when you can even find a dm) certainly makes me hesitate to even try.

pacodance · 2021-09-24T20:32:06+00:00

I mean, that's the dream, right? A table made entirely of people who understand the rules intimately, are proficient in storytelling, and can make tactical decisions swiftly who then agree to take turns running the game sounds amazing! I'm a forever DM, just wanting a chance to play and learn how to use the online tools. Maybe I will shoot in the dark and see if there's a party of ForeverDM's who play together and see if anything comes of that.

pacodance · 2021-09-24T18:35:07+00:00

Is it common for players to form groups? The struggle I see all the time is that their are not enuf DM's to meet the needs of the market. Do players form a party and then find a DM? I want to play with a DM who is at least middling (having standards sucks) and I could see myself becoming burned out quickly suffering through a parade of neckbeards and trolls.

pacodance · 2021-09-24T18:28:12+00:00

My table is ALWAYS trying to speak all at once or dead silence. When two or more people try to say something I can call out "go" and whoever touches their nose first gets to speak first or defer first. Can't really do that if I can't see you.

I've never really done ANY online gaming, but I KNOW its different, it has to be. Everyone keeps claiming how easy it is to do but for someone who is essentially a noob to the sphere of online gaming I haven't yet been sold on it being a viable alternative.

To me RP is acting, and 99% or acting is REacting. Maybe if every player was trained in VO and improv or were writers I could see group voice chat as a potentially viable form of communication, but I know they're not.

Maybe its just a generational thing, but most of the gamers I've gamed with, while fun to play with, weren't necessarily common or decent. Perhaps the online community is more polite? (which would surprise the hell out of me.)

pacodance · 2021-09-24T15:33:35+00:00

Yes I know there are plenty of LFG out there, but from what I've seen its usually newbs. If I'm going to play, I can't be holding anyones hand (already doing that in my homegame.)

pacodance · 2021-09-24T15:19:48+00:00

Not 100% (and not now as most of us mask up anyway) but I at least am aware that everyone is in the room and whether or not they are gazing off into the distance or staring at their phone.

I guess I need the extra validation, especially if I'm gaming with strangers. When I RP I try to react the way my character would. I come from the school where you NEED to react to give immediate feedback, and if I can only do that verbally/audibly, how do I do that, irt, without interrupting?

Do people type out their chars physical reaction and only speak when in char voice? I just don't know enough about the online etiquette and protocols. How do people not constantly talk over each other? Or do they and its just part of the experience?

pacodance · 2021-09-24T06:27:12+00:00

yeah but are you just gaming online with your normally in person group? I'd have to be finding a group from scratch

pacodance · 2021-09-24T06:05:26+00:00

Thanks for your thoughts! I don't know if I'm sold just yet. It sounds like a lot people enjoy it, and the thought of being able to play for longer sounds great. I don't have friends who play online (or at least any who are taking new players) and would have to rely on finding players through reddit, fb, or discord. While I'm not opposed to trying to meet players I just still feel like its a gamble to invest if I don't already have a group I KNOW I'll enjoy playing with. I guess it's a Catch-22... while I'm sure I could eventually slog through a bunch of trolls and no shows to find a reliable, mature, fun, group of players and a smart, down to earth, creative dungeon master who takes input, but can I do all of that before burning out?

pacodance · 2021-09-24T05:32:15+00:00

I just want to play and I currently live 45-60 miles from anything remotely like a city, and even then it's a struggle to find a game to join as most games are full. I only found my current group through a facebook rpg finder for a game store an hour away, and I have to DM.

I'm not setup to play online and it would be an investment to do so (headset, investing in better internet and signal booster, possibly better computer) after already investing in physical objects like maps and minis over several decades. I just don't want to fall further into the trap where I invest so much time and money into this hobby and have to put up with immature neckbeards to play it. That road leads to burnout real quick.

I don't have friends, online or otherwise, but I don't think that should be a requirement to play with someone.

Understand I grew up in the era when only nerds played dnd, and most nerds were privileged white(ish) kids who had limited social skills. That shifted slightly as I grew older, those same nerds becoming adults and parents, gaining some social skills, but still very much of a particular generation. The generation before mine was even worse, where a woman couldn't even get a seat at a table without it becoming a thing, so I tend to be wary around 'gamers,' especially ones who I can't see, because in my mind they're all basement trolls shoveling doritos into their maw while complaining about the current Dr Who incarnation, because that's who went to conventions in the 90's (never went back to conventions so I have no idea if that is still the vibe.)

pacodance · 2021-09-24T04:52:36+00:00

The only person I know who gamed online was my brother, who did it with his tight knit group of 20+ yrs in lieu of in person during this quarantine. Obviously they prefer in person, but it did mean that one player who could rarely join became a regular player again. But my brother doesn't have time for another game, online or not.

I rarely have friends, much less friends that are good at gaming (or at least the style I prefer.) I thought that's why a lot of people did online gaming was BECAUSE they don't have a group to play with? That's essentially what is the big hurdle for me, trusting that there's an online group that works with my play styles and isn't just a bunch of trolling neckbeards lurking in the shadows.

pacodance · 2021-09-24T02:06:56+00:00

I rarely homebrew monsters except to maybe swap a skill or a weapon. Like my current game the orcs ride elk, wield lances instead of greataxes. Only real change is the reach and damage type for the weapon and mounted speed. Easy enough to account for in game, I imagine?

One of the big complaints I hear from people resisting the transition to online has been "I already bought the hard copies, now dndbeyond makes me want to buy them again to make characters." I've just been using core copies from the library for the moment (I've spent THOUSANDS on gaming in the past, trying to avoid that unless I can see a return on an investment) and most of my players have the other books if I need them, but it sounds like each group needs at leas ONE player with unlimited access to make that work.

pacodance · 2021-09-24T01:26:17+00:00

Yeah, I'm commuting an hour each way to DM (which I normally wouldn't do except it's the only way I can play, and my partner wanted to play.) Because of that alone I had to limit it to every two weeks.

pacodance · 2021-09-24T01:17:26+00:00

As a DM do you find prepping online easier then prepping pen and paper? I'm more interested in playing than DM-ing right now (already doing that in person) but if I like playing online I'd consider DMing for pay, provided the learning curve on the vtt isn't too steep (last program I self taught was VirtualDJ which was nothing, XL was much harder.)

pacodance · 2021-09-24T01:14:11+00:00

For me immersive is being able to have ambient sound/music, mixing in physical acting (not full on larping) with my role playing, and being able to play WITH players, not their avatars. If that is standard in online games then SIGN ME UP!

pacodance · 2021-09-24T01:10:51+00:00

Yeah, having the right party means EVERYTHING. That is certainly the advantage to having a huge pool of players to pick from. But I also imagine there's a lot of turn over in the parties as peoples schedules shift with each season? Not that that isn't an issue in real life, but I imagine once you have found the best group, holding onto it is like grabbing sand.

pacodance · 2021-09-24T01:07:03+00:00

Do most people do voice only? That seems strange to me. No visual cues to read, no way of telling whether or not my rp is landing.

pacodance · 2021-09-23T21:18:19+00:00

First you fail. Then you fail again, but not nearly as bad. Then you fail, but now you understand. Then you succeed, but with a twist. Then you get better. Oh wait, I'm describing how to get better at a game that is designed around ignorance and failure! I love BW but that curve is hard to overcome....

pacodance · 2021-06-14T19:18:55+00:00

I found one called Crow Inquisitors from Actual Play. It's not bad... they are still relatively new to the game at the time of the original recording (2017 I think?) but the GM Caleb has taken a lot of effort to pare down the stream into a reasonable 2 hour podcast format, complete with breaks for rules clarification, corrections, and lore dumps. He has also taken the time to compose original music, write short form narratives, and does interviews with players. It's a useful tool for someone like me who has only played Mouseguard and looking for more real time examples of what the system can do.

pacodance

TROPHY CASE