Live RPG in The Prancing Pony

[Stormrider]

Several of us were brainstorming in The Prancing Pony last night on how we might do an online Role Play Game (or is it Roll Play Game?)

This thread will be to discuss ideas to get a game started and how we want to go about doing it. First I will post some of the ideas we came up with in The Pony last night.

Live LOTR RPG

Place: Tolkien’s Middle Earth

Age/Time: TBD

Races for Players: Men, Elves, Half Elves, Dwarves, Hobbits, Wizards, Woses (did I miss any?) Players must be “good” not evil.

Professions: Ranger, Rogue--a thief or information gatherer, Fighter, Horseman, Wizard, Miner, Cook, Gardener, Lord, Lady, Innkeeper, healer (any other suggestions?)

Weapons to choose from: Long Bow, Short Bow, Crossbow, Sword—many varieties but I don’t know them all, Dagger, Spear, Axe, Mace, glave, sling shot (any other suggestions?)

Sessions: Meet once a week alternating morning and evening with hours convenient for members worldwide. Perhaps make an appointment for the next session at the close of each session.

Length of Live RPG session: 2 to 3 hours per session

The Game Master will play all the non-player characters that the players’ characters come in contact with—good and/or evil.

A plot line will be created by the Game Master and a mission, quest, or assignment will be given to the characters to complete.

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OK, I am going to throw out some questions below based on the live RPG that I am doing at my Game Master’s home. Some of this may be difficult or even impossible to do in a chatroom. I have never done an online RPG so we may need some input here by those who have. Doing Role Playing is a lot of fun live!

Question 1: Will we do a RPG that is a continuing story that progresses further each week or separate RPG stories each week? If it is a progressive game, all those who wish to be in the RPG will have to be DEDICATED to being at each session unless something urgent comes up. Of course, we can always arrange for the missing player’s character to be asleep, drunk, or away on a small mission of their own until the next game session. I personally like the continuing progressive quest.

Question 2: What about building and creating our character profiles? In Live RP we roll the dice to get points and distribute them on a list of abilities that we would like. Things like: physical ability, intellect, spell-casting, weapon proficiency, agility, magical resistance, missile attack, stealth, concealment, lock opening, trap disarming, climbing, disguise, endurance, system shock, resurrection, (just to name a few).

Also things like hit points, experience points, fate points, armor class, THACO (To Hit Armor Class 0), and damage. These numbers are needed when we find ourselves in a battle situation so we know what percentage we have to roll for.

Question 3: We also roll the dice to determine how much money we start out with and then look through a supply list with prices. We purchase whatever weapons, armor, cooking supplies, clothing, bedding, food, drink, flint, etc. that we want to bring with us.

Question 4: Who has gaming dice? 4-sided, 5-sided, 6-sided, 8-sided, 10-sided, and 20-sided. I have a set. I am sure Elwyn (Samwise) has some, too. We do not all need them. Those who have the dice can roll for us and we would have to trust that they are not cheating!

Gaming Dice are needed for melees. The dice will be rolled for initiative…..who goes first (GM or Players). Then when a character makes a strike at an opponent, the player’s THACO %, etc comes into play and the dice are rolled to see if he hit his target, then a roll for how effective the hit was. I need help with understanding how all this works still….it is all new to me! Will we be able to do this kind of thing in a chatroom?

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Once we get all of the details ironed out, we will need to get a list of people who are interested in playing and who will really try to be there (especially if we do a continuing progressive game).

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For now, just add any ideas thoughts, suggestions, or past experiences you have or know of to this thread.

Thanks for participating!

[Desi Baggins]

I have often wanted to do a live online role play. I am interested, but I can not join until after Sept. 2. I will be in OKC from August 10 till Sept. 2 without a PC!

I think this will work!

[Greenleaf]

I very much like the idea of an online RPG, although I've never played before and I'm quite ignorant as far as RPGs are concerned. But I'm afraid I won't be able to join in the discussion right now. I'm leaving in two days and I'll be away until the end of August but as soon as I get back you can count me in. If we can organize it I'm sure it will be fun.

[MajahTR]

i am also not well versed in role plays but this does sound intriguing and it looks like we have time to get it together before we start.

i had a question on how the story would generate if we didn't use the dice?

i kinda like the idea of a self contained adventure that begins and ends in one session but for you gamers that probably isn't as fun...although the characters are the same and would learn and gain things from each adventure right?

and would we keep and post the adventures for others to read? i think that would be awesome.

it would also be cool to sign up for a seperate msn name that would be our role play name and sign into the chat under that name...is that too much?

ok i am sure i will have more questions...he he

have good trips Desi and Greenleaf...see you in September! we will miss you!

Majah

[Desi Baggins]

It hink it would be more fun if the game continued and didn't end after every chat. It would be neat to sing into MSN with our roleplay name, but if your character dies and you come back as someone else then you would have to sign up again with a new name...

It is funny how both Greenleaf and I will be away! Have a nice trip Greenleaf. My trip should be nice!

[Desi Baggins]

I was just thinking that we could have 2 game masters. One for the North America area members and one for the Europe area members. Then we could have 2 groups role-playing through ME at time convient to them. Every once in a while we could have the 2 groups meet up and a time that allows all time zones to be together.

Posting the chats on this role-play board is an excellent idea!

Would we have these scheduled chats every other week (That is what Stormrider does for the RP she is part of)? Two times a month shouldn't be too overwhelming of a commitment for players to make…<br>
As far as the dice we need some form to decide some things like battle injuries. I think if the game master had the dice that would work or if not dice maybe some kind of cards could be made and then the game master draws a card from the top of the deck to decide those things. There could be health cards and money cards each with seperate decks. Then again the dice might just be easier....

[Stormrider]

Cards might be an interesting twist. But we can develop our game the way we want to do it.

But alot of the health and ability percentages are different for each player depending on their race and profession. There are so many variables.

We could make percentage cards for the different races and professions and weapon strengths and just draw the cards to determine the character profile. But dice might be easier for that!

Drawing cards might work kind of like Monopoly. We could make "melee" cards with different levels of success or failure for strikes. Then there could be "hit/damage" cards for how much damage was done on a successful hit.

It sounds like this is getting more complicated! geeze! But then again, it does take some doing to create a world and a game....Game Masters will develop a land and characters over many years. They even draw maps, city layouts showing the buildings, etc.! I don't imagine we would have to get that detailed since JRRT already had plenty of maps!

Well, as far as two different games going for USA and Europe, let's see how many people and from where are interested in doing this first. I know time zones are a drawback in getting us all together for one game, but perhaps we can work something out for everyone.

Anyway, Greenleaf and Desi....it sounds like we will be trying to set something up for a while yet anyway so your being away on holiday won't cause you to miss any of the game, I am sure! But we sure could use your ideas and input on setting it up! And have a good time while you are away!

[Greenleaf]

Thank you all for your wishes for a nice trip!

I agree with Desi that it would be more fun if the game continued instead of ending in each session. And I think it would indeed be more convenient if we played twice a month, since each session is going to last 2-3 hours. That way it may attract more players because people won't feel very much pressed. And I also think it's a great idea to post the chats. I suppose we could sign up for a different MSN name - it would be cool to have another name in the game. (Does this mean we have to create a new hotmail account or apply for membership in TR under a new name?)

As for having two Game Masters, I guess it depends on the number of people who are going to participate. This time zone thing is definitely not convenient at all, but I'm hopeful we'll find a solution. About dice or cards... I don't know. Whatever is easier and less complicated, I suppose.

I told you I've no experience in RPG but I'll try to help in any way I can as soon as I get back.

[Stormrider]

Well, I haven't thought much about this since I first posted it. I was hoping some others with some role play game experience would make some comments and help us along with how to go about doing this in a chatroom.

Elwyn, you were the member who had expressed an interest in doing this, do you have any thoughts or ideas on what to do? I know you said you have done role playing with people at the game master's home, which is what I have done. I have never played online on any of those paid games either which are computerized and programmed.

Has anyone done an organized role play game in a chatroom? (not including the impromptu RPGs that we did here in The Prancing Pony in the past)