Out-of-game Discussion

Welcome Jason and Brett!

Any questions or out of game talk goes here.

Please create a separate page/post for your character.

Greetings everyone. I will create a PC sometime today and post it. Sorry for the delay, been busy.

Welcome Brett!

BrettB wrote:Greetings everyone. I will create a PC sometime today and post it. Sorry for the delay, been busy.

Welcome Brett! Take your time, its cool. Im starting full time work with census this week so Im pretty busy too.

welcome Brett and G!

I am excited to play with you guys and meet some new friends.


What is your current party? I see a Life Cleric, which is always a great start

I am pretty open, but I haven't done a Barbarian or Bard recently.

I think Brett is making a fighter and Jason is making a monk. A party of tanks!

Welcome gents! No rush, its a busy week for me so lets focus on getting some characters done and posted for now.

Feel free to ask questions - Rob and Chris know how we do character gen /posting so they can answer questions too.

We are gonna start at 1st lvl, and klets keep the Players guide for race and class option son this one.

well there goes 3 hours of work on a warforged artificer

just kidding!


I am fine with keeping to the basic rules since we have new folks. I would add to that idea that we actually play normal 5e rules as far as combat goes. I know you were discussing an idea for a more narrative combat, but with new players, we should keep it as close to the actual table top experience as we can. That way there are fewer new variables to learn and navigate.

I would be happy to playtest your narrative idea in a separate thread, if you want.

Character generation:

standard 27 pt for attributes
PHB only for race\class options
standard starting equipment per class\background

write up your character sheet in a new thread for yourself
make a brief post about character back-story

create a "stat block" for combat  with vital information


Bob the Brute
AC 15
HP 10

PP 12 (passive perception)
any special things you need to track like spell duration etc


use the QUOTE feature to copy\paste this on every COMBAT turn so the DM (and you) can track HP and effects

Did G get approved? I got an email about registration for "jasongiglio", but when I clicked on the link, it said no such user exists.

Robyo wrote:Did G get approved? I got an email about registration for "jasongiglio", but when I clicked on the link, it said no such user exists.

yup, I can see his profile. G and Brett have registered so far

Ok thanks. Now I see them on the member list.

https://lodgestgaming.forumotion.com/t434-talon-human-ranger#26016


I rolled up a ranger

@DM - what types of monsters might he have encountered to choose as a favored enemy?

Appreciate the feedback @ Chris, think Ill proceed as planned.
@ Favored enemy = Im setting this in the pirate world we are using in the other game, take your pick.

@ Jason and Brett - please make a post here and let us know you are onboard and participating. Looking forward to you joining us!

If we don't hear from you by the weekend we will be moving forward with play.

MAS wrote:Appreciate the feedback @ Chris, think Ill proceed as planned.
@ Favored enemy = Im setting this in the pirate world we are using in the other game, take your pick.

re:  FE, I will think about it, thanks


re combat - ok, can you explain what you are thinking then?  I guess I don't understand what you have in mind

EDIT - why are you reluctant to playtest it before actually using it in a game?

Chris wrote:

MAS wrote:Appreciate the feedback @ Chris, think Ill proceed as planned.
@ Favored enemy = Im setting this in the pirate world we are using in the other game, take your pick.

re:  FE, I will think about it, thanks


re combat - ok, can you explain what you are thinking then?  I guess I don't understand what you have in mind

EDIT - why are you reluctant to playtest it before actually using it in a game?  

I'm trying to keep focused on characters - one step at a time; crawl, walk, run, as we say in the training world. I didn't even want to DISCUSS it on the forum until the characters were done - hence my focus on the characters. Respectfully, I am happy to have you along, but could you let me do my thing, please?

Ok, but I have to admit that doesn't make any sense to me, sorry.

Knowing the rules of engagement has an impact on how characters are made. If you are thinking of some kind of Amber-diceless thing, then stats don't really matter much. If you just use straight 5e rules, then there is no "crawl, walk, run" because everyone already knows the rules and what to expect.

Brett and G haven't even posted anything yet. We could playtest your idea in a separate thread that wouldn't impact their character progress at all.

ping me when you are ready to discuss your idea or don't and just "do your thing"

Chris wrote:Ok, but I have to admit that doesn't make any sense to me, sorry.  

Knowing the rules of engagement has an impact on how characters are made.  If you are thinking of some kind of Amber-diceless thing, then stats don't really matter much.  If you just use straight 5e rules, then there is no "crawl, walk, run" because everyone already knows the rules and what to expect.  

Brett and G haven't even posted anything yet.  We could playtest your idea in a separate thread that wouldn't impact their character progress at all.

ping me when you are ready to discuss your idea or don't and just "do your thing"

Lucky for you it doesn't have to make sense, and you can trust me to say that making a 1st level character wont in any way shape or form be effected by the concept. Don't feel like I have to justify my choices about it, but there is certainly "crawl,walk, run" in regards to how we post and play (and how anything is taught, Ive been instructing and training people for over 20 years) - and I have my intent as to how I am presenting my game. I also have my intent as to when and what I present, in what way. Bottom line, you are welcome and invited, these are the conditions, please join us, or don't, your choice. In the meantime, keeping the thread focused will sure help things along. If G and Brett dont turn up, we'll run a straight test as Ive mentioned in the past in pirates OOG and as Rob and I have intended to do. Two games on top of my 150+ mile a day through forest service roads census gig is the extent of my reasonable commitment right now.

Bump for Brett and Jason to post or contact someone if they don't know how to proceed.

Brett told me on a text that he made a half-orc paladin.

Jason and Bett - am excited to have you guys along, would really like to introduce you to the forum games - but that is dependant on those newly invited taking action to participate.

If it has been unclear, First step for new players is to at least post something on the forum - "Hello" etc to let us know you are "here" and intend participating.

As players and GMs on this forum format, We typically check in daily (best we can, we all have lives and respect that). This keeps play moving forward. Committing to that block of attention and time is what keeps us able to game in this format, a more flexible flowing pace vs a scheduled and timed meetup like you'd do around a table.

Would appreciate a "hello" post and confirmation of your intent to participate by the end of the weekend. If not, we'll find another opportunity to try it down the road, and Ill move this game on with Rob and Chris to do other things.

Hello guys! I'm excited to play, it's been a while:) P.S. Where do you get all the images?

jasongiglio wrote:Hello guys! I'm excited to play, it's been a while:) P.S. Where do you get all the images?

just GOOGLE them!

then click on the image > save image as > then click on the 1st button in the 5th box of icons above called "host an image" > select your saved image > open > upload > (you will see URLs) click on the middle one to highlight the code > COPY > click in the body of the text (to close that pop up) > PASTE

this pastes the URL from the file hosting website into the body of the text

click PREVIEW to see how it will look

the middle option is a full sized image
sometimes this is WAY too big, lol, so use the bottom option which is just a thumbnail of the image

Hey folks, yeah I just didn’t know if there was a dedicated dnd image spot. Yep, I googled:) thanks Chris! Haven’t talked in a good while!

Indeed, how are you, G?

Are you still in Portland? I think that was the last I heard.

Yep, still in Portland! Claire and I are married, own a home here. Love it! Luckily we both have work (Claire’s a content manager/communications person at a diabetes center in town and I’m a user experience designer for Kroger’s grocery delivery and pickup apps/web. Grateful to be working from home and not having to risk it.

Yeah I haven’t gamed for about ten years and Rob convinced me to Join one of the campaigns:) Last time was Pathfinder and I didn’t know people that were doing the forum thing. I’m pretty stoked to join.

How are you? Still in CO?

Hey guys - here is the plan. Monday Ill post the thread to start play on this "tutorial" game. We'll launch with whoever is ready

Goals prior:
1) Get your pic into your profile and character posted and complete.
2) Using https://dicelog.com/dice or something similar, copy and paste a roll into this thread.

The tutorial will play through a progression of forum/mechanical tasks -
Everyone will:
1) Roleplay, make an ability check, saving throw, etc.
2) First combat encounter will be conducted with standard, sequential initiative
3) Second will be conducted with all players/whole party making declarations at once, and the entire round being resolved at once, with effect precedence being given to which ever side has initiative. (party coordination is highly encouraged, table talk your next round in OOG)
4) Both combat encounters will utilize our standard forum map format of squares/hexes with a basic X-Y coordinate notation

After two encounters, Im hoping everyone will be comfortable. From there, we can decide how we want to proceed with this game ; you'll have the opportunity to generate a new character/reshuffle/adjust the party and characters.

I do intend this to develop into a campaign for up to 4 PCs, set in the homebrew campaign world we've been developing in the "PIRATES" game. There is plenty of room to develop backstory and "co" world build. Down the road, we can discuss switching out GMs as we do in the other group, if anyone is interested.

jasongiglio wrote:Yep, still in Portland! Claire and I are married, own a home here. Love it! Luckily we both have work (Claire’s a content manager/communications person at a diabetes center in town and I’m a user experience designer for Kroger’s grocery delivery and pickup apps/web. Grateful to be working from home and not having to risk it.

Yeah I haven’t gamed for about ten years and Rob convinced me to   Join one of the campaigns:) Last time was Pathfinder and I didn’t know people that were doing the forum thing. I’m pretty stoked to join.

How are you? Still in CO?

I am glad to hear you are doing well, happily married and both able to keep working.  That is wonderful news in these stressful times.

I am still in Steamboat.  Jamie and I have been married for 16 years with 2 boys, Anthony 12 and Evan 9.  Both play D&D 5e, video games (too much) and do martial arts with me.  

Jamie is a nursing school professor at a local community college.  I have been an investigator with the Public Defenders for going on 9 years.  I teach martial arts at the college for kids and adults, well... before covid19 anyways, lol.

Josh, Matt and I have been rocking the forum for about 12 years, maybe a little longer.  We were playing back in 3.5, then pathfinder, Radiance but we love 5e.  Mike and Joe joined a couple years or so ago.  Rob has been here for a long time too, but I forget when he started playing.  

Play by post (pbp) is really cool since the DM can use pictures in their storytelling, which adds a whole new level to the visualizations.  The biggest drawback is just the pace.  It is dependent on how frequently people check the forum.  It also gives us all a place to chat, outside the game, and catch up, which is truly the best part of it.

MAS wrote:Hey guys - here is the plan. Monday Ill post the thread to start play on this "tutorial" game. We'll launch with whoever is ready

ready to rumble

did you check Talon? let me know if you see any issues. I just went with standard starting equipment, so his AC isn't very good, until he gets a breastplate or something.

Chris wrote:

MAS wrote:Hey guys - here is the plan. Monday Ill post the thread to start play on this "tutorial" game. We'll launch with whoever is ready

ready to rumble

did you check Talon?  let me know if you see any issues.  I just went with standard starting equipment, so his AC isn't very good, until he gets a breastplate or something.

No issues, looks great and standard EQ is fine - after the tutorial, we'll likely do a time and level jump

whoa, time travel already?



cool, thanks for looking

MAS wrote:
3) Second will be conducted with all players/whole party making declarations at once, and the entire round being resolved at once, with effect precedence being given to which ever side has initiative. (party coordination is highly encouraged, table talk your next round in OOG)

Matt, please hear me out and reconsider this.  I know you want to work on this idea and incorporate into our gaming.  I get that and I support it.  I have volunteered to playtest it with you.  So has Josh and Rob and I bet Alan would try it too.  

Playtesting a whole new way to do combat should not be done in 1 fight with 1st level characters.  That isn't playtesting.  You need to run at least 5-10 test fights, with low, mid and high level characters.  You need to run test fights with a variety of builds - simple builds, complex builds that rely on positioning and reactions (think Sentinel feat for example).  We need to test it in a variety of terrain - confined in dungeon hallways, wide open with elevation differences, flying participants, line of sight issues, etc etc

You are bringing 2-3 new people to the forum.  Thank you! They know gaming, but the forum is new.  It isn't fair to them to make this process more confusing by throwing them into 2 fights with different rules.  Especially when the second variation is completely different from any table top gaming they have ever done.  

I know you are busy with driving 1000 miles per week for your census job.  If you don't have time for both, I understand.  I would even volunteer to run a 1st level game for Brett, Rob, G and whoever while you run a thorough playtest in another forum with me, Josh, Rob and Alan.

In a month or two or however long it takes, you can jump back in and run your idea with the new folks.  Then 2 things will have happened, that are both vital:

1 - the new guys will have experience with forum gaming
2 - your idea will have actually been playtested through multiple fights of different levels and complexity

At that point, both will be a position to be merged.

If your idea works, it might revolutionize forum gaming.  It deserves the best chance to succeed that it can have - by thorough and proper playtesting.

Matt's proposal sounds good to me. I am confident he can run a fair game and will adjust to GM's preferences.


The new guys are taking a bit to get up and running, but I know certainly that they are both very experienced RPG'rs. Matt's ideas have further baring, since  Brett and I are in discussions about using theater of the mind techniques and more abstracted range bands for positioning in an upcoming Iron Kingdoms tabletop game inside of meatspace.


Chris, I recommend you to just roll with it and see how Matt's adventure unfolds. If it's turns out to be a busted trainwreck, we can certainly try something else of your own liking.

You know, I’m game either way. I’m sure I’ll figure it out, but I expect if I have any questions asking in OOG is cool?

jasongiglio wrote: I expect if I have any questions asking in OOG is cool?

Certainly!

Lets get the character sheet copied into the forum - you can look at how Rob and Chris did it for best practices. Check out the admin panel link at the bottom of the screen to set a profile picture. Let me know what questions you have.

Once we have everyone's character fully posted, Ill start the thread.

If folks commit, we can get started very soon!

@ Rob

what else are you making?

I am going to make a mage and polearm master sentinel to test mechanics

I will save the Ranger for an actual story.

Once you guys have your 4 slot party full, we'll start with a 1st lvl encounter. See what we see, and bump up in level / complexity for the next

Doorbash - human barb with Sentinel feat and halberd
Hextor - flying tiefling hexblade warlock

are ready to roll

yes, I intentionally chose more complicated builds to test mechanics

Chris wrote:Doorbash - human barb with Sentinel feat and halberd
Hextor - flying tiefling hexblade warlock

are ready to roll

yes, I intentionally chose more complicated builds to test mechanics

Good stuff. The main obstacle I see is in applying reactions, but I think that will work out fine too -

1) Player make action/movement declarations based on map and description
2) GM resolves all declarations, effects from side with initiative are applied first.
3) Players have chance to declare a reaction if available, GM updates map

Rinse and repeat

sounds good, I can't wait to try


I could see SOME reactions being declared like a readied action, for example, if that troll hits me, I use Hellish Rebuke as a reaction, here is a damage roll just in case

but that's why I want to play with it

Agreed, much of it would be common sense/ pre-set contingency.

"Reactionary" reactions that spring up unannounced can be stated & resolved in the player's next declaration. for example -

"...and then all this happens. Please include any reactions in your posting of next round's declaration."


GM adjudicates results, includes the change in the rounds narrative. Fairly simple workflow. Aside from questions, and saves needed as a reult of the creature actions. so Instead =


1) Player make action/movement declarations based on map and description
2) GM resolves all declarations, effects from side with initiative are applied first.
3) Main resolution description
4) a If needed: Reactions, saving throws, etc are made,
b narrative resolution from GM to resolve
5) Map is updated.

Chris wrote:@ Rob

what else are you making?

Thinking about building some kind of arcane caster..

Sorry for being dumb. I think I didn't get what was going on...Should I build another? What about the first ones?

Jason, your character Moon should be fine (though we still need you to type up your character for the forum). You don't have to build another character, unless you really want to.

Matt asked Chris and I to run 2 characters each, so as to help beef up party strength. No biggie.

Robyo wrote:
Matt asked Chris and I to run 2 characters each, so as to help beef up party strength. No biggie.

I was told it was for playtesting the narrative combat

@matt

Character typed out (copy/pasted

Let me know if you see anything weird!

@ Jason & @ Brett :

No judgement or hard feelings, but we decided to move on to something else after not having received any commitment from you. Gaming in this format works best when participants participate, and you didn't seem to be responding to messages, asking for help, or posting any of the steps I asked for. I'm happy to roll you into this - if you can commit to it, but that means checking in and keeping up with the group, because otherwise its hard to keep the game moving.

On that note, Ive got a window to get back to WI and empty my storage next week and am going to take it. Still firming dates but in light of this, Itd probably be best If waited till I got back to start this game/test.

Id still really like to develop this into a second game (both for some fun story possibilities that will become evident quickly, and for the ability to cross load participants between the games if desired).

Thoughts / feedback welcome

@Jason - your character looks good at first glance!

Matt, I'm ready to begin testing whenever you are. I will try and finish my 2nd character this weekend, but we are busy moving into a new space, so my time will be limited. Hopefully, things will start loosening up for me next week.


I'm fairly certain the new guys are onboard with gaming. They aren't accustomed to our policies. It's usually expected that people check in once/day or every two days. That helps to keep the ball rolling. There are exceptions when people are gone away for longer periods, and we usually just notify the others.

I hope Jason and Brett will continue with the adventure!

I am fine with postponing for whatever real life events people have in the next week. I am ready for testing at any time.


I think this supports my suggestion to run a game for the new players, which can move at whatever speed it needs to so people can comfortably acclimated to the forum-style of gaming and a separate test thread for your narrative combat idea.

There is no time pressure for either, to be honest.

Jason & Brett - Once we start a game, it is a constant flow of play, we don't meet at a certain time or day of week. Perhaps I could have made things clearer, my bad if that was the case. I was trying to get the point across in several of the OOG posts, with points of action listed out and prompts for response. You are sincerely welcome to join in, but we need you to make a choice whether you are participating (which is a daily/semi-daily commitment of small chunks of time) or not. Just like showing up at 7pm On saturday night for a game, or texting your buddy to let them know you cant make it.

Im launching next tuesday for a few days in the woods, then breaking for Rockford. Hope to be back here by the 11th. From there, we'll see who is "in" and move forward from there.