What are some advantages between hosting an RPG online vs with people in real life? I've always figured that online games were better for serious campaigns with actual role-playing, since people get embarrassed with that sort of thing in person, but people I've met in the few online games I've been able to play don't seem to take it any more seriously; in fact, the ability to fuck off without a trace at a moments notice would seem to give them less incentive for a serious game.
Advantages for online games would be
>Automation
>Logs
>Did I say logs?
>Easier to find people
>Easy to set up, see that cool piece of character art? Use it as a token
>Convenience
>More immersive roleplaying
Real life games have
>Body language
>Can use miniatures and scenery
>Can enjoy a drink with friends while doing so
>Can make sure that everyone at the table isn't tiddling on the net or is otherwise distracted
>Never will have dropped connections or technical issues. Seriously, I was playing on Roll20 last night and because of server issues the entire experience was painful.
>>48096059
MAAAAAAPS! Online games are pretty (assuming the GM wants to put in a little time). Board space generally isn't as limited as RL tables are, either; you can generally make encounters as big as you want them to be.
>>48096279
>Body language
I've limited experience with online play, but found the lack of body language, gestures and tone of voice (we were playing by text, but even using video chat, it's not the same thing) to be crippling. You had to say so much more to convey the same amount of information, and couldn't feed on the emotions and enthusiasm of your fellow players. I kind of hated it (and being a fairly slow typer didn't help), but I'm sure getting used to it would improve the experience at least some. Still don't think it'd measure up though.
>>48096059
My IRL groups tend to be less accepting of hard core, in depth sexual roleplay.
>>48098590
I never found that to be an issue with voice chat.
I don't really need body language and gesture, but my group is used to roll20 so we give full description of our actions, maybe it's why
>>48098782
I constantly use my hands in describing things, and will actually demonstrate body positioning in battle--demonstrating a sword strike or the way an enemy bats aside a blow with his shield--and sometimes have somebody demonstrate the attack they make in slow motion. Doing shit via text drives me crazy, because words alone convey so little emotion, and you sometimes need to type out sentences when a simple gesture would've sufficed. Voice chat obviously addresses the emotion part (though conversation with a bunch of people you can't see or take visual cues form over your speakers is still less than ideal), but I'd really miss gesture and expression.
>>48099030
It's like you're autistic, but in the opposite direction.
>>48099030
Well, not doing the gesture make everyone picturing it in his head the way he wants to. Sometimes it can be better.
If we wants to show something tho, we just send a picture. It's quick and effective. That's how I explained mordhau or half-swording to my group to describe how my character fight.
I 100% agree for text tho. Talking is way better.
But!
It's good when you CAN write. Sometimes the GM and a player are talking and the other players do nothing. So they just RP in the chat. It's nice and it give some life to the event when the GM react to it.
You can also split your group effectively that way without slowing the action
>>48096279
>Never will have dropped connections or technical issues. Seriously, I was playing on Roll20 last night and because of server issues the entire experience was painful.
Glad I wasn't the only one.
I had eight disconnects within fifteen minutes. Shit was miserable.
>>48099062
As GM, I'm constantly getting out of my chair. I used to hate playing at my friend's house because he had low ceilings in the basement, where would would play, and I was constantly banging the shit out my hands gesticulating wildly, demonstrating a sword swing or somebody jumping back, etc.
>>48099254
Oh, and more than once I've (slightly) injured myself acting out zombies scrambling over furniture in their uncoordinated, limb-flailing sort of way.
