Post by Shelby on Nov 30, 2021 16:16:05 GMT -8
There's a good post over at Halfway Station from gaming legend Andy Slack. He watched a lot of streamed game sessions and had some feedback.
I reacted to his thoughts, generalizing to online gaming whether streamed or not. I thought that I'd share my comment here as well. Feel free to add your own thoughts.
Great post! I get really bored watching recordings of other people gaming, but I’ve learned some lessons from playing online in so many different groups in recent years.
- I think the percentage of role-play vs mechanic-wrestling is dependent on the particular participants involved. Whether online or in person. I have to say that I haven’t noticed more role-play in online play. But as a GM it’s always good to be reminded to be more descriptive.
- Grognard-rant, I hate the “notice roll” concept! I’ll give you all the hints verbally, and you have to put them together and make up your own mind. Or make additional inquiries. It’s on the player, not a die roll. Glory in that, the player doesn’t get screwed because of a bad die roll!
- I don’t worry all that much about rules mistakes, but yes, there’s usually someone in the group who is quick to question, in-person or online. As you say, the word “master” is in the term “Dungeon Master.” Better to move along and deal with it after, for next time.
- I think having webcams pointed at the players’ faces is the only way online gaming can approach the feel of gathering around a table with friends. I hate the games where players are reluctant to switch their cams on. I feel like I’m talking to myself, instead of playing a game of social interaction. Did I mention how much I hate it? I did? Well, it bears repeating.
- As for other graphics, I think it’s necessary and really feel it when they’re sparse. I’ve ranted many times about needing a battle-mat with tokens for every game, and I also need area maps or no two people will ever have the same concept of what’s supposed to be out there. Various illustrations are neat too. I don’t need a video game equivalent, I don’t need animation, and I don’t need adaptive graphics. But we’re not sitting at a table with friends, we have honking-big monitors and we’re visually-oriented animals. So give me something to look at.
Thanks for sharing your observations. I know I could’ve been more descriptive in the last session I ran, so I’ll stick a Post-It on my monitor next time to remind me.
I reacted to his thoughts, generalizing to online gaming whether streamed or not. I thought that I'd share my comment here as well. Feel free to add your own thoughts.
Great post! I get really bored watching recordings of other people gaming, but I’ve learned some lessons from playing online in so many different groups in recent years.
- I think the percentage of role-play vs mechanic-wrestling is dependent on the particular participants involved. Whether online or in person. I have to say that I haven’t noticed more role-play in online play. But as a GM it’s always good to be reminded to be more descriptive.
- Grognard-rant, I hate the “notice roll” concept! I’ll give you all the hints verbally, and you have to put them together and make up your own mind. Or make additional inquiries. It’s on the player, not a die roll. Glory in that, the player doesn’t get screwed because of a bad die roll!
- I don’t worry all that much about rules mistakes, but yes, there’s usually someone in the group who is quick to question, in-person or online. As you say, the word “master” is in the term “Dungeon Master.” Better to move along and deal with it after, for next time.
- I think having webcams pointed at the players’ faces is the only way online gaming can approach the feel of gathering around a table with friends. I hate the games where players are reluctant to switch their cams on. I feel like I’m talking to myself, instead of playing a game of social interaction. Did I mention how much I hate it? I did? Well, it bears repeating.
- As for other graphics, I think it’s necessary and really feel it when they’re sparse. I’ve ranted many times about needing a battle-mat with tokens for every game, and I also need area maps or no two people will ever have the same concept of what’s supposed to be out there. Various illustrations are neat too. I don’t need a video game equivalent, I don’t need animation, and I don’t need adaptive graphics. But we’re not sitting at a table with friends, we have honking-big monitors and we’re visually-oriented animals. So give me something to look at.
Thanks for sharing your observations. I know I could’ve been more descriptive in the last session I ran, so I’ll stick a Post-It on my monitor next time to remind me.