TOPIC: 6/7 Update - Good Playtest - And I have a question

I kike the idea of a separate zoom for interaction, though I worry the voice would bleed from.one to the other.

Bob Chasan wrote: I belong to a business networking group and although it’s quite large for the first 10 minutes of the meeting organizer breaks out into breakout rooms were 6-7 people get to interact. This is all done via Zoom and might be a good way to give some interaction between the players before getting into coaching or actually going into the dungeon especially with PUGs

I like the idea of audio only for the run itself but we could have a separate zoom room for the "coaching" room where we have images for everyone. This could also be a way to verify tokens, work out classes and roles, etc.

Fred

Fiddy wrote: I feel like losing out on player video will lessen the experience for me. I like being able to see my teammates. But then again, I run on a dual screen machine where I can set the gallery of everyone's video on one screen and the golem or other stuff on the other screen.

Another concern I have with audio-only is that in my experience people are even more likely to talk over each other. Though it can help if you have some social agreements like "stay on mute when not talking. take yourself off mute to indicate that you want to talk" or something like that.

+1
I agree with what Fiddy said.

I've been playing weekly online RPGs for over three years, and, seeing the video of other players is important.
It isn't important to the mechanics, but it is very important to the social aspect of gaming (and enhances enjoyment).

As gamers, many of us enjoy playing off of and with our fellow players, and visual cues are important to interact.

That said, my #1 concern is that the TD online experience is possible and a good experience.
If doing video for players detracts from the TD experience, then please drop it.
If it is too expensive, then please drop video.

However, don't underestimate how important it is important for players--and TD DMs--to see how players react . A lot of communication is non verbal.

Finally, I have strong opinions about good tools to use, as I've used some poor tools.
Zoom and Google Meet/Hangouts have been consistently good.

--Steven

I would also be fine with Audio only, especially for the main dungeon piece. I think a lot of pre-made teams can use their own Zoom/Discord as well for video to make the official setup less cumbersome.

Throw my vote to having some form of video of player's faces even if it's a row of tiny boxes along the side. It should purely serve as a social tool... aka; I do NOT want to use it for dice rolls but for...

1) Avoiding over-talking.
2) Seeing your party in-person. In TD, face-to-face comeradere is important and having this will set TD apart from other types of "online" games that use avatars and such.

Picc wrote: I have zero interest in seeing other faces so long as I can see the golem

I will try not to take that personally. 😛

Two things, as others have said, the only way I could do this is video on my computer monitor and vocal and camera on my wife's cell phone. So I might be technologically unable to participate.

Second, whats "PUG's"?

raptorov wrote: Second, whats "PUG's"?

PUGs = Pick Up Groups (so unplanned groupings)

I'd be interested either way.

Dragon6483 wrote:

raptorov wrote: Second, whats "PUG's"?

PUGs = Pick Up Groups (so unplanned groupings)

If a Pick Up Group are all outfitted with Staffs, does that make them Pick Up Sticks?

Mike Steele wrote:

Dragon6483 wrote:

raptorov wrote: Second, whats "PUG's"?

PUGs = Pick Up Groups (so unplanned groupings)

If a Pick Up Group are all outfitted with Staffs, does that make them Pick Up Sticks?

If it’s an all elf, all staff group are they Pixie Sticks?

Harlax wrote:

Mike Steele wrote:

Dragon6483 wrote:

raptorov wrote: Second, whats "PUG's"?

PUGs = Pick Up Groups (so unplanned groupings)

If a Pick Up Group are all outfitted with Staffs, does that make them Pick Up Sticks?

If it’s an all elf, all staff group are they Pixie Sticks?

Just a hunch, but I feel like may see a lot less pugs this year.