Thinking about running a play by post D&D game.

ArkansanArkansan Regular
edited January 2013 in Spurious Generalities
I have been tossing the Idea around in my head for a bit now, and since all my classes are online this semester and I am in front of the computer all the fucking time anyway. So I guess this is an interest check, I have never ran D&D play by post but I have seen it done and think I can handle it. If this pans out the rules I will use are a free clone version of an old version of D&D so everyone can download them legally, link being here http://www.swordsandwizardry.com/?page_id=18. The one I will be using is called under the heading whitebox. These are a clone of the very first rules from 74 and as such are easy to learn and easy for me to tinker with to suit our tastes. Anyway I figured it would be cool to have our own Totseans D&D game, so if anyone is interested just say so and once we have everyone aboard we can discuss the particulars.
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Comments

  • SlartibartfastSlartibartfast Global Moderator -__-
    edited August 2012
    This is very interesting. I had no idea such things existed.

    Be patient with me (I don't know what i'm doing)...which PDF do i download?
  • ArkansanArkansan Regular
    edited August 2012
    The first one under the heading white box. It should say Download the PDF free from our site.
    I forgot I could just link straight to it. Doh!
    http://www.swordsandwizardry.com/whiteboxpdf.pdf
  • DfgDfg Admin
    edited August 2012
    Never played it, always wanted to play it. I am in, I am fucking IN!
  • ArkansanArkansan Regular
    edited August 2012
    Righteous Dfg, If we can get at least three people on board then we have a game.
  • Darth BeaverDarth Beaver Meine Ehre heißt Treue
    edited August 2012
    Count me in I have played off and on since the old days or TSR and Gygax.
  • ArkansanArkansan Regular
    edited August 2012
    Right on. One more person and we have a game, and if no one else is interested I am sure we can manage. Once I get an idea of who all is on board I will post a few things that I do a bit differently than what is in the rules I linked to.
  • Darth BeaverDarth Beaver Meine Ehre heißt Treue
    edited August 2012
    What are you planning on running? I mean like Pathfinder, 3.5, 4.0?
  • ArkansanArkansan Regular
    edited August 2012
    Swords and Wizardry whitebox, it is a clone of the original 74 rules, just with a few odds and ends cleaned up, the download link should be in one of my posts above. Its free.
  • Darth BeaverDarth Beaver Meine Ehre heißt Treue
    edited August 2012
    Is it the old school THAC0 system or the new d20 based one?

    Edit, also how do you handle the die rolls in play by post?
  • ArkansanArkansan Regular
    edited August 2012
    It provides for doing either way. I figured we would use the d20 ascending armor class though as I have always found it a bit easier to teach first time players, but I am open to whatever.
  • Darth BeaverDarth Beaver Meine Ehre heißt Treue
    edited August 2012
    Yeah, the d20 system is much more steam lined and less cumbersome and the math is the same as far as hit percentages go. I did see this for VB 4.0.x and we are running 4.2.0 but it may very well work and woud make for easy no trust needed die rolls if it works and Dfg will bang it in.

    http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?t=245192
  • ArkansanArkansan Regular
    edited August 2012
    That would be cool and if doesn't work I trust you guys too make your own rolls
  • Darth BeaverDarth Beaver Meine Ehre heißt Treue
    edited August 2012
    OK then fuck the hack I just rolled my stats and I had all 18's and I pre-rolled my first 1000 attack rolls and they were all natural 20's.
    :yeahthat:
  • ArkansanArkansan Regular
    edited August 2012
    Ha. Yeah, sooo maybe that hack is a good idea. Did you take a look at the pdf of the rules?
  • Darth BeaverDarth Beaver Meine Ehre heißt Treue
    edited August 2012
    I downloaded them but my good glasses are out in the car and well it is almost 30 feet from the door I am 3 feet from.
  • DfgDfg Admin
    edited September 2012
    Man, I need to read the rules. I am a complete n00b at this. Like I have no fucking clue about this game. Would be awesome if we had a Skype conference about this. Just to get me started. Looking for the Dice roller on other websites.
  • Darth BeaverDarth Beaver Meine Ehre heißt Treue
    edited September 2012
    Dfg wrote: »

    That would be no different than using real dice as far as the trust factor goes. No, I am sorry but the only plausible solution is a hack for the board. As you can see there are entire communities devoted to online pen & paper gaming or play by post RPG. And they all use a board hack that post the die rolls in the players post like so.

    http://www.thetangledweb.net/forums/faq.php?faq=roller#faq_roller_how
  • ArkansanArkansan Regular
    edited September 2012
    Dfg I am sure TDR can explain it to you over skype as I have no idea how to skype. But as a quick summary, the rules allow the players to create a character with which to explore a fantasitical world. I as the dungeon master create said fantastic world and populate with various obstacles, enemies, and treaures. I then turn the players loose in it to make their character powerful and wealthy or to meet a grisly demise. Essentially I act as referee between the players and the game world.
  • DfgDfg Admin
    edited September 2012
    Trying to get the Dice Roller. Hopefully I will be able to install it later on.
  • ArkansanArkansan Regular
    edited September 2012
    Sweet that will make things much easier. Is anyone else interested in playing? We can run it with two players but three or more is ideal.
  • Darth BeaverDarth Beaver Meine Ehre heißt Treue
    edited September 2012
    RamDe get your ass ITT.
  • DfgDfg Admin
    edited September 2012
    I see you're using RamDe now :D makes me happy.
  • ArkansanArkansan Regular
    edited September 2012
    Hear, Hear! More RamDe is what this thread needs.
  • ArkansanArkansan Regular
    edited September 2012
    Couldn't sleep last night so I started the dungeon design process and the general prep work, got some wicked ideas going. Anyone skim through the rules yet? Also we still only have TDR and Dfg for sure, anyone else in?
  • Darth BeaverDarth Beaver Meine Ehre heißt Treue
    edited September 2012
    Well we need Dfg to find and install the dice hack. Once we start posting/playing perhaps it will draw others in.
  • ArkansanArkansan Regular
    edited September 2012
    Right on. Hell I have DMed games for one player, two is plenty really, but I figure once things get off the ground more will jump in. That dice hack was a good find on your part, such a thing honestly had not occured to me. I have been working up a storm on dungeons and what not seeing as my classes this semester are easy as fuck. I have this epic totseans campaign envisioned in my head.
  • DfgDfg Admin
    edited September 2012
    I e-mailed Hellish, lets hope I get a response soon.
  • Darth BeaverDarth Beaver Meine Ehre heißt Treue
    edited September 2012
    Do you still not have the license sorted out with him?
  • GoingNowhereGoingNowhere Global Moderator
    edited September 2012
    Oh, this looks cool :)
  • Darth BeaverDarth Beaver Meine Ehre heißt Treue
    edited September 2012
    Oh, this looks cool :)
    Does that mean we now have 3?
  • GoingNowhereGoingNowhere Global Moderator
    edited September 2012
    Does that mean we now have 3?

    Hey, why not :) Always like doing something I've never done before.
  • ArkansanArkansan Regular
    edited September 2012
    Awesome man. I recommend downloading the rules and giving the first two chapters a read, ignore the sidebars that say house rules, all total the first two chapters are only 10 pages.

    Also now that we have three people aboard I have a couple of quick questions before I do anymore of the legwork on my end. What kind of game are you guys interested in,
    1. a sprawling area to explore filled with multiple dungeons and towns and shit to pilfer. This kind of game will give you guys a bit of everything to do, exploring, politicking, looting, really whatever you want.
    2. a less fleshed out world focused on a single, massive labyrinthine dungeon, one that could in theory go on for ever.

    I am also open to other ideas, anyway my main goal is for everyone to have an enjoyable play experience so I thought I would get some feed back as to what kind of game sounded interesting to y'all.
  • Darth BeaverDarth Beaver Meine Ehre heißt Treue
    edited September 2012
    I like the 1st option myself.
  • DfgDfg Admin
    edited September 2012
    1st option, :D OMG I wish we were sitting on some damn table and playing this game. Fuck
  • ArkansanArkansan Regular
    edited September 2012
    Right on brother. Option one was what I was leaning toward anyway. I will start the design process tonight and with the amount of free time I have at the moment I should knock it out in about three days. GoingNowhere you have any particular preferences as to the style of the game?
  • Darth BeaverDarth Beaver Meine Ehre heißt Treue
    edited September 2012
    Any progress on the dice hack yet Dfg?
  • GoingNowhereGoingNowhere Global Moderator
    edited September 2012
    Arkansan wrote: »
    Right on brother. Option one was what I was leaning toward anyway. I will start the design process tonight and with the amount of free time I have at the moment I should knock it out in about three days. GoingNowhere you have any particular preferences as to the style of the game?

    Option 1 sounds great to me :) No good sir, I'll leave it to your good judgement on how the game turns out. I've never played a D&D game before, but I've always wanted to so I'm definitely looking forward to this, but I don't know that much about the game (read a couple of chapters in that link you put up though).

    Yeah, a dice roll built into Vbulletin would be cool.
  • DfgDfg Admin
    edited September 2012
    Any progress on the dice hack yet Dfg?

    Nope :(
  • Darth BeaverDarth Beaver Meine Ehre heißt Treue
    edited September 2012
    Unacceptable:WHIP:, we must have it in order to do this. Why did we never get the VB info from Hellish? Also how do you apply the patches without that info?
  • DfgDfg Admin
    edited September 2012
    Unacceptable:WHIP:, we must have it in order to do this. Why did we never get the VB info from Hellish? Also how do you apply the patches without that info?

    Wait for the money to flood in, I will buy a new one anyway.
  • ArkansanArkansan Regular
    edited September 2012
    Well the dice roller seems to be a bit of an issue thus far. Any other ideas on how to handle the dice rolling? The only other thing I can think of is for me as DM to do all the rolling. I have always let the dice fall where they may, so you guys wouldn't have to worry about me screwing you or fudging to save you. It wouldn't be quite the same as you guys making your own rolls, but then again using a dice hack isn't quite the same as holding actual dice. Of course if we went that way I could always post the rolls for all to see, that way everyone can be sure of whats going on. Besides I tend not to rely on the dice too much for anything besides combat, for everything else I judge success based on how well the players describe what they are trying to do and whether it seems reasonable that they could in face succeed.
  • Darth BeaverDarth Beaver Meine Ehre heißt Treue
    edited September 2012
    I would have no problem with the ref rolling. In fact back in the day I played a table top campaign that way. And if the future should provide us with a post with roll option we could always explore that as well.
  • ArkansanArkansan Regular
    edited September 2012
    Right on, seems to be the best option for now. I am still in the design process as essentially I want to give you guys a giant "sandbox" to play in, but we may go ahead and do character creation tommorow, at the very least I will make a post outlining some extra options I tend to give players. My goal is to be play ready by this weekend.
  • GoingNowhereGoingNowhere Global Moderator
    edited September 2012
    I was going to suggest that solution myself actually :) We could tie in Skype too if we're all online together
  • DfgDfg Admin
    edited September 2012
    I am game for Skype, I checked the zip TDR gave me. It doesn't have the damn Dice thingy.
  • ArkansanArkansan Regular
    edited September 2012
    Skype will be problematic for me as I don't post from home, though I imagine it would be a good way for you guys to coordinate your efforts so to speak.
    Almost finished with the world building process, tomorrow I will post a gazetteer outlining the basics of the world and the initial play area and make the rolls needed for you guys to start making characters.
  • Darth BeaverDarth Beaver Meine Ehre heißt Treue
    edited September 2012
    Sounds good...
  • ArkansanArkansan Regular
    edited September 2012
    The Peoples of the known world

    The Mycenii
    A once numerous people whose modern sphere of influence is limited to the southern lands, though their merchants can be found literally anywhere. They tend to be compact of build and shorter of stature than other peoples, ranging anywhere from 5’6-5’9 and weighing anywhere from 135-150 for the average male. Dark hair, dark eyes, and olive skin tones make them easily identifiable to other peoples. Although the names they call themselves are many they are known as Mycenii to the world at large due to the massive empire that particular group of their people spawned, leaving its ruins dotted across the continent and its language as the default common tongue. They are often found across the realms as sell swords, merchants, and clerks, bringing the efficiency they are famed for to whatever venture they try their hand at.

    The Isveined
    These are the northernmost races of peoples, they typically only venture out of the frozen wastes when the notion to go raiding has struck them. They are a large people, 5’11-6’1, with broad frames, weighing anywhere from 175-200 for the average male. They are fair of skin with hair colors that run from coal black to a fiery red. They place little value on life, believing that glory is all that is worth leaving behind; this produces a race known for a bravery that borders on foolishness. When they are found abroad it is almost solely as sell swords.

    The Tire Abhainn
    These people inhabit the fertile river valleys and thick forests of the middle regions of the continent. On average they are between 5’8-5’11 with medium builds and ruddy complexions, though it is not uncommon to see one with an olive tone that is indicative of some Myceniian ancestry. They place a great value on storytelling and works of art, though not shy of war they prefer to ambush and stalk rather than meet on open fields. When found outside their homelands they are often employed as bards or tradesmen, though some are known to adventure.

    The Esikoninen
    The elves call themselves first born of all peoples; they are a haughty people who keep for the most part to their own lands in the northwest. They tend to be almost uniform in height, typically from 5’10-5’11 with thin, wiry builds weighing on average 150 pounds. They are easily discernible by their light colored eyes, black hair and slender pointed ears. They place the utmost value on knowledge of which they consider all to be arcane. Their societies are typically organized into complex “mysteries”, each one handling a particular aspect of life. They are found outside their homelands as seers, sorcerers and occasionally mercenaries.

    The Alle Asukas
    The dwarves as most call them, are found primarily in the east, deep in their holdfast under that mountain range the Mycenii call the warders. They are usually range from 5’2-5’6, with stocky builds that tend to weigh from 165-185 pounds. They are not born but rather carved from stone and “breathed” in an elaborate ceremony in which their whole clan participates. All things center on the clan. They are often found outside their lands as miners and stonemasons.

    Character Creation;
    Follow the guidelines as laid out in the rules pdf, besides that I would like at least a paragraph worth of description and background for your character, it doesn’t need to be in depth. If you choose a cleric give me a sentence or two about your god and it will become canon for the game world.

    I recommend picking a background profession that will provide them with some sort of useful skills, if you do that will be taken into account and provide a bonus to any rolls that it seems reasonable that those skills would affect.

    Here are your rolls, drop the lowest number add the total for each set of rolls and then assign each of those totals to one of your attributes. If you have any questions or need ideas just ask.


    TDR:
    5,4,1,3
    5,4,3,5
    3,4,2,5
    3,3,6,2
    3,2,3,3
    4,3,2,6

    Dfg:
    3,5,1,2
    6,6,6,1
    2,5,5,2
    5,3,3,4
    6,5,3,4
    4,2,4,1

    GoingNowhere:
    5,4,5,1
    5,5,1,3
    5,6,5,2
    3,4,4,5
    2,1,3,6
    2,5,3,6

    Tomorrow I will post a summary of the important notes of the last 200 years of history, a map and brief summary of common knowledge about the region we will be starting play in.
  • ArkansanArkansan Regular
    edited September 2012
    I decided to skip posting the summary and what not as I thought it might be more fun if everything was somewhat of a discovery process. I will be finished with everything on my end tonight, I have a sleep study tommorow so I plan on pulling an all nighter so it will be easier to sleep at the clinic. Anyone finished with their characters? As soon as everyone has their characters posted here we should be able to start.
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