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Skyscraper
Sergeant
659 Posts
    
Montreal
 | | 02/08/2007 2:03 PM |
| Hi everyone,
Some friends and i would like to do a PBEM (Play by Email) D&D adventure. I'm not even sure if PBEM is the correct word for this...
Anyway, i'm looking for suggestions on how to run this.
We have a private news server that can be used.
My questions are: how to you run this, what are the logistics? For combat, how do you have everyone roll, decide what they'll do, then adjudicate, without a few rounds taking 2 weeks to conclude?
Is there a simple way to map things down? Good software? Powerpoint? I'm looking for simplicity.
What about minis? Do you use minis or mini images? Do you use a grid? Do you follow 3.5 combat rules to the letter?
Any suggestions welcome.
Sky
p.s.: cross-posted on MM and hordelings
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The wise man doubts often. The ignorant, sometimes. The fool, never. | |
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gss_000
Commander
3204 Posts
Baltimore, MD
| | 02/08/2007 5:13 PM |
| Are you looking for something like OpenRPG, that has systems for playing over essentially a chat room?
If you want simple map programs, I've used Dungeon Forge. It's very simple and you can map out quickly. | |
Completed trades: blackthorne, Drakkengi,Thorgrin, Ironfist Boulderbender x2, ckissee, nasamonkey, Username, Star, Ace13 x3, emontedodger x2, Drconveyor, church, Joeyb, Sir Bozak The Damned, Xeromod, the other guy x2, Qucalion of Celene, Dagaron x2, berus316, qillan_dvra, AshloreDarkShadow
For further info go to My Reference Thread and Trade Interface
Champion of Radiant Sevant | |
| Knight of Argenis
Corim Danex
Warlord
6614 Posts
West Valley City, Utah
| | 02/08/2007 5:46 PM |
| | While I don't have any real suggestions, I understand what you mean about PBEM getting bogged down. I tried a PBEM through maxminis shortly after joining that just didn't work. It's good that you are trying to work things out on it before starting. | |
"Look to God and live." Alma 37:47
Vindicated Champ of Hippogriff (Arcadian Hippogriff) and Uncommon Horse | |
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Skyscraper
Sergeant
659 Posts
Montreal
| | 02/09/2007 7:36 AM |
| gss: it's not going to be a real-time game, no chat room. Through emails and newsgroup posts only.
Corim: thanks for telling me this nonetheless. It highlights how important it is to set up a workable system.
Anyone else with suggestions, please post! If i come up with something that's worth mentioning, i'll post back here.
Sky | |
The wise man doubts often. The ignorant, sometimes. The fool, never. | |
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gss_000
Commander
3204 Posts
Baltimore, MD
| | 02/09/2007 3:07 PM |
| Okay then. I played 2 campaigns PBEM, one an Amber and the other Teenagers From Outer Space (TFOS). The DM is going to have a lot of work, in both of these cases, the game ended after a couple of months because it took too much time away from work. Often times it would work in the following manner: The GM would send an account of what happens and then the PCs would react. The key for the PCs is to use If/And/Or/Else statements to account everything they wanted to do, very much like logic puzzles. For instance, if there was a combat I might say for a fighter:
If I can flank, then I'll get into position for the rogue. If I can't then I'll charge and swing once. I won't power attack unless I see others hitting him easily.
Combat can be gestalted with no rolls, or everyone can trust the DM to do them. I wouldn't let the players do the rolling. Once the turns are done and sent to the GM, he/she has the job of fitting it all together and then writing up exactly what happens which can take a lot of work.
PBEM works well when the game is like a turn-based RTS. It has a lot of flaws for the part outside of combat. Detailed situations like conversations can take a long time. The biggest caveat is that PBEM is not table top. You are not getting the same experience and it can't flow like that by the nature of the medium since it is not instantaneous. You have to readjust what people can and can't do. I'd especially establish what happens with skill checks like Sense Motive, Spot, and Listen, which happen in the middle of actions and can drastically change outcomes based on success and failure. | |
Completed trades: blackthorne, Drakkengi,Thorgrin, Ironfist Boulderbender x2, ckissee, nasamonkey, Username, Star, Ace13 x3, emontedodger x2, Drconveyor, church, Joeyb, Sir Bozak The Damned, Xeromod, the other guy x2, Qucalion of Celene, Dagaron x2, berus316, qillan_dvra, AshloreDarkShadow
For further info go to My Reference Thread and Trade Interface
Champion of Radiant Sevant | |
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Qucalion of Celene
Sergeant
934 Posts
Salt Lake City, Utah
| | 02/09/2007 3:24 PM |
| I've played in a couple, and have run a couple PBeM campaigns. They are difficult, time consuming and, at times, frustrating.
The greatest difficulty I had was haveing players who would work to continue the play after a while.
I tend to prefer more story-based games than combat based. While I do include combat, I try and minimize it and adjudicate it without die rolls. | |
Qucalion of Celene
Master Champion of the Dice Tale[http://dicetales.kuglerworld.com/]
Ringleader of the Magical Mystery Trade
Conductor of the MaxMinis Commuter Trade
Official Wizards of the Coast Delegate
King of the Caveats
Resume: http://www.maxminis.com/Forums/tabid/104/forumid/53/postid/678297/view/topic/Default.aspx
Have/Want List Last Update: 31 July 2008 | |
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Skyscraper
Sergeant
659 Posts
Montreal
| | 02/11/2007 7:34 AM |
| Thanks for everything, very interesting info up to now! I'm not discouraged yet, so if anyone has other thoughts or suggestions, post on!
Sky | |
The wise man doubts often. The ignorant, sometimes. The fool, never. | |
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gss_000
Commander
3204 Posts
Baltimore, MD
| | 02/11/2007 10:45 AM |
| Don't be discouraged if this i what you want to play. Just be prepared for the differences and difficulties. 
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Completed trades: blackthorne, Drakkengi,Thorgrin, Ironfist Boulderbender x2, ckissee, nasamonkey, Username, Star, Ace13 x3, emontedodger x2, Drconveyor, church, Joeyb, Sir Bozak The Damned, Xeromod, the other guy x2, Qucalion of Celene, Dagaron x2, berus316, qillan_dvra, AshloreDarkShadow
For further info go to My Reference Thread and Trade Interface
Champion of Radiant Sevant | |
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Skyscraper
Sergeant
659 Posts
Montreal
| | 02/12/2007 7:58 AM |
| I hear you. I already have a few of campaigns running in parallel, i'll add another now Thinking about playing RHoD.
Sky | |
The wise man doubts often. The ignorant, sometimes. The fool, never. | |
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