Red Hand Online [Archive] - Wizards Community

Red Hand Online [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
RtrnofdMax
09-16-07, 12:47 PM Anyone know of a way to hook up with a Red Hand online game?
Greyson
09-16-07, 06:33 PM An online run of Red Hand of Doom sounds like a big, big challenge. The only place I know of where there might be a slim chance is the Online Gameday Yahoo! Group.

http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/OnlineGameDay/

Good luck.
KarmaInferno
09-17-07, 12:37 PM Remember that online games tend to run 50% to 100% longer than a face-to-face game.

Also, there is usually difficulty in scheduling everyone to be able to keep playing for multiple nights - usually one guy will not be able to make night 3, and another night 2, and a third cannot make the first half of the fourth night, etc. Its not like a convention where everyone is going to be there the whole time anyhow - Real Life often takes precedent.

-karma
RtrnofdMax
09-17-07, 01:18 PM Good info on the online thing. I was thinking about it so that I wouldn't have to give up 10+ days playing this mod (I hear each part takes 2 sessions to finish usually.) Hearing that online take longer puts an end to that idea.
kenobi65
09-17-07, 02:00 PM Speaking as a veteran of literally hundreds of online RPGA games...

KarmaInferno's correct, if we're talking about playing in a chat room (like with OpenRPG or AIM). IME, 6 to 8 hours to play a one-round RPGA scenario is pretty typical (and, the more combat-intensive the module, the longer it tends to take). The thought of trying to chug through RHoD online just boggles my mind. :)

I know that there are some folks who have started playing using voice programs, like Skype or Ventrilo, and that apparently does speed things up. But, those seem to (so far) be the exceptions to the rule, and seem to be primarily more established groups who play together regularly, rather than "pick-up" groups of random assortments of players.
Timlagor
09-18-07, 02:42 AM Ventrilo is becoming much more common than it used to be.
There are plenty of people unable to use Skype at all but only a couple who can't make Ventrilo work (due to using dial-up connections)
Vamroc
09-19-07, 02:47 PM Are you joking do you want carpal tunnel syndrome there is a HUGE amount of box text in that mod. There are fights in which you simply need to see a battle field. Otherwise kiss the party goodbye at the end of the first chapther. Sometimes easier or faster isn't better and for this mod you really want a group that can be in one place. Even stream lined it took our party over six hours to finish part three.
kenobi65
09-19-07, 03:56 PM There are fights in which you simply need to see a battle field.

Well, that part isn't really a problem. Most folks I know who play RPGA stuff online either use programs like OpenRPG (which has a battle map), or create a shareable grid on Google Spreadsheet.
KarmaInferno
09-20-07, 05:09 PM Are you joking do you want carpal tunnel syndrome there is a HUGE amount of box text in that mod. There are fights in which you simply need to see a battle field. Otherwise kiss the party goodbye at the end of the first chapther. Sometimes easier or faster isn't better and for this mod you really want a group that can be in one place. Even stream lined it took our party over six hours to finish part three.

Most folks copy and paste rather than re-type.

This does require 'cracking' the PDFs to allow copy-n-paste, but since this is for an authorized use (playing mods online), it should not be a legal problem.

Is RHoD availible as PDF? If not, yeah, it could be a problem. Maybe scan-to-text would work if you have a scanner.

And there are a number of ways folks use to show battlemaps. OpenRPG has a built-in online battlemat. I've also seen folks use Google Spreadsheets (http://docs.google.com/) as a map.

-karma
Wraith235
09-20-07, 06:26 PM bit off topic .... where is this "OpenRPG" you refer to ?
and how can I sign up
Greyson
09-20-07, 07:00 PM where is this "OpenRPG" you refer to? and how can I sign up
OpenRPG is shareware, so it is free. Several people have added to it and refined since its original inception. You may download it HERE (http://www.openrpg.com/) from the OpenRPG Web site. A Judge or DM sets up a game and invites people to his OpenRPG session. You do need the client, though. So, download the Online Virtual Tabletop.

I do agree with others that Red hand of Doom is just too much for online play.
solbergb
09-24-07, 02:30 PM Most folks copy and paste rather than re-type.

This does require 'cracking' the PDFs to allow copy-n-paste, but since this is for an authorized use (playing mods online), it should not be a legal problem.

-karma

Or they do what I do, is type the boxtext into "nodes" and at gametime have it all with a click.

I often fix grammar or spelling errors too, or adapt the boxtext some, especially in "question/response" type things so the answer gives a clue as to which PC the NPC is answering, as online that isn't always clear.

Having played RHOD part 1 this weekend I can say it is absolutely the worst possible type of mod to try to play online. Right down to handouts where really you'd need to scan it and mail it in gif or tif or png or some other graphical mode so the players really had the right experience.

It also has complicated 3-dimensional fights with lots of opponents and terrain, which is quite difficult even on a prepared tabletop. The openrpg map is about the size of a small battlemap
and it is even harder to visualize 3-dimensional stuff than on a tabletop.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
RtrnofdMax 09-16-07, 12:47 PM	Anyone know of a way to hook up with a Red Hand online game?
Greyson 09-16-07, 06:33 PM	An online run of Red Hand of Doom sounds like a big, big challenge. The only place I know of where there might be a slim chance is the Online Gameday Yahoo! Group. http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/OnlineGameDay/ Good luck.
KarmaInferno 09-17-07, 12:37 PM	Remember that online games tend to run 50% to 100% longer than a face-to-face game. Also, there is usually difficulty in scheduling everyone to be able to keep playing for multiple nights - usually one guy will not be able to make night 3, and another night 2, and a third cannot make the first half of the fourth night, etc. Its not like a convention where everyone is going to be there the whole time anyhow - Real Life often takes precedent. -karma
RtrnofdMax 09-17-07, 01:18 PM	Good info on the online thing. I was thinking about it so that I wouldn't have to give up 10+ days playing this mod (I hear each part takes 2 sessions to finish usually.) Hearing that online take longer puts an end to that idea.
kenobi65 09-17-07, 02:00 PM	Speaking as a veteran of literally hundreds of online RPGA games... KarmaInferno's correct, if we're talking about playing in a chat room (like with OpenRPG or AIM). IME, 6 to 8 hours to play a one-round RPGA scenario is pretty typical (and, the more combat-intensive the module, the longer it tends to take). The thought of trying to chug through RHoD online just boggles my mind. :) I know that there are some folks who have started playing using voice programs, like Skype or Ventrilo, and that apparently does speed things up. But, those seem to (so far) be the exceptions to the rule, and seem to be primarily more established groups who play together regularly, rather than "pick-up" groups of random assortments of players.
Timlagor 09-18-07, 02:42 AM	Ventrilo is becoming much more common than it used to be. There are plenty of people unable to use Skype at all but only a couple who can't make Ventrilo work (due to using dial-up connections)
Vamroc 09-19-07, 02:47 PM	Are you joking do you want carpal tunnel syndrome there is a HUGE amount of box text in that mod. There are fights in which you simply need to see a battle field. Otherwise kiss the party goodbye at the end of the first chapther. Sometimes easier or faster isn't better and for this mod you really want a group that can be in one place. Even stream lined it took our party over six hours to finish part three.
kenobi65 09-19-07, 03:56 PM	There are fights in which you simply need to see a battle field. Well, that part isn't really a problem. Most folks I know who play RPGA stuff online either use programs like OpenRPG (which has a battle map), or create a shareable grid on Google Spreadsheet.
KarmaInferno 09-20-07, 05:09 PM	Are you joking do you want carpal tunnel syndrome there is a HUGE amount of box text in that mod. There are fights in which you simply need to see a battle field. Otherwise kiss the party goodbye at the end of the first chapther. Sometimes easier or faster isn't better and for this mod you really want a group that can be in one place. Even stream lined it took our party over six hours to finish part three. Most folks copy and paste rather than re-type. This does require 'cracking' the PDFs to allow copy-n-paste, but since this is for an authorized use (playing mods online), it should not be a legal problem. Is RHoD availible as PDF? If not, yeah, it could be a problem. Maybe scan-to-text would work if you have a scanner. And there are a number of ways folks use to show battlemaps. OpenRPG has a built-in online battlemat. I've also seen folks use Google Spreadsheets (http://docs.google.com/) as a map. -karma
Wraith235 09-20-07, 06:26 PM	bit off topic .... where is this "OpenRPG" you refer to ? and how can I sign up
Greyson 09-20-07, 07:00 PM	where is this "OpenRPG" you refer to? and how can I sign up OpenRPG is shareware, so it is free. Several people have added to it and refined since its original inception. You may download it HERE (http://www.openrpg.com/) from the OpenRPG Web site. A Judge or DM sets up a game and invites people to his OpenRPG session. You do need the client, though. So, download the Online Virtual Tabletop. I do agree with others that Red hand of Doom is just too much for online play.
solbergb 09-24-07, 02:30 PM	Most folks copy and paste rather than re-type. This does require 'cracking' the PDFs to allow copy-n-paste, but since this is for an authorized use (playing mods online), it should not be a legal problem. -karma Or they do what I do, is type the boxtext into "nodes" and at gametime have it all with a click. I often fix grammar or spelling errors too, or adapt the boxtext some, especially in "question/response" type things so the answer gives a clue as to which PC the NPC is answering, as online that isn't always clear. Having played RHOD part 1 this weekend I can say it is absolutely the worst possible type of mod to try to play online. Right down to handouts where really you'd need to scan it and mail it in gif or tif or png or some other graphical mode so the players really had the right experience. It also has complicated 3-dimensional fights with lots of opponents and terrain, which is quite difficult even on a prepared tabletop. The openrpg map is about the size of a small battlemap and it is even harder to visualize 3-dimensional stuff than on a tabletop.