Back to Our Roots

[lima]

Does anyone let players roll dice and see their quantitative results in comparison to their adversaries' anymore? Does anyone talk about the awesome stats anymore?

I feel it must be said that, in removing the 'gambling' and 'tech-talk' aspects of this game, we are robbing ourselves of some of its most rewarding components. Only the gamemasters are allowed to revel in the 'crap shoot' and lift the hoods to get a look at the engines, and I for one say 'NAY!' to this travesty; this... this abomination of gamer interface policy.

I call for a revival to those neat, rolling dice programs that we could pretend were 'for all the marbles.' And I miss the feeling of knowing that my heavy laser cannon kicked your heavy laser cannon in the forward wiring panel. Let us remember our heritage. Let us remember that, though it forged the way but bluntly, some of it needs no 'improvement.'

Someone heed my call. Some valiant croupier take up the torch and bring the Vegas back into Star Wars. I've already got the scantily clad girls hanging on the wallpaper.

[Ankhanu]

Um... what?

[Camero]

I feel your passion brother! But I don't know if I totally understood.

Let's see if I feel ya..

When I get to play table top RPGs (very rarely these day) we LOVE to roll and see our results vs. those of the baddies - and yes we love to talk trash to each other about our various skills and abilities and how 'my character can beat up your character' or 'out fly your character' or 'stuff your character up a bantha's butt crack'.

But alas, the only RPGing I get these days is online - still rare but at least ocassional - and in the online environment you don't get to see the opposing rolls (at least in the games I have been in) and to talk up your awesome stats and or do some playful trash talkin' can cause misunderstandings in cyberspace where nuanced voice influctions of sarcasm or humor don't carry well. And keeping online play going is hard enough without misunderstandings.

I too think that the sound and feel of the dice is part of the RPG experience that should never be completely surrendered to computerized random number generatoring programs.

Where ever I am, the rolling of dice will always be alive and well.
_________________
"What a wonderful smell you've discovered"

[Gry Sarth]

I second that.

What, by the Emperor's Black Bones are you talking about, lima?

When did we stop rolling dice, checking the opponent's rolls, and b**** about everything in between?
_________________
"He's Gry Sarth, of course he has the stats for them."

[Esoomian]

I think lima might be anti PbP games... or spreadsheets or that sort of thing
_________________
Don't waste money on expensive binoculars.

Simply stand closer to the object you wish to view.

[Jamfke]

Well, there's always an online dice server like the one HERE.

You can have the results emailed to each player or just to the GM and player concerned, however you want to do it.
_________________
Check out some of my games at DriveThruRPG!
Role Players Direct

[Ankhanu]

Or, take games to IRC or something, where die rolls can be presented right in channel with everyone looking.

[vong]

mmm, dice rolling scripts.

it does bring back most of the joy of rolling dice. you type !roll 4 1 to roll 4D+1 and it tells you right inthe channel what you rolled.

Now granted, the suspence of the dice hitting the table, bouncing and such is gone.

you will never get the all important roll that you make, and one of the dice start spinning on a corner, the whole party leaning in toward it willing it to land on a 6
_________________
The Vong have Arrived

PM me if you want user created content uploaded to my site: http://databank.yvong.com/index.php

[lima]

Yeah, I hear that; about the suspence. One of you needs to write a program that doles out a number everyyyyy...like fifteen minutes, or something, to put some of the tension back into rolling the dice. I'm no good with programming, but one of you has to be good enough to create something simple like that, right? Come on , sound up, you pansies! Do you parts, people.

Hard to find good help around here, am I right?

And Camero, you had it right, brutha. You spoke from the heart on that one, but I have to cast my vote for a little more confidence in the mutual desire of us laaazy people 8) to get together, in an environment that doesn't require proper attire, and...say it with me, now...a-Git down t'night! Am I right!? Anyway, people wouln't fight too much, I don't think. We can all take a cue from the Beatles, right? I mean, I know they're British and all, but we can all admire or at least respect the Beatles, I think. And the Beatles, they loved peace, so let's all just love peace and....do I sound like a total hippie? Still, that's what we should do, and there'll be no problem.

Besides, an occasional verbal lightsaber duel is fun to witness...or perhaps administer. [You didn't hear that from me, though.] And You'll notice that I said duel, not blaster fight or bludgening. Let's keep the swearing to a minimum, for sure. We can all do that. We're, most of us, grown-ups, kinda.

And what about that IRC, deal? How much would moving a posting to IRC involve?

[Gry Sarth]

...this thread continues to puzzle me...
_________________
"He's Gry Sarth, of course he has the stats for them."

[lima]

OR!... OR, are there any dice rolling programs that play random recordings of dice being tossed, and that would replay when clicked on? That would be cool. Anybody have a better idea? Speak up, you skinny and narrow-boned sons of indigent Hutts!

Talk to your people. Bring them here for a discussion. Let's, all of us offer some ideas and see if there is any interest. Are you WITH ME, people! We'll be like Braveheart, and his pack of opressed and pantiless Scotts! We'll live in the wilderness then spring forth, under cover of night, and set fire to their rooftops. We'll chop off their hands, steal their horses, and spit on their ancestors bones. We'll seize their maidens.

Mmmmmm....maidens

[Gry Sarth]

Well, I'm not really "with you". But if you're so crazy about rolling dice, why don't you just set up a video conference and point your webcam at your dice? That would work...
_________________
"He's Gry Sarth, of course he has the stats for them."

[lima]

Alas, I lack a webcam. I am incredibly poor. I live in a van down by the river, you see, and the lighting is not so very condusive to recorded footage.

One of YOU must do this! I will make you an offer you can't refuse. On this, the day of my daughter''s wedding, I will do this thing, and there will come a time when I will ask you to do a thing. That day may never come.

[Ankhanu]

[PsiberDragon]