The short answer is that using Google+ and the web for internet gaming sucks. But simultaneously it doesn't suck. How can that be so?
Understand that since 2007 or so I been using Fantasy Grounds plus Skype on a near weekly basis. So far I gamed using D&D 4e, Castles & Crusades, GURPS, and Swords & Wizardry. Fantasy Grounds is in my opinion the Cadillac of Virtual Tabletops. Google+, and the use of various web tools like Twiddla is far inferior to using Fantasy Grounds in every respect except one.
Accessibility.
Google+ and most of the web tools just work. And they easily setup by the average gamer. Fantasy Grounds and similar software require both an outlay of money and the knowledge of how to open a port. There are server based tabletops (web and non-web based) but they currently cost $$$, and not as feature rich as fantasy grounds. While most of these are only small barriers they are a substantial barrier to just getting a game together and having a session.
In the hands of a group of gamers Google+, Twiddla and other webtools are "good enough" and the have the virtue of allowing anybody with a internet connection to quickly get on a game. There is a element of trust without a online dice rollar so some maturity is needed among the gamers in order to make this work.
The missing elements that I think is needed for Google+ and Twiddla is a dice roller for Google+ and layers with locking for Twiddla. Twiddla also need mouse rotation for object.
After using Google+ I am glad to have a viable alternative to Skype.
The Google+ client on iPad sucks for not having access to the chat while in a hangout. I have to do this complicated dance of being on my computer and the iPad (because I don't have a webcam) to use the hangout full capabilities.
If you and your group are finding that you play tabletop on a regular basis you owe it to check out Fantasy Grounds if there is support for your favorite RPG rules. There are a lot of improvement over the Google+ plus Twiddla combination. I plan on later this year to upgrade to the Ultimate version so folks can use the free demo version to connect to any games I run.
Showing posts with label iPad. Show all posts
Showing posts with label iPad. Show all posts
Monday, March 12, 2012
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
The iPad
Thanks to Kelly Anne, and my family I got a iPad for Christmas. It was literally my only present but what a present it is. The two things I want to use the iPad is for entertainment (Netflix, etc) and to use to organize my notes at the table.
First off I recommend reading this excellent thread on digital readers over on the SJ Games Forums. PDF releases are a big part of the GURPS Product lines now and with the advent of e-book readers and tablets people are interested in how to effectively use them. Then there is this page on Enworld with a good list of useful RPG utilities for these devices.
I am excited about using the iPad as my experience with computers suggests that touchscreens combined with the right software are the way to go.
I bought Goodreader to handle PDFs on the iPad. It has a tabbed interface for multiple PDFs and a handy customizable bookmark list. It also nice that I can organize everything into folders. So on the second day of owning the iPad, I downloaded my copies of GURP Core campaign book (has all the rules) and my copy of Swords and Wizardry and spent some time bookmarking them.
GURPS Core Rules Campaigns
Swords and Wizardry
The bookmarks are chosen on the basis on my experience on what I looked up the most during a session. I will working on the Swords and Wizardry Monster Book and a couple more of my GURPS pdfs. One nice thing about the Core Book on other GURPS PDFs is that they have a nice table of contents already built in.
First off I recommend reading this excellent thread on digital readers over on the SJ Games Forums. PDF releases are a big part of the GURPS Product lines now and with the advent of e-book readers and tablets people are interested in how to effectively use them. Then there is this page on Enworld with a good list of useful RPG utilities for these devices.
I am excited about using the iPad as my experience with computers suggests that touchscreens combined with the right software are the way to go.
I bought Goodreader to handle PDFs on the iPad. It has a tabbed interface for multiple PDFs and a handy customizable bookmark list. It also nice that I can organize everything into folders. So on the second day of owning the iPad, I downloaded my copies of GURP Core campaign book (has all the rules) and my copy of Swords and Wizardry and spent some time bookmarking them.
The bookmarks are chosen on the basis on my experience on what I looked up the most during a session. I will working on the Swords and Wizardry Monster Book and a couple more of my GURPS pdfs. One nice thing about the Core Book on other GURPS PDFs is that they have a nice table of contents already built in.
Monday, December 26, 2011
Computers, Rolplaying, iPads and all that
I program for a living, creating interfaces for metal cutting machines, and at home I am a computer hobbyist in addition to my tabletop roleplaying. In the 25 odd years since my family got a Radio Shack Model I, my main interest with computer has been how to make a better machine for tabletop roleplaying.
From my first word proccessor, CorelDRAW for mapping, to writing utilities to cranks Traveller Sectors I fiddle with my machines to make running my campaign easier. I never liked using a computer at the table as it was too clunky and in the way. Instead I tried to figure out how to produce really good play aids for myself and my player keeping to paper on the table. Heck when somebody tried to use a iPad for dice rolling, I told him to put it away and gave him one of my spare sets to use in it's place.
I am not against the use of computers at the table. It great to have DM Genie and Nbos' the Keep running while I am using Fantasy Grounds., but it has to be the right setup before I starting using at a normal tabletop session.
For two years I finally found it and it was the iPad and similar tablets. The reason is not in using a utility but rather as a means of organizing the books and reams of notes I use during the game. Lying flat with a touch interface with well bookmarked PDFs would be exactly what I need. While I appreciate the open Android platform, I learned with my experience with the Kindle is that it is really worth the extra money to get the best when things are so unsettled. For now, the best in tablets means the iPad.
And I got one for Christmas. It was my one and only Christmas present this year given to me by my entire family. My wife Kelly Anne organized the effort and I can't thank her enough. Tomorrow I will post some details on how I am going to set it up and what I am going to use the other computers I have for.
From my first word proccessor, CorelDRAW for mapping, to writing utilities to cranks Traveller Sectors I fiddle with my machines to make running my campaign easier. I never liked using a computer at the table as it was too clunky and in the way. Instead I tried to figure out how to produce really good play aids for myself and my player keeping to paper on the table. Heck when somebody tried to use a iPad for dice rolling, I told him to put it away and gave him one of my spare sets to use in it's place.
I am not against the use of computers at the table. It great to have DM Genie and Nbos' the Keep running while I am using Fantasy Grounds., but it has to be the right setup before I starting using at a normal tabletop session.
For two years I finally found it and it was the iPad and similar tablets. The reason is not in using a utility but rather as a means of organizing the books and reams of notes I use during the game. Lying flat with a touch interface with well bookmarked PDFs would be exactly what I need. While I appreciate the open Android platform, I learned with my experience with the Kindle is that it is really worth the extra money to get the best when things are so unsettled. For now, the best in tablets means the iPad.
And I got one for Christmas. It was my one and only Christmas present this year given to me by my entire family. My wife Kelly Anne organized the effort and I can't thank her enough. Tomorrow I will post some details on how I am going to set it up and what I am going to use the other computers I have for.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Arggh! Technology Advances
Just after I was wowed by the iPad, Amazon comes out with a better and cheaper DX.
You can read about it here.
It will be a couple of months before I can save enough to buy either one so I guess I will see where things stand then.
One thing I forgot is that there is a iPad app for reading your Kindle Books so I won't lose anything by switching. In fact if it anything like my Kindle for the PC the books illos will automatically be of better quality.
You can read about it here.
It will be a couple of months before I can save enough to buy either one so I guess I will see where things stand then.
One thing I forgot is that there is a iPad app for reading your Kindle Books so I won't lose anything by switching. In fact if it anything like my Kindle for the PC the books illos will automatically be of better quality.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
iPad, Kindle, and Gaming
No I didn't buy one (yet). But I got to play with one extensively yesterday with the wireless turned on.
The short of it it is amazing. Particularly for multimedia content, pictures, pdfs, and movies. As a computer it is so-so Apple (and Jobs) are too obsessed with created a walled garden for the iPad be outstanding as a computer. But with the multimedia stuff the future is now.
I was able to open up full color PDFs and effortlessly read them zoom in an out at will. Even with the full page filling the screen it was readable for the most part. Images were great, I was able to open up some of my maps and be able zoom in and scroll around in full glorious color. The Safari web browser was pretty good. I liked how it handled multiple web pages. You can hit a icon on the top and a screen opens with multiple pages that you viewed. You can create a new slot and fill it with a page or just touch one of the other pages and immediately go to it. Very nice indeed.
With the right applications the iPad can be a killer device for gaming. The key is to use the touch interface to have multiple stuff loaded and be able to switch effortlessly between them.
Like the Kindle in the beginning the price is too high to be of general use but it will drop. When it get under $200 I predict it will start picking up steam.
I also got a look at the Kindle 2 last week and it is improved over the first version I have. The increased number of grays it can display really helps. Plus it can show PDFs natively and has the ability to switch orientation when you rotate the display. Plus certainly the price is way better now with it being at $189. Barnes & Noble Nook is even lower at $149.
All of this happening a little faster than I thought instead of 10 years I will go with the prediction that within 5 years we will see devices that will make a major change in how we buy and consume gaming products. For example for D&D 4e fans imagine a setup that now only has your three books loaded but also had the entirely of DDI loaded as well. And it displays like a regular character sheet.
The short of it it is amazing. Particularly for multimedia content, pictures, pdfs, and movies. As a computer it is so-so Apple (and Jobs) are too obsessed with created a walled garden for the iPad be outstanding as a computer. But with the multimedia stuff the future is now.
I was able to open up full color PDFs and effortlessly read them zoom in an out at will. Even with the full page filling the screen it was readable for the most part. Images were great, I was able to open up some of my maps and be able zoom in and scroll around in full glorious color. The Safari web browser was pretty good. I liked how it handled multiple web pages. You can hit a icon on the top and a screen opens with multiple pages that you viewed. You can create a new slot and fill it with a page or just touch one of the other pages and immediately go to it. Very nice indeed.
With the right applications the iPad can be a killer device for gaming. The key is to use the touch interface to have multiple stuff loaded and be able to switch effortlessly between them.
Like the Kindle in the beginning the price is too high to be of general use but it will drop. When it get under $200 I predict it will start picking up steam.
I also got a look at the Kindle 2 last week and it is improved over the first version I have. The increased number of grays it can display really helps. Plus it can show PDFs natively and has the ability to switch orientation when you rotate the display. Plus certainly the price is way better now with it being at $189. Barnes & Noble Nook is even lower at $149.
All of this happening a little faster than I thought instead of 10 years I will go with the prediction that within 5 years we will see devices that will make a major change in how we buy and consume gaming products. For example for D&D 4e fans imagine a setup that now only has your three books loaded but also had the entirely of DDI loaded as well. And it displays like a regular character sheet.
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