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12/17/09
12/17/09
12/17/09
12/17/09
I play 3.5 pretty much exclusively (I view 4th as DnD Lite rather than an actual update) so I don't have that sort of problem. What we do get though is cases where the map frequently bugs for players who've crashed out of the game and needs to then be redrawn. We get at least one or more peoople crashing a session and we nearly always get icons vanishing. Plus on two occasions near the beginning of our campaign we lost good portions of our character sheets due to the server crashing. Normal you might say to lose data in a crash, but when that data should have saved itself hours beforehand it's a bit frustrating.
My original plan was to program a more lightweight and bug free application from scratch and make it (easily) extensible for other game systems. Laziness has got the better of me though and if I do get around to doing it I'll likely limit it to 3.5.
12/17/09
Anyway, look into MapTool. It's worked pretty well for my group in getting sessions in online when we can make time for it. Pretty edition/game neutral, too. We've used it for M&M and 4Ed.
I've also read that people are working on an app for Google Wave as a DND service, but I haven't seen much on it recently.
12/17/09
Don't get me wrong. 4th isn't inherently bad (apart from butchering the druid class) but even speaking generously it's basically a dumbed down version of 3.5 (and yes 3/3.5 is known as a dumbed down version of 2nd). It strips out 90% of the games mechanics in favour of simplifying everything down to powers which are just a simplified version of spells.
Rather than having class features (that are actually meaningful, the druids wild shape class feature inherently does nothing and just acts as a condition for using powers) every class has a spell list.
It's not a bad system and can still be fun to play but it feels more a step down than a step forward. Hence DnD Lite. It's simpler, more accessible and quicker. But as a result sacrifices diversity and pushs the game towards being just combat even more than previous editions did.
12/17/09
12/17/09
12/17/09
10/20/09
10/20/09
This, [arstechnica.com] interested me far more. #ddsurface
10/20/09
10/20/09
10/20/09
10/20/09
_ Sorry, running joke with my D&D group. It went something like
DM: k...There are a lot of nice places to sit under lots of nice trees around the marketplace. There's a pretty garden and everything. With a gazebo!
Player 1: neat!
Player 2: I want to attack the gazebo. #ddsurface
10/20/09
"There is a clearing. In the clearing stands a gazebo"
"I shoot an arrow at the gazebo."
"The arrow hits the gazebo. The gazebo is still standing."
"Is it hurt?"
"No. The gazebo takes no damage."
"I shoot another arrow at the gazebo."
"The arrow hits. The gazebo takes no damage."
"What is it doing?"
"It's just standing there in the clearing."
"What kind of armor is the gazebo wearing? Is it wearing armor?"
"No. The gazebo is not wearing armor. It has no weapons. The gazebo is just standing there - with two arrows sticking into it."
"I cast Magic Missile at the gazebo."
"Magic missile hits the gazebo. It takes no damage." #ddsurface
10/20/09
10/20/09
09/21/09
Oh wait, sorry. Those are fragrances. I was confusing this with D&D cologne.
09/21/09
It's too bad that it doesn't come in ridiculous potion bottles as with the Final Fantasy drink some time ago.
09/21/09
What he said.
09/21/09
09/21/09
09/21/09
09/21/09
I mean SERIOUSLY Gizmodo - don't you research ANYTHING before you post it?
Now if you're excuse me, I need to go roll a fortitude save in order to drink these 3 ales and do these 5 wenches.
09/21/09
Plus there are always houserules.
09/21/09
09/21/09
09/21/09
09/21/09
09/21/09
09/21/09
*turns to my crew haughtily as they try and high five me - somehow, they all miss, but it's ok, because we're laughing like little school girls - probably because we have the same physique, but shutup, we're cool with our protective goggles and plus steven's mom is making rice krispie treats for us after school and we're going to stare at her breasts, oh yeahhhhhhh*
09/21/09
*waits for declarations of "oh snap"*
right? amirite? totally beat them up, yeah? with our fists and such?
*waits longer - contemplates trying this over at deadspin*
09/21/09
09/21/09
09/21/09
and anyway, karate sucks as a combat martial art. and don't try to list GSP and machida as references since their success doesn't stem from karate. but please reference ralph macchio because that crane kick and drum punch truly were unstoppable.
09/21/09
09/21/09
Well, with comments as ignorant and stupid as this, you're just trolling now. So fuck you.
09/21/09
09/21/09
09/21/09
let me layout the progression of how a normal reader is supposed to react to my original comment:
"hmm...be it true that a gizmodo reader has yet to partake in the joys of DND? hmm..wait..harkest now unto me of brave heart, is handsome anonymoose daring to disparage that which makest my loins rise like dough with extra portions of yeast? and lo, the cheek with which he doles out insults by daring to lay mention to that against which we are so coldly put up against: sports. but what is this, beautiful anonymoose says he and his athletic friends were actually ping pong players. oh callou callay, he is but a jester, level 7. a big hearty round of applause for ye of noble birth who chose to entertain the hoi polloi with your grace and excellent fashion sense."
and then i would rise to thunderous, raucous cheers and bow humbly to your adulation. that's how it was supposed to go.
09/21/09
09/21/09
09/21/09
Great minds do think alike!
09/21/09
You're a loser.
Oh but wait, I was winking heavily at the screen! How can none of you see my incredible irony. "forsooth and gadzooks, methinks that the audience of said online publication shouldst witness the brevity and jollity of my humour. After alls, I didst utilize the term "loser" which is clearly the brethren of irony and reveals a plethorah of hidden meaning".
But then again, I've been around the internet long enough to spot people like you. You're a non-troll troll. An assimilationist troll. Once you're caught and called out it's all "oh noes, nobody understands my humour".
09/21/09
but thanks for all of your internet philosophy. what would we do without you.
09/21/09
That doesn't bode well for your previous statement of, "you're just trolling now. So fuck you."
What's with all the hostility? Did a troll playing football molest you as a kid?
Do I need to point out the obvious with my statement too? Or am I a loser as well because you don't get it?
09/21/09
09/21/09
As Master Kasem wisely observed, it is the wise one who reaches for the stars with both feet upon the ground.
Work on honing your skill with irony and absurdism. Without it, the steel of your comments with come across as blunt as the anvil of the forge.
You are not ready yet.
09/21/09
in reading back my comments, i'm not sure i see any aggression? maybe the part where i wrote "i hate having to do this"? i was talking about having to explain my own joke.
09/21/09
09/21/09