Inspired by conversations on The Gauntlet’s Patreon-only Slack domain (https://www.patreon.com/gauntlet/posts).

Inspired by conversations on The Gauntlet’s Patreon-only Slack domain (https://www.patreon.com/gauntlet/posts).

Inspired by conversations on The Gauntlet’s Patreon-only Slack domain (https://www.patreon.com/gauntlet/posts).

Originally shared by Robert Bohl

Online play and PbtA

What considerations do you suggest in adapting Powered by the Apocalypse games (especially those closer in ruleset to Apocalypse World) when you are going to play online?

I’m considering trying some online play for the Powered by the Apocalypse hack I’m writing (Demihumans, a game about non-human people as the human world moves inexorably on toward their extinction). I don’t have a lot of online play experience, but I think this is a valuable way to get playtests. It’s also a style of play that’s increasing in prevalence, and thus worth taking into consideration when designing.

(My personal issues with online play revolve mostly around how hard it is for me not to interrupt, and how a lot of my accommodations around that rely on more of a face-to-face dynamic.)

48 thoughts on “Inspired by conversations on The Gauntlet’s Patreon-only Slack domain (https://www.patreon.com/gauntlet/posts).”

  1. Adapt one of the Google Sheets that we use for character sheets to your game. In most cases we don’t need Roll20 for our games because they are largely theater of the mind, but having all the characters on a single sheet is great for promoting intercharacter play, and it helps the GM stay focused on what the choices were that the player made for their characters.

  2. Adapt one of the Google Sheets that we use for character sheets to your game. In most cases we don’t need Roll20 for our games because they are largely theater of the mind, but having all the characters on a single sheet is great for promoting intercharacter play, and it helps the GM stay focused on what the choices were that the player made for their characters.

  17. Robert Bohl It rolls the moves for you. You input the command with a number (I believe something like !goaggro 2) and it makes a 2d6+2 roll and gives you the output.

    It helps with the not interrupting because you can all wait and see the results in the chat, so you know what is going to happen so you aren’t wondering what’s going on while you hear clattering. The move happens in front of everyone.

    It’s got all the rolling moves for almost all the AW2 playbooks in there too. Just missing one of them.

  18. Robert Bohl It rolls the moves for you. You input the command with a number (I believe something like !goaggro 2) and it makes a 2d6+2 roll and gives you the output.

    It helps with the not interrupting because you can all wait and see the results in the chat, so you know what is going to happen so you aren’t wondering what’s going on while you hear clattering. The move happens in front of everyone.

    It’s got all the rolling moves for almost all the AW2 playbooks in there too. Just missing one of them.

  19. I agree with Dan that just having people roll on their own and trusting them works. But I love your project, Shane, especially because that doesn’t work for games like Dogs in the Vineyard (which I remember you saying you designed this to be able to play).

  20. I agree with Dan that just having people roll on their own and trusting them works. But I love your project, Shane, especially because that doesn’t work for games like Dogs in the Vineyard (which I remember you saying you designed this to be able to play).

  23. I think it’s asking Quinn nicely at the moment. It’s on GitHub and open source or doing it yourself.

    When I asked him about it basically it’s “if we have permissions from the owners we can set it up through pull requests but if you’re doing your own thing, or unlicensed stuff then fork it and go have fun.”

  24. I think it’s asking Quinn nicely at the moment. It’s on GitHub and open source or doing it yourself.

    When I asked him about it basically it’s “if we have permissions from the owners we can set it up through pull requests but if you’re doing your own thing, or unlicensed stuff then fork it and go have fun.”

  31. Though I haven’t used it for PbtA, I’ve been using Roll20 to successfully run games for years. They have sophisticated character sheets you can roll from for a huge number of games. It’s a great platform, whether your games are tactical, or you just like to show your players a map once in a while and like having the character sheets in the cloud…and it’s free (freemium).

  32. Though I haven’t used it for PbtA, I’ve been using Roll20 to successfully run games for years. They have sophisticated character sheets you can roll from for a huge number of games. It’s a great platform, whether your games are tactical, or you just like to show your players a map once in a while and like having the character sheets in the cloud…and it’s free (freemium).

  35. There are quite a few PbtA-type games already set up with custom character sheets in Roll20. Creating a new sheet requires some skillz and a Pro account.

  36. There are quite a few PbtA-type games already set up with custom character sheets in Roll20. Creating a new sheet requires some skillz and a Pro account.

  37. A great question Robert. Unfortunately, since I haven’t used it for PbtA I don’t have an answer for you. I guess I was just offering that, given how well Roll20’s site is generally executed, as you investigate an online platform for your Apocalypse games going forward, it’s worth a look.

    Roll20 has a ton of character sheets and, given the popularity of PbtA, it’d be very surprising if it didn’t have one.

    The sheets are created by the community, fellow fanboys of whatever game, and then checked/approved by Roll20.

    Roll20 has active forums where I’m sure this would be easily answered.

    Cheers

  38. A great question Robert. Unfortunately, since I haven’t used it for PbtA I don’t have an answer for you. I guess I was just offering that, given how well Roll20’s site is generally executed, as you investigate an online platform for your Apocalypse games going forward, it’s worth a look.

    Roll20 has a ton of character sheets and, given the popularity of PbtA, it’d be very surprising if it didn’t have one.

    The sheets are created by the community, fellow fanboys of whatever game, and then checked/approved by Roll20.

    Roll20 has active forums where I’m sure this would be easily answered.

    Cheers

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