OOC Posting

[Omega1143]

Use this thread to post anything out of character you would like pertaining to the campaign. A separate thread is available for discussion of anything not game related.

[Xaxyx]

Will we be using the Unseen Servant dice roller? If so, I'd like to remind everyone that the roller is still broken currently; only the first individual die roll of any roll attempt is random. Please refer to this thread for further details.

Consequently, in order to roll up characters, players would need to roll a total of twenty-four individual [1d6] rolls -- six sets of four. As this is a tad cumbersome, I might suggest as an alternative that our esteemed DM roll stats for us and mail them to us here on the forum. (This is what Argennian did for his campaign.)

As a related question, did ToniXX set this game up with a Campaign ID for creating character entries on the dice roller?

[Omega1143]

I will post a topic relating to character creation shortly. In reference to the stat rolling I am going to let the players roll them using an external site (the url will be in the creation thread) that sends the results directly to my email address for approval. This way the players will feel like they have control in this area of their PC creation as opposed to me rolling them.

I will check and see if Tonixx set up a campaign ID for the roller then post the answer here.

[Omega1143]

The campaign ID is 70 for the dice roller.

[Alethan]

Hope everyone else is enjoying their build-up stories as much as I am!

Things look like they're starting to come together, though...

[dmw71]

Hope everyone else is enjoying their build-up stories as much as I am!

Things look like they're starting to come together, though...

I agree! Participating exclusively via PM to open the game is a pretty cool idea.

Is the game going to continue in this manner until all five characters actually meet?

[Alethan]

Hope everyone else is enjoying their build-up stories as much as I am!

Things look like they're starting to come together, though...

I agree! Participating exclusively via PM to open the game is a pretty cool idea.

Is the game going to continue in this manner until all five characters actually meet?

*shrug* Guess that's up to Omega! I'd be fine with either way, though it might be easier if we start posting when 3 or more of the characters get in sync.

[Omega1143]

It will depend on how the story progresses. I want it to flow right and not reveal to much to others that shouldn't know anyway. So how does dice rolling work anyway? I am not familiar with the unseen dice roller though I signed our campaign up under ID 70.

[dmw71]

So how does dice rolling work anyway?

I would definitely check out the 'The Helpful Friendly Macro' thread started by Ethan (Alethan). You should be able to set yourself up with some commonly used macros after reading it. I don't remember if the thread (I didn't re-read the whole thing) mentions the sandbox, but you can test out any macros you're looking to build in the Dice Rolling Sandbox and it won't record the results.

If you still have questions or problems, definitely feel free to ask.


- Dave

[Alethan]

It's pretty straight-forward.

Home page is here, with links to basic formatting and instructions: http://www.unseenservant.com/Default.asp?do=home

If you create a "character" for all of your NPC and Bad Guy dice rolls, you can either a) assign it the same campaign ID so all members of the campaign can see what you roll or b) NOT assign them to the campaign, thus keeping all rolls hidden. The latter is probably a better idea, especially when consider things like the DM rolling for success of thieving skills.

It is not at all important for me to see links to the GM dice rolls. If a player can't unequivocally and completely trust the GM's posted dice rolls, then that player shouldn't be in the game. With that in mind, you can make all of your rolls with real dice if you want... I'd prefer to see all player rolls, for some reason, but, again, I have no need to see yours. Other opinions may vary, of course. I only comment on mine.

As a GM, you might or might not want to create macros. I don't know how the other GMs do it and I've yet to run a campaign using US dice. I guess if you find yourself making the same exact roll over and over, a macro might be easier. But you don't have to have a macro to roll the dice. If you scroll down to the bottom of the "Roll the Dice" page, there is a way to make any roll on-the-fly, tying it to a character or not, as you desire.

The basic format is... ah, hell, Greg does a great job of explaining it here: http://www.unseenservant.com/Default.asp?do=help

No need to re-write it all.

Once you roll the dice, you end up on a results page. You can copy the PbP Forum Code and paste it in the US forums for a direct link to the roll, like so...

Ethan's Test Roll [1d100] = 37

For posting on websites or other placing using different formatting, you can use the Hyperlink or HTML code, instead.

There isn't much more to it for basic use. If you have any questions, feel free to post them here or in the Help and Support section and an answer will be forthcoming in short order.

[dmw71]

If you create a "character" for all of your NPC and Bad Guy dice rolls, you can either a) assign it the same campaign ID so all members of the campaign can see what you roll or b) NOT assign them to the campaign, thus keeping all rolls hidden. The latter is probably a better idea, especially when consider things like the DM rolling for success of thieving skills.

The above is very good advise that, having only served as a player (and never a DM), I didn't consider.

It is possible for anyone to see all the rolls linked to a particular campaign:

Showing 25 dice roll(s) where campaign name is 'Tavern Tales'


Therefore, if you create NPC or monster "characters" and link them to the campaign ID, anyone should be able to see all rolls that NPC or monster made which you may, or may not, want.


If I put my heavily dusted DM cap on, I would probably create a "public" and a "private" version of each NPC and/or monster I knew I would make multiple rolls for (e.g. NPC #1 (Public) and NPC #1 (Private)), and maybe even private versions of each PC running through my campaign (e.g. Castien Larenthalryl (Private), Ausus tuulo'Welkwood (Private), etc...). I'd link the "public" version to the campaign ID, making those rolls accessible, and keep the "private" versions unlinked. You would still be able to reference the private rolls, and could choose to link them individually if you wanted to, but they wouldn't automatically be available to everyone.


It's an interesting situation I never considered, but fun to think about.


- Dave

[Alethan]

If you create a "character" for all of your NPC and Bad Guy dice rolls, you can either a) assign it the same campaign ID so all members of the campaign can see what you roll or b) NOT assign them to the campaign, thus keeping all rolls hidden. The latter is probably a better idea, especially when consider things like the DM rolling for success of thieving skills.

The above is very good advise that, having only served as a player (and never a DM), I didn't consider.

It is possible for anyone to see all the rolls linked to a particular campaign:

Showing 25 dice roll(s) where campaign name is 'Tavern Tales'


Therefore, if you create NPC or monster "characters" and link them to the campaign ID, anyone should be able to see all rolls that NPC or monster made which you may, or may not, want.


If I put my heavily dusted DM cap on, I would probably create a "public" and a "private" version of each NPC and/or monster I knew I would make multiple rolls for (e.g. NPC #1 (Public) and NPC #1 (Private)), and maybe even private versions of each PC running through my campaign (e.g. Castien Larenthalryl (Private), Ausus tuulo'Welkwood (Private), etc...). I'd link the "public" version to the campaign ID, making those rolls accessible, and keep the "private" versions unlinked. You would still be able to reference the private rolls, and could choose to link them individually if you wanted to, but they wouldn't automatically be available to everyone.


It's an interesting situation I never considered, but fun to think about.


- Dave

That's a lot of characters you're creating, Dave...

If _I_ were wearing the GM hat, I would create one character, not linked to the campaign. Since you can now organize macros any way you want (via the up/down arrows on each macro), I would simply create groupings of macros for each person. For example, if I wanted to create several macros for Ostler, the owner of the Inn of the Welcome Wench, and Calmert, a cleric at the Temple of St. Cuthbert, this is some of the text I'd have for the macros:

Calmert, Initiative [1d6]
Calmert, To Hit, Melee [1d20]
Calmert, Damage, Footman's Mace [1d6+1]
Ostler, Initiative [1d6]
Ostler, To Hit, Melee [1d20]
Ostler, Damage, Club [1d6]

If you add a new NPC to the campaign, then you just have to add a few more macros to your list, not create a whole new character in two spots (campaign and private).

If you ever want the players to see a roll, you can still link to it in the post.

[dmw71]

If _I_ were wearing the GM hat, I would create one character, not linked to the campaign. Since you can now organize macros any way you want (via the up/down arrows on each macro), I would simply create groupings of macros for each person. For example, if I wanted to create several macros for Ostler, the owner of the Inn of the Welcome Wench, and Calmert, a cleric at the Temple of St. Cuthbert, this is some of the text I'd have for the macros:

Calmert, Initiative [1d6]
Calmert, To Hit, Melee [1d20]
Calmert, Damage, Footman's Mace [1d6+1]
Ostler, Initiative [1d6]
Ostler, To Hit, Melee [1d20]
Ostler, Damage, Club [1d6]

If you add a new NPC to the campaign, then you just have to add a few more macros to your list, not create a whole new character in two spots (campaign and private).

That is actually a much better idea (files it away in his mental Rolodex).

[Alethan]

If _I_ were wearing the GM hat, I would create one character, not linked to the campaign. Since you can now organize macros any way you want (via the up/down arrows on each macro), I would simply create groupings of macros for each person. For example, if I wanted to create several macros for Ostler, the owner of the Inn of the Welcome Wench, and Calmert, a cleric at the Temple of St. Cuthbert, this is some of the text I'd have for the macros:

Calmert, Initiative [1d6]
Calmert, To Hit, Melee [1d20]
Calmert, Damage, Footman's Mace [1d6+1]
Ostler, Initiative [1d6]
Ostler, To Hit, Melee [1d20]
Ostler, Damage, Club [1d6]

If you add a new NPC to the campaign, then you just have to add a few more macros to your list, not create a whole new character in two spots (campaign and private).

That is actually a much better idea (files it away in his mental Rolodex).

Careful... you're treading on dangerously thin OCD ice if you follow in my footsteps.

[dmw71]

Careful... you're treading on dangerously thin OCD ice if you follow in my footsteps.

We may already be in lockstep. I'm pretty sure that, had I not just started typing the first thought that came to my head, I would have come up with something very similar, if not the same method.

[Omega1143]

Thanks for the info. A good DM never reveals his rolls and I will be handling them privately LOL. Don't worry I'm fair. It's not a competition, it's a story. I was just inquiring as to how to access your guy's roll results or if you post them ie. combat.

[Alethan]

Thanks for the info. A good DM never reveals his rolls and I will be handling them privately LOL. Don't worry I'm fair. It's not a competition, it's a story. I was just inquiring as to how to access your guy's roll results or if you post them ie. combat.

Ah! Well, I was just assuming the same way all the other campaigns do it here on the forum. Make your rolls on the US Dice Roller and link to them in the appropriate post.

[Omega1143]

I didnt forget about you guys. I had to run out of town this weekend on a moments notice. I will be catching up on PM's and posts tonight and get this rolling again in the morning!

[dmw71]

I didnt forget about you guys. I had to run out of town this weekend on a moments notice. I will be catching up on PM's and posts tonight and get this rolling again in the morning!

No worries. The weekends are typically slower than normal anyway.

Looking forward to getting rolling, though.

[dmw71]

Copying over from the actual 'Prologue' thread:

2. Having said that, outside of this scene, your PC in now on the first of what we call non-adventuring time (see the house rules). I will explain it here since this is the first time. For the next 24 hours of real time (roughly until 12:00pm 5/22/12) your PC has from 10:00pm in-game time to 6:00pm the next day in-game time to accomplish whatever he desires. Keep in mind you should try to get 8 hours of sleep. That means you can do any number of things such as housekeeping, a side job, information gathering, shop buying, hang out at the inn, explore in town and outside of town, a side quest, etc. Anything is possible as I try to keep a living and breathing world at all times.

I think this is extremely cool! Much respect to you, Heath.

3. Get your marching order figured out on the marching order thread. You can discuss it there and give me a final before 12:00pm tomorrow. Please use the format I showed.

Guys, let's discuss this here before formalizing the plans in the official 'Marching Orders' thread.

Here is a simple overview of the party. I will volunteer my thoughts for the 5' corridor, but I am completely open to anything.

5' Corridor
1st: Gandrel Fairburn (High Elf | Mage/Thief) <-- An elf, with good surprise and concealed/secret door capabilities, plus our only thief

We have two straight fighters and a fighter cleric. I would think that the three of these get arranged in some way which leave leave two of them in ranks #2 and #3 and the other in #5.

Maybe Quoros, with the extra hit point, should be #2.

2nd: Quoros Spiritforged (Dwarf | Fighter/Cleric) <-- The most hit points amongst our fighters

3rd/5th: Ausus tuulo'Welkwood (Half Elf | Fighter)
5th/3rd: Karalquint Cavanethal (High Elf | Fighter)

Castien, with his meager hit points and the worst possible natural armor class, should probably be somewhere in the middle (I was thinking in position #4)

#4: Castien Larenthalryl (High Elf | Mage)


Again, just my thoughts (I'll let others chime in, but will probably share more tomorrow).