Dungeons and Dragons club October 19, 2010 9:57 AM   Subscribe

How about a MetaFilter Dungeons and Dragons (and other RPGs, of course) club/forum?

Okay, there's at least a few dozen of us always ready to violently argue debate, reminisce and enlighten one another about D&D. Why don't we start a forum?

I have neither the skill nor resources to do such a thing, but would more than love to participate in it.
posted by griphus to MetaFilter-Related at 9:57 AM (79 comments total) 11 users marked this as a favorite

NERRRRRRRRDS!!!*

*By which I mean that I could be interested in something like this depending on how it is done.
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 10:06 AM on October 19, 2010 [3 favorites]


I nominate MeFightClub to make us a space to discuss non-video games.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 10:22 AM on October 19, 2010


Specifically Runequest.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 10:23 AM on October 19, 2010


I've got a basement and some Doritos. Sounds good to me.
posted by charred husk at 10:34 AM on October 19, 2010


Sweet, I'll bring the Dew and my copy of In the Court of the Crimson King.
posted by griphus at 10:37 AM on October 19, 2010 [4 favorites]


I think between edbles, Help, I Can't Stop Talking!, kkokkodalk, and myself, NYCMeFi already has a semi-serious contingent of Arkham Horror fanatics who might dig this...
posted by hermitosis at 10:39 AM on October 19, 2010


So I assume you have the best broker ever, hermitosis, because outside of a bedroom in an extra dimension, I have no idea how you fit that game into an apartment.
posted by griphus at 10:45 AM on October 19, 2010 [1 favorite]


MefightClub already runs two D&D thingers. A D&D (4th, IIRC) campaign proper and a "Spirit of the Century" one.
posted by eurasian at 10:50 AM on October 19, 2010


Wish I had a basement.
posted by Neofelis at 11:02 AM on October 19, 2010 [1 favorite]


I'm actually working on customizing a wall-mounted board. Now that we have the Innsmouth and Dunwich expansion boards, we officially do not have a table or floor big enough to play the whole thing.
posted by hermitosis at 11:04 AM on October 19, 2010


My version of playing Arkham Horror starts with: Step 1: Move couch to kitchen. So, uh, I'm definitely interested in this, although my schedule is extradimensional right now.
posted by cobaltnine at 11:37 AM on October 19, 2010


As long as WotC doesn't re-release Boot Hill or Metamorphosis Alpha and fuck them up too I should be OK with everything.
posted by GuyZero at 11:48 AM on October 19, 2010


But... I'm a HERO Games player...
posted by Karmakaze at 12:19 PM on October 19, 2010 [1 favorite]


I'd be very interested in this. Every time a roleplaying thread comes up, I get really jealous of all the active roleplayers, and honestly, the only way I can think of to find people I'd want to play with is through MetaFilter.

Any Los Angeles users who have a game going should Mefi-mail me.
posted by Bookhouse at 12:27 PM on October 19, 2010


Bookhouse, have you ever been to LASFS? I went to a meeting when I lived in LA and I'm I'll bet you could wrangle up an RPG crew there.
posted by griphus at 12:39 PM on October 19, 2010


Mmm, Arkham Horror. Not a fan of the expansions, though.

Also, I seem short on time these days but I can't figure out why.

Specifically Runequest.

Minequest you say?

I've got a basement and some Doritos

A cave and some pickaxes?

I'll bring the Dew and my copy of In the Court of the Crimson King.

The Redstone King?
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 1:04 PM on October 19, 2010 [1 favorite]



forum at the
'Inn of the Welcome Wench'
or "go see Otus"
posted by clavdivs at 1:04 PM on October 19, 2010


Oh wow. I've been wanting to get back into RPGs. Unfortunately the university gaming club here is all about video games. Damn kids . . . .
posted by anansi at 1:26 PM on October 19, 2010


Is this the thread where I talk about the time that my dwarven Truenamer accidentally set a tornado on fire?

I would totally join a MeFiRPG forum/club.
posted by specialagentwebb at 1:28 PM on October 19, 2010


Longbaugh may be up for it: Previously
posted by Artw at 1:30 PM on October 19, 2010


I've run a bunch of PBP (play by post) games over the years. usually on Yuku-type boards. If we can find a good place to clutter with our silly text, I'm so in. (Because I sure can't find any players on Whidbey island :( )
posted by The otter lady at 1:33 PM on October 19, 2010


I want a Philly-'burbs-mefite GURPS group. Now!
posted by Netzapper at 1:33 PM on October 19, 2010


"I nominate MeFightClub to make us a space to discuss non-video games."

I think you'd be welcomed there with open arms. Head over and make a thread!
posted by flatluigi at 1:42 PM on October 19, 2010


PBEM would be awesome. D&D, Cthulhu, just about anything. Mouse Guard. Mouse Guard PBEM. PBP would be excellent, provided schedules match...
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 1:57 PM on October 19, 2010


So how do you play an RPG over the net? What do you use to roll dice, show maps, etc?
posted by octothorpe at 2:03 PM on October 19, 2010


I'm definitely always up for talking D&D. Especially if it lets me talk about the guys I knew whose characters somehow acquired Battle Lobsters as mounts.
posted by COBRA! at 2:07 PM on October 19, 2010 [1 favorite]


I think you'd be welcomed there with open arms. Head over and make a thread!

Watch this space.
posted by griphus at 2:11 PM on October 19, 2010


Meanwhile, does anyone know if there's a way to locally theme/de-theme MeFightClub? Via Greasemonkey maybe?
posted by griphus at 2:14 PM on October 19, 2010


MefightClub already runs two D&D thingers. A D&D (4th, IIRC) campaign proper and a "Spirit of the Century" one.

To clarify, absalom runs a 3.5 ed campaign, and I run an SoTC campaign. The Club has no limitations on people signing up, and we don't discriminate against games or types of games. If you wanted to explore there for P&P options, you should feel free.
posted by Slitherrr at 2:15 PM on October 19, 2010


Meanwhile, does anyone know if there's a way to locally theme/de-theme MeFightClub? Via Greasemonkey maybe?

*cries*

There's no native-to-the-platform way, no. So yeah, Stylish or Greasemonkey would be the go. Feel free to start a thread there to talk about it and get some help, if you like, preferably without too forcefully impugning my meagre design skills.

There is already a GM script to hide threads you're not interested in, as well.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 2:19 PM on October 19, 2010


Oh, and yeah, to echo other Mefighters upthread, all are very welcome, and all manner of games, video and otherwise, are absolutely on the menu.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 2:21 PM on October 19, 2010


I'd be very interested in this. I'm mostly a 3.5/White Wolf fan, but my gaming group and I have been running some highly creative play-by-email Mafia games recently, which could be a blast in a group like Mefi.
posted by Navelgazer at 2:25 PM on October 19, 2010


So I assume you have the best broker ever, hermitosis, because outside of a bedroom in an extra dimension, I have no idea how you fit that game into an apartment.

I'm using an interdimensional portal to store the Arkham Horror expansion sets.
posted by eyeballkid at 2:29 PM on October 19, 2010 [1 favorite]


Oh, lord. I thought MeFi was where the COOL kids hang out on the internet. I don't wanna lose my street cred...
posted by 1000monkeys at 2:51 PM on October 19, 2010


I'm very excited and would love to run a game or participate but someone has to get mefightclub to load on my phone so I can play from the bar first.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 3:10 PM on October 19, 2010


God I wish I didn't live in Australia at times like this.
posted by smoke at 3:13 PM on October 19, 2010


So, who's up for a nice light game of Diplomacy or Age of Renaissance?
posted by kmz at 3:26 PM on October 19, 2010


Sticking in another comment for the possibility of Metafilter PBEMing (or Austin Mefites who might be interested in indie gaming, next year, after I move).
posted by immlass at 3:29 PM on October 19, 2010


So how do you play an RPG over the net? What do you use to roll dice, show maps, etc?

I used to play on IRC all the freakin' time. For dice, we had dice-rolling robots--which would roll either public or private dice, depending on what was needed. You'd type "!roll 3d6 + 4", and it'd spit out "14 [3 3 6]". For White Wolf, it'd be something like "!roll 5 8", and it'd spit out a list of the five rolls and how many had succeeded.

For maps... well, honestly, I've only played a handful of games in my whole life where anybody actually used maps and models and whatnot. But, in those rare cases where a map was needed, somebody'd throw it up on their web server. Mostly, you just don't play with a miniature-oriented ruleset. This is one reason that White Wolf properties were so popular, as the narrative-over-rules paradigm lent itself to easy adaptation for IRC.

Honestly, those IRC games were vastly better than those I've played around a table. The biggest difference that contributed to that quality was the fact that all dialogue/action in the main game channel was in character. There was a whole separate channel for people talking out of character, making jokes, and general chatter. So, it was possible to actually get into a scene, in character, without being yanked out of character by somebody musing whether Papa John's is still open. It was very much like a less publicly ridiculous LARP.

I had a handful of tabletop gaming sessions that were as good as the average night on IRC (and one that was better), but never on a regular basis. And never in any of the publicly-organized games at the local gaming shop.
posted by Netzapper at 3:41 PM on October 19, 2010 [1 favorite]


AIM's chat feature totally still rolls dice when you type "//roll".
posted by NoraReed at 3:53 PM on October 19, 2010


I am intrigued. Newsletter, please.
posted by Splunge at 4:21 PM on October 19, 2010


My Thursday night GURPS game has fallen on hard times the past year and half -- not so coincidently, the time that my son was born. Count me in.
posted by fings at 4:44 PM on October 19, 2010


I played Rifts back in high school, and loved it, but haven't been able to play since. I have no books, and I barely remember the game (vampires in Mexico/Central America, Atlantis risen, Chi-Town a major city, Druids in the UK, apocalypse in Africa).

I also have never used IRC, and am a little bamboozled by MeFightClub (but I did manage the rigorous membership application process).

Who wants to play with me??
posted by jeoc at 4:47 PM on October 19, 2010


and am a little bamboozled by MeFightClub

I get this sometimes, and admit it can be overwhelming at first. It's a pretty long-established (3 years now, I think) community with a depth of content and lots of offshoots of its own. But basically, it's just a standard forum, where new posts to old threads bump them to the top, and conversations are unthreaded, paginated, and categories are presented flat and inline rather than separated out into separate subforums.

If you're confused by something, just ask: we're an exceedingly friendly bunch.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 4:53 PM on October 19, 2010


Yeah, MeFightClub doesn't seem to be biting.

There's gotta be someone here with the wherewithal to set up a ProBB.
posted by griphus at 4:56 PM on October 19, 2010


No one wants to get a Paranoia game going?


......or are we playing one right now?
posted by The Whelk at 5:16 PM on October 19, 2010 [1 favorite]


The Computer assigns you a Paranoia thread, security level Orange. You are security level Red. Of course The Computer does not make mistakes. What do you do?
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 5:48 PM on October 19, 2010


Orange it up.
posted by The Whelk at 5:49 PM on October 19, 2010


assume the command came not from the computer but from an infiltrator. Play it close to chest, wonder if it's a test by the superiors
posted by The Whelk at 5:51 PM on October 19, 2010


Close one. IMG tags are evidently not permitted in thread, and you pass several lethal-sounding GIF placeholders.

You find a bespectacled older gentleman in the thread. Behind him is a closed hatch. He looks up at you as you approach. "Do you wish to join The Cabal?"
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 5:58 PM on October 19, 2010


Woo PnP! I mean uh, I probably shouldn't join any more of these... (but of course I will anyway >.<)
posted by Feantari at 6:20 PM on October 19, 2010


There is no Cabal
posted by The Whelk at 6:21 PM on October 19, 2010


Yes. Yesyesyesyesyes.

My game group has disintegrated, as game groups do. And I miss my RPing.

Count me in. What can I do to help?
posted by MrVisible at 6:25 PM on October 19, 2010


there is no cabal

i designed a 2nd edition sub-class series (essentially hyping up Grewhawk with Rarys, pat.pend. new spell storage gems...rechargable)...characters are lawful neutral...burglars, troubleshooters, sages etc. based on Mission Impossible meets heist genre marrys higher cause. there is even a machine gun...i know, i know but dragons are involved.
jewlers class, vault keepers mages, The Warlock Directory. The Negation Squad from Hardby. A complied list from all the magic Encyclos stuff that could used as a 'tool' or alarms.
8 new magic items, one a minor artifact. 14 scenerios, 3 modules.
(throughs a 'crystal brittle' at Griphus window for making me drags out this lot)

OH,
how could i get cloned materia to stay magically intact without radiating magic without using metal/deadbox nor plane shift etc.

im thinking perm timestop, upon trigger --teleport...-forget spell or vacancy, which just leaves two areas to protect.
posted by clavdivs at 6:51 PM on October 19, 2010


I'd definitely be interested in something like this. (4e D&D, 1e D&D, SR4A are what I'm most experienced with)

IRC + Dicebot + Maptools works pretty well for me with a different group. But mainly because we do the talking and rolling in IRC. Everything could be done in Maptools though.
posted by CrystalDave at 6:53 PM on October 19, 2010


ms. clav just called me a geek.....NOT it was fun...frikkin 1978 I first played, games like eight....ten years old...yes Riders hobby Ann Arbor...no, then only one store..I think...really...welll those little box sets can fetch 5000$...oh that got your attention...sorry folks...g'night.
posted by clavdivs at 6:55 PM on October 19, 2010


What? Nobody like Gamma World?
posted by JaredSeth at 7:15 PM on October 19, 2010


got my filt ride out back
posted by clavdivs at 7:18 PM on October 19, 2010


I actually have run several PnP games, including a 3.5 game that's been ongoing since June of 2009, over at to no ill effect, so I can assure you that PnP RPG folk would be a welcome addition.
posted by absalom at 7:46 PM on October 19, 2010


at MeFightClub.

*headdesk*

Sorry, it's been a long day and the Mojave Wasteland is hell.
posted by absalom at 7:47 PM on October 19, 2010


There's gotta be someone here with the wherewithal to set up a ProBB.

Do what thou wilt, of course, but you have an existing audience of about 1100 game-loving Mefites-and-friends at MFC (plus anyone who signs up as a consequence of this thread), so.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 8:35 PM on October 19, 2010


Yup. Bar is open and the lighting is low.....
posted by vrakatar at 8:38 PM on October 19, 2010


I cast magic missile at the darkness.
posted by bardic at 9:18 PM on October 19, 2010


The darkness goes ouch
posted by The Whelk at 9:25 PM on October 19, 2010


I stab at the gazebo with my swords.

(I admittedly failed to get an ars magica game going on google wave earlier this year. Currently, I'm failing to run an actually-at-a-table ars magica game because of this stupid life-consuming job hunt+dissertation process. Which sucks doubleplushard because the players were loving the couple games I've managed...)
posted by kaibutsu at 9:55 PM on October 19, 2010


No.
posted by IvoShandor at 10:11 PM on October 19, 2010


I bet we all get killed by an elf.
posted by bardic at 3:03 AM on October 20, 2010


I've been reduced to playing the new Ravenloft boardgame by myself while my 12 week old sleeps. While I'd love to play something else, I just don't have the time or mental scheduling capacity to play something that requires coordinating with other human beings.

Luckily, Fallout New Vegas is out this week and Fable 3 is out next...
posted by robocop is bleeding at 5:02 AM on October 20, 2010 [2 favorites]


I put on my robe and wizard hat.
posted by monju_bosatsu at 8:08 AM on October 20, 2010


There are also virtual gaming tables like http://infrno.net/ (though I'm not 100% nuts about how much that one wants you to use a webcam.)
posted by Karmakaze at 8:44 AM on October 20, 2010


Maybe I'm too dramatic about it, but I'd think you' need to have a big skype or ventrillo or other voice tool in order to really do a game up. Maybe for some folks reading/writing the actions would be fine enough, but how can you quantify the big burly player trying to find a voice for his little gnome? Or big overacting from the DM describing the very essence of the pit that is slowly digesting them? Noises! Pantomimes! The.. the..

Okay I'll try.
posted by cavalier at 9:04 AM on October 20, 2010


I put on my robe and wizard hat.

Me too!
posted by COBRA! at 10:03 AM on October 20, 2010


Do what thou wilt, of course, but you have an existing audience of about 1100 game-loving Mefites-and-friends at MFC (plus anyone who signs up as a consequence of this thread), so.

Considering the standalone MetaFilter Film Club is now a land of wind and ghosts, you have a point.
posted by griphus at 2:02 PM on October 20, 2010


Considering the standalone MetaFilter Film Club is now a land of wind and ghosts, you have a point.

Ghosts? I see some synergy here, at least if the D&Ders have silver or magical weapons.
posted by zompist at 4:22 PM on October 20, 2010


If there's an Arkham Horror Meetup in NYC, I'd be interested. It's too Ameritrash for my regular gaming group...
posted by mkultra at 10:04 AM on October 21, 2010


Where's the cheetos? Am I getting drunk yet?
posted by not_on_display at 1:24 PM on October 21, 2010


Robocop is Bleeding: I just ordered two solitaire boardgames, "Nemo's War" and "Frontline D-Day."

I want to move to NYC just to play Arkham Horror.

Oh, and speaking of GammaWorld.
posted by mecran01 at 8:33 PM on October 21, 2010


Wait wait wait wait wait. They have solitaire boardgames? In the grand tradition of introducing a person to a new game: screw you/where?
posted by griphus at 5:58 AM on October 22, 2010


Wait wait wait wait wait. They have solitaire boardgames? In the grand tradition of introducing a person to a new game: screw you/where?

Just what we need, right? Another way of killing time that avoids even online human contact?

I would totally be down for some forum/pbem thing but like some others have mentioned, too many videogames.

On the off chance there's any Vancouver mefites with an IRL game I could join, I'd totally make time for that...anyone?
posted by juv3nal at 10:44 AM on October 25, 2010


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