Comments on: The Unblinking Eye: A Player Over Webcam http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/11/the-unblinking-eye-a-player-over-webcam Game mastering advice, ideas & resources • Dedicated to helping GMs Thu, 10 Nov 2011 17:04:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Martin http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/11/the-unblinking-eye-a-player-over-webcam/comment-page-1#comment-6326 Martin Sat, 18 Nov 2006 20:16:44 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/11/the-unblinking-eye-a-player-over-webcam#comment-6326 Excellent! And it looks like your thread has already generated some feedback. Welcome to the boards. :) Excellent! And it looks like your thread has already generated some feedback. Welcome to the boards. :)

]]> By: daigidan http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/11/the-unblinking-eye-a-player-over-webcam/comment-page-1#comment-6225 daigidan Fri, 17 Nov 2006 20:11:34 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/11/the-unblinking-eye-a-player-over-webcam#comment-6225 Martin: done. :] Martin: done. :]

]]> By: Martin http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/11/the-unblinking-eye-a-player-over-webcam/comment-page-1#comment-6151 Martin Fri, 17 Nov 2006 03:04:54 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/11/the-unblinking-eye-a-player-over-webcam#comment-6151 daigidan: This post is almost to the age where I'll be closing the comments (to prevent spam), but I have a recommendation -- why not join <a href="http://www.treasuretables.org/forum/index.php" rel="nofollow">our free forums</a> and ask your question on the GMing Q&A board? :) daigidan: This post is almost to the age where I’ll be closing the comments (to prevent spam), but I have a recommendation — why not join our free forums and ask your question on the GMing Q&A board? :)

]]> By: daigidan http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/11/the-unblinking-eye-a-player-over-webcam/comment-page-1#comment-5856 daigidan Mon, 13 Nov 2006 00:30:10 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/11/the-unblinking-eye-a-player-over-webcam#comment-5856 I stumbled across this post while searching for the solution to a very similar problem. My group has entered that late-twenties period where marriage and children have entered the picture along with geographical distance. Reading the mentions of Fantasy Grounds, I took a look at it and it does look like a nice package, but I don't run Windows except at work so for me this was a non-starter. I ran across OpenRPG, which suits me better since it runs on Linux (and the setup was astonishingly easy on my Ubuntu system ;). I would be interested to hear any experiences others have had with this software before I try to convince my disparate friends to use it. Cheers! I stumbled across this post while searching for the solution to a very similar problem. My group has entered that late-twenties period where marriage and children have entered the picture along with geographical distance. Reading the mentions of Fantasy Grounds, I took a look at it and it does look like a nice package, but I don’t run Windows except at work so for me this was a non-starter.

I ran across OpenRPG, which suits me better since it runs on Linux (and the setup was astonishingly easy on my Ubuntu system ;) . I would be interested to hear any experiences others have had with this software before I try to convince my disparate friends to use it. Cheers!

]]> By: snikle http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/11/the-unblinking-eye-a-player-over-webcam/comment-page-1#comment-5816 snikle Sun, 12 Nov 2006 07:18:41 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/11/the-unblinking-eye-a-player-over-webcam#comment-5816 If Fantasy Grounds proved to be unstable for you, or you prefer a non d20 based game system, look into a program called MapTool available at RPTools.net. It has an amazing map and drawing features, excellent token(minis) controls and a great chat. It runs in Java as well, so those Mac guys can sit in with windows people. Very stable, I tried to kill the program and was unable to do so. If Fantasy Grounds proved to be unstable for you, or you prefer a non d20 based game system, look into a program called MapTool available at RPTools.net.
It has an amazing map and drawing features, excellent token(minis) controls and a great chat. It runs in Java as well, so those Mac guys can sit in with windows people. Very stable, I tried to kill the program and was unable to do so.

]]> By: Rogers Cadenhead http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/11/the-unblinking-eye-a-player-over-webcam/comment-page-1#comment-5478 Rogers Cadenhead Sat, 04 Nov 2006 17:18:48 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/11/the-unblinking-eye-a-player-over-webcam#comment-5478 "Fantasy Grounds sounds like a good suggestion. Would that require the rest of the group (not just the webcam player) to be using FG too, though?" Yep. That's where FG gets into trouble; all players and the DM must run reliably and may have to configure their routers to allow FG traffic. When it's working, though, it's great. You have a common map to draw on, dice rolls are graphical, and there's a lot of D20 stuff built in so it functions as a DM's reference. You can add your own monsters and characters also. “Fantasy Grounds sounds like a good suggestion. Would that require the rest of the group (not just the webcam player) to be using FG too, though?”

Yep. That’s where FG gets into trouble; all players and the DM must run reliably and may have to configure their routers to allow FG traffic.

When it’s working, though, it’s great. You have a common map to draw on, dice rolls are graphical, and there’s a lot of D20 stuff built in so it functions as a DM’s reference. You can add your own monsters and characters also.

]]> By: Ken Newquist http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/11/the-unblinking-eye-a-player-over-webcam/comment-page-1#comment-5442 Ken Newquist Fri, 03 Nov 2006 19:34:15 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/11/the-unblinking-eye-a-player-over-webcam#comment-5442 A friend of ours moved to Oregan, and he's joined us virtually several times via teleconferencing. We used a digital video camera mounted on a tripod focused on the game map (but occasionally panned outward for a look at the gaming room). The camera was hooked up to my PowerBook, which then sent the video signal to our player in Oregan via iChat. He then sent his own video back using an iSight on his iMac. To avoid the "disembodied voice" syndrome, I hooked a second monitor up to my PowerBook, and put the iChat video feed on that screen (thus creating "James Headroom"). As a result, our remote friend had a real, albiet it monitor-projected, presence in the room. It gave folks something to look at, and reminded everyone he was at the table. How well did it work? We had mixed results. It's easy to get distracted when you're not really *in* the room, and James fell victim to that more than once. As the DM, I had to make a conscious effort to make sure he was included, specifically asking him questions, occasionally recapping the action in case he missed something off-camera. The biggest challenge, IMHO, was the time difference -- we're on the East Coast, he's on the West, and when we're ready to start at 7, he's just finishing up his day. I think this setup *does* work though, and we had more successes than failures. My biggest bit of advice would be to make sure you've got that second monitor with the return video feed -- it makes a world of difference. A friend of ours moved to Oregan, and he’s joined us virtually several times via teleconferencing. We used a digital video camera mounted on a tripod focused on the game map (but occasionally panned outward for a look at the gaming room). The camera was hooked up to my PowerBook, which then sent the video signal to our player in Oregan via iChat.

He then sent his own video back using an iSight on his iMac. To avoid the “disembodied voice” syndrome, I hooked a second monitor up to my PowerBook, and put the iChat video feed on that screen (thus creating “James Headroom”). As a result, our remote friend had a real, albiet it monitor-projected, presence in the room. It gave folks something to look at, and reminded everyone he was at the table.

How well did it work? We had mixed results. It’s easy to get distracted when you’re not really *in* the room, and James fell victim to that more than once. As the DM, I had to make a conscious effort to make sure he was included, specifically asking him questions, occasionally recapping the action in case he missed something off-camera. The biggest challenge, IMHO, was the time difference — we’re on the East Coast, he’s on the West, and when we’re ready to start at 7, he’s just finishing up his day.

I think this setup *does* work though, and we had more successes than failures. My biggest bit of advice would be to make sure you’ve got that second monitor with the return video feed — it makes a world of difference.

]]> By: Spider http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/11/the-unblinking-eye-a-player-over-webcam/comment-page-1#comment-5441 Spider Fri, 03 Nov 2006 18:19:49 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/11/the-unblinking-eye-a-player-over-webcam#comment-5441 We are looking at doing this with the XBOX 360 cams. I don't know how it is going to work yet, but they are easy to use and pretty clear. We are looking at doing this with the XBOX 360 cams. I don’t know how it is going to work yet, but they are easy to use and pretty clear.

]]> By: Martin http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/11/the-unblinking-eye-a-player-over-webcam/comment-page-1#comment-5418 Martin Thu, 02 Nov 2006 21:29:55 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/11/the-unblinking-eye-a-player-over-webcam#comment-5418 Fantasy Grounds sounds like a good suggestion. Would that require the rest of the group (not just the webcam player) to be using FG too, though? It's a bummer that this setup apparently doesn't work as well as it sounds like it might. Incidentally, Pixar uses something very similar to TelePresence (perhaps it <i>is</i> the same thing) to coordinate geographically disparate animation groups. Their setup includes a thingie where you doodle on it and everyone sharing the conference sees your doodle. Pretty neat. Fantasy Grounds sounds like a good suggestion. Would that require the rest of the group (not just the webcam player) to be using FG too, though?

It’s a bummer that this setup apparently doesn’t work as well as it sounds like it might.

Incidentally, Pixar uses something very similar to TelePresence (perhaps it is the same thing) to coordinate geographically disparate animation groups. Their setup includes a thingie where you doodle on it and everyone sharing the conference sees your doodle. Pretty neat.

]]> By: skraith http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/11/the-unblinking-eye-a-player-over-webcam/comment-page-1#comment-5415 skraith Thu, 02 Nov 2006 19:33:19 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/11/the-unblinking-eye-a-player-over-webcam#comment-5415 I have to agree with VV_GM, as we use video & telecons extensively at work, if you are attending from the 'offsite' locations it is too easy to feel distracted or left out. Also, any side conversations or secondary noises that get picked up by the microphones will easily make it hard to keep up with whats actually going on. The only way I could see this working is if all players were attending virtually. Then everyone is on the same frame of reference. Otherwise the remote player will be more likely to quit from frustration due to lack of personal involvement. I have to agree with VV_GM, as we use video & telecons extensively at work, if you are attending from the ‘offsite’ locations it is too easy to feel distracted or left out. Also, any side conversations or secondary noises that get picked up by the microphones will easily make it hard to keep up with whats actually going on.

The only way I could see this working is if all players were attending virtually. Then everyone is on the same frame of reference. Otherwise the remote player will be more likely to quit from frustration due to lack of personal involvement.

]]> By: robustyoungsoul http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/11/the-unblinking-eye-a-player-over-webcam/comment-page-1#comment-5413 robustyoungsoul Thu, 02 Nov 2006 17:45:17 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/11/the-unblinking-eye-a-player-over-webcam#comment-5413 I'd be interested to hear this too, as we've got a similar situation on the horizon. I can see die rolls being particularly tricky. I’d be interested to hear this too, as we’ve got a similar situation on the horizon. I can see die rolls being particularly tricky.

]]> By: xcorvis http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/11/the-unblinking-eye-a-player-over-webcam/comment-page-1#comment-5412 xcorvis Thu, 02 Nov 2006 17:41:57 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/11/the-unblinking-eye-a-player-over-webcam#comment-5412 I just have to bring up <a href="http://nodwick.humor.gamespy.com/ffn/index.php" rel="nofollow">Full Frontal Nerdity</a>, a comic by Aaron Williams. One of the gamers in the comic uses a webcam to play - we've never seen him in person. I just have to bring up Full Frontal Nerdity, a comic by Aaron Williams. One of the gamers in the comic uses a webcam to play – we’ve never seen him in person.

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