[OOC] Cofee Talk

[lofac]

While I'm building the infrastructure of this game forum feel free to chit chat and get to know each other in this thread.

I'm Bryan by the way. Live in Oregon. Played D&D for about 2/3rds of my 31 year life and most of that as a DM.

I haven't played in about 4 years, so this is my come back onto the gaming scene after a long hiatus.

Hope you all enjoy the game!

[Juniper]

Hi! I learned how to play 3.5E D&D from a boyfriend about 5 years ago. When that relationship self-destructed I quit playing until my husband and I got conned into a 4E game this summer...I forgot how much I loved the game, and now I can't seem to get enough.

I'm 23 and live in Indiana. Most of my experience is as a player, although my first try as a DM is going on now...

[Grimulfr]

Yay for more threads!

Friends call me Migi, just moved back to FL from ND. Been gaming for a good while now.

[Kazgroth]

Well, since we're getting to know each other, I'm Mitch. I've been playing D&D off and on for 10 years or so. I live in TN and it always been hard to get groups going. I love all kinds of gaming including LARP, but I kind of stopped playing D&D for a few years since I could never keep a group, Then I heard about 4e coming out and I thought I had to get back in the groove. I discovered PbP and, well, here we are.

[Obsidian Halo]

Name: Adam

Race: Arkansas, USA

Class: Home remodeler (construction worker variant)

Age: 32 years

Background/character information: Happily married, just bought and remodeled a really cool house on the cheap last year after graduating college a few years prior and working in a field I ended up not liking. Currently living in AR, and like Kazgroth, cannot find a PnP group to save my life. I've been PbPing for a couple years now, with a few breaks. I started playing DnD when I was 7 (got roped into a group by a friend's older brother), and have played through 1e/2e/3e/3.5e. I've bought the 4e rules and haven't been overly impressed with the changes on paper, but haven't played it yet. I might suck it up and give it a try one of these days.

[Juniper]

4e is not pretty on paper. It's vastly simplified. What's nice about it is that it's legitimately balanced, and everything that's been released so far continues to be balanced. It has strong points and weak points like every edition to come out so far, but it works, and is fun to play and simple to teach, unlike the beast that is 3.5.

It's not got a lot of depth yet, but the publishing schedule for supplements is pretty aggressive.

[Grimner]

Hi Bryan, Juniper, Migi, Mitch, and Adam!

Looks like I'm the youngest, hahaha---22 years old, going to college. This is my stress reliever when classes get extra tough. Hadn't played in years and got sick of putting a group together in real life only to have it fall apart; then, I found this site. I started playing when I was 16 and it's been a great time ever since.

Also, my girlfriend is jealous of my time spent playing D&D. She doesn't understand why I don't want to vegetate in front of the TV for hours

[Kazgroth]

Originally Posted by Obsidian Halo

I've bought the 4e rules and haven't been overly impressed with the changes on paper, but haven't played it yet. I might suck it up and give it a try one of these days.

You know, I didn't think I would be impressed either. And it is a big adjustment from 3.0 & 3.5. But after trying it (albeit on for a few encounters), I have to say it was fun. Not better than 3.5, but definitely fun. And as Juniper said, it is vastly easier to learn than 3.5 ever was/is

Originally Posted by Grimner

Also, my girlfriend is jealous of my time spent playing D&D. She doesn't understand why I don't want to vegetate in front of the TV for hours

Well, thanks to PbP you can do both at the same time! Ain't technology grand?

[Grimner]

Hahaha, unfortunately, that's not cool by her. Don't ask me why not, I couldn't give you an answer.

I still haven't tried 4.0, but it sounds okay. I was really turned off by how the rulebooks seemed like a step backward in terms of artwork, but that's just me.

[Obsidian Halo]

Originally Posted by Grimner

Also, my girlfriend is jealous of my time spent playing D&D. She doesn't understand why I don't want to vegetate in front of the TV for hours

I played World of Warcraft pretty competitevly for about 2.5 years. The amount of time I put into that really managed to send my wife up the wall. 5-6 hour stretches on the computer, laughing and yelling on VoIP and general geeking out made for some questionable relationship juju. At this point, she's perfectly happy to pass on the hour or so a day that PbP requires. Obviously, ymmv

Originally Posted by Juniper

4e is not pretty on paper. It's vastly simplified. What's nice about it is that it's legitimately balanced, and everything that's been released so far continues to be balanced. It has strong points and weak points like every edition to come out so far, but it works, and is fun to play and simple to teach, unlike the beast that is 3.5.

I'd say those are all fair points, especially given the state of the game and what WotC wanted to do with it. It's hard to attract new players (perhaps even a whole new generation) with complex rules and enough content to fill a small library. I think their marketing research probably showed younger players gravitating towards more streamlined and hipper systems. That brings me to my main point, and gripe, about 4e. It reads too much like a computer RPG. Streamline tends to mean process control, and I think they've acheived that. I never complained about balance in DnD, even in 1e. I think it's best left to the DM to provide. I want ideas, templates, concepts, and a framework of rules that I can alter at my whim. The CRPG model 4e seems to be picking up on certainly fulfills their criteria...easy to learn, simple to play and appeals to a generation that cut their teeth on Playstation and the like. I completely get it, I'm just not sure the core ideals of the system tickle my fancy in the way previous versions did. {/thought process}

[Kazgroth]

I played WoW for a little over a year, and my wife nearly seemed to be torn between killing me and smashing our computer. When I told her how long it could take to run some of the raid instances, she nearly flipped. So yeah, I don't play WoW no more

And I understand where you come from on 4e, and your right about that facet, but like I said its fun. There have been times I've been playing 3.5 or building a character and it felt more like a homework assignment. With 4e being so simplified, it seems like there is some more room to have fun & RP.

[Obsidian Halo]

Originally Posted by Kazgroth

When I told her how long it could take to run some of the raid instances, she nearly flipped. So yeah, I don't play WoW no more

I hear that. I beat every single raid encounter through Illidan in TBC. My wife likes to remind me just how awesome that'll look on a resume. Just a massive time sink. I figured out the only way I'd be able to keep it up would be to play when she was at work, so I did that for awhile, but that completely screwed up the rest of my life. I finally got my head around the fact that it was, contrary to all evidence and my steadfast belief, a video game, and I needed to get a grip. It's amazing the interesting things you can find to do with a third of the day...

As for 4e, I'm inclined to agree with ya. Fun > whatever else. I just need to hold my nose and jump in. At this point, my major problem with getting in a 4e game isn't my 'problems' with it, but actually sitting down and learning the rules. As easy as it may be, I still have a better grip on 3e stuff, and haven't had the time to really dig into the rules as much as I'd like.

[Kazgroth]

MMO's can definitely be dangerous for marriages & relationships if you don't realize when its time to call it quits. I have a friend right now that talks to her boyfriend more often on Team Speak than she does face to face. And I think she's afraid to confront him with it or put her foot down because she's not sure he would choose her.

I have another friend who got divorced not long ago and EverQuest severly hurt them. They had problems aside from EQ, but I have a feeling they could have worked it out if they had spent less time raiding and more time shoring up their relationship. Not to mention once his wife left him, she apparently went to one of their friends from their clan. You know that has to sting.

So, in short, to anyone who plays MMOs, remember that the most epic quest of them all is life.

[Obsidian Halo]

@ Kaz: True dat. While my relationship was never in any real danger (high Cha ftw!), there had to come an end, if only for my own sanity. Besides, PbP is much more rewarding.

Questions for our fearless leader: The character creation says 'mundane items only'. Can we assume masterwork is allowed? Also, would gems be a viable trade substitute for carrying cash? I hate to haul around hundreds of pieces of metal...it seems completely unrealistic and the weight/space is a problem. I just wanted to be sure I wasn't shorting myself if I condensed my cash down to gems, but I don't know what general trade is like in Formoria.

[Kazgroth]

Its my understanding that both Masterwork & Darkwood items are still counted as mundane. And I asked the other day and he seemed fine with it. Just keep it under 2700