Player's aid for turn order in an RPG, Request for comments

[FastMahina]

It is not a revenue source for the game master, the game master pays BGA for their service of hosting the game. I, as the developer, would probably not charge the game masters, and definitely not BGA. It is not a revenue sharing model. It is a difference source of revenue for BGA, where the game master pays BGA to host the game. The game master would have to be a BGA member in order to start the game.

[AmadanNaBriona]

I don't understand why you think BGA would be a better platform than one of the many existing VTTs.

I have created a Fantasy Grounds module, and scripted a few character sheets on Astral. I've also created Vassal modules. TTS is another possibility. Nothing you have described couldn't be done with one of those platforms if you are willing to do enough scripting.

BGA games are all driven by state engines, which really won't work for an RPG, even one that's a heavy tactical simulation. You could probably hack something that would look kind of like a combat simulator, but it will never work very well.

[ufm]

I have created a Fantasy Grounds module, and scripted a few character sheets on Astral. I've also created Vassal modules. TTS is another possibility. Nothing you have described couldn't be done with one of those platforms if you are willing to do enough scripting.

Heck, I even use old-fashioned Maptool for Rumble's 4e campaign framework (which I jury-rigged heavily to add more functions).
And it works pretty well!

BGA games are all driven by state engines, which really won't work for an RPG, even one that's a heavy tactical simulation. You could probably hack something that would look kind of like a combat simulator, but it will never work very well.

I concur, but if they insist.

[FastMahina]

The original game was on Vassal, but piece encoding was tedious when each piece has so many options. Not to mention that complex pieces slow Vassal to a crawl. You are probably thinking about a visually oriented map game. I would probably use Tabletop simulator on Steam. It is better than Vassal for turn orientation, but does not really contain a game state.

THIS is a move selection game, perhaps with a Vassal session in addition for displaying. Basically you have a piece which places (one or more) actions into a time queue and the actions are popped out at the right time. The gimmick is for players to take their actions simultaneously and perhaps blind to what others (at least the "monsters") are doing or unaware where things will be when the action actually occurs. The time queue continues to pop out actions made in prior turns and you use the list of actions taken to enforce what the characters are doing. So if you do a "great blow", the first second you are opening to swing, the next second places the sword starting the swing, the third second has the sword moving through the target, assuming the target is still there. If you are carrying to much weight, it could take longer. So this portion of the game is more like En Garde.

It is NOT a visual game for mini's. It is a discrete action taking game, and removes the glossing over found in even the most complex versions of D&D. But it is easier, because physics make the rule book and not someone trying to make a sell with the latest and greatest. And yes I've hated D&D most of my life, because it tried to be precise but failed. So I'm good with RPGs that gloss over, and I would be good with an RPG that was exacting. But such a game does not exist.

[FastMahina]

BTW, the game state is exactly what I want.

As I said, I've implemented it twice before, first on Vassal and then as a javascript webpage. I stopped programing 20 years ago when AJAX was first coming out, and server side apps were just beginning. So yes I've considered bring up my own MySQL server, but that would have been a lot of work.

[ufm]

Anyway, have you asked admins yet? This definitely would require permission from admins, I suppose.

[FastMahina]

I don't even know who the admins are.

[RicardoRix]

I don't even know who the admins are.

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