See I use heroforge to put 3d models of players into my vtt. The subscription gives digital download credits for either porting into a vtt or stls I can print myself for my shelf
Thank you for including the commuting time! I play both online and at the table and the irl games have a lot of extra work involved with me having to check bus time tables, when and how do i get home. Do I have to sleep over in the city and where? How do I do about food? etc. My online games are way more chill as I can just go to my desk when it is time and go sleep when im done.
Yeah, I live in the middle of my group, so they normally come to my place, but they live 15 minutes, 1 hour, and 2.5 hours away from me. It's certainly adds fun to scheduling.
@@althechicken9597 Real life play is always superior to playing online. Online play is a good option for people who live in different cities or states, or who have other real life constraints. For example, my best friend's wife had a stroke a few years ago, and there's no way he can both host a game and manage her at the same time. That's just not an option. But in many ways the feel is more like playing WOW as opposed to D&D---a lot gets sacrificed in online play. When she was alive, Mom was a psychologist, and she had once said 75% or more of our communication is body language, 15% is in our tone of voice, and the final 5% is the words we are saying. These are also the same numbers they tell you in training if you work in a call center. That's why talking on the phone and worse, texting are piss poor ways of communicating. We might not even be aware of all we are conveying when role-playing a playing a character in person, but it adds layers of nuance that gets left on the cutting room floor when you're online. Once a month I host a live game, and we schedule well in advance so he can attend, and that's be going for going on two years. The in-game difference is palpable. Plus we also have the social aspects of passing snacks around the table, catching up with one another, etc. Our mid game meal break is usually a pot luck where we do the main course and everyone brings salads and sides and desert. On rare occasions we'll get lazy and order pizza. But that too is an essential part of the game...from my perspective it's night and day.
Commute is the primary reason I play online sometimes. In the game I'm running I have a party of 4. I'm the only one of he 5 of us that drives and everyone lives on opposite sides of town. So it takes me about 3 hours to pick everyone up and get back to my place to play. They help pay for gas and we enjoy playing in person a lot more, so it's worth it. Whenever I'm doing solo campaigns though I do them online. It's not worth the effort to drive across town for a solo campaign
that’s real unfortunate I’ve never really seen that happen with my players as we all just have either discord or the battlemap up and don’t have other stuff running, but i think that comes down to the people you play with sadly
Funnily enough I have found that my players that get distracted, are more likely to do so in real life. Online we tend to have more technical issues, which is exhausting!
You are a godsend. I was 90% against online D&D because of computer illiteracy and bad experiences on my part, but the consideration for others and their commute times (and ADHD) gave me a lot to consider. Also… the fact that you’re producing this much quality content and being so generous and interactive with your community and fans about it? I easily see you carving out a place in modern gaming. You’re already a landmark individual in my eyes, and a lot of people will agree.
Thanks for including the section about ADHD. As much as I love the convenience of online D&D I feel so much goddamned dread before the games I play online because I know it'll be hard to pay attention to slower story stuff or remember important events and NPC's. Just to throw in another thing, one thing I always run into and fear is talking over people during the game. I used to do it a lot around the start of covid and that just sucks for playing d&d. I had to learn to wait for a gap in time or just get silly and use that hand raise function sometimes. Just throwing that out as a thing some people will also run into so people can prepare for it.
I have ADHD but i can pay better attention online than irl, im not sure why that is but irl i get sidetracked a little too quick and i sometimes feel the urge to grab my phone for some short-lived entertainment. Online i dont have that issue, i think it might be because i can look at the map more up close and in detail since we have virtual maps and my DM puts a lot of detail in them maybe XD
Is there anything specifically wrong with the handraise function? Or just feels weird using it because we've been conditioned from a young age to get the attention of an authority figure and we don't want.... I answered my own question, but now I've typed this and I'm not gonna waste it. Send.
IRL voice changers do exist but they frequently cost a good chunk of change to purchase. They usually come with a variety of voices to use as well. But even your phone can act as one if you download an app for free.
@@HexedArcher Yeah no, being a talented VA isn't a requirement to be a DM. D&D is a hobby, and therefore many DMs that play it are hobbyists who aren't talented enough to do voices themselves, because they are hobbyists, and Voice Changers are a great way for those DMs to introduce fun character voices.
The timezone part is so true, I was playing D&D at 5am for almost two years (on Friday nights after a full week of work and school, too) but it was so worth it for all the fun we had, and when we cancelled for scheduling problems I wasn't even the one having issues XD
Where were you vs where were they? My first exposure to DnD was a response for a short one shot request on Reddit and I was EST American time and the kind dm was from Singapore which I think was a 12 hour difference. So it was 9pm our time and 9am theirs so it was quite the experience and gave me the bug!
@@thenymphomancer5592a few players and the dm were in EST American time, I think one in PST, and I was in GMT + 2! It was less the time difference being huge and more us playing when it was later in the day for everyone bc the others weren't free earlier, but I was willing to wake up early or stay up late so it worked out
I'm on a Mothership Discord server. We played a session once which for one player was on Thursday morning, for me it was Thursday afternoon, and for another player it was actually very early on Friday.
my party is in three timezones now and though i do miss the time we were all in the same room, the scheduling is actually easier now that we can just pop up two minutes before the session starts without having to drive anywhere or bring food or anything
Having a "Twitch chat" in online sessions is something that happened naturally at most tables I've played in. Some even created multiple text channels on Discord to do things like posting quotes we've found hilarious or important, or listing actions the players took that might be considered crimes. The best part is sometimes catching the DMs by surprise by saying something so funny that they have to stop and acknowledge it
All games I've played online have a text chat for us, but I cannot say it's the same as the side conversations I had at the table. It's not just about memes, it's also about being able to have side convos in-character. You can't have those without interrupting the DM and the solo moment they might be having with another player.
@@TheGreatCreator101I don't see the problem here? Nothing is stopping you from having a side-conversation in-character, no matter how you play. Online you can have an IC chat, separate from OOC talk about memes and scheduling. It doesn't have to interrupt anything. And neither does an in-person conversation at a table. You just need to be aware of where the spotlight is, pick a non-assholish moment to have your side chat, adjust your volume and pay at least a little bit of attention to what's going on in the "main" scene. I think it's actually harder to do at a table, because online you have two modes of communication that don't disrupt each other (talking and typing). They're still competing for your attention and you might miss some details if you're doing two things at once, but at least you won't loudly talk over someone else's important scene.
I play online because my friend and I live in different states. I would definitely prefer to be in person. Seeing each others faces makes a world of difference. "Just use cameras" It isn't the same it is like watching a youtube video or tv. But yes, online has so many benefits. It is amazing.
It's funny, I remember back in the 80s during the "Satanic panic" when things like D&D were absolutely vilified. If people had played then how they play now, folks would have declared a jihad on the gaming industry LOL.
Online DND is about the only way I can play with how chaotic my work schedule is, and it’s one of the best times of the week. Plus all of my online friends are the ones that want to play! Thank you for this video Pointy!
I play one game (both as DM and player) online and one game as a DM IRL. Both are good games. D&D in person is much more about meeting with friends and playing with them as much to catch up and see them as to play D&D. My online D&D game is much more about just meeting to play D&D and we just play. All the conversations are about the game. I have played with these people online for 6 years and i know next to nothing about some of them. but the game is fun.
As an DM and player both irl and online I don't really agree. I don't think the social aspect takes a lot away from offline DnD/RPG. Just have to have a DM that empathizes playing over meeting up. You can talk after the game or beforehand.
Seconding this statement. I think IRL D&D works well if it doubles as an excuse to meet up IRL, or just a part of the itinerary for meeting up at someone's place.
IT HAS A NAME?!? I constantly feel what my character feels, sometimes my character will get upset at something and I, their creator, have to figure out why they're upset at whatever just happened. Bleed. It's called Bleed.
As someone who is terminally online (both for work and for my hobbies), getting to play D&D in person with my friends is always the highlight of my week. I've played D&D extensively both online and offline and I agree that playing online is great as well, it just isn't AS great. It's still D&D mind you, as long as you have a good group it's going to be a blast no matter where you play.
One thing that i love to do in my dnd online game is linking audios to certain scenes or characters, for example there is this character that is basically the pursuer from dark souls 2 and always torments the party at the worst times, appearing with the prowler sound effect and i cannot express how satisfying it felt when they killed him and were in a room with a almost dying npc they loved and then heared that sound, priceless. You can also use it in more meta ways, like a ost that plays when they have a battle shonen moment, rising from the ashes of the fight and turning the tides of a battle, but then one time they fight this antagonist that is just trying to save his people and so, when they almost kill him, the theme plays for him, starting the second phase of the bossfight. Great video as always btw
Oh yeah, playing with Audio in that way is amazing. I've done it several times in my One-Shots online. The tipping point of a boss battle queuing up a "Heroic Second Wind" battle playlist that opens with "One Against The World"? Players immediately start going balls to the wall with clever combat stuff. Spooky halloween one-shot where the players know the characters aren't likely to survive? I started it off with OSP Red's haunting cover of "Bad Moon On The Rise", which had them go from grinning to "Oh... Oh yeah we totally gonna die aren't we? :o " And I very much look forward to playing a certain audio sound (The Warper Crackle from Subnautica) when they meet their first Immortal (monstrous creatures from a "Cursed Comet") and seeing their freaked out faces moments before they realize "Oh !@#$ they're not monsters. They're killer robots. RUN" XD
I've DM'd both irl and online, and gotta say, prep time for online play is double if not triple that of irl. While offline I can describe places, people, etc. with words, hand or body motions, drawings on the table, anything at hand, and use legos, erasers or bottle caps as 'minis' on a grid that describes the battle map with a few squiggly lines of my dry eraser. When playing online I gotta find or make the map or maps that match the places the party might go (and hope they don't change plans), find tokens for the enemies of the upcoming session (and hope they don't change plans), or subject the players to stare at a blank grid with rushed MSpaint style drawings (and hope they don't get distracted). I find that the theater of the mind works a lot better when they can see me in person and not through a camera. Also online you have the limitation of having to speak one at a time which slows the rhythm of everything. When playing irl: While I'm resolving the attack of a player, the other players can be discussing their next movements and be ready when their turn comes; when an NPC is speaking with a party member the others can be theorizing on the information they've got; while the DM is info dumping a player because their successful history check, the others could be dividing the loot, etc.
I play both. Like you point out, there are advantages to online. However, I primarily play for the social aspect, so I always prefer an in person game. You do have good points and even in person, there are usually laptops at our table.
I run D&D games online for my job. I run 11 games a week, using discord and roll20. My 30+ customers really enjoy my stuff. So I’m glad you finally made a video about it.
Thank you so much for this video!! I started my d&d journey 2 years ago with an r/lfg post, and my online game has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I’ve had the chance to run a couple games irl since and I’ve found I still prefer online for all the reasons outlined in this video. I play audio only and it makes it so much easier to get immersed for me as a mostly theater of the mind DM. There comes a point where you hit that flow state and it’s like listening to a podcast or reading a book, and that becomes harder to do when you have your friends faces staring at you + people fidgeting or getting up to get snacks (I’m one of those ADHD DMs that prefers online). I’ve used a discord music bot to play custom Spotify playlists since day one, and being able to “score” my games like that has become so much a part of my DMing style I cannot play without it. I have playlists for different moods, different locations and characters, I’ve even been able to do things like give my villain faction a musical motif by having all of their songs feature a hurdy-gurdy. It’s to the point that when I’ve run irl games I’ll sit there with my laptop and discord running and just play it from my speakers lol. I’m separated from my usual players by 3-10 timezones, and none of us would’ve met if not for the game. Yeah it would be nice if someday we could all sit around the same table and play a session, but that doesn’t make our games any less amazing. (In fact my brother’s group that originally all lived in the same town decided to move to online because it was so much more convenient for scheduling + immersion) All the things you can do to make in-person d&d special you can find ways to replicate online. If you’re interested in starting to play d&d, online is an incredible option. Scheduling is always hard on or offline but online makes it simpler for sure (I’ve had players joining games from the backseats of cars before) and with online ttrpg simulators like Roll20 or D&DBeyond it becomes so much easier to keep track of spells and dice rolls. If you get creative you can still do props or other fun things unique to online like custom discord emojis, and if you’re as lucky as I am you can end up meeting some very dear friends.
I love to see my two favorite DnD UA-camrs collabing and shouting each other out. Loved the skit with Pointy boring the lich beyond undeath with his lich variants (which I love! I wanna play with a blight villain so bad!)
I’m a forgetful DM so GM notes that I can see on the map but the players can’t is great. Also one of the players lives across the country but I need those traps on the map!
It's not something I struggle with, but I know that some dms sketch up the room the players are in and then write there all of the informatios, maybe It can help you too.
Honestly great points, I was just thinking about how those with ADHD, like myself, to keep on task when playing online and I really appreciate you addressed that, with Ginni Hat! Thank you for doing that! I still personally prefer irl but I'll take your points into consideration.
14:26 With so many videos about running D&D and homebrewing and how the game works, I'm surprised you don't talk about it more. I kinda wish you would, because I personally love it.
Funny thing: I once had a horror session using a VTT and made a digital handout for each player of a plaque that was on the wall of the old clinic. Only that one player had one that was different in a creepy way and tied into her characters backstory. It was very effective.
11:34 There's also 'Watch Together' for better quality and sync, the drawback being some song might not work due to copyright. Love the vid btw, really useful!
Omg!!! This new hat cameo! Love it!! Oh, btw, I cant stop watching your videos for about 2 weeks because of how cool they are! My hat's off with utmost respect.
So many times people who don't have ADHD try to give advice and it never works but this is stuff I actually do and it really helps! Also, the Ginni hat is so cute!!
playing the campaign of BG3 with my friends in multiplayer gave me the same feeling of playing the tabletop D&D and i loved it, it has been sooo loong since i felt this good.
HOW DARE MY TWO DND TIPS UA-camRS MAKE A COLLAB!! I AM UPAULED (idk how to spell) DO YOU KNOW THE STARS THAT HAD TO ALIGN? THE DESTINIES INTERTWINED? THE RELATABLITLY (again, no spelling)? THE PERSONALITY? I JUST CANT HANDLE HOW COOL THIS IS! Please do more in the future :)
My dnd group has been online for the past few weeks and tbh I’ve been way more comfortable with it. When it’s in the game store I struggle to talk due to background noise but at home it’s a lot easier
best ad for Heroforge ever!!! Also as a life long DM, I find IRL games to be easier to avoid burnout, because the pace of game is slower. I can have a years worth of material ready faster than a months worth on Discord. My 1st burnout came from an online game. I'm now just using premade content, because homebrew settings are less fun online for me. (also due to autism, audio processing is an issue for me. Using headphones for sound means no music. But IRL I can place a boombox in the room at a low volume and have ambient music that doesn't react to my autism. Overall I prefer IRL games, and every point for online you make is a point that IRL does better, buuuut finding players for IRL has become harder ever since the virus and well general global issues people are less willing to travel to Northridge (in Los Angeles) than to do Discord. So it's discord, DnDB, Roll20, and Heroforge. (mostly because I collect minis)
Playing online is a great option in many situations and I am glad that it's an option. But the older I get the more I realize that I care way less about immersion, mechanics or how well something works. My best D&D memories were made in real life. Sitting outside on a warm summer evening, eating good food and laughing with friends in someones garden. Or all cozy in winter, eating something we cooked together while our characters battle through snow and ice. I know this isn't true for everyone but in a time where everything is digital I crave those real experiences and 50% of my D&D experience are things that are... not D&D. As I said, playing online is not "worse" by any means, it's just a different experience. And I get why some might prefer it or might have no choice because their friends are far away or have a busy schedule. Or when a pandemic hits. But for me personally, I like to play with people in the same room even if it means that I play way less. However, I am really happy with how far technology has come and that this option exists and makes many people very happy
OMGOMGOMGOMGOMG!!!! GINNY DI SUPERIOR FORM!!! And thanks for this video. I'm not too comfortable with online, live interaction. It took me months to get up the courage to enter PS4 chat to play Destiny raids and nightfalls but once I did, it was great. My big hold back would be camera. I would not want me or my environment on display however, it wouldn't take much to have the camera pointed at my character sheet, miniature or just some cool artwork.
can we all talk about the fact that pointy has comes up with the greatest segways into his sponsors out of any youtuber. he literally creates lore, uses stuff from previous videos(e.g sorcerer lich) and it feels like hes making a whole setting when hes doing this
Top notch editing on this vid x) For the lack of a better term, the visual jokes had me laughing! I'm setting up online DnD for a bunch of friends of mine =) It's been years since we've been able to play DnD and other TTRPGs. But online makes it possible!
My take on in-person vs online: In-person is my favorite and how I have the most fun playing and running games, because my "goal" of DnD is to have a fun time hanging out with friends. Chatting with friends online is great! But nothing beats going out with your group and having everyone together :) I think our games are allowed to get sillier because of this too, (and in my experience side-chatter is much easier and less intrusive in-person than online), and for as great as voice changers are nothing beats being able to point and mime at the table of friends. Online is the best way to run combat and in-person dungeons will never be as good as online dungeon crawling. Setting up your VTT to be dark, dingy, shadowy, and giving your players a limited cone of vision so they see what their character sees and has to try and make out what the token at the edge of their vision is... it's just so fucking cool. Doing dungeon crawling as a board game where people make their moves on their turn, running combat with tactical finesse, having tokens of their character instead of a random letter on a whiteboard, and allowing for much more complex battles and battle effects is awesome, and the bookkeeping is much easier. My main point of detraction for online is just the time it takes to set up these cool moments, these things are creatively difficult and putting all of your prep into a VTT is such a chore (gotta find a good picture for all of these monsters I might be using next time, gotta set up line of sight, etc). If I could make a career out of running games for my friends, boy oh boy... Anyway, I think you gave me some great points for online though! Wireless headphones, side-chatter channels, 4th wall breaking, with this and actually interesting dungeon crawling and combat I think I wouldn't be so put-off by the next online game that comes up. Thanks for another great video!
OMG! I love the Pointy Di! Two too adorables! Oh and the tips are pretty good... Seriously though, my main group and I use a combination of IRL and online interfaces to play. We use a TV table with the maps done on roll20. For inventories and party shared things, we use google sheets that everyone can update as needed (as well as make a basic log) and it allows for those of us who cannot make it IRL due to work or illness, they can still join remotely. I fully appreciate PH's notes here. Thank you. The voice changer is new and one I'll definitely be adding to the immersion of my games.
I'm pretty sure he's gonna do all of them over time, and paladins are at least half casters, unlike the barbarian which still got a lich anyway so yeah probably
OMG thank you for the maps! This video came out in the right time, I was just doing research last week on how to spice up my upcoming online game. Its hard for me sometimes to make sense of what I want to say so one big plus is that I can write it in a chat. And one more thing - private messages to DM and players. Anything you are plotting can go unnoticed. PS: the visuals for this video are👌👌👌
The sound thing is literally one of the main reasons I hate playing online. Most VOIP programs suck ass for having multiple conversations at once, playing DnD in real life gives people the ability to have side conversations or side RP really easily without having to worry about drowning out the DM by just moving away from the table a little until the DM calls for them again. Sure, you could just DM to the other player you want to talk to but that's kind of cumbersome sometimes and if you have fun acting and doing the funny voices you don't get to do them over text.
Actually literally every "pro" of playing online in this video is why I don't like it, minus the travel time stuff. I still play online because that's my only option right now, but I would drop every single online game I'm in to play in person with friends again.
I’ve been a DM for the same online campaign for 4.5 years now, and can definitely notice the difference that all of these things being to the table for my players, ESPECIALLY when players are able to set up a space to get themselves immersed and loosened up. Streaming BGM and SFX is also so much fun!! Sure it can be a bit of work to prepare, but it’s fun to prepare! Great video, just like all your videos.
Seeing as RPing in the same room as my friends is my favorite thing about tabletop RPGs, it's impossible for online play to ever measure up. VTTs do offer a lot of conveniences, but cameras and mics are just no substitute for live interaction.
As an in person DM who was forced online due to the pandemic and then players moving far away, I understand all of your points and I hear them, but getting around a table and having that time with the people you’ve chosen to tell the story with is something you simply can’t get online. I can never high five another player after a nat 20. I can’t hug a player. I can’t share my snacks. We can’t drink and sing together, not without discord cutting out. Roll20 video never works, and all decent platforms and tools cost money. The equivalent in person tools cost more, but the best part about in person is you don’t need ANY tools. I think this is a great video that highlights some of the best parts of playing online. I just still prefer in person.
Personally I feel like sitting in a dark room and imagining everything going on is more immersive than constantly seeing your friends' actual faces and being reminded that it’s just a game.
I don't even own a webcam, and don't have to run the AC as low when you're alone in your underwear. Having an icon to match the character you're playing is better. Especially when you're like my group and cycle through a few campaigns on hiatus depending on which member is available for the extra time commitment of DMing.
@@BlertaPupu Of course I'm not saying I want it and real life to be indistinguishable. It is a game but one of the main reasons I love it so much is being able to really immerse yourself in a world, a story and a character in a way that few mediums allow. Escapism you know.
Voice changing IRL can be done by setting up something that gives out audio, leaving the room and talking through a discord call or something like that to the players in the other room. It's not as much in person as being in there with them, but it creates an opportunity for IRL sessions and using voices in a roleplayed conversation with the big bad guy. YES, you don't sit in a room with them, but it's not a thing that I use a lot and I try to use other things like gimmicks for NPCs instead of voices - except maybe for big characters. I also started including theme songs for important characters, that play in the background. For combat scenarios you can prerecord some files, put the voice changer over it and play them if necessary. That way you can still have that sick guitar battle between your bard and a random NPC that happens to challenge them because you want to gift them a magic instrument. I actually started playing online and I know that there are MANY benefits to it. But, to me, nothing beats throwing some snacks at someones head while sitting in a living room with dim lights. Maps are the greatest thing about online rpgs. I once made a labyrinth that included sight borders so that players actually lose orientation while traversing the traps and obstacles. Slowly drove them insane! On the other hand, using maps also takes a bit away from the imagination, while making my (the DM's) visions more clear to the player. A 50:50 to me.
I'm going to fight you on the Audio being easier online. Because the volume levels are trickier (especially through OBS), and if you're streaming it, it gets VERY limited to non-copyright music that you have to hope is -actually- non copyright so UA-cam/Twitch don't yell at you. Also, in person, you can also use.. smells. I did scented character sheets once to REALLY immerse my players. Also, theater of the mind. You don't need scenery or miniatures at all. In fact when I was running my game on Twitch, we didn't even use a VTT for anything but easy-access character sheets.
I wouldn't not say one is "better" than the other, they both have pros and cons. I have completely given up on online games having two straight years of nothing but bad experiences and not for lack of trying to find a good group. I agree that its easier with time, and comfort online. But finding a group is somehow the hardest part. I am now trying to get involved at my local game store and that isn't easy either, but we shall see how it turns out
What a fantastic video! I've been playing the TTRPG "Star Trek Adventures" with four people purely via Discord for two years now and it's by far the most stable and best game I've had so far. And yet, as a game master, you have given me some really good ideas with this video to further improve our experience! Awesome! We only learned while playing that it's really useful for people with ADHD to do something on the side that they don't have to think about! The two of them KNIT! Like in your video! OMG! I would like to say that as a game master, it is quite important to me, at least most of the time, to see my fellow players. On the one hand, I want to see and interpret the reactions and facial expressions of my fellow players and sometimes it's just good to know whether the person is speechless or simply hasn't listened or is absent! :D
Hells yes for audio. I'm one of the weird people who turns the volume all the way down (sorry GM, I'm sure your audio choices are brilliant), and it's so nice to be able to do that while everyone else still gets to enjoy their soundtrack :) Offline voice changers: Speaking through any object. Cardboard tube. Pillow. There's probably some more involved ways, idk. Not as impressive as a digital voice changer, sure. Oh also helium, or just good ol' wrecking your vocal cords ^_^ Another reason: Notes. Having a shared doc that anyone can add stuff to at any time, and open in another tab to figure out that name of that NPC from three sessions ago is SO useful.
YOU ABSOLUTE KING. I've been running campaigns on Foundry for the past 3 years, and I have a *hunger* for fresh maps :D Also, shout out for Tom Cartos! Absolute legend for VTT maps ^_^
I like playing online well enough. But my main issues are that 1) It's easier for the players just tune out and 2) they use the benefits of having automated die rolls as a crutch, so the games come to a halt when they have to do something that's not scripted.
Huh, I've had the opposite experience, on both counts. About 1 - I play with some ADHD folks and it's so much easier for them to find the mindless activity that doesn't disrupt others when we're online. As in, they just open some mindless little game, instead of stacking dice that clatter loudly all over the table, or humming to themselves when we're playing in person. And it's easier for the GM to introduce cool bells and whistles that keep players more engaged - audio changes, handouts, dynamic maps etc. Plus, GM can easily give something to one player only, which lets you keep things secret and reveal them in a satisfying way (without everyone having to pretend they don't know Bob was given two scraps of paper). Or you can have the player explain something, instead of GM doing all the narration - this is much more engaging and keeps everyone in-character. And about 2 - wouldn't they be halting the game much more often if they didn't have these online tools at all? Right now your players get stuck for a bit on the non-standard situations where they have to check and calculate everything themselves. Wouldn't it be even slower if they had to do that for EVERY roll? Or do you think 3h of D&D once every 1-2 weeks is enough to vastly improve someone's arithmetic skills and they would just Git Gud? Plus, most tables I've been at still use online tools like DnDBeyond, even when we're at the table in person.
I’m a strong believer in in-person dnd, but I have played some online sessions with a group across the country. These tips really helped, and I absolutely see what you mean when you say you prefer online. I think it definitely has its charm, and I appreciate the tips!
I DM TTRPG since i was 11, and only after the covid pandemic i started playing online. I must say, there is some things that i miss from in person play, but online is faaaar superior experience.
The line: "and also those people have not paid me to sponsor this video and I'm too mercenary" made me laugh IRL. You sir have won a single like and a sub from yours truly. Maybe it's a consolation prize, but nonetheless for making me laugh you have won over the judges and found to be deserving. Cheers.
My entire dnd career has been online , and as someone whos hard of sight and doesnt like physical things that require me to see i like online way more .
I´ve DMed a DnD campain for half a year now. And im happy how it works. We mainly play with discord and DnDBeyond and when I feel like it and have time we also do foundryVTT. Any my players seem to really like it. (Especially since we play a sandbox campain and they both like Farming and City building Simulators and just do that in DnD.) We can just set up everything we need for notes infos etc as a seperate Discord channel and it works wonders. I even have a seperate channel for Initiative so everyone can check who is after who. They also have a magical Map that is completely black and reveals all the locations the players already went to like in a video game.
about to run my first ever campaign and i’m doing it online! thank you so much for this awesome video. i never would’ve thought of some of these things! i’m definitely going to have some of my players’ parents hide some letters, and reveal them on the day of the session haha!
Talking about Bleed, i didn't really heard this term before and it instantly reminded me of something. I don't know if this is negative bleed, but i think it is. For context, one time, at a very long table, my PC and another ended up in a relationship, got engaged, married, had 3 children. During one of the ending arcs of the table my PC's wife ended up dying and the ressurection spell went wrong cause some demon had taken hold on her soul. So, like a good husband my PC literally jumped to hell and started a fight to release her soul, after literally releasing her soul from her shackles (It was like a Astral Projection, she could fight in soul form) and a grueling fight her soul got shattered, and she died permanently. I managed to finish the fight on my own but when the adrenaline went away i simply crumbled, in-game and in real life. I spent like, 10-15 minutes balling my eyes out. After that i retired my PC to take care of our children while they still had one of their parents. Anyway, just wanted to share this, don't know if it was "good Bleed" or "Bad Bleed" but, i think i was a little too attached to both PC's, and their relationship.
These are really good tips thank you! It makes running things a little less daunting when I need to transition to doing digital. Love the idea of the ritual at the start. And having things affect the physical reality thanks!
As someone who has been doing online dnd for the past 4 years I do nearly all the same things, roll20 has our side convos, we have a discord bot to add music, cams on, one of the players draws our characters while we place cause of adhd, only thing that’s really different is the ritual of doing something like lighting a candle which I might bring up. I am very excited to use your maps!!
I hate dealing with the ads in videos (meh, you've got to pay the bills somehow), but I have to say you do the best job of having your ads interrupt in places that are natural fits rather than in the middle of important content.
Finally content discussing how online is better! I exclusively play online bc it enables scheduling so much better and things like easy tokens and battle maps, digital character sheets that expand to fit whatever you need so you don't need to manage infinite pages of paper, etc
So glad to hear about the breaking g the forth wall part, with my co-dm we've been building up packages to send to our players for the first time and it's a lot of work, I'm glad to hear that it does make a difference from an experienced GM
you make me want to get back to dming soooo bad (well, as much as i can "get back" to something I've only done once) my biggest issue rn is prep time though... I have very low energy left after everyday stuff so I rarely know if I will even have the energy to run a session, let alone prepare for it. There are pre-written campaigns, yes, I know, but you still need to prepare for them as well. Anyways, love your channel and your ideas! I can't wait for the day I finally manage to get over this issue and use your materials for a game!
I've almost exclusively played online, due to most of my friends being far away, and also because the pandemic happened. On top of that, very few people I know of have the space/money for physical setups to work well anyways. VTTs like foundry make D&D a more accessible hobby to more people than in-person can. With all that said, I'd love to play some more irl games at some point, bc it is definitely a different (not always better or worse!) experience.
Great video! Especially love the breaking-the-fourth-wall stuff. You tend to play with artists; I tend to play with writers. It's extremely immersive for us to play via text instead of audio chat. Instead of conversing with Mike in Texas and Amy in Kentucky, it feels more like you're having a conversation with the elven sorceress Starmantle and the holy knight Belezaurius. If your highest good is immersion, I haven't found anything better than playing via text. Bleed bonanza, baby! On the other hand, it can be slooooooow. Typing it all out takes about three times longer to do anything, even if you're using voice-to-text software (which is a great help for anyone who hasn't ruined their posture and wrists by typing at a keyboard for a living). This is because instead of just listening to what is said, you actually have to read it, and reading is slower than hearing. On the other-other hand, we have a literal written record of everything that was said "at the table," what the treasure was in last week's hoard, or the name of that NPC they talked to behind their favorite tavern four years ago. You can massage it up into short stories or songs about the PCs' heroic exploits, or just go back and re-read last week's log to get into the mood. And finally, if you've got performance anxiety when it comes to RPing, nothing banishes it more than typing instead of talking. Most folks can get self-conscious trying to talk like the elven sorceress Starmantle (especially if that someone is Mike in Texas), but everyone who graduated from Secondary Education has at least some experience writing characters or reading fiction. So it just feels more natural and "safer" to do things that way. As for combating ADHD at the table, I've found the best way to do that is to DM. My brain is never starved for things to do when I'm DMIng. ;p
In person I find there is a much deeper personal connection between players. Its a social game where we might discuss the game during the week but also chat about other things and are aware of what is going on in your players' lives. You can also see people around you without having to switch between tabs or screens. If someone is uncomfortable with something or going to be uncomfortable with it I find that much easier in person than online where quite often players will play without cameras on (which I understand). Maps and things are cool but they add a lot more prep time. In person I'll draw maps out on generic dry erase backgrounds. I can add things in if players ask and they dont have to be existed before and dont have to be already on the map if they're not yet noticed by the PCs. Don't get me wrong, playing online is still fun and in super hot evenings in the summer I was glad to be able to sit in my pants (camera off) and play (not something we do in person) but in person will always be more social and collaborative for me than online ever could be.
I straight learned how to rig vtubers just so I can have my little characters hanging out. took like 3-4 weeks to learn but its so fun to *be* your little guys
I started playing DnD in the late 70's when I was in 3rd grade. I have played on and off since then - and in the last few years, I've been thinking about trying out playing online, after not playing for the last 16 years. I think this is my new favorite PH video yet. Thank you for making it. I had not heard of "bleed" by that term, but I know the phenomenon in the game. And I'm privileged to have made many gamer friends with ADHD, so I think you are missing out if not open to that.
One of my friends sent me this video saying I was going to enjoy it, and I kinda feel like watching every and each one of your other videos right now, because I actually loved this one. "Thank you so much" is like the least I think I could say right now lol you sorta put into words lots of things I've been thinking about for some time now and that I just couldn't align or something, so yeah, thanks. Btw, I really loved that you took the time to talk about ADHD players, because I got like tons of those and I feel like I could "help" them have more fun now 😊
I'd love to have a short video talking about how to pick music for D&D. Whenever I've done music in my campaigns I either find it kind of distracting or I tune it out and find the tavern music is just still playing over the demon boss fight. Great video as always though! I'm running the Fey Wild one shot for the first time this weekend and this video gave me some ideas.
Hey, I wasn't personally asked, but I thought I'd reply with what helps me to do this. Firstly, when I'm listening to lyricless music (whether it's from an old Final Fantasy game, or anything else that sets a mood) and it triggers an emotion in me, I try to make a note of it. When I'm looking for music to throw into my game, I go to that bank and find one that I think works. Sometimes I'll hear a song and it'll help me to come up with something in my game! Always be mentally taking notes when music gives you the feels. There are also a ton of Spotify channels made precisely for dungeon masters. Some even give you hints as to what they can be used for with tags like suspense, or emotion, or battle. When I'm having trouble coming up with something I seek these out. It takes a lot of time, but often it's worth it. You can also take notes on the ones that work well (or don't) and use them for other situations. Since my game is a homebrew, I usually try to let the music inspire me for new situations. Hope this helps!
Good maps are actually an extremely hard part of on-line dnd. I'm somewhat a perfectionist and I'm always trying to make my campaign look the best it can be so that the impressions from my players are the best they could be. But... it's hard. If you just don't draw black lines on white background (which you can also do offline) there is a possibility that on-line provides, but I would still say it's as hard as offline, just... different. So you sharing your AMAZING maps, that are actually useful and usable is the best move towards new online players you could ever make after this video. As a long time online player too, thank you from the bottom of my heart.
I got SO excited over that tiny Collab with Ginny D! Also I just started DMing for the first time ever 2 sessions ago. I gathered some Childhood friends online that are now all across the US and we are loving it. I’d say without even knowing we are doing half of these already . Even the ADHD part. One of my players assembles Legos while playing . It’s been real fun so far . Plus it’s great to be able to connect with friends from afar more regularly.
I was introduced to D&D almost 3 years ago, back on 2021, while living on the other side of my country to some highschool friends, we played digitally over discord and since our little group thrived, I ran a 2 year long campaign, our group of players grew from 6 to about 15 counting newcomers we invited and I find it funny to see how every single thing on the video is something we all figured out on our own, its been a great experience in my opinion, cannot say cuz ive just tried DMing irl for my siblings a few weeks ago, but I think both cam be really enjoyeable
“Twitch chat” is such an amazing suggestion. Also I have ADHD and doodle during online games! I felt called out and didn’t realize it was a thing I did to stay focused lol
Thank you for the maps! I love your stuff! I play both online(as dm) and in person(as a player), and your videos have helped me prepped to be in a d&d mood.
I have used the changing map thing a few times in season ending boss fights. Once, I had a train that was barreling through time, and I swapped out the background map and changes the environment as the train and the players stayed in the same spot. The next one I had this star system oscillate between past, present, and future, with different environmental effects and obstacles in each time period. The future had the star replaced with a black hole! I also require to have music and sound effects to stay engaged with a game. I can also run longer games as I am able to get up and move around and go to the bathroom while the players discuss their next move.
For audio, I've never scared my players more than just looping the UA-cam video of the radio static from storms on Saturn. 11/10 held up my bad writing
I've only played DnD online (I play with friends from Switzerland, Germany and Austria), so I wasn't aware how much commuting would affect sessions. After realising it's of course obvious how much time playing online saves in this regard. Simply the luxury of having your sheets organised and your rolls calculated for you automatically is also amazing. The ritual thing we kind of also do in the form of a session recap at the beginning. And the Twitch-Chat thing also gets used not just to joke around but also to actually have in-character conversations while something else is going on. I've been using evolving maps to some extent (for example a machine room with giant cogs that spun around as a lair action) but I feel like I really need to get myself a voice changer as well. Sounds fun.
Havn't watched the video yet so you can call me an ass if you mention it. To me one of the big pros about in person dnd or any ttrpg is that it gives a person full range of communication to everyone else. Hand gestures, facial expression, body posture etc... When all your hearing is someones voice you're very much limited on how a person is feeling and expressing. It also means that things like side conversations and talking to people without taking up the spotlight becomes neigh undoable since you don't have that distence to not interupt somebody trying to play. Though I will say in terms of conveance and accessability and immersion. Online has physical beat almost completly hands down, so to me it's more of what the group needs for the game. Though another big thing is that managing a group of people is much easier to do in person than online personally. I cannot go above a group of 5 players online whereas I can manage 7 when were all physically there.
Hello web surfers 😎 ready to surf the web with your webonauts friends? Or ready to fight me about irl vs online?
I’d love to be part of an online campaign with you as a dm!!
*Rolls initiative* FIGHT ME!
Did you remember to add the GinnyD video into the i thing?
dude you didn't link Ginny... :P but Great work on the Video PointyHat! :)
i absolutely love and prefer online d&d
The cheek, the nerve, the gall, the audacity and the gumption to have hero forge as a sponsor in this video, unmatched, love to see it
I hate irl rpg, and I use hero forge to make portraits for the npcs, there are no contradictions there
See I use heroforge to put 3d models of players into my vtt. The subscription gives digital download credits for either porting into a vtt or stls I can print myself for my shelf
A player in my online game uses Hero Forge too 😁
cmon drag reference
@@gabrielsalesmartins How much does Hero Forge make from you on that deal?
Seeing Hat Ginni was so fun! It's awesome to see 2 of my favourite creators collaborating
Absolutely! What a fun surprise 😄
I lost my sugar when I saw this
Thank you for including the commuting time! I play both online and at the table and the irl games have a lot of extra work involved with me having to check bus time tables, when and how do i get home. Do I have to sleep over in the city and where? How do I do about food? etc. My online games are way more chill as I can just go to my desk when it is time and go sleep when im done.
Yeah, I live in the middle of my group, so they normally come to my place, but they live 15 minutes, 1 hour, and 2.5 hours away from me. It's certainly adds fun to scheduling.
@@althechicken9597 Real life play is always superior to playing online. Online play is a good option for people who live in different cities or states, or who have other real life constraints. For example, my best friend's wife had a stroke a few years ago, and there's no way he can both host a game and manage her at the same time. That's just not an option.
But in many ways the feel is more like playing WOW as opposed to D&D---a lot gets sacrificed in online play. When she was alive, Mom was a psychologist, and she had once said 75% or more of our communication is body language, 15% is in our tone of voice, and the final 5% is the words we are saying. These are also the same numbers they tell you in training if you work in a call center. That's why talking on the phone and worse, texting are piss poor ways of communicating. We might not even be aware of all we are conveying when role-playing a playing a character in person, but it adds layers of nuance that gets left on the cutting room floor when you're online.
Once a month I host a live game, and we schedule well in advance so he can attend, and that's be going for going on two years. The in-game difference is palpable. Plus we also have the social aspects of passing snacks around the table, catching up with one another, etc. Our mid game meal break is usually a pot luck where we do the main course and everyone brings salads and sides and desert. On rare occasions we'll get lazy and order pizza. But that too is an essential part of the game...from my perspective it's night and day.
Commute is the primary reason I play online sometimes. In the game I'm running I have a party of 4. I'm the only one of he 5 of us that drives and everyone lives on opposite sides of town. So it takes me about 3 hours to pick everyone up and get back to my place to play. They help pay for gas and we enjoy playing in person a lot more, so it's worth it. Whenever I'm doing solo campaigns though I do them online. It's not worth the effort to drive across town for a solo campaign
pathetic excuse for being lame.
My main beef with online is that players get sidetracked easier if they are on their own pcs, and this is a big bum for the DM
that’s real unfortunate I’ve never really seen that happen with my players as we all just have either discord or the battlemap up and don’t have other stuff running, but i think that comes down to the people you play with sadly
Yeah, it is one of the big caveats when it comes to D&D Online
i’m playing a campaign and on of the pcs was playing roblox during like half of the session 😭😭
Yeah dawg like it’s super disrespectful to be playing games while in a campaign you took days to preform
Funnily enough I have found that my players that get distracted, are more likely to do so in real life. Online we tend to have more technical issues, which is exhausting!
You are a godsend. I was 90% against online D&D because of computer illiteracy and bad experiences on my part, but the consideration for others and their commute times (and ADHD) gave me a lot to consider.
Also… the fact that you’re producing this much quality content and being so generous and interactive with your community and fans about it? I easily see you carving out a place in modern gaming. You’re already a landmark individual in my eyes, and a lot of people will agree.
dafuq are you smoking? must be some potent stuff.
Thanks for including the section about ADHD. As much as I love the convenience of online D&D I feel so much goddamned dread before the games I play online because I know it'll be hard to pay attention to slower story stuff or remember important events and NPC's. Just to throw in another thing, one thing I always run into and fear is talking over people during the game. I used to do it a lot around the start of covid and that just sucks for playing d&d. I had to learn to wait for a gap in time or just get silly and use that hand raise function sometimes. Just throwing that out as a thing some people will also run into so people can prepare for it.
Oh gods, the accidental "internet lagged and now we're all talking simultaneously" thing!
I have ADHD but i can pay better attention online than irl, im not sure why that is but irl i get sidetracked a little too quick and i sometimes feel the urge to grab my phone for some short-lived entertainment. Online i dont have that issue, i think it might be because i can look at the map more up close and in detail since we have virtual maps and my DM puts a lot of detail in them maybe XD
Is there anything specifically wrong with the handraise function? Or just feels weird using it because we've been conditioned from a young age to get the attention of an authority figure and we don't want.... I answered my own question, but now I've typed this and I'm not gonna waste it. Send.
Ohmigod, the handraise! Why haven't I thought of that til now that's friggin' genius!!! I talk over people all the time and I could kick myself for it
lol, you're a crack up.
IRL voice changers do exist but they frequently cost a good chunk of change to purchase. They usually come with a variety of voices to use as well. But even your phone can act as one if you download an app for free.
😊
Really? I'm a dm but I can't find a good one both me and my players like. Any suggestions m8?
dm's that resort to voice changers are just posers.
@@HexedArcher Yeah no, being a talented VA isn't a requirement to be a DM. D&D is a hobby, and therefore many DMs that play it are hobbyists who aren't talented enough to do voices themselves, because they are hobbyists, and Voice Changers are a great way for those DMs to introduce fun character voices.
@@lucyla9947 The nerve of some people to act like this. I'll bet this guy has never once had to DM.
The timezone part is so true, I was playing D&D at 5am for almost two years (on Friday nights after a full week of work and school, too) but it was so worth it for all the fun we had, and when we cancelled for scheduling problems I wasn't even the one having issues XD
Where were you vs where were they? My first exposure to DnD was a response for a short one shot request on Reddit and I was EST American time and the kind dm was from Singapore which I think was a 12 hour difference. So it was 9pm our time and 9am theirs so it was quite the experience and gave me the bug!
@@thenymphomancer5592a few players and the dm were in EST American time, I think one in PST, and I was in GMT + 2! It was less the time difference being huge and more us playing when it was later in the day for everyone bc the others weren't free earlier, but I was willing to wake up early or stay up late so it worked out
I'm on a Mothership Discord server. We played a session once which for one player was on Thursday morning, for me it was Thursday afternoon, and for another player it was actually very early on Friday.
It's so great! I currently play with people on four different continents. It's so cool to have friends all over the world I hang out with every week.
my party is in three timezones now and though i do miss the time we were all in the same room, the scheduling is actually easier now that we can just pop up two minutes before the session starts without having to drive anywhere or bring food or anything
Having a "Twitch chat" in online sessions is something that happened naturally at most tables I've played in. Some even created multiple text channels on Discord to do things like posting quotes we've found hilarious or important, or listing actions the players took that might be considered crimes.
The best part is sometimes catching the DMs by surprise by saying something so funny that they have to stop and acknowledge it
All games I've played online have a text chat for us, but I cannot say it's the same as the side conversations I had at the table. It's not just about memes, it's also about being able to have side convos in-character. You can't have those without interrupting the DM and the solo moment they might be having with another player.
@@TheGreatCreator101I don't see the problem here? Nothing is stopping you from having a side-conversation in-character, no matter how you play.
Online you can have an IC chat, separate from OOC talk about memes and scheduling. It doesn't have to interrupt anything.
And neither does an in-person conversation at a table. You just need to be aware of where the spotlight is, pick a non-assholish moment to have your side chat, adjust your volume and pay at least a little bit of attention to what's going on in the "main" scene.
I think it's actually harder to do at a table, because online you have two modes of communication that don't disrupt each other (talking and typing). They're still competing for your attention and you might miss some details if you're doing two things at once, but at least you won't loudly talk over someone else's important scene.
Same! Quotes, memes and art, I host a pin bot on our discord server, cuz we found out there is a limit on how many pins you can have😅
I often have non-players join the vc on mute and just spam memes in chat lol
I play online because my friend and I live in different states.
I would definitely prefer to be in person. Seeing each others faces makes a world of difference. "Just use cameras" It isn't the same it is like watching a youtube video or tv.
But yes, online has so many benefits. It is amazing.
It's funny, I remember back in the 80s during the "Satanic panic" when things like D&D were absolutely vilified. If people had played then how they play now, folks would have declared a jihad on the gaming industry LOL.
Online DND is about the only way I can play with how chaotic my work schedule is, and it’s one of the best times of the week. Plus all of my online friends are the ones that want to play!
Thank you for this video Pointy!
I play one game (both as DM and player) online and one game as a DM IRL. Both are good games. D&D in person is much more about meeting with friends and playing with them as much to catch up and see them as to play D&D. My online D&D game is much more about just meeting to play D&D and we just play. All the conversations are about the game. I have played with these people online for 6 years and i know next to nothing about some of them. but the game is fun.
Is possible to be both the dm and a player?
@@Landir27 Yes
@@Landir27it’s called having a DMPC and is the stuff horror stories are made of.
As an DM and player both irl and online I don't really agree. I don't think the social aspect takes a lot away from offline DnD/RPG. Just have to have a DM that empathizes playing over meeting up. You can talk after the game or beforehand.
Seconding this statement. I think IRL D&D works well if it doubles as an excuse to meet up IRL, or just a part of the itinerary for meeting up at someone's place.
IT HAS A NAME?!? I constantly feel what my character feels, sometimes my character will get upset at something and I, their creator, have to figure out why they're upset at whatever just happened. Bleed. It's called Bleed.
As someone who is terminally online (both for work and for my hobbies), getting to play D&D in person with my friends is always the highlight of my week. I've played D&D extensively both online and offline and I agree that playing online is great as well, it just isn't AS great. It's still D&D mind you, as long as you have a good group it's going to be a blast no matter where you play.
One thing that i love to do in my dnd online game is linking audios to certain scenes or characters, for example there is this character that is basically the pursuer from dark souls 2 and always torments the party at the worst times, appearing with the prowler sound effect and i cannot express how satisfying it felt when they killed him and were in a room with a almost dying npc they loved and then heared that sound, priceless.
You can also use it in more meta ways, like a ost that plays when they have a battle shonen moment, rising from the ashes of the fight and turning the tides of a battle, but then one time they fight this antagonist that is just trying to save his people and so, when they almost kill him, the theme plays for him, starting the second phase of the bossfight.
Great video as always btw
Oh yeah, playing with Audio in that way is amazing. I've done it several times in my One-Shots online.
The tipping point of a boss battle queuing up a "Heroic Second Wind" battle playlist that opens with "One Against The World"? Players immediately start going balls to the wall with clever combat stuff.
Spooky halloween one-shot where the players know the characters aren't likely to survive? I started it off with OSP Red's haunting cover of "Bad Moon On The Rise", which had them go from grinning to "Oh... Oh yeah we totally gonna die aren't we? :o "
And I very much look forward to playing a certain audio sound (The Warper Crackle from Subnautica) when they meet their first Immortal (monstrous creatures from a "Cursed Comet") and seeing their freaked out faces moments before they realize "Oh !@#$ they're not monsters. They're killer robots. RUN" XD
I've DM'd both irl and online, and gotta say, prep time for online play is double if not triple that of irl.
While offline I can describe places, people, etc. with words, hand or body motions, drawings on the table, anything at hand, and use legos, erasers or bottle caps as 'minis' on a grid that describes the battle map with a few squiggly lines of my dry eraser.
When playing online I gotta find or make the map or maps that match the places the party might go (and hope they don't change plans), find tokens for the enemies of the upcoming session (and hope they don't change plans), or subject the players to stare at a blank grid with rushed MSpaint style drawings (and hope they don't get distracted).
I find that the theater of the mind works a lot better when they can see me in person and not through a camera.
Also online you have the limitation of having to speak one at a time which slows the rhythm of everything.
When playing irl: While I'm resolving the attack of a player, the other players can be discussing their next movements and be ready when their turn comes; when an NPC is speaking with a party member the others can be theorizing on the information they've got; while the DM is info dumping a player because their successful history check, the others could be dividing the loot, etc.
I play both. Like you point out, there are advantages to online. However, I primarily play for the social aspect, so I always prefer an in person game. You do have good points and even in person, there are usually laptops at our table.
I run D&D games online for my job. I run 11 games a week, using discord and roll20. My 30+ customers really enjoy my stuff. So I’m glad you finally made a video about it.
Thank you so much for this video!! I started my d&d journey 2 years ago with an r/lfg post, and my online game has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I’ve had the chance to run a couple games irl since and I’ve found I still prefer online for all the reasons outlined in this video.
I play audio only and it makes it so much easier to get immersed for me as a mostly theater of the mind DM. There comes a point where you hit that flow state and it’s like listening to a podcast or reading a book, and that becomes harder to do when you have your friends faces staring at you + people fidgeting or getting up to get snacks (I’m one of those ADHD DMs that prefers online). I’ve used a discord music bot to play custom Spotify playlists since day one, and being able to “score” my games like that has become so much a part of my DMing style I cannot play without it. I have playlists for different moods, different locations and characters, I’ve even been able to do things like give my villain faction a musical motif by having all of their songs feature a hurdy-gurdy. It’s to the point that when I’ve run irl games I’ll sit there with my laptop and discord running and just play it from my speakers lol.
I’m separated from my usual players by 3-10 timezones, and none of us would’ve met if not for the game. Yeah it would be nice if someday we could all sit around the same table and play a session, but that doesn’t make our games any less amazing. (In fact my brother’s group that originally all lived in the same town decided to move to online because it was so much more convenient for scheduling + immersion) All the things you can do to make in-person d&d special you can find ways to replicate online. If you’re interested in starting to play d&d, online is an incredible option. Scheduling is always hard on or offline but online makes it simpler for sure (I’ve had players joining games from the backseats of cars before) and with online ttrpg simulators like Roll20 or D&DBeyond it becomes so much easier to keep track of spells and dice rolls. If you get creative you can still do props or other fun things unique to online like custom discord emojis, and if you’re as lucky as I am you can end up meeting some very dear friends.
I dig it. This has motivated me to start my D&D group chat back up. Thanks for all you do. Love the energy.
So the video starts at about 6:00 if you saw the title and don’t need to be convinced to watch a video on the topic.
I love to see my two favorite DnD UA-camrs collabing and shouting each other out. Loved the skit with Pointy boring the lich beyond undeath with his lich variants (which I love! I wanna play with a blight villain so bad!)
I'm so glad I found your channel dude, you're great at these videos, and the free homebrew stuff you give out is amazing!
I’m a forgetful DM so GM notes that I can see on the map but the players can’t is great. Also one of the players lives across the country but I need those traps on the map!
It's not something I struggle with, but I know that some dms sketch up the room the players are in and then write there all of the informatios, maybe It can help you too.
What an amazing set of maps, Pointy Hat! AMAZING! Thanks a lot!
Oh, and so good to see Ginni show up! You are two of my favorite RPG content creators!
Honestly great points, I was just thinking about how those with ADHD, like myself, to keep on task when playing online and I really appreciate you addressed that, with Ginni Hat! Thank you for doing that! I still personally prefer irl but I'll take your points into consideration.
14:26 With so many videos about running D&D and homebrewing and how the game works, I'm surprised you don't talk about it more. I kinda wish you would, because I personally love it.
Funny thing: I once had a horror session using a VTT and made a digital handout for each player of a plaque that was on the wall of the old clinic. Only that one player had one that was different in a creepy way and tied into her characters backstory. It was very effective.
11:34 There's also 'Watch Together' for better quality and sync, the drawback being some song might not work due to copyright. Love the vid btw, really useful!
Omg!!! This new hat cameo! Love it!! Oh, btw, I cant stop watching your videos for about 2 weeks because of how cool they are!
My hat's off with utmost respect.
So many times people who don't have ADHD try to give advice and it never works but this is stuff I actually do and it really helps! Also, the Ginni hat is so cute!!
This video totally reinspired and reminded me how much fun online play can be, THANK YOU!
Also?!?! THE CAMEO!?!?!? Screaming, crying, throwing up
playing the campaign of BG3 with my friends in multiplayer gave me the same feeling of playing the tabletop D&D and i loved it, it has been sooo loong since i felt this good.
HOW DARE MY TWO DND TIPS UA-camRS MAKE A COLLAB!! I AM UPAULED (idk how to spell) DO YOU KNOW THE STARS THAT HAD TO ALIGN? THE DESTINIES INTERTWINED? THE RELATABLITLY (again, no spelling)? THE PERSONALITY?
I JUST CANT HANDLE HOW COOL THIS IS!
Please do more in the future :)
My dnd group has been online for the past few weeks and tbh I’ve been way more comfortable with it. When it’s in the game store I struggle to talk due to background noise but at home it’s a lot easier
best ad for Heroforge ever!!! Also as a life long DM, I find IRL games to be easier to avoid burnout, because the pace of game is slower. I can have a years worth of material ready faster than a months worth on Discord. My 1st burnout came from an online game. I'm now just using premade content, because homebrew settings are less fun online for me. (also due to autism, audio processing is an issue for me. Using headphones for sound means no music. But IRL I can place a boombox in the room at a low volume and have ambient music that doesn't react to my autism. Overall I prefer IRL games, and every point for online you make is a point that IRL does better, buuuut finding players for IRL has become harder ever since the virus and well general global issues people are less willing to travel to Northridge (in Los Angeles) than to do Discord. So it's discord, DnDB, Roll20, and Heroforge. (mostly because I collect minis)
Playing online is a great option in many situations and I am glad that it's an option. But the older I get the more I realize that I care way less about immersion, mechanics or how well something works. My best D&D memories were made in real life. Sitting outside on a warm summer evening, eating good food and laughing with friends in someones garden. Or all cozy in winter, eating something we cooked together while our characters battle through snow and ice. I know this isn't true for everyone but in a time where everything is digital I crave those real experiences and 50% of my D&D experience are things that are... not D&D. As I said, playing online is not "worse" by any means, it's just a different experience. And I get why some might prefer it or might have no choice because their friends are far away or have a busy schedule. Or when a pandemic hits. But for me personally, I like to play with people in the same room even if it means that I play way less. However, I am really happy with how far technology has come and that this option exists and makes many people very happy
OMGOMGOMGOMGOMG!!!! GINNY DI SUPERIOR FORM!!!
And thanks for this video. I'm not too comfortable with online, live interaction. It took me months to get up the courage to enter PS4 chat to play Destiny raids and nightfalls but once I did, it was great. My big hold back would be camera. I would not want me or my environment on display however, it wouldn't take much to have the camera pointed at my character sheet, miniature or just some cool artwork.
can we all talk about the fact that pointy has comes up with the greatest segways into his sponsors out of any youtuber. he literally creates lore, uses stuff from previous videos(e.g sorcerer lich) and it feels like hes making a whole setting when hes doing this
Top notch editing on this vid x) For the lack of a better term, the visual jokes had me laughing! I'm setting up online DnD for a bunch of friends of mine =) It's been years since we've been able to play DnD and other TTRPGs. But online makes it possible!
My take on in-person vs online:
In-person is my favorite and how I have the most fun playing and running games, because my "goal" of DnD is to have a fun time hanging out with friends. Chatting with friends online is great! But nothing beats going out with your group and having everyone together :) I think our games are allowed to get sillier because of this too, (and in my experience side-chatter is much easier and less intrusive in-person than online), and for as great as voice changers are nothing beats being able to point and mime at the table of friends.
Online is the best way to run combat and in-person dungeons will never be as good as online dungeon crawling. Setting up your VTT to be dark, dingy, shadowy, and giving your players a limited cone of vision so they see what their character sees and has to try and make out what the token at the edge of their vision is... it's just so fucking cool. Doing dungeon crawling as a board game where people make their moves on their turn, running combat with tactical finesse, having tokens of their character instead of a random letter on a whiteboard, and allowing for much more complex battles and battle effects is awesome, and the bookkeeping is much easier. My main point of detraction for online is just the time it takes to set up these cool moments, these things are creatively difficult and putting all of your prep into a VTT is such a chore (gotta find a good picture for all of these monsters I might be using next time, gotta set up line of sight, etc). If I could make a career out of running games for my friends, boy oh boy... Anyway, I think you gave me some great points for online though! Wireless headphones, side-chatter channels, 4th wall breaking, with this and actually interesting dungeon crawling and combat I think I wouldn't be so put-off by the next online game that comes up. Thanks for another great video!
OMG! I love the Pointy Di! Two too adorables!
Oh and the tips are pretty good...
Seriously though, my main group and I use a combination of IRL and online interfaces to play. We use a TV table with the maps done on roll20. For inventories and party shared things, we use google sheets that everyone can update as needed (as well as make a basic log) and it allows for those of us who cannot make it IRL due to work or illness, they can still join remotely. I fully appreciate PH's notes here. Thank you.
The voice changer is new and one I'll definitely be adding to the immersion of my games.
Any plans for a Paladin Lich? Could see the Oath of Love subclass you made being a really cool potential villain
I'm pretty sure he's gonna do all of them over time, and paladins are at least half casters, unlike the barbarian which still got a lich anyway so yeah probably
That one is going to be hard to make original because Warcraft III already did it.
OMG thank you for the maps!
This video came out in the right time, I was just doing research last week on how to spice up my upcoming online game. Its hard for me sometimes to make sense of what I want to say so one big plus is that I can write it in a chat. And one more thing - private messages to DM and players. Anything you are plotting can go unnoticed.
PS: the visuals for this video are👌👌👌
The sound thing is literally one of the main reasons I hate playing online. Most VOIP programs suck ass for having multiple conversations at once, playing DnD in real life gives people the ability to have side conversations or side RP really easily without having to worry about drowning out the DM by just moving away from the table a little until the DM calls for them again. Sure, you could just DM to the other player you want to talk to but that's kind of cumbersome sometimes and if you have fun acting and doing the funny voices you don't get to do them over text.
Actually literally every "pro" of playing online in this video is why I don't like it, minus the travel time stuff. I still play online because that's my only option right now, but I would drop every single online game I'm in to play in person with friends again.
I’ve been a DM for the same online campaign for 4.5 years now, and can definitely notice the difference that all of these things being to the table for my players, ESPECIALLY when players are able to set up a space to get themselves immersed and loosened up. Streaming BGM and SFX is also so much fun!! Sure it can be a bit of work to prepare, but it’s fun to prepare!
Great video, just like all your videos.
Seeing as RPing in the same room as my friends is my favorite thing about tabletop RPGs, it's impossible for online play to ever measure up. VTTs do offer a lot of conveniences, but cameras and mics are just no substitute for live interaction.
Yes totally agree
As an in person DM who was forced online due to the pandemic and then players moving far away, I understand all of your points and I hear them, but getting around a table and having that time with the people you’ve chosen to tell the story with is something you simply can’t get online. I can never high five another player after a nat 20. I can’t hug a player. I can’t share my snacks. We can’t drink and sing together, not without discord cutting out. Roll20 video never works, and all decent platforms and tools cost money. The equivalent in person tools cost more, but the best part about in person is you don’t need ANY tools.
I think this is a great video that highlights some of the best parts of playing online. I just still prefer in person.
Personally I feel like sitting in a dark room and imagining everything going on is more immersive than constantly seeing your friends' actual faces and being reminded that it’s just a game.
Seeing the icons does more than seeing someone’s face. Also, no worry about getting new minis if someone dies
I don't even own a webcam, and don't have to run the AC as low when you're alone in your underwear.
Having an icon to match the character you're playing is better. Especially when you're like my group and cycle through a few campaigns on hiatus depending on which member is available for the extra time commitment of DMing.
@@Shalakorand you don't have to have the heater on full blast if you've got a cover *looks over at my wife*
But... it's not a bad thing it's just a game.
@@BlertaPupu Of course I'm not saying I want it and real life to be indistinguishable. It is a game but one of the main reasons I love it so much is being able to really immerse yourself in a world, a story and a character in a way that few mediums allow. Escapism you know.
Voice changing IRL can be done by setting up something that gives out audio, leaving the room and talking through a discord call or something like that to the players in the other room.
It's not as much in person as being in there with them, but it creates an opportunity for IRL sessions and using voices in a roleplayed conversation with the big bad guy.
YES, you don't sit in a room with them, but it's not a thing that I use a lot and I try to use other things like gimmicks for NPCs instead of voices - except maybe for big characters.
I also started including theme songs for important characters, that play in the background.
For combat scenarios you can prerecord some files, put the voice changer over it and play them if necessary.
That way you can still have that sick guitar battle between your bard and a random NPC that happens to challenge them because you want to gift them a magic instrument.
I actually started playing online and I know that there are MANY benefits to it. But, to me, nothing beats throwing some snacks at someones head while sitting in a living room with dim lights.
Maps are the greatest thing about online rpgs. I once made a labyrinth that included sight borders so that players actually lose orientation while traversing the traps and obstacles. Slowly drove them insane!
On the other hand, using maps also takes a bit away from the imagination, while making my (the DM's) visions more clear to the player. A 50:50 to me.
I'm curious as to what voice changer was Pointy Hat using because those voice changes are of exquisite qualities
I'd like to know aswell! And if anyone else has recommendations.
Same! I've been googling, but nothing great is coming up! At least for free.
@@redundanttrees Yeah, same. Can't really find any tbh, those that I've found are quite disappointing ngl.
if anyone finds it please tell me
@@mcrafterpro563 Sadly no luck, I've given up pretty much
I'm going to fight you on the Audio being easier online. Because the volume levels are trickier (especially through OBS), and if you're streaming it, it gets VERY limited to non-copyright music that you have to hope is -actually- non copyright so UA-cam/Twitch don't yell at you. Also, in person, you can also use.. smells. I did scented character sheets once to REALLY immerse my players. Also, theater of the mind. You don't need scenery or miniatures at all. In fact when I was running my game on Twitch, we didn't even use a VTT for anything but easy-access character sheets.
I’m convinced and I’ve watched 31 seconds
Nothing will ever come close to getting together with my friends every week, drinking a couple beers, and rolling real dice
I wouldn't not say one is "better" than the other, they both have pros and cons. I have completely given up on online games having two straight years of nothing but bad experiences and not for lack of trying to find a good group.
I agree that its easier with time, and comfort online. But finding a group is somehow the hardest part.
I am now trying to get involved at my local game store and that isn't easy either, but we shall see how it turns out
Just so people aren't super confused in the comments the video originally had a very different name.
What a fantastic video! I've been playing the TTRPG "Star Trek Adventures" with four people purely via Discord for two years now and it's by far the most stable and best game I've had so far.
And yet, as a game master, you have given me some really good ideas with this video to further improve our experience! Awesome!
We only learned while playing that it's really useful for people with ADHD to do something on the side that they don't have to think about! The two of them KNIT! Like in your video! OMG!
I would like to say that as a game master, it is quite important to me, at least most of the time, to see my fellow players. On the one hand, I want to see and interpret the reactions and facial expressions of my fellow players and sometimes it's just good to know whether the person is speechless or simply hasn't listened or is absent! :D
YOU MAKE VIDEO GAMES WHAT?!
Hells yes for audio. I'm one of the weird people who turns the volume all the way down (sorry GM, I'm sure your audio choices are brilliant), and it's so nice to be able to do that while everyone else still gets to enjoy their soundtrack :)
Offline voice changers: Speaking through any object. Cardboard tube. Pillow. There's probably some more involved ways, idk. Not as impressive as a digital voice changer, sure. Oh also helium, or just good ol' wrecking your vocal cords ^_^
Another reason: Notes. Having a shared doc that anyone can add stuff to at any time, and open in another tab to figure out that name of that NPC from three sessions ago is SO useful.
Why doesn't a witch wear a flat hat?
Because there's no point to it.
YOU ABSOLUTE KING. I've been running campaigns on Foundry for the past 3 years, and I have a *hunger* for fresh maps :D Also, shout out for Tom Cartos! Absolute legend for VTT maps ^_^
I like playing online well enough. But my main issues are that 1) It's easier for the players just tune out and 2) they use the benefits of having automated die rolls as a crutch, so the games come to a halt when they have to do something that's not scripted.
Huh, I've had the opposite experience, on both counts.
About 1 - I play with some ADHD folks and it's so much easier for them to find the mindless activity that doesn't disrupt others when we're online. As in, they just open some mindless little game, instead of stacking dice that clatter loudly all over the table, or humming to themselves when we're playing in person. And it's easier for the GM to introduce cool bells and whistles that keep players more engaged - audio changes, handouts, dynamic maps etc. Plus, GM can easily give something to one player only, which lets you keep things secret and reveal them in a satisfying way (without everyone having to pretend they don't know Bob was given two scraps of paper). Or you can have the player explain something, instead of GM doing all the narration - this is much more engaging and keeps everyone in-character.
And about 2 - wouldn't they be halting the game much more often if they didn't have these online tools at all? Right now your players get stuck for a bit on the non-standard situations where they have to check and calculate everything themselves. Wouldn't it be even slower if they had to do that for EVERY roll? Or do you think 3h of D&D once every 1-2 weeks is enough to vastly improve someone's arithmetic skills and they would just Git Gud? Plus, most tables I've been at still use online tools like DnDBeyond, even when we're at the table in person.
I’m a strong believer in in-person dnd, but I have played some online sessions with a group across the country. These tips really helped, and I absolutely see what you mean when you say you prefer online. I think it definitely has its charm, and I appreciate the tips!
I DM TTRPG since i was 11, and only after the covid pandemic i started playing online. I must say, there is some things that i miss from in person play, but online is faaaar superior experience.
The line: "and also those people have not paid me to sponsor this video and I'm too mercenary" made me laugh IRL. You sir have won a single like and a sub from yours truly. Maybe it's a consolation prize, but nonetheless for making me laugh you have won over the judges and found to be deserving. Cheers.
My entire dnd career has been online , and as someone whos hard of sight and doesnt like physical things that require me to see i like online way more .
It takes a little effort to learn, but my god, Foundry VTT? AMAZING! You can keep it simple or make incredibly awesome stuff!
I´ve DMed a DnD campain for half a year now. And im happy how it works. We mainly play with discord and DnDBeyond and when I feel like it and have time we also do foundryVTT. Any my players seem to really like it. (Especially since we play a sandbox campain and they both like Farming and City building Simulators and just do that in DnD.) We can just set up everything we need for notes infos etc as a seperate Discord channel and it works wonders. I even have a seperate channel for Initiative so everyone can check who is after who. They also have a magical Map that is completely black and reveals all the locations the players already went to like in a video game.
about to run my first ever campaign and i’m doing it online! thank you so much for this awesome video. i never would’ve thought of some of these things! i’m definitely going to have some of my players’ parents hide some letters, and reveal them on the day of the session haha!
Talking about Bleed, i didn't really heard this term before and it instantly reminded me of something.
I don't know if this is negative bleed, but i think it is. For context, one time, at a very long table, my PC and another ended up in a relationship, got engaged, married, had 3 children.
During one of the ending arcs of the table my PC's wife ended up dying and the ressurection spell went wrong cause some demon had taken hold on her soul. So, like a good husband my PC literally jumped to hell and started a fight to release her soul, after literally releasing her soul from her shackles (It was like a Astral Projection, she could fight in soul form) and a grueling fight her soul got shattered, and she died permanently. I managed to finish the fight on my own but when the adrenaline went away i simply crumbled, in-game and in real life. I spent like, 10-15 minutes balling my eyes out.
After that i retired my PC to take care of our children while they still had one of their parents.
Anyway, just wanted to share this, don't know if it was "good Bleed" or "Bad Bleed" but, i think i was a little too attached to both PC's, and their relationship.
As someone who is forever DMing online, i am once again greatful for your Video and especially the map pack!
These are really good tips thank you! It makes running things a little less daunting when I need to transition to doing digital. Love the idea of the ritual at the start. And having things affect the physical reality thanks!
As someone who has been doing online dnd for the past 4 years I do nearly all the same things, roll20 has our side convos, we have a discord bot to add music, cams on, one of the players draws our characters while we place cause of adhd, only thing that’s really different is the ritual of doing something like lighting a candle which I might bring up. I am very excited to use your maps!!
I hate dealing with the ads in videos (meh, you've got to pay the bills somehow), but I have to say you do the best job of having your ads interrupt in places that are natural fits rather than in the middle of important content.
OMG that was SO cool ! I spit my coffee out when I saw Ginny Di that was awesome
Finally content discussing how online is better!
I exclusively play online bc it enables scheduling so much better and things like easy tokens and battle maps, digital character sheets that expand to fit whatever you need so you don't need to manage infinite pages of paper, etc
So glad to hear about the breaking g the forth wall part, with my co-dm we've been building up packages to send to our players for the first time and it's a lot of work, I'm glad to hear that it does make a difference from an experienced GM
you make me want to get back to dming soooo bad (well, as much as i can "get back" to something I've only done once)
my biggest issue rn is prep time though... I have very low energy left after everyday stuff so I rarely know if I will even have the energy to run a session, let alone prepare for it. There are pre-written campaigns, yes, I know, but you still need to prepare for them as well.
Anyways, love your channel and your ideas! I can't wait for the day I finally manage to get over this issue and use your materials for a game!
I've almost exclusively played online, due to most of my friends being far away, and also because the pandemic happened. On top of that, very few people I know of have the space/money for physical setups to work well anyways. VTTs like foundry make D&D a more accessible hobby to more people than in-person can. With all that said, I'd love to play some more irl games at some point, bc it is definitely a different (not always better or worse!) experience.
Great video! Especially love the breaking-the-fourth-wall stuff. You tend to play with artists; I tend to play with writers. It's extremely immersive for us to play via text instead of audio chat. Instead of conversing with Mike in Texas and Amy in Kentucky, it feels more like you're having a conversation with the elven sorceress Starmantle and the holy knight Belezaurius. If your highest good is immersion, I haven't found anything better than playing via text. Bleed bonanza, baby!
On the other hand, it can be slooooooow. Typing it all out takes about three times longer to do anything, even if you're using voice-to-text software (which is a great help for anyone who hasn't ruined their posture and wrists by typing at a keyboard for a living). This is because instead of just listening to what is said, you actually have to read it, and reading is slower than hearing.
On the other-other hand, we have a literal written record of everything that was said "at the table," what the treasure was in last week's hoard, or the name of that NPC they talked to behind their favorite tavern four years ago. You can massage it up into short stories or songs about the PCs' heroic exploits, or just go back and re-read last week's log to get into the mood.
And finally, if you've got performance anxiety when it comes to RPing, nothing banishes it more than typing instead of talking. Most folks can get self-conscious trying to talk like the elven sorceress Starmantle (especially if that someone is Mike in Texas), but everyone who graduated from Secondary Education has at least some experience writing characters or reading fiction. So it just feels more natural and "safer" to do things that way.
As for combating ADHD at the table, I've found the best way to do that is to DM. My brain is never starved for things to do when I'm DMIng. ;p
I truly think your content makes a difference in my games and a really love you Chanel.
LOVED THE COLLAB WITH GINNY D! Would love to see more in future videos!
In person I find there is a much deeper personal connection between players. Its a social game where we might discuss the game during the week but also chat about other things and are aware of what is going on in your players' lives. You can also see people around you without having to switch between tabs or screens. If someone is uncomfortable with something or going to be uncomfortable with it I find that much easier in person than online where quite often players will play without cameras on (which I understand).
Maps and things are cool but they add a lot more prep time. In person I'll draw maps out on generic dry erase backgrounds. I can add things in if players ask and they dont have to be existed before and dont have to be already on the map if they're not yet noticed by the PCs.
Don't get me wrong, playing online is still fun and in super hot evenings in the summer I was glad to be able to sit in my pants (camera off) and play (not something we do in person) but in person will always be more social and collaborative for me than online ever could be.
Agreed
I straight learned how to rig vtubers just so I can have my little characters hanging out. took like 3-4 weeks to learn but its so fun to *be* your little guys
As a DM, music is the one thing I allocate to my players 😂. We all play in person, but our table takes turns being the notetaker/ DJ.
I started playing DnD in the late 70's when I was in 3rd grade. I have played on and off since then - and in the last few years, I've been thinking about trying out playing online, after not playing for the last 16 years. I think this is my new favorite PH video yet. Thank you for making it. I had not heard of "bleed" by that term, but I know the phenomenon in the game. And I'm privileged to have made many gamer friends with ADHD, so I think you are missing out if not open to that.
One of my friends sent me this video saying I was going to enjoy it, and I kinda feel like watching every and each one of your other videos right now, because I actually loved this one. "Thank you so much" is like the least I think I could say right now lol you sorta put into words lots of things I've been thinking about for some time now and that I just couldn't align or something, so yeah, thanks. Btw, I really loved that you took the time to talk about ADHD players, because I got like tons of those and I feel like I could "help" them have more fun now 😊
I'd love to have a short video talking about how to pick music for D&D. Whenever I've done music in my campaigns I either find it kind of distracting or I tune it out and find the tavern music is just still playing over the demon boss fight.
Great video as always though! I'm running the Fey Wild one shot for the first time this weekend and this video gave me some ideas.
Hey, I wasn't personally asked, but I thought I'd reply with what helps me to do this.
Firstly, when I'm listening to lyricless music (whether it's from an old Final Fantasy game, or anything else that sets a mood) and it triggers an emotion in me, I try to make a note of it. When I'm looking for music to throw into my game, I go to that bank and find one that I think works. Sometimes I'll hear a song and it'll help me to come up with something in my game!
Always be mentally taking notes when music gives you the feels.
There are also a ton of Spotify channels made precisely for dungeon masters. Some even give you hints as to what they can be used for with tags like suspense, or emotion, or battle. When I'm having trouble coming up with something I seek these out. It takes a lot of time, but often it's worth it. You can also take notes on the ones that work well (or don't) and use them for other situations.
Since my game is a homebrew, I usually try to let the music inspire me for new situations. Hope this helps!
Good maps are actually an extremely hard part of on-line dnd. I'm somewhat a perfectionist and I'm always trying to make my campaign look the best it can be so that the impressions from my players are the best they could be. But... it's hard. If you just don't draw black lines on white background (which you can also do offline) there is a possibility that on-line provides, but I would still say it's as hard as offline, just... different.
So you sharing your AMAZING maps, that are actually useful and usable is the best move towards new online players you could ever make after this video. As a long time online player too, thank you from the bottom of my heart.
I got SO excited over that tiny Collab with Ginny D!
Also I just started DMing for the first time ever 2 sessions ago. I gathered some Childhood friends online that are now all across the US and we are loving it.
I’d say without even knowing we are doing half of these already . Even the ADHD part. One of my players assembles Legos while playing .
It’s been real fun so far . Plus it’s great to be able to connect with friends from afar more regularly.
I literally had my first online session yesterday and then this is recommended! This great!
I was introduced to D&D almost 3 years ago, back on 2021, while living on the other side of my country to some highschool friends, we played digitally over discord and since our little group thrived, I ran a 2 year long campaign, our group of players grew from 6 to about 15 counting newcomers we invited and I find it funny to see how every single thing on the video is something we all figured out on our own, its been a great experience in my opinion, cannot say cuz ive just tried DMing irl for my siblings a few weeks ago, but I think both cam be really enjoyeable
“Twitch chat” is such an amazing suggestion. Also I have ADHD and doodle during online games! I felt called out and didn’t realize it was a thing I did to stay focused lol
Thank you for the maps! I love your stuff! I play both online(as dm) and in person(as a player), and your videos have helped me prepped to be in a d&d mood.
I have used the changing map thing a few times in season ending boss fights. Once, I had a train that was barreling through time, and I swapped out the background map and changes the environment as the train and the players stayed in the same spot.
The next one I had this star system oscillate between past, present, and future, with different environmental effects and obstacles in each time period. The future had the star replaced with a black hole!
I also require to have music and sound effects to stay engaged with a game. I can also run longer games as I am able to get up and move around and go to the bathroom while the players discuss their next move.
For audio, I've never scared my players more than just looping the UA-cam video of the radio static from storms on Saturn. 11/10 held up my bad writing
Dude, I do laps of my house whenever I DM online. It’s gotten to the point that I can’t narrate unless I’m taking a stroll to the guest room.
I've only played DnD online (I play with friends from Switzerland, Germany and Austria), so I wasn't aware how much commuting would affect sessions. After realising it's of course obvious how much time playing online saves in this regard.
Simply the luxury of having your sheets organised and your rolls calculated for you automatically is also amazing.
The ritual thing we kind of also do in the form of a session recap at the beginning. And the Twitch-Chat thing also gets used not just to joke around but also to actually have in-character conversations while something else is going on.
I've been using evolving maps to some extent (for example a machine room with giant cogs that spun around as a lair action) but I feel like I really need to get myself a voice changer as well. Sounds fun.
Havn't watched the video yet so you can call me an ass if you mention it.
To me one of the big pros about in person dnd or any ttrpg is that it gives a person full range of communication to everyone else. Hand gestures, facial expression, body posture etc...
When all your hearing is someones voice you're very much limited on how a person is feeling and expressing. It also means that things like side conversations and talking to people without taking up the spotlight becomes neigh undoable since you don't have that distence to not interupt somebody trying to play.
Though I will say in terms of conveance and accessability and immersion. Online has physical beat almost completly hands down, so to me it's more of what the group needs for the game.
Though another big thing is that managing a group of people is much easier to do in person than online personally. I cannot go above a group of 5 players online whereas I can manage 7 when were all physically there.