FG + Calender + GameSpy-ish Functions?

[Tailz Silver Paws]

I was playing NeverWinter Nights 2 last night on my friends new server that he is tinkering with, and as I was searching for his server listing in the list of online servers to connect too - I was wondering - could this kind of feature work for Fantasy Grounds?

A part of the Fantasy Grounds software where the player logs in using say... their forum board ID to a master "games" system in much the same way as say GameSpy works. With a screen showing who is online, their ping (although ping is not important for this type of game, its not a 'twitch' game), a small text chat window so loged in players can chat to organize games, etc. The most important feature would be a window showing "games" and a set of buttons:

- Join a Game
- Host a Game

I think you get my idea, but I was also thinking that it could be intergrated with the Calander - but in a more interactive way?

I thought this would be handy as then instead of players and GM's having to pass around IP addresses and what not, all the players just connect with their accounts, search for the correct game, then join it.

Also apart from just setting a password for a game, other features could be added by the Game Master, such as only accept connections from certain player accounts, etc.

Now I am not saying this should be a part of Fantasy Grounds 2.0, but rather maybe something the folks at Smiteworks could think about for "something in the future."

So.... what do you think?

[Griogre]

The problem with this type of thing is this type of infrastructure is not free. So it boils down to is it worth it for SW to pay for it? There is a GameSpy server used to match the players. GameSpy charges companies to list their games. I'm curious what you think that a plain match making server advantage is to the alias feature in FG? I think it about the same thing.

The thing I don't like about the current alias setup is it doesn’t remember more than one alias at one time - something that I believe 2.0 fixes.

The Neverwinter setup is a good one because you can connect directly (at least in the first NWN) or use the servers to find a game. Thus if the GameSpy server ever got pulled you could still connect directly. There is a subtle issue here also. Try to find a *specific* NWN game out of the list if it is in a popular catagory. It is easy to find an open server but not a specific one.

What I wonder, more important than the technical stuff, is that in a pen and paper like environment of a virtual table top game - how much demand is there to allow people to drop into games randomly? Most GMs are not going to want people dropping in randomly and leaving during a session or from session to session.

I don’t think many DM are going like it and after the first excitement there would be little use. Unlike a NWN module which can run automatically, a FG module needs a real DM on the other end.

[LordTomar]

Yeah a lot of the features for NWN would not work for FG because both programs are very different. Both are for playing roleplay games, but thats where the similarities end. FG is used for games between a group that works together (for normally longer then a single session), It is very doubtful that any DM would want random people to join his game at any time.

This feature is not needed because, in my opinion its better to have the alias/ip, this keeps the games more private (no random people just jumping in) and if the DM wants to allow anyone to join his game at any time, he could always just post the alias on the forums for other people.

[Tailz Silver Paws]

Yeah a lot of the features for NWN would not work for FG because both programs are very different. Both are for playing roleplay games, but thats where the similarities end. FG is used for games between a group that works together (for normally longer then a single session), It is very doubtful that any DM would want random people to join his game at any time.

This feature is not needed because, in my opinion its better to have the alias/ip, this keeps the games more private (no random people just jumping in) and if the DM wants to allow anyone to join his game at any time, he could always just post the alias on the forums for other people.
Oh no no, I am not saying that the system should just let a bunch of "randoms" blunder into a groups games. But something where... lets say the GM logs in, and he can "create a group". As part of the create a group settings the GM can setup future game dates, information about the current game to be played (eg: start time, estimated end time, items and rule sets players need to preload, etc). But also the GM can set a password requirement, and also set which other players can join. The system could then, like the calander save the information for the next time the GM or an involved player logs into the system to display updated info.

eg: lets say I was a player in your game, and I log into the system, I could then checkup on the games details such as when the next session is planned (vote for it?), or if there is a session on, join in and wait for the GM to start it.

Basicaly I am thinking of the calander with a greater level of interactivity, and instead of me having to input the IP address for the next game session and then connecting to that IP when the GM gets his host going - but everone connects to a master server, that once everyone else has connected and joined the session, the GM clicks a "start session" button and the session drops off the master server and continues as per normal. Once the game session is over and the GM ends the session, their clients connect back to the master server, update the database about the game, and then the players could log out, or join a new game...

Its just an idea.

[LordTomar]

Oh no no, I am not saying that the system should just let a bunch of "randoms" blunder into a groups games. But something where... lets say the GM logs in, and he can "create a group". As part of the create a group settings the GM can setup future game dates, information about the current game to be played (eg: start time, estimated end time, items and rule sets players need to preload, etc). But also the GM can set a password requirement, and also set which other players can join. The system could then, like the calander save the information for the next time the GM or an involved player logs into the system to display updated info.

eg: lets say I was a player in your game, and I log into the system, I could then checkup on the games details such as when the next session is planned (vote for it?), or if there is a session on, join in and wait for the GM to start it.

Basicaly I am thinking of the calander with a greater level of interactivity, and instead of me having to input the IP address for the next game session and then connecting to that IP when the GM gets his host going - but everone connects to a master server, that once everyone else has connected and joined the session, the GM clicks a "start session" button and the session drops off the master server and continues as per normal. Once the game session is over and the GM ends the session, their clients connect back to the master server, update the database about the game, and then the players could log out, or join a new game...

Its just an idea.

I dont know. I just dont see why something like this is needed. You want to make it so the DM can set it so that only certain people can join their game, but you also want to add a password to it. This is just redundant. Only the players you tell the password to will know it so only they would be able to join anyway.

Why make it so they would have to log into a central server so they can check the game details? Wouldnt it just be easier to check the calendar for any details the DM wants to give before the game?

What your suggesting right now, is already in place. The calendar is used for showing information on the game, players, game dates (that can also be voted on). And the privacy functions for the game: need a alias/IP to connect and you can add a password. Its true this is not all wrapped up into a central server, but its also not needed.

Problems with it. What happenes if the FG central server goes down for a while (maintainence/crash), or if SW closes shop on FG? Does that mean FG is unusable?

[neceros]

It's not a useless feature. What about those that want to play in a game right now, but don't have scheduled games because they just can't plan their lives in that manner. I've been thre many times.

It took me over two months before Ic ould finally test out FG because I couldn't find anyone to test it with in a real game. A server feature would be beneficial.

[richvalle]

As long as it was not required to hit the central server first. I don't want to not be able to run my game because the central server is down.

rv

[LordTomar]

It's not a useless feature. What about those that want to play in a game right now, but don't have scheduled games because they just can't plan their lives in that manner. I've been thre many times.

It took me over two months before Ic ould finally test out FG because I couldn't find anyone to test it with in a real game. A server feature would be beneficial.

The thing is PnP games are not really ment for pick up games like that. They take too much time to get organized. It just takes more of a commitment between the players and the DM.