Paizo announces Paizo Game Space

Well, I'll toss my hat in the 'Really Wants to See This Pile' (along with everyone else).

Having a really locked down firewall means that I typically have to go elsewhere to get online to RP. And I while I do join PbP games, something a little faster-paced just so life doesn't interrupt in the middle of 'SOMETHING IMPORTANT' would be nice.

These are things that have been repeated, reiterated, and reused ad nauseum.

So, I am mainly going to say - GOOD LUCK with the character importing issue. I've tried this program, or that program, or tried to use the demo of another program, and now I am so con-fuzz-eled that I don't know what to do, how to keep my characters up to date, etc.

And it is done differently with various programs, simply because people want to have superiority in the market, so they make money. There's nothing wrong with that. They are businesses, after all.

Though, if Paizo could go around to all these groups and companies, which it sounds like someone has tried, and form something akin to the W3 Project (http://www.w3.org/), IETF (http://www.ietf.org/), or the insanely large and broad but globally accepted ISO (http://iso.org/) might go a long way for standardizing some of these protocols, code, and document formats.

If there are any companies that are willing to standardize their code, or at least the import and export processing, (and yes, this will be overhead) a non-profit 'council' of said interested parties might be an idea. Standardize it between this 'council' and let the market demand standardization from other companies.

*ponder* I wonder if that made any sense to anyone /NOT/ inside my head ....

It is super unlikely we will demo this at Gen Con. We're still aiming for "this summer" for making it available outside the Paizo offices, but there are a number of ducks still to be wrangled for that to happen, and a few of them waddled out of line recently.

Rats. Was hoping, at least, for a firm "public beta" date at least by next week, but if the code isn't cooperating it's not cooperating. Take your time, get this RIGHT, and you'll have more people beating down your door for data packages than you'll know what to do with, I'm sure.

...if the code isn't cooperating it's not cooperating.

It's actually been hardware and networking that have been uncooperative, forcing delays in our internal testing. I think I managed to get it all ironed out shortly after Gary left today, but Gen Con next week means that internal testing probably won't progress much until the week after next.

I'll take on a job role of "Voluntary Game Space Test Bunny" and get paid in Hob Nobs if it helps move things along!

Make sure that when you are doing your testing you test on Windows 8! Windows 8 RTM just recently became available to developers with MSDN accounts.

I think I managed to get it all ironed out shortly after Gary left today, but Gen Con next week means that internal testing probably won't progress much until the week after next.

Pshaw! That's what laptops are for, isn't it?

I think we all understand that in the Gaming Industry, everything stops for GenCon.

Sheesh, I really want to go back, but ... in a car, for two to three days, with 1 teenager, 1 pre-teen and another near pre-teen fills me with dread.
And airfare for five isn't an option, really.

Y'all have fun out there in the humidity! (Though, this year there may not be much...)

I'll take on a job role of "Voluntary Game Space Test Bunny" and get paid in Hob Nobs if it helps move things along!

You can sign me up for that job as well. I would have no problem being a beta tester for this app.

Any info on possibly using macros?

There will be dice rolls, but not MapTool-style automation macros, at least at first. I have some ideas about how to enable automation but we're focusing on getting the core basics working first.

There will be dice rolls, but not MapTool-style automation macros, at least at first. I have some ideas about how to enable automation but we're focusing on getting the core basics working first.

I have to agree Gary,

There will be dice rolls, but not MapTool-style automation macros, at least at first. I have some ideas about how to enable automation but we're focusing on getting the core basics working first.

Eh, I'm perfectly capable of coming up with my own tracking tools with a copy of Openoffice and a tablet handy. Pre-made maps for APs (and hopefully PFS at some point) are the draw here.

Speaking of core basics, when will we get more information on how well this tabletop will support APs? In particular what will be free and what perks we can pay for? Maybe a special subscription for purchasing AP + VTT support for them. Until I can train prairie dogs to roll up characters, this is pretty much my only option for pathfinder.

There will be dice rolls, but not MapTool-style automation macros, at least at first. I have some ideas about how to enable automation but we're focusing on getting the core basics working first.

This looks like all my players would need.

Gary Teter wrote:

There will be dice rolls, but not MapTool-style automation macros, at least at first. I have some ideas about how to enable automation but we're focusing on getting the core basics working first.

This looks like all my players would need.

Have you ever used a VTT before? You and your players will quickly want macro-capability. :) With that said I do think the base code needs to get special attention and time, since that will be the platform from which macros, etc will be built upon. Trust me, though, you will want macros.

Have you ever used a VTT before? You and your players will quickly want macro-capability. :) With that said I do think the base code needs to get special attention and time, since that will be the platform from which macros, etc will be built upon. Trust me, though, you will want macros.

I haven't used a VTT, so I have no idea what sort of macros you are even referring to. What needs to be macro'ed in a VTT?

What needs to be macro'ed...
For example, it's really nice when the monster token has a corresponding "full attack " button, that diplays all the to-hit rolls and their corrsponding damage ,with one click.

Quote:

This looks like all my players would need.

Have you ever used a VTT before? You and your players will quickly want macro-capability. :) With that said I do think the base code needs to get special attention and time, since that will be the platform from which macros, etc will be built upon. Trust me, though, you will want macros.

I use maptool(kinda the reason I even mentioned Macro). most of what we do involves simple combat rolls and such.

Besides macros it might be nice to have easily edible HP totals and a toggle for the GM to allow them to appear above players tokens.

And variables(perhaps coming from our profiles) that we can add too our dice rolls.

That seems like a completed list of everything my players would need.

I use Combat Manager to handle most monster HP and such.

edit messed up my quotes

Elorebaen wrote:

Have you ever used a VTT before? You and your players will quickly want macro-capability. :) With that said I do think the base code needs to get special attention and time, since that will be the platform from which macros, etc will be built upon. Trust me, though, you will want macros.

I haven't used a VTT, so I have no idea what sort of macros you are even referring to. What needs to be macro'ed in a VTT?

Any/Every roll you make more than once, for example, Skill and Save checks, To hit and Dmg rolls for different weapons/spells, etc, etc, etc. Until we get macros you will be entering this information ("[d20+5]" for example, which is 7 keystrokes instead the one macro button you have for that particular roll) every time you make a roll. It gets old. =)

If you have a macros, everything moves MUCH faster. But as they have said they will get to that.

Any/Every roll you make more than once, for example, Skill and Save checks, To hit and Dmg rolls for different weapons/spells, etc, etc, etc. Until we get macros you will be entering this information ("[d20+5]" for example, which is 7 keystrokes instead the one macro button you have for that particular roll) every time you make a roll. It gets old. =)

If you have a macros, everything moves MUCH faster. But as they have said they will get to that.

I doesn't look like you would have to do that. It looks like you can save your simple die roll and modifier.

So they only need for macros is if you wanted to do tricky things like have a flanking button or a ragging button.

You could always have a different set of buttons just for those or just remember what to add.

My players use voice chat so All I really care about is the d20 anyway. but it's nice to have it all added up.

Depends on the input. If its typed dice roll strings, you could use Shortkeys to do it quite easily. I do this for PbP at the moment when rolling for initiative for example.

Casimir- 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21
Malthir- 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (19) + 0 = 19
Fenna- 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (5) + 0 = 5
Ricter- 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
Kalev- 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14 (GM reminder- terrain bond woods: Kalev +3 init, party +2 init)
Kip- 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18

^^ typed it all out with 6 characters using a macro on my PC. Doubt text strings will be their functionality though on a VTT.

Since I do almost all my paizoing on my phone I copy and paste my combat stuff.

I have played and run with maptools quite a bit, although not as much as NeoFax or Imper1um. Those guys build VTT's and then use them extensively.

My experience is that it is equally important to have a good method of organizing games, and a good GM pool. The time investment of the GM in setting up a maptools game can be 2-3 times a tabletop game. Maybe Paizos tools will expedite this.

So, how will games be organized? Long, ramblingl threads on the message boards catering to first come first served? A guild structure? Something like warhorn?

Is anything being done to address this aspect of VTT gaming?

I have played and run with maptools quite a bit, although not as much as NeoFax or Imper1um. Those guys build VTT's and then use them extensively.

My experience is that it is equally important to have a good method of organizing games, and a good GM pool. The time investment of the GM in setting up a maptools game can be 2-3 times a tabletop game. Maybe Paizos tools will expedite this.

So, how will games be organized? Long, ramblingl threads on the message boards catering to first come first served? A guild structure? Something like warhorn?

Is anything being done to address this aspect of VTT gaming?

"However the GM wants to organize it" would work fine for me. If you're planning on playing with a group of friends only, then you don't need fancy tools. If you're the Pathfinder Society Online Collective then you probably will. I imagine there will probably be a messageboard section dedicated to players and GMs seeking each other.

Roll20.net has named dice rolling macros by account working flawlessly. Shouldn't be difficult.

"However the GM wants to organize it" would work fine for me. If you're planning on playing with a group of friends only, then you don't need fancy tools. If you're the Pathfinder Society Online Collective then you probably will. I imagine there will probably be a messageboard section dedicated to players and GMs seeking each other.

PFSOC uses a messageboard, but it always seems like a crapshoot as there are only a handful of regular GM's and a lot of people who want to play.

I think something a little more formal might help the community get going. In comparison, a MMORPG has the advantage of having lots of people online and mission instances that can happen pretty much spontaneously, as well as strictly defined boundaries for the world and characters. VTT games can take a lot more work from bpth the player & GM standpoint. It's harder to find people to play, harder to find people to GM. Having "typical" game slots in a formal scheduling system and large pool of regular volunteer GMs would help grease the wheels, I think.

Perhaps regular online volunteer GM's could earn some sort of credit... run games for players for store credit or swag or special PFS perks or even a special title. I'm not talking about people running for their friends down the street, but people running for strangers around the globe.

Having a tool is nice; having a community is more important.

Thorkull wrote:

"However the GM wants to organize it" would work fine for me. If you're planning on playing with a group of friends only, then you don't need fancy tools. If you're the Pathfinder Society Online Collective then you probably will. I imagine there will probably be a messageboard section dedicated to players and GMs seeking each other.

PFSOC uses a messageboard, but it always seems like a crapshoot as there are only a handful of regular GM's and a lot of people who want to play.

I think something a little more formal might help the community get going. In comparison, a MMORPG has the advantage of having lots of people online and mission instances that can happen pretty much spontaneously, as well as strictly defined boundaries for the world and characters. VTT games can take a lot more work from bpth the player & GM standpoint. It's harder to find people to play, harder to find people to GM. Having "typical" game slots in a formal scheduling system and large pool of regular volunteer GMs would help grease the wheels, I think.

Perhaps regular online volunteer GM's could earn some sort of credit... run games for players for store credit or swag or special PFS perks or even a special title. I'm not talking about people running for their friends down the street, but people running for strangers around the globe.

Having a tool is nice; having a community is more important.

I think you are on to something important here.

Any news about this wonderful project?

Any news about this wonderful project?

Patience. GenCon doesn't officially open to the public for another three hours. I wouldn't expect news until at least Friday, and that's if they're going to announce anything at GenCon at all.

Chris Kenney wrote:

...if the code isn't cooperating it's not cooperating.

It's actually been hardware and networking that have been uncooperative, forcing delays in our internal testing. I think I managed to get it all ironed out shortly after Gary left today, but Gen Con next week means that internal testing probably won't progress much until the week after next.

This, from last week, is still the latest info.

In my personal opinion the following two are the most important features I would like to see in such a project:
1. The possibility to use paizo game space for a mix of real time and pbp gaming. And of course a space where to recapitolate what's happened during real time gaming for the not playing followers who didn't attend the session.
2. The possibility to use it, at least to add posts for pbp gaming, from mobile devices.

Well, this has been some of the most exciting news I've tripped over in a while, and it's been a good week for RPG related surprises!

Eavesdropping, that's a classic mondegreen.

A more precise term might be an eggcorn.

Just wanted to jump in here and talk about the pricing. The short answer is that we don't know exactly what is going to cost what. There WILL be a way to use the tabletop for free. What kind of functionality that free version has is undecided. There will also be a way for people to purchase scenarios, adventures, APs, maps, card decks, tokens and other such things for use on the VTT. Not sure when or at what price yet. Just as we give away free adventures and such for Free RPG Day and for the Beginner Box, there will be free adventures and stuff for the VTT. We want people to be able to see what they are getting when they purchase the paid versions. Also, free stuff will allow folks to test drive the VTT. How much and what stuff is going to be included for free is, you guessed it, unknown at this point. :)

I will say that we will let everyone know more once we know it ourselves. We are reading the forums, so let us know what is important to you. I can't promise we will do what you want, but we will certainly look at and consider things.

We are all excited about Paizo Game Space here at Paizo and are looking forward to creating a great tool that will bring folks together to game!

-Lisa

I hope that what ever it is set at that it is a HUGE success. I for one look forward to giving you guys money in order to keep supporting the development team on this!

I vote for free use of uploading our own stuff for home brew and put it under the gamemastery line and pay for the high res map access, token pack access etc.

Our group is planing to run rise of the Runelords (starting with i-tabletop and hopefully switch to paizo gamespace asap!). . . I'd suggest to have free scan and upload available for folks that don't have spare change. For those of us that don't have the time, we pay for the connivance of having the whole adventure pre-loaded with high res maps etc.

I would say that our gaming group would pay $10-$20 for access to all the digital content pre-loaded and ready for our GM to step in and run it, per adventure in an adventure path. (Although might be hard to swallow after already purchasing all the physical stuff).

I can't wait to play rise of the rune lords for the first time. Hopefully this will be a simple and easy solution for my GM to use (who lives 300 miles away) so we can play more often!

I just checked out the VTT Roll20. Very easy to use and intuitive. It also lets you play background sounds. I find the sound very jarring though (too distracting)... I'd prefer less "in-your-face" sounds.

I'm looking to "soundscape" software right now for my own in-person games (right now I'm trying Syrinscape), and I think it would be great if Paizo GameSpace allowed, not only for continuous looping background sounds, but also for on-the-fly sound effects. For example, for when a ghost looms out of a wall, or a dragon flies over the town, or even just for striking a blow with your sword. I would love to have an easy-to-use function within the GameSpace for that.

Need...more...updates.

Will it be possible to run "Public" games? For instance, a GM opens a lobby, and random players join in, selecting their characters from a list of available pre-built classes, and then join the game.

Or maybe the GM holds onto all the character sheets and anyone can join the game and play one of the already 'in game' characters?

Something so a guy/gal that gets off work, can log on an jump into an empty room and just play.

Some kind of Public Play would be nice. Maybe even run PFS scenarios like that?

I am running a Pathfinder campaign right now that is using a Virtual Tabletop program - it works well enough, but it's not smooth. I would absolutely love to play test with my group if given the option.

Jeromy

...one idea (for after launch) that occurs to me is the option to upload PFS character sheets, have a GM run those modules as "sanctioned" and then, when it's completed have a PDF with the PFS numbers of the GM and player filled in dropped into the players' accounts.

So any new news on this? Last word we got from someone official was 8 days ago, and that was to tell us some news from a week prior was the latest.

I am itching to run a Rise of the Runelords game with my buddies from Louisiana that I had to move away from for grad school. Will it not be out this summer after all?

Until you hear something new, nothing has changed!

Also, remember that summer lasts into late September. Heck, here in Seattle, we think of October as summer. Hey, give us a break, our summer doesn't usually start until the 4th of July, so we hold onto our hopes for some warm weather as long as we can! :)

Gary is working on things. Ducks and rows and all that good stuff.

-Lisa

Take your time!

There are lots of options for VTTs in the mean time, but I am looking forward to seeing something with Paizo's sensibilities, and that includes giving products the time they need to develop.

We're just excited to see it, that's all.

So, I went down the park and tried to get the ducks to line up... we're going to wait a long time for this.

You know, as a life-long resident of Alaska, we have very different viewpoints on 'summer months' apparently. :P

You know, as a life-long resident of Alaska, we have very different viewpoints on 'summer months' apparently. :P

Same here in Canada, in that we have different views on Summer and Winter,

I hope Old man winter does not do an extreme number on us, this winter.

Extreme as in next to no snow, or a mountain of it, and nothing inbetween.

You know, as a life-long resident of Alaska, we have very different viewpoints on 'summer months' apparently. :P

Uh huh. And I have no doubt it's easier to get your ducks in a row if they're frozen solid, too.

I just hope they don't use the SW Louisiana definition of summer, which makes up 9 months of the year. ;)

As a software test analyst, I know the difficulties in getting something with minimal (there will never be none) defects out into the wild.

I am happy to wait :-)

Not really, if the Ducks are frozen solid, they're probably frozen in some 4-8 feet of ice. So while, theoretically, it's easier to get them in a row if they're frozen, in reality, if I want them to look nice, I have to be careful about chipping them out of the ice, so I don't destroy them. That could take a long time.

Besides, the end of March, all of April, beginning of May is Spring.
The end of May, June and July is Summer.
August and September* are fall.
October, November, December, January, February, and the beginning of March is Winter.

For Alaska anyway.

*September is an odd month, some years it's fall, some years it's winter.

I'm a bit surprised that there is'nt more posting on this, or suggestions as they said they will look at peoples ideas of what might be free, a subscribtion and what they are willing to pay for.

So what does the Paizo nation think should be free, being realistic here?

I am hoping for some generic tokens, of both PC's and some monsters, A couple maps, say a generic small town/Village, a forested area with a path and then a generic Dungeon or two.

At least that is a start so some of us could take it for that test run, as Piiza said there would not be a Beta, just a basic program (if things hav'nt changed by now)that they would add stuff into at a later date once everything was worked out (and they see how the base product holds up I suspect).

For me I'd actually like to purchase some kind of CD in the future that might run this program and not have be connected to the net.

Once past the basic/generic phase then paying wise others have mentioned the maps and tokens for some of the more popular Pathfinder adventure Paths and single modules.
And probaly if you want to create a massive game with all the trimmings of your own kind.

Not sure what I would pay, it depends on what ones they will have to offer, but a low, medium and premium price might be good to get the most tabletop gamers to use it.

I do wonder if we will have to pay for that base system when it rolls out though, as we will be the ones testing it. Good idea to have as many people playing it to see where the bugs are, get more feedback from the gamers who will be using it and so on with no cost (and perhaps less time for them to get it out the door very user friendly) to them.

Then when they start adding in the real premium stuff then add in the subscribtions and whatever else they have planned.

A bit bummed it did not come out this summer (yes when you hit September summer is over, school starts!!), but at least that means they are taking their time instead of putting out a buggy product.

Cheers, so here's hoping we will get an update and there are not to many more problems to sort out, figure out their pricing and let us at Game Space.

Any other thoughts on what you would want for free, pay for and so on gang?

Tom