RPG Superstar 2013 Top 16
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The title pretty much says it all - would it be worth Paizo thinking about having a Venture Captain to do PFS online? I'm not talking about Pathfinder Online, but people who play Pathfinder Society online, using the various virtual tabletops that are out there. For instance, there is a Pathfinder Society Online Collective Google Group, the online AetherCon and I'm sure there are others I don't know about.
It seems there's an opportunity to get more people playing PFS, and to get the people who already play PFS to play it more often. The Guide to Pathfinder Society Organised Play encourages it, too.
Venture-Captain, Michigan—Mt. Pleasant
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I don't know the exact reasons, these are just my opinions. VCs are around to make sure games are being organized well in their region, handle any issues that come up with rulings or problems with reporting, and be the Paizo rep for stores in their regions.
From what I've heard organization of online games aren't really an issue. Seems like people are doing that fine on their own.
Any VC can fix reporting issues, so if you have a problem you can always contact the closest VC and they can help you. If you're playing online, these forums are easy enough to come and ask questions on to get clarifications (usually).
Lastly I doubt many online stores that sell Paizo products would care to talk to someone over email about their product the way FLGS owners do face-to-face with VO's now. That and there are hundreds if not thousands of stores that sell stuff online, how would an online VO keep a list like that current? I'd be a full time job.
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There is also a small group that uses Fantasy Grounds II as well.
There might not be one now, but I'm pretty sure I remember seeing an Online Venture Captain at one point.
I don't recall there ever being an official Online Venture Captain position, but remember that various folk, both Paizo ad VOs, are involved with the online VTT community.
Just for ones I recall off-hand:
Mark Moreland was one of the founders of the Pathfinder Society Online Collective.
Robyn Nixon has participated as at least a player on the Collective, as well.
The problem that online, VTT, play has is not a lack of GMs or players, although it can always use more GMs; but that there are too many resources for certain things. At least 3 different locations for putting up information on what scenarios you have played/GMed, 5 or more different locations for sign-ups, including both sign-up threads, Warhorn sites, and one group's custom calendar.
I have also seen situations occur during games where one player's input gets ignored, hopefully accidentally, but if it happens to the same person time after time, it leaves them with a bad taste in their mouth, and dissatisfied with everyone involved in the incident.
At present, part of the problem is a proliferation of resources and software, along with inconsistent player requirements.
Fantasy Grounds 2, MapTools, OpenRPG, Combat Assistant, mIRC, Ventrillo, Skype, and TeamSpeak are the apps I currently have installed for being able to play online.
Because of one GM's requirement for a copy of your PC's last Chronicle, and my lack of either a scanner or the funds needed to obtain a scanner, I am totally unable to join his games, except for the very first chronicle for a new PC.
Chronicles provided by online GMs vary in application (JPG, PDF, etc.) and quality (I have at least two chronicles for my PCs where I was unable to print out anything very readable from the GM provided chronicle, so I also have printed out a blank chronicle form the scenario, and stapled them together. Fortunately, I GM locally, and have copies of most of the PFS scenarios already).