Not many in the Linux community knows this, but I am a huge RPG nerd. At least I was some time ago.
I just recently got my flame rekindled by the Critical Role show on Twitch and started my own RPG group again, which I DM (Dungeon Master) for.
We started with a system I know, which is D&D 3rd Edition based, World of Warcraft, the Roleplaying Game.
But some in my group find it hard to learn, so I decided to switching the system to D&D 5th Edition, which is way easier to play. It also makes it possible to use online tools, like dndbeyond.com, to manage characters and campaigns.
Are any of you guys also RPG’ers?
Maybe even DM’s/GM’s?
I am interested in knowing if you play locally or online?
I have played D&D since the first edition when I was in 7th grade. I mostly play and GM Pathfinder RPG games (based on D&D 3rd edition originally) and love it.
A bit of a trivial pursuit to bring back memories perhaps: a guy is reading through the D&D 2nd ed Dungeon Master’s Guide (this would have been “Advanced Dungeons & Dragons” as it was called at the time) on Youtube. Reading the Whole AD&D Dungeon Masters Guide: Part 1 - YouTube
I like Critical Role. You might also enjoy the Pathfinder podcasts put out by The Glass Cannon Network, especially the original show – excellent in every way. https://glasscannonpodcast.com
My group of friends (one of whom I have played with since the original days in 7th grade) play in person once a month, which is suspended for the moment. I haven’t played much online.
DM here. We play 5th Edition and are on virus hiatus. One of my players is technology adverse, she doesn’t even own a non CRT television let alone a computer, and so we haven’t moved the game online. Which is fine, we will eventually get back. D&D Beyond is great but I admittedly use that website with the pirated databases because it’s way more convenient and I can run it on a local server. Pathfinder guys have it great with the Archives of Nethys.
I got into RPGs with Pathfinder, then 5e. Lately my group has been playing a lot of Dungeon World. I’m more of a seat-of-my-pants improv GM. We come up with some ridiculous stories on the spur of the moment. It’s fun.
Ok - Major DnD nerd here, I’ve been playing/DMing since this book came out… which, for correction, this is the AD&D 1st Edition Dungeon Master’s Guide…
In the early days (through AD&D 1st & 2nd edition) there was 0E - which was just Dungeons & Dragons, where the rules were much more condensed… as an example, Dwarves, Elves, and Halflings weren’t races, they were classes.
For anyone looking to recapture some of that AD&D/OD&D old school feel with a few modern conveniences added, I highly recommend these free-as-in-beer D&D clones that use the Wizards of the Coast Open Game License:
I have played a bit here and there but really got into it in the last year with my wife. We had a campaign going online with roll20, which was the first time I’d played online and I don’t prefer it to in person. I am playing another in person campaign which is on hold as well.
I found an open source alternative to Roll20, though I have not tried to use it yet. Anyone ever try RPTools? https://www.rptools.net/ It looks awesome but you’ll still need mumble or discord for communication.
I’ve played with their MapTool and it strikes me as one of those open source projects which are stupid powerful and feature full but I’m just not savvy enough to navigate the learning curve and leverage that power. I turned tail and retreated to Roll20.
I have the NWN1 remaster. It looks about as nice as something with that old of an engine can these days. Textures are clearer, higher res. Worth picking up on sale if you don’t have Diamond already.
I spent countless hours on NWN 1 but nowadays that 3D looks awfully old
I played the Baldurs remastered and funny enough I enjoyed the old graphics
More on topic, I played ad&d 1, 2 and 3rd edition for years and then a bunch of others rpg with friends. Always irl. It kind of died the last few years due to multiple and complex reasons called life
I spun up my copy of Neverwinter Nights yesterday to verify how awful the graphics were…and came out of a fugue state two hours later. Apparently my brain doesn’t care. I’m sucked back in again, saving the Waterdavian Creatures for the umpteenth time as a rock-stupid orc barbarian named Grog.
It’s showing up in Steam and GOG as a Win/Mac/Linux title. It should just be a native app?
Edit: BTW. If you were referring to the classic client, Lutris does a neat trick where it takes the old native Linux client, cuts all the old bits out, shoves in the most up to date version, and creates a up-to-date native Linux version.
Oh. I was referring to Neverwinter Nights. I know the Enhanced Baldur’s Gates are also linux native though. Lutris should handle them no problem either though.
