Google Wave (Online tool for Gaming)
Fri, 2010-02-19 15:17
I've been using Google Wave for about 2 months now and while the original hype has passed I've seen one major advantage it has when it comes to gaming. The open structure and plugin support for dice rollers, character sheets, and combat trackers make it a must for gaming groups that can't meet physically and don't have the online tools that have been developed for some RPGs (best example being D&D 4th).
__________________
Juan Rodriguez, PhD
Bio-engineer
Pinochet
Your mind is original. Preserve it.
Your body is a temple. Maintain it.
Immortality is an illusion. Forget it.
Extinction is approaching. Fight it!
Rep: 33
Sat, 2010-02-20 15:12
#2
Re: Google Wave (Online tool for Gaming)
I like Google Wave a lot, and I really wish a good Android app was out for it. But my real problem is the same one I have for everything else, I just don't have enough people to play. Very few of my extremely small group of real life friends have time to play online, and I've found that I don't get on well with people for the most part.
Wed, 2010-02-24 05:38
#3
Re: Google Wave (Online tool for Gaming)
Google Wave is an amazing tool for gaming. I have been using it for virtually all of the gaming I have done recently. The Dicy die-rolling app is great (even if it doesn't support Eclipse Phase yet). The biggest problem is the intermittent crashes, and the fact that you can't delete a wave right now. Otherwise, very awesome indeed.
__________________
"Question with boldness even the existence of a god; because, if there be one, he must more approve the homage of reason, than that of blindfolded fear." - Thomas Jefferson, Letter to Peter Carr, 1787
"That sounds like heresy. We're going to wipe you from the history books for that crap!" - Texas Board of Education, Ruling on March 12th, 2010
Wed, 2010-02-24 19:41
#4
Re: Google Wave (Online tool for Gaming)
i tried to determine what advantages it had over Virtual Tabletop or OpenRPG, and found myself kind of at a loss. And wouldnt something like WebEX be ultimately preferable anyway?
Thu, 2010-02-25 09:37
#5
Re: Google Wave (Online tool for Gaming)
i tried to determine what advantages it had over Virtual Tabletop or OpenRPG, and found myself kind of at a loss. And wouldnt something like WebEX be ultimately preferable anyway?
I would say the advantage would be you don't have to install any additional software (a bonus when you use Linux like myself) to game. Anyone can use Google Wave, not everyone can use Virtual Tabletop, OpenRPG, or WebEX.
__________________
Juan Rodriguez, PhD
Bio-engineer
Pinochet
Your mind is original. Preserve it.
Your body is a temple. Maintain it.
Immortality is an illusion. Forget it.
Extinction is approaching. Fight it!
Rep: 33
Thu, 2010-02-25 12:44
#6
Re: Google Wave (Online tool for Gaming)
Wow! I'd never heard of WebEX before. That thing is $50 a month!!
Thu, 2010-02-25 16:09
#7
Re: Google Wave (Online tool for Gaming)
I would say the advantage would be you don't have to install any additional software (a bonus when you use Linux like myself) to game. Anyone can use Google Wave, not everyone can use Virtual Tabletop, OpenRPG, or WebEX.
More importantly, it means that if Google's plans fall in place and Wave becomes ubiquitous, then we can expect to find Wave clients for anything that would normally allow you to check your email. Can you say "roleplaying on my cell phone"?
__________________
"Question with boldness even the existence of a god; because, if there be one, he must more approve the homage of reason, than that of blindfolded fear." - Thomas Jefferson, Letter to Peter Carr, 1787
"That sounds like heresy. We're going to wipe you from the history books for that crap!" - Texas Board of Education, Ruling on March 12th, 2010
Thu, 2010-02-25 16:54
#8
Re: Google Wave (Online tool for Gaming)
I would say the advantage would be you don't have to install any additional software (a bonus when you use Linux like myself) to game. Anyone can use Google Wave, not everyone can use Virtual Tabletop, OpenRPG, or WebEX.
More importantly, it means that if Google's plans fall in place and Wave becomes ubiquitous, then we can expect to find Wave clients for anything that would normally allow you to check your email. Can you say "roleplaying on my cell phone"?
I don't about my cell phone (too small), but roleplaying on my Kindle (read Neal Stephenson's Diamond Age lately?) would be interesting.
Thu, 2010-02-25 20:25
#9
Re: Google Wave (Online tool for Gaming)
i dont know, the whole thing seems like a realtime BBS without the features that make a BBS usefull. For example, the ability to hirearchically group forums, subforums, and threads. and then to view threads in DATE ORDER without some loose screw coming along and replying to or editing something thats already nested and burried.
i was never a big player of forum-games, but from what i've experienced of Wave, forums are still the way to go if you dont want to use an application. i'd rather see realtime communication in a chat program (clientless g-chat, if you like that sort of thing) rather than in realtime editing of waves.
the plug-ins or widgets or whatever are neat, but im not sure how its any different from embedding HTML objects in a regular forum post. i'm sure it is different somehow, but i'm just not getting it.
regarding phones, you probably cant launch wave in a mobile browser (i might be wrong, but the application seems to have a portly footprint). and regarding kindles, there are some neat SSH clients that have been written for them already. pretty cool stuff, but i'd rather read books on my portable computer than compute on my portable reader.
Fri, 2010-02-26 01:07
#10
Re: Google Wave (Online tool for Gaming)
i dont know, the whole thing seems like a realtime BBS without the features that make a BBS usefull. For example, the ability to hirearchically group forums, subforums, and threads. and then to view threads in DATE ORDER without some loose screw coming along and replying to or editing something thats already nested and burried.
i was never a big player of forum-games, but from what i've experienced of Wave, forums are still the way to go if you dont want to use an application. i'd rather see realtime communication in a chat program (clientless g-chat, if you like that sort of thing) rather than in realtime editing of waves.
the plug-ins or widgets or whatever are neat, but im not sure how its any different from embedding HTML objects in a regular forum post. i'm sure it is different somehow, but i'm just not getting it.
regarding phones, you probably cant launch wave in a mobile browser (i might be wrong, but the application seems to have a portly footprint). and regarding kindles, there are some neat SSH clients that have been written for them already. pretty cool stuff, but i'd rather read books on my portable computer than compute on my portable reader.
I find that the dynamic editing and re-alteration abilities of Google Wave fit perfectly with roleplay. Players can alter their character's narrative on the fly, as they get input from the DM on what they can and cannot do. Moreover, die rollers on Wave function very effectively and dynamically. The one I used simply requires me to type up a die notation in square brackets, and immediately fills the rest of the bracket with roll information for everyone else to see. More importantly, Waves allow for other media, like music, photos and video, should you use those to enhance your experience.
Lastly, why wouldn't you be able to run wave on mobile phones? They already have a preliminary client for the iPhones up and running... what's wrong with the rest of us?
__________________
"Question with boldness even the existence of a god; because, if there be one, he must more approve the homage of reason, than that of blindfolded fear." - Thomas Jefferson, Letter to Peter Carr, 1787
"That sounds like heresy. We're going to wipe you from the history books for that crap!" - Texas Board of Education, Ruling on March 12th, 2010
Sun, 2010-03-21 03:18
#11
Re: Google Wave (Online tool for Gaming)
I think my Droid should be able to run Wave just fine. It certainly loads quickly enough in my browser. My only concern in attempting to play an RPG on my phone is that typing that much on such a small keyboard will quickly get tiring.
Wave, itself, seems quite suitable for RPG'ing.
BTW, I'm at
Sun, 2010-03-21 03:40
#12
Re: Google Wave (Online tool for Gaming)
I think my Droid should be able to run Wave just fine. It certainly loads quickly enough in my browser. My only concern in attempting to play an RPG on my phone is that typing that much on such a small keyboard will quickly get tiring.
Wave, itself, seems quite suitable for RPG'ing.
BTW, I'm at
Luckily, they have a couple third-party Google Wave clients for the Android operating system. Look up WaveDroid for the free one.
__________________
"Question with boldness even the existence of a god; because, if there be one, he must more approve the homage of reason, than that of blindfolded fear." - Thomas Jefferson, Letter to Peter Carr, 1787
"That sounds like heresy. We're going to wipe you from the history books for that crap!" - Texas Board of Education, Ruling on March 12th, 2010
Sun, 2010-03-21 13:41
#13
Re: Google Wave (Online tool for Gaming)
I've seen WaveDroid, but I'm very hesitant to load it on my phone after reading the comments. It basically appears to be an add-on to the browser that lets you load Wave in it. But there are so many complaints about it force closing and freezing phones that I'm inclined to wait on it a bit.
Sun, 2010-03-21 14:23
#14
Re: Google Wave (Online tool for Gaming)
I've seen WaveDroid, but I'm very hesitant to load it on my phone after reading the comments. It basically appears to be an add-on to the browser that lets you load Wave in it. But there are so many complaints about it force closing and freezing phones that I'm inclined to wait on it a bit.
Me too. I suppose sometimes you really do get what you pay for. Either way, I find it ironic that Google themselves don't support their own products for use on their own products. Hopefully this will change soon... Wave has been around for a while already, and they are missing out on an opportunity by holding back on Android support for it.
__________________
"Question with boldness even the existence of a god; because, if there be one, he must more approve the homage of reason, than that of blindfolded fear." - Thomas Jefferson, Letter to Peter Carr, 1787
"That sounds like heresy. We're going to wipe you from the history books for that crap!" - Texas Board of Education, Ruling on March 12th, 2010
I have 17 invites if someone would like to try Google Wave for their group.
Juan Rodriguez, PhD
Bio-engineer
Pinochet
Your mind is original. Preserve it.
Your body is a temple. Maintain it.
Immortality is an illusion. Forget it.
Extinction is approaching. Fight it!
Rep: 33