Play D&D online? (Not the MMO, the pen-and-paper)

[Necromancist]

Is there anywhere where you can either:

-Play D&D online with people, or

-Arrange meetings to do so IRL?

I'm primarily looking for sites using 3.5 rules, since those are the ones I'm most comfortable with, but I could use 4.0 rules as well in a pinch. If neither are available, is there anyone who has arranged D&D games over the internet somehow (IM, TitanPad, or such) and have any tips on how to pull something like that off?

 

[Thaluikhain]

Hmmm...how do you roll dice online so everyone can see?

I guess if the DM rolls, s/he can fudge results so people don't know what they need to hit , whether a spot check was passed or failed and so on.

 

[Necromancist]

Yeah, but I'm assuming the DM isn't an asshole. X3

 

[Nocta-Aeterna]

Hmmm...how do you roll dice online so everyone can see?

I guess if the DM rolls, s/he can fudge results so people don't know what they need to hit , whether a spot check was passed or failed and so on.

How about a random number generator embedded into the thread?

 

[Death-of-Penguins]

Huh. Sounds like a good idea. I'd be up for something like that. Hope it works out for you.

 

[Rednog]

I remember there was supposed to be an online system put out by Wizards of the Coat with the release of 4th Edition, but from what I remember it wasn't ready by launch day and I think it just disappeared along the way.

 

[Nuckelavee]

Just started to get into D&D actually. Due to isolation there isn't really any players around so... yeah, I'd be more than interested if theres a result.

 

[Necromancist]

I guess one could use TitanPad to coordinate the session... this will require some thinking. Suggestions?

If you don't know what TitanPad is, it's a website where you can create a "pad" where people can write collaboratively in real-time. You're given a unique link which can be used to access the pad at any time, with its contents saved.

 

[Slycne]

I remember there was supposed to be an online system put out by Wizards of the Coat with the release of 4th Edition, but from what I remember it wasn't ready by launch day and I think it just disappeared along the way.

It's finally hit beta, they have been demoing it at a few shows recently. Dungeons & Dragons Virtual Table [http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/26286405/The_Dungeons__Dragons_Virtual_Table]

There are also a number of programs already on the market with various degrees of functionality. Map Tools [http://www.rptools.net/] and Fantasy Grounds [http://www.fantasygrounds.com/] are probably the two most popular. Map Tools, if you have the patience and skills, can be very robust and customizable. Fantasy Grounds does a good job of recreating the feeling of playing at a table. The sites User Group [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/groups/] section has options to enabling reverse posting and random dice rolls, lending itself well to play by post games.

Another alternative is to simply have everyone on Skype or Ventrillo and the DM does all the rolling. Some groups already play this way as it allows the players to focus less on the specific numbers and more on how the characters behave in the situation.

Happy gaming.