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04:51, 29th March 2024 (GMT+0)

Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

Posted by GreenTongue
GreenTongue
member, 952 posts
Game Archaeologist
Fri 9 Apr 2021
at 17:02
  • msg #1

Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

There seems to less posts then this time last year.

Has the rise in VTT caused PbP to less popular then ever or is it just the normal summer doldrums?
donsr
member, 2225 posts
Fri 9 Apr 2021
at 18:21
  • msg #2

Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

I dunno?   For  My games, especially the space hame, i get  maybe..20  RTJs  a year, out of those.. maybe  10  are 'for  real'..out of those, Maybe  5 are accepted, and maybe  2  stay.

 my slower games get  about the same  attention, but less  bother  after i answer...There are  'game butterflies ' who go game to game because they like  to set up a charcter, then get 'bored' real quick..there are DMs like that who shut  down games after  a month or less.

 the last two instances  her PBP...the other stuff is  just the new thing, fad, trendy ect ect...PBP is  the back bone for   'world  wide' gamign, because people  can step in and answer posts when they have the  chance,  any  live  interaction  must be planned.
Hunter
member, 1642 posts
Captain Oblivious!
Lurker
Fri 9 Apr 2021
at 22:58
  • msg #3

Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

Some of us plan to never switch from a text based medium to an audio/visual one.
Jewwk of Shuu
member, 31 posts
"I cast: Pro: Sandwich"
GM: "But WHY?!"
Fri 9 Apr 2021
at 23:03
  • msg #4

Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

There seems to have been a dramatic drop-off in forum activity just in the short time I've been a member.

Pbp, as Hunter mentions, is all there will be for some of us. I also have no desire for a/v driven games.
V_V
member, 926 posts
Resting. I hope to find
peace and vigor return.
Sat 10 Apr 2021
at 00:16
  • msg #5

Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

I certainly don't spend NEARLY as much time on RPoL after I got into TTS. On TTS, if I feel bad, it's evident by the mic. I can also get a scene set up, mute my mic (to tic) and just listen. I can't read while ticing, so yeah, TTS impacted my RP experience positively. I still love RPoL, but TTS is now my go to.

Though on TTS alot LESS people go by Youtube DM shows, like CriticalRoll, and Matt Coleville; nor do they value forums. They have enough play time to ignore these pitfalls. So that has also significantly impacted my preference for TTS. RPoL will never be replaced for me though.

The reason I joined is the reason I stay; I just find myself trying less and less to force the medium to be something it's not. I love being able to record scenes as said, and for "magic" that allows perfect recall, it's excellent. So many games have some perk, power, or spell, for perfect recall. No group I've been a part of has savant memory, so such powers largely become poitns of contention...or worse...worthless. Morever, when you find gems of linguistical poetry, be it dialogue or description, it lasts pretty much "forever" I love that about RPoL.

In a word, yeah. It's affected people I use to game with on here. By no means though, is that a site-wide thing. I can only speak for the dozen users that mostly migrated to TTS, myself being one of them.
Piestar
member, 856 posts
once upon a time...
...there was a little pie
Sat 10 Apr 2021
at 01:03
  • msg #6

Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

No clue what VTT is, but I do feel that PbP has taken a hit for some reason, things seem much slower than they used to be, all the time. I really don't consider April 'summertime'. We took the typical winter-time hit, and things came back a little, but I think the heyday for me was years ago.
Shannara
moderator, 3881 posts
When in doubt,
frolic!
Sat 10 Apr 2021
at 01:20

Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

VTT is Virtual Table Top -- if that helps. :-)
Piestar
member, 857 posts
once upon a time...
...there was a little pie
Sat 10 Apr 2021
at 02:59
  • msg #8

Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

In reply to Shannara (msg # 7):

Like Roll20?
facemaker329
member, 7333 posts
Gaming for over 40
years, and counting!
Sat 10 Apr 2021
at 04:05
  • msg #9

Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

Ehhhh...

I seem to recall seeing a post along these lines pop up every few years.  "It seems like things are far slower than they should be...is <insert latest online gaming fad here> to blame?"

To some extent, yes.  It's the new shiny toy that everyone wants to play with until they realize it's got just as many flaws (although they're different).  Some people try them, decide they like them, and stay with them.  Some people try them, like them for a while, and then revert back to their tried-and-true.  Some people try them and don't like them.  Some of us never try them.

VTT would only solve one of the problems that led to me getting involved on RPOL...no travel time.  I still have the impossible schedule and the inability to devote one specific night every week or two to gaming because I don't know what's going to happen at work.  RPOL works for me because if the only time I have available to post is 1AM every other day, I can still be fully involved in my games.

Not everybody has a schedule like that, so other formats may appeal more to them...but I don't think RPOL is in any danger of being MySpaced by VTT.
donsr
member, 2227 posts
Sat 10 Apr 2021
at 04:18
  • msg #10

Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

there is  also the 'fad games" that pop up, based on new TV shows  or Movies.

 wait  until the MCU hits  the  theaters  again.. Superhero  games will pop up... Vamp  games for then next undead movie... the next  post  Nuc  war era.. ect ect ect.

 there hasn't been much of that, because no one  could  see the Big screen for  a muse.
gladiusdei
member, 850 posts
Sat 10 Apr 2021
at 04:33
  • msg #11

Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

Kaiju game time!
nauthiz
subscriber, 713 posts
Sat 10 Apr 2021
at 05:42
  • msg #12

Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

It would be mildly interesting to see the historical site activity trend.  The question as to whether the site is less active do pop up from time to time, and knowing whether it actually was or just felt that way during those periods would be something.

I vaguely recall some number or another being mentioned at some point, though I don't recall if said number(s) were related to users, or maybe hosted games, or something like that.
Piestar
member, 858 posts
once upon a time...
...there was a little pie
Sat 10 Apr 2021
at 05:50
  • msg #13

Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

It does seem that there are not only fewer new games popping up in the Players Wanted thread, but the ones that do pop up seem to be from a smaller and smaller group of people.
I also see a lot more games that seem to close with less than a few hundred posts.
donsr
member, 2228 posts
Sat 10 Apr 2021
at 12:58
  • msg #14

Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

 Piestar  had touched on something i have seen in  my 'career' as a PBP gamer. E-Zboards were the top of the  food chain at one time, they had boards  for everything, i must have been on 12 or more through thier history...hacker  got to them and killed them off.

 but i would join 2, 3 games on a site, and  less then a month 'poof'..they are gone

 My Space game here , i started because  a Starship Troopers   came  i was in for less then a month  died... I had some damn good players  with me, and i didn't want to lose that interaction, so i started  a space game, based on a book i wanted to write, that ( of course) never saw the light of  day.

  I had 4 good players there..One is  still there.. One Passed, the others  had RL take them away after  3 years or so.. I started  a 'seniority' list  for the players  to see how long they were there?( just active ones).

 But game closings  are a big let down., now? if there is a  game that catches my interest, i zip down to see how many games have been deleted, and what the posy count is..that will determine whether i bother to try to join.

 I look at it this way. The  GMs/DMs  are like a food court in a Mall, some of them close games  down when they get bored. Some keep on going through tough times. Players are the same, you'll have 'regulars' who keep stopping by, and you have  som until they see somehting shiny in the  distance and move on.
Sir Swindle
member, 303 posts
Sat 10 Apr 2021
at 16:08
  • msg #15

Re: Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

GreenTongue:
There seems to less posts then this time last year.

Has the rise in VTT caused PbP to less popular then ever or is it just the normal summer doldrums?

I don't see how they are even comparable. PbP has a niche because we can't meet at one time. Other platforms have been around for a long time and they don't solve that issue.
pawndream
member, 188 posts
Sat 10 Apr 2021
at 16:27
  • msg #16

Re: Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

I haven't been on RPoL as long as many others here (I joined in 2009), but I have been very active on this site through most of the past 12 years and I have definitely noticed a general slowdown that I cannot solely attribute to seasonality. Something else is going on, and it's likely a combination of many factors, not just one thing. Off the top of my head:

  • Other RPG options (e.g., the proliferation and ease of access to VTT within the past few years. It's much easier to find a game, anytime and anywhere)
  • Pandemic fatigue many people feel from so much online time and less desire to sit in front of a computer
  • Forums and message boards are not really the way most people communicate anymore and many gamers have moved to Discord and other social media platforms
  • Aging demographic who grew up with message boards as a communication tool and would be the natural cohort for PbP games


All I know is every game I am involved with is seeing the same issues and I don't think it's just due to spring break, summer, etc.
GreenTongue
member, 953 posts
Game Archaeologist
Sat 10 Apr 2021
at 16:58
  • msg #17

Re: Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

In reply to pawndream (msg # 16):

I think you may have something with Discord.
It seems to be the "new kid on the block" as it easily includes multi-media with text.
As was mentioned, set game times that repeat over and over are still hard, if not harder than before. So,
VTT is still hard to coordinate with several people at the same time, which PbP addresses.
evileeyore
member, 475 posts
GURPS GM and Player
Joined August 2015
Sat 10 Apr 2021
at 19:04
  • msg #18

Re: Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

While message boards are dying, and have been for over a decade, they still have one advantage that the new hotness, VTT and live chat apps (Discord, etc) do not have:  Access for people in disparate timezones or those with consistently sporadic free time.



For instance, I enjoy RPoL because I do not have the time to sit down for 4 hours once a week for a face-to-face game, let alone one on VTT or Discord.  I can log in periodically through out the day and respond to the games I'm playing in and could update my games once to twice per day if I were running any.

So for me, message board gaming will always be a preference over the other digital options.
praguepride
member, 1791 posts
"Hugs for the Hugs God!"
- Warhammer Fluffy-K
Sat 10 Apr 2021
at 19:39
  • msg #19

Re: Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

The short answer is no. It is rare for anything to be fully killed off. Ham radio is still used by enthusiast. Some of the old MUDs I played 20 years ago are still up and running. People still listen to vinyl and watch movies on VCRs.

On a personal note I was looking at running a Necromunda game. I looked at the VTT options but they just weren't what I was looking for and don't have the control I desire so I will probably be looking at running it on RPOL because the technology just isn't where I want it to be yet. Yes tabletop simulator is amazing but I LIKE writing and having an easy place to do bookkeeping.

Even if I were to use a VTT for running the battles the bulk of the game would still be done on RPOL because it has permanence beyond what I can achieve with other systems. Tabletop simulator would be a nightmare to do lots of paperwork on and Roll20 doesn't easily allow asynchronous communication because the players are limited to whatever "map" the GM leaves them on and tracking it all via handouts would be annoying.

I could use google docs + tabletop simulator/roll20...OR I could just run everything on one site that I've used and loved for over a decade.
GreenTongue
member, 954 posts
Game Archaeologist
Sat 10 Apr 2021
at 21:27
  • msg #20

Re: Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

evileeyore:
... Discord.  I can log in periodically through out the day and respond to the games I'm playing in and could update my games once to twice per day if I were running any.

So for me, message board gaming will always be a preference over the other digital options.

Actually, Discord has very good text features and the persistence that is needed.

While RPoL is optimized for text based gaming, Discord has easy multi-media features that can be very attractive/useful for play.

Playing the Devil's Advocate here, check it out sometime. Sounds like you will be surprised.
evileeyore
member, 476 posts
GURPS GM and Player
Joined August 2015
Sat 10 Apr 2021
at 21:41
  • msg #21

Re: Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

GreenTongue:
Actually, Discord has very good text features and the persistence that is needed.

My experience with Discord is that those who enjoy it tend to be extremely prolific posters and I do not enjoy haiving to scroll back 100+ posts to figure what is currently going on, only to discover I'm not only radically far behind, but have missed repeated moments where I could have affected the outcome of the scene.  And if it was a combat encounter?  Forget about it.

In a message board game, scrolling back 10-15 posts of a social (or even combat) scene is fine, Discord has never been only 10-15 posts.

And if you miss a day?

Yeah, no.  It's an entirely different environment where most people have radically different standards.  Now if your group treats it like a message board and only posts a few times a day each?  Great, but my experience is not that.
Hunter
member, 1643 posts
Captain Oblivious!
Lurker
Sat 10 Apr 2021
at 22:20
  • msg #22

Re: Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

praguepride:
On a personal note I was looking at running a Necromunda game. I looked at the VTT options but they just weren't what I was looking for and don't have the control I desire so I will probably be looking at running it on RPOL because the technology just isn't where I want it to be yet. Yes tabletop simulator is amazing but I LIKE writing and having an easy place to do bookkeeping.


And I think you've hit on the main reason that forum (text) based role play is probably not going to go away.  It's much easier to run the game, and as a (former) GM; I've found that I don't have to come up with answers on the spot.
GreenTongue
member, 955 posts
Game Archaeologist
Sun 11 Apr 2021
at 02:18
  • msg #23

Re: Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

In reply to evileeyore (msg # 21):

I can understand that.
Still posing it as a possibility that it could be drawing people away.
evileeyore
member, 477 posts
GURPS GM and Player
Joined August 2015
Sun 11 Apr 2021
at 03:53
  • msg #24

Re: Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

GreenTongue:
Still posing it as a possibility that it could be drawing people away.

Oh, no doubt.  VTT and Discord and the like are drawing people away.

I'm just saying there will always be folks like me who won't go that route, and for us message boards will be the preferred medium of the digital offerings.  We just not in the majority, and no doubt we're dwindling.
facemaker329
member, 7334 posts
Gaming for over 40
years, and counting!
Sun 11 Apr 2021
at 17:45
  • msg #25

Re: Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

The most analogous situation I can think of is when MMORPGs came along and some people predicted they would be the demise of MUDs and MUSHes.  They definitely had an impact...but some of us that used to be very active on MU*s just plain old drifted away for reasons that had nothing to do with MMORPGs (which I've never indulged in).

That said, based on stories from friends and family who did get into MMOs, there were still some advantages MU*s had (certainly in terms of exploring development of your characters' personal aspects)...some got bored with the basic "same stuff with a new skin" that was the typical MMO, and went back to MU*s.  Some migrated here, or to other PBP platforms.  Some just got busy with life and decided online gaming (or even gaming in general) was no longer a priority.

VTTs are becoming more versatile, and are, as mentioned earlier, the new toy that's getting all the attention.  For some people, they'll be a better fit.  For others, they won't.  For still others (who have time), they'll split their time between the two and explore the best of both worlds.  And there's always natural attrition...people get too busy, change life priorities, or (sadly) die, and thus we lose users for reasons that have nothing to do with alternative gaming platforms.

RPOL does not, to the best of my knowledge, advertise or recruit...new users come in largely through word of mouth (occasionally, someone's just looking for online role-playing and they happen to stumble through the front door).

But just like MMOs didn't kill off MU*s,  VTTs aren't going to kill RPOL.  Numbers may drop...but that's not necessarily a bad thing.  It's not like RPOL is reliant on sustaining a certain number of users to maintain funding.
NowhereMan
member, 429 posts
Sun 11 Apr 2021
at 18:20
  • msg #26

Re: Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

I play several games via Discord now, and played one there pre-pandemic, and one thing that I don't think has been said enough in this discussion is that there are some games that just plain don't work well in a standard tabletop setting, virtual or otherwise.

The main ones that come to mind are intrigue focused and, for lack of a better term, "diffused" games.

Even if traditional tabletop players were able to implement 100% separation between player knowledge and character knowledge, a masterfully orchestrated betrayal lacks some of its oomph when the rest of the group has sat around and watched them talk about it for the last hour, and even if it's reduced to manic scribbling of notes, the rest of the group is going to know something's up. Not so of forum games.

And then there's the "diffused" games. It's pretty much impossible to give every player equal time in the spotlight in games where the players are spread out over a large area, such as a bunch of only-tenuously-connected criminals in a crime drama set in a big city, or fledglings from different clans and sects in a game of Vampire. At least not if you want to get anything done in a four-hour time slot. But in a forum game, each of those players can have their own private threads and be just as active as they would be if they were playing solo.
V_V
member, 927 posts
Sun 11 Apr 2021
at 19:30
  • [deleted]
  • msg #27

Re: Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

This message was deleted by the user at 19:42, Sun 11 Apr 2021.
GreenTongue
member, 956 posts
Game Archaeologist
Sun 11 Apr 2021
at 23:26
  • msg #28

Re: Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

When a picture IS worth a thousand words, the ability to quickly add a picture to a thread has value that seems to be missing here.

I certainly agree a site like this that was developed for text based gaming still has features missing other places.

Is it enough to draw people back for the New Shiny? Time will tell.
I suspect its heyday has passed.
Carakav
member, 677 posts
Sure-footed paragon
of forthright dude.
Mon 12 Apr 2021
at 00:27
  • msg #29

Re: Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

Honestly I think the diminishing of PbP has more to do with phones, then it does with VTT. Phones are terrible for this medium. Some people can get away with it, but you really can't beat a good keyboard in PbP.

Even the shift to mobile won't kill PbP, because there's always going to be people who are comfortable typing on phones, but the shift in technology is basically changing the landscape of how people access interactive fantasies.

This medium won't go the way of the dodo, because there will always be a demand for it, in the same way there's still a demand for books, but I do agree that it's heyday is past.
This message was last edited by the user at 00:30, Mon 12 Apr 2021.
CabbageFox
member, 3 posts
Sun 18 Apr 2021
at 18:02
  • msg #30

Re: Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

While I'm new to this site I've been playing and running PbP games for 25 years.  I think the issue could be that PbP hasn't changed with the times.  As much as I lament Twitter, why can't PbP be more short form posting?

Sitting around a table, players are not (usually) opining 500 words at a time yet, in my experience, short and to the point posts are discouraged.  Why?  They usually don't advance the story more than a short post.  I feel like long posts discourage people who can't or won't write longer posts for one reason or another.

I'm reminded of the day Harrison Ford was sick during filming of Raiders of the Lost Ark and rather than having a fight, Indy pulls his gun and shoots the guy with the sword.  That scene is iconic to the character and it wasn't even supposed to there.  It was a longer scene rather than 5 seconds.  Long post vs short post.

I'm not saying long posts don't have their place, they do, but I think dropping the short post stigma would be helpful.

Maybe I'm way off.  Maybe I'm the only one who feels like there is a bias against short posts.
This message was last edited by the user at 18:04, Sun 18 Apr 2021.
GreenTongue
member, 957 posts
Game Archaeologist
Sun 18 Apr 2021
at 18:42
  • msg #31

Re: Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

For what it is worth, I agree. While a lot of people want to think they are a budding author and practicing for a "Best Seller", in my opinion that's not "gaming".

Gaming is moving things forward in a clear way, whether that takes short or long text.
The only problem I have seen with short text updates is, leaving players behind that can't update as frequently.
This message was last edited by the user at 21:09, Sun 18 Apr 2021.
Hunter
member, 1645 posts
Captain Oblivious!
Lurker
Sun 18 Apr 2021
at 20:58
  • msg #32

Re: Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

In reply to CabbageFox (msg # 30):

You've pretty much hit the nail on the head.  I recently went looking at other forum sites to expand my role playing experience.

The result?   Every forum wanted "literate" writers, i.e. people who post consistently in multiple paragraphs.

While I'm not really in favor of repeated one-liners, they do have a place.   And I know I'm going to catch flack for saying that.
donsr
member, 2238 posts
Sun 18 Apr 2021
at 21:04
  • msg #33

Re: Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

 I don't like one -liners, but i don't need a book  either. All they have to do is covey the persons actions  and emotions  along  with thier  words.

 of course OOC thread is a differant story
Piestar
member, 859 posts
once upon a time...
...there was a little pie
Sun 18 Apr 2021
at 21:05
  • msg #34

Re: Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

In reply to CabbageFox (msg # 30):

I agree, in fact I was quite pleasantly surprised when I joined a game that said quite clearly that they preferred frequency to length, and that one sentence posts were welcome, though hopefully not all a player ever put out there.
evileeyore
member, 479 posts
GURPS GM and Player
Joined August 2015
Sun 18 Apr 2021
at 21:43
  • msg #35

Re: Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

CabbageFox:
Maybe I'm the only one who feels like there is a bias against short posts.

You're not off.  There is definitely a bias against short posts in the Freeform games, other games?  It varies, but being a pithy soul I've never had an issue leaving a short post in any game I've been in, but the key is to convey what your character is doing, saying, etc, as accurately as possible and sometimes that's not easy with a one liner.

But I can easily get my point across with 2-4 sentences, unless I'm playing an overly verbose character and am given leave to windbag it up.  In that case I can easily leave several paragraphs of nonsensical blatherskite (and quite often accurate if unuseful blatherskite, I rsometimes enjoy opining at length ICly about things that don't make a bit of difference in game).
facemaker329
member, 7337 posts
Gaming for over 40
years, and counting!
Mon 19 Apr 2021
at 03:02
  • msg #36

Re: Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

In fairness, the bias against short posts in PbP games comes out of people who barely include enough in their post to indicate that they're aware that they're still involved in the game.  I don't think a post needs to be any longer or shorter than necessary to convey what the character is doing and present other characters with something to play off of.  It doesn't happen often in the games I'm now playing in, but it has happened in the past, where a player posts a single sentence that basically amounts to "My character walks in this room." I have seen actual posts that said little more than, "<insert character name> watched." Aside from acknowledging that the character is still in the room or location, there's nothing there to play off of, and that's what most people are talking about when they say they don't want players posting one-liners.

If you can keep your post brief, and still give something to play off of, I have yet to see a GM complain about it.  One line of dialog and one statement of a change of posture or attitude?  No problem, and it gives other players something to react to.  They don't necessarily want a novella out of every post...but they want the posts to do something to advance the story.
CabbageFox
member, 5 posts
Mon 19 Apr 2021
at 07:15
  • msg #37

Re: Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

In reply to facemaker329 (msg # 36):

I agree completely.

To return to the core of the topic, while I think PbP hasn't really changed to suit the times, I think Discord is, in a small way, encouraging some change and expanding the PbP audience.

There are many PbP games on Discord and I have no doubt many PbP players on Discord are new to PbP.  I wonder if people who discover PbP on Discord are likely to expand to other platforms or not, however.  Given the various built in, highly customizable features and immediate notifications of post activity, I bet Discord spoils a lot of people for places like RPoL.

So, maybe TV isn't killing the radio star, maybe it's just forcing the radio star to a broadcast online rather than over-the-air.
silentmouse
member, 32 posts
Mon 19 Apr 2021
at 07:40
  • msg #38

Re: Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

In reply to CabbageFox (msg # 37):

I look at my daughter and her role playing via Discord with friends all over the place and can agree with your statement. These are teens using a PbP method of role playing rather than any sort of video or getting together at the same time. The benefits of PbP is that people in various time zones don’t have to necessarily all be available at the exact same time, which is often difficult when time zones come into play.

So while it may be shrinking, I don’t think us introverts and busy people are going to give up PbP any time soon. Especially if there’s a new generation coming in as well. That said, it’ll be interesting to see how it all evolves.
This message was last edited by the user at 07:41, Mon 19 Apr 2021.
GreenTongue
member, 959 posts
Game Archaeologist
Mon 19 Apr 2021
at 11:02
  • msg #39

Re: Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

CabbageFox:
Given the various built in, highly customizable features and immediate notifications of post activity, I bet Discord spoils a lot of people for places like RPoL.

Shouldn't it also motivate some improvements to RPoL as well?
I know players in real life that need that "immediate notifications of post activity" to get their attention. So many distractions in life that more time than they thought would go by before they checked in to see if there were updates.

It would be nice if it drove some innovation here.
This message was last edited by the user at 16:02, Mon 19 Apr 2021.
donsr
member, 2239 posts
Mon 19 Apr 2021
at 11:26
  • msg #40

Re: Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

In the end?  the discord  stuff is good, if you like it. But it might not  inspire loyalty  like RPOL  does?

 on our main page, everything  is 'right there'.. you can see new  activity  and  what it is ( posts, PMs, Both).

 Let's face it, if you are so busy you need   a notification  to  check your game, You are way too busy, or  you don't have interest, or both?

 I have been on scores of sites in my  PBP 'career' This is trhe best site going, the interactions  are good, and, my games  have a community of sorts..Would it be  nice to  interact  with folks in real time, hear thier voices?  you bet.  But..I live  in PA... I have at least 5 players over seas, and another  spread across the US.  we would be  damn lucky to get  3 people to be on line  at the same  time, at any given time.

So?  yeah..Like MMOs or open world Vid games, you can get a following  and have fun and really enjoy yoruself...but only with that small slice  of people
evileeyore
member, 480 posts
GURPS GM and Player
Joined August 2015
Mon 19 Apr 2021
at 13:58
  • msg #41

Re: Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

CabbageFox:
To return to the core of the topic, while I think PbP hasn't really changed to suit the times...

I don't see where PbP needs to "change to suit the times".  Those who prefer real-time interfacing have video-calling and chat services (and real face-to-face interaction).  Leave PbP to those of us who cannot schedule solid blocks of time and prefer to snatch moments of RP throughout the day.
pdboddy
supporter, 706 posts
EST/EDT [GMT-5/GMT-4]
Fri 16 Jul 2021
at 19:40
  • msg #42

Re: Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

Video can't kill the Radio star, as long as someone loves it.
Gaffer
member, 1698 posts
Ocoee FL
45 yrs of RPGs
Fri 16 Jul 2021
at 20:46
  • msg #43

Re: Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

silentmouse:
all be available at the exact same time, which is often difficult when time zones come into play

Even without time zone considerations, I have difficulty committing to role play for a four hour stretch the same time every day/week/month. That's why, after many years, my ftf groups faded, it just got too difficult to coordinate everyone.

Since those halcyon days, the people I gamed with moved to a half-dozen different states in the US, as did I. I found PbP and, eventually, Rpol. Here I can gather a group of people and we all post at our leisure, whenever we have a chance and the game rolls on. Sometimes its the same people game after game, sometimes its a whole new group. Sometimes people drop out (as they did in ftf), but the game goes on.
GreenTongue
member, 998 posts
Game Archaeologist
Wed 11 Aug 2021
at 10:55
  • msg #44

Re: Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

I remember when news paper (remember those?) went from black and white to color. For a time they caught the eye and sold better it seemed.

Do people use their phones to log into RPoL? Is typing on a phone a barrier?
Would a good voice to text app make posting here easy?

Are there apps like Tic Toc that have swept all the eyes to it and away from this more "black & white" format?
Piestar
member, 934 posts
once upon a time...
...there was a little pie
Wed 11 Aug 2021
at 12:17
  • msg #45

Re: Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

In reply to GreenTongue (msg # 44):

I used to type on the phone a lot, but some people seem to consider it a burden. It might be hard to color text, and add images, but for basic communication it was always fine for me.
Jarodemo
member, 944 posts
My hovercraft
is full of eels
Wed 11 Aug 2021
at 12:50
  • msg #46

Re: Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

In reply to GreenTongue (msg # 44):

I tried logging into rpol on my phone once, it was a nightmare so i quickly gave up. I usually post on an ipad but sometimes on my Mac, much easier!
evileeyore
member, 518 posts
GURPS GM and Player
Joined 20150819
Wed 11 Aug 2021
at 15:08
  • msg #47

Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

GreenTongue:
Do people use their phones to log into RPoL? Is typing on a phone a barrier?

Certianly for some, like myself, typing on the small touchpad is a barrier, for others it's intuitive.  But this is not the problem.

quote:
Would a good voice to text app make posting here easy?

Unlikely.

quote:
Are there apps like Tic Toc that have swept all the eyes to it and away from this more "black & white" format?

As has been mentioned above, the problem is really two fold.  Message boards as a whole have fallen by the wayside as people have turned to other social media connection styles to connect with groups.  Why join a 'car guy' message board when there are car guy Facebook pages and you're already on Facebook?  Ditto with the other social media platforms, like Discord, thousands of channels, why join a different platform just for "slower than a glacier" gaming when you can already engage happily on Discord?

And with the proliferation of video calling in the last twenty years, even face-t-face gaming has taken hits.  One gaming blog I follow went from FtF to using a VTT (I can't remember which they chose) due to COVID, and have stuck with it as it's easier on a few of the group for "showing up" purposes.  So they'll probably never go back to FtF gaming, the GMs loads and loads of miniatures will now languish in the closet never to see the light of day again...

So to sum up, message board gaming is "taking hits" from all the easy ways people have to connect virtually now, and the medium's advantages aren't one's most people need or especially tend to desire (longevity of 'notes', slow posting requirements) when they can have the what they do prefer (voice or video chat in real time and better visual representations).

I don't seeing it getting better especially not with the more 'videogamey' VTTs taking off now (like Tale Spire, which looks sooo good it might just overcome my complete dislike for Steam... and thanks for reading this post, it was a paid advertisement from Tale Spire, Tale Spire is a ne- [record scratch]  None of that now).
This message was last edited by the user at 15:10, Wed 11 Aug 2021.
GreenTongue
member, 999 posts
Game Archaeologist
Wed 11 Aug 2021
at 17:20
  • msg #48

Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

I have a copy of TaleSpire too. What it is not, is persistent.
You have to log in when the host is on.

This site may not look pretty but, it does allow asynchronous play.
Other thing about text based. Very low system requirements and small storage space.

URLs are text so linking to other content can be an option.

Does seem that read / writing more than 128 characters is more then many can handle.
NowhereMan
member, 448 posts
Wed 11 Aug 2021
at 17:43
  • msg #49

Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

quote:
Does seem that read / writing more than 128 characters is more then many can handle.

Why use many word when few word do trick? :P

Forum games will always serve an audience that few other mediums can. Those with limited time. Whether that time is limited because they're an adult with a full-time job, or because there's no feasible way to play in their eighteen games in a live format, RPoL's glacier-like pace offers a solution.

Plus, as I believe I've mentioned here before, there are some games that just won't work in any format other than text. Or at least wouldn't work as well. Take a game that "splits the party" a lot. In a live format, that means a lot of sitting around waiting on the other guys to finish their section so you can play through yours, whereas on a forum, each individual player can have an active thread going without anyone slowing anything down. And it becomes a heck of a lot easier to separate out player knowledge. Here, you don't have to worry about Jeff knowing what happened while Alex was in the next room, unless you want him to know.
facemaker329
member, 7355 posts
Gaming for over 40
years, and counting!
Wed 11 Aug 2021
at 17:53
  • msg #50

Re: Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

GreenTongue:
Do people use their phones to log into RPoL? Is typing on a phone a barrier?
Would a good voice to text app make posting here easy?


My phone is actually my primary form of access.  I don't have a home internet connection, thanks to frustrations with Comcast and no real viable substitutes in the area, but most of the stuff I used to do on my computer at home, I can do on my phone.  It's a bit laborious and has definitely slowed down my typing speed, and increased my typo rate, but it's convenient.  I can check up on my games and post between shows at work, at home, when staying with friends out of town, etc.

What I can't do very effectively on my phone is copy and paste (it can be done, it's just a laborious process) or edit character sheets (again, possible, but highly labor-intensive).  I also work at a movie theater that's only about a five minute walk from my apartment and I have a laptop there that I use when I need to compose a major post or edit character sheets, etc.

I've got a schedule that rarely meshes well with others...I work a lot of afternoons and evenings, if I'm involved with a show I have rehearsals or performances, etc during hours that most people would prefer to do either FTF or VTT gaming.  RPOL is how I scratch that itch, and I have yet to see any of the "shiny new toys" that would do the job as well for me.  That's why I'm not worried that 'the radio star' may be dead, or even dying...a lot of RPOL users are here because they can't consistently devote significant blocks of time for real-time interaction for gaming.  It's not like RPOL relies on user numbers to somehow sustain itself...it's not using a subscription model and doesn't sell advertising, so if user numbers dwindle a bit, it basically means they could just shift to a smaller, cheaper server, but otherwise isn't likely to impact the site in any operational way.
The Stray
member, 128 posts
When the Cat's a Stray
the Mice will Pray
Thu 12 Aug 2021
at 02:21
  • msg #51

Re: Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

NowhereMan:
Why use many word when few word do trick? :P


Because I like writing. I like the ability to add more description, depth, and personality to my posts.

I also like playing around with formatting, and it's difficult as fruit to do that with a phone.

The asynchronous nature of this format is also a plus for me.
Piestar
member, 935 posts
once upon a time...
...there was a little pie
Thu 12 Aug 2021
at 02:49
  • msg #52

Re: Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

The Stray:
Because I like writing. I like the ability to add more description, depth, and personality to my posts.


I concur, that is the main allure of the on-line game for me (aside from the fact that it is the only gaming option I have available to me.)

It would be nice if people would actually read my writing, but I can't get that from players in my worlds on a regular basis, much less fellow players in other games.

That said, even if you can't do everything you want on the phone, it is, IMHO, better than not posting at all.
GreenTongue
member, 1000 posts
Game Archaeologist
Thu 12 Aug 2021
at 10:42
  • msg #53

Re: Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

I would have thought that with people in lockdown, there would be more gaming at sites like this. I understand that the Community Chat isn't a very good barometer to determine but, it sure hasn't been unusually busy.

New books, new movies, has the source of game inspiration changed?
Piestar
member, 939 posts
once upon a time...
...there was a little pie
Thu 12 Aug 2021
at 11:03
  • msg #54

Re: Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

In reply to GreenTongue (msg # 53):

For me there is a tension between enjoying the role playing, and the niggling concern in the back of my mind about all the things that are going on in the world. It's like trying to listen to good music, with bad static.
Jarodemo
member, 945 posts
My hovercraft
is full of eels
Thu 12 Aug 2021
at 11:09
  • msg #55

Re: Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

In reply to GreenTongue (msg # 53):

Maybe more people have discovered online platforms for playing live with friends rather than via messageboard platforms like rpol. I haven't yet gone down that route, but maybe some have and like it as a medium.
GreenTongue
member, 1001 posts
Game Archaeologist
Thu 12 Aug 2021
at 17:16
  • msg #56

Re: Has TV Killed the Radio Star?

In reply to Piestar (msg # 54):

For some of those old favorites, the static is part of the esthetic.  ;)

I feel that phone based is the trend and anything that provides hurdle to that is going to be passed over for something that doesn't.

Of course I could be wrong but, I have seen many "perfectly good" things passed over for the slightest inconvenience.
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