This website is designed to provide the basic infrastructure necessary to play any real time pen and paper style roleplaying game. By pen and paper style we mean that it allows online play similar to what you are used to when your friends gather around a gaming table – the GM and players describe settings and actions to each other while rolling dice to determine random chance outcomes and moving miniatures around in a model or on a map. It includes a multi person chatroom with secret conversation capability, a random number dice roller, and space to display maps, graphical information, and character miniatures. It does not have monster tables, roll resolution calculators, character sheets, encounter tables, and the like, since these vary from game to game. In order to play you need to have your usual rulebooks and manuals on hand. As player you will using your own player's page to run your characters, using the functions described above.
Registering:
In order to play in or run games at this site you must first register. To do that, click on the "Signup" link on the left side of the Home Page. All that we ask you to do is type in a name or "handle", a password, and your email address in the appropriate fields on the signup page. You will immediately be sent a confirmation email, to which you must respond to activate your account. We do not give your information to anyone. The email address is only used to email you information on new features at this site, and we will take you name off the list if you tell us to later.
To find a game to play in:
Go to the "Games seeking players" page where you will find information and descriptions of games left by GMs, including the dates and times that the games are played. See if you can find any games that interest you. If so, email the GM. If space is still available in the game, the GM will email you back a password that will let you get into his gameroom when the game is running. If the game you are interested in uses voice chat, make sure you have a microphone and a sound card. If third party voice chat software is used, make sure you have a copy of it.
If you don't find your type of game, try posting your own notice on the "Players seeking games" page. There you will find a list of other players who want to join games. At the bottom of the page you will find a form to fill out listing the basics of the type of game you are looking for, and your contact information. When you click submit, your information will appear on the list above the form.
You can also try posting messages on bulletin board or contacting people you know who are interested in playing on online games, such as friends and relatives in other cities who you don't get a chance to game with very often.
If you're in the mood to stat a game right away, do a quick check through the bulletin board and go to the chat room to see if anyone is interested in a pickup game.
Go directly to the "Active games page". This page lists only games that are being played at the moment (some may be inactive because the GM forgot to log out). Check for games that allow lurking, check that game with a mouse click, and click on the "lurk" button at the bottom of the page.
If no games are active, go to the "Games seeking players"
page and see when another game is scheduled to start, then come back to the
site at that time. The game will not
be listed until the GM signs on and open the gameroom. This page also identifies which games allow
lurking. You might also consider
joining one of these games, since they are seeking players.
To enter an existing game:
If you have made prior arrangements with a GM and/or other players to start a game at a certain time, you should have received the password from the GM that allows you to get into his/her gameroom. Hopefully the GM will arrive early to open the gameroom do a little preliminary setup. The game will not be listed on the currently running games list until the GM signs in and opens the gameroom.
1) Go to the home page and Click on "Running Games List" in the navigation column on the left.
2) You will be taken to a page with a list of the games that are being played at the moment. The list provides the names of GMs, their game names, and last minute messages by the GM (like "stick around, I'll be back in 5 mins"). If the game you are looking for is not listed, it probably means that the GM is late. You might want to check your email. Try again a few minutes later. The page will not automatically update itself with a new listing. You will have to press refresh on your browser, or else come back from another page, in order to see any listings that have appeared since the last time you opened the page. If you are only interested in lurking, check to see whether lurking is allowed in the game you are interested in.
3) Click on the button to the left of the description of your game - a black dot will appear inside the button..
4) At the bottom of the page, type in your handle, your personal password, your character name, and the game password in the fields provided. All are necessary.. If this is your first time logging into the game, you may not have a character yet. If so, just make up a name – you can always change it the next time you log in.
5) Click on the "full page map screen button. If you see other buttons for text chat screens and voice chat screens, ignore them - those are for old game screens that are being removed shortly, if they havn't been already. The "Reset" button erases your chosen button and lets you select a new game).
6)You will be transferred to a Player's Screen containing all the features you need to play a role playing game (see instructions on how to use it via the links below). Your GM and perhaps a few other players should already be there. This is like a private chatroom. Only people who signed on with the game password will be able to communicate with each other (although lurkers will be able to watch the game if the GM allows them to).
Review the information below and make sure you and your fellow players have the proper equipment before deciding on a communications mode.
The Type Chat Screen should be used if you plan to use your keyboard exclusively.
This will be the only choice if you and your players lack basic sound capabilities (microphones and sound cards), don't have third party voice software, or don't have browsers with Java installed. This is the easiest screen to use, and works with just about every browser and every OS out there. Its main disadvantage is that the type chat windows take up space on your screen and leave less room for the playing area.
Third Party Voice Chat can be used if you and other players plan have third party voice chat software, such as Skype, to communicate directly with each other without going through our servers. Keep in mind that all players must have the same software, and often the same OS in order to communicate with each other. They must also all have sound cards and microphones.
The On Site Voice Chat Screen. is available if you want to use the voice chat
installed on our servers. The advantage of this is that you and your players
can have any types of computers and OS, and you don't have to download and set
up any software. You will have to have a Java plugin installed on your browser and your
permissions set to allow its use. You
must give permission for a Java Applet to operate in your web browser in
order to handle the sound connections and data transfer. The Applet is part of our website and loads
into your browser automatically along with the rest of the screen.
Use the following link to go to the instructions on how to use the player's game screen:
Character Sheets:
One of the functions found in all of the screens described above is the management of character sheets. You can view instructions related to character sheet functions by clicking the following link:
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