I've started an online game with my group that was primarily paper & pencil. We did a test run using Zoom and Facebook Chat both formats worked well but we ran into several occasions where everyone was talking on top of each other. We managed to work through those occasions but it was still a nuisance.
I would like to know from DM / Players who have online playing experience online playing etiquette is manged in your game or if there are any tips to help players curb talking over or interrupting players without making the game feel disjointed.
I know it could just be a matter of the group attaining experience with the online format of play but I want to pick some brains to see if anyone had some feedback or ideas. (Withholding 'Experience Points' and 'Mind Flayer' references.)
I have a piece of paper with all the character names written on it. If things get chaotic in voice chat, I call for quiet, and start asking individual players what they want, making a little note of the piece of paper to check that I've actually asked everyone.
In combat, I'm thinking of getting really strict, and imposing a rule "you can only talk on your turn." Or perhaps, "outside your turn you can only answer in one-word sentences."?
What are group has done with online play is have basically an out of combat initiative for talking. Basically for conversation purposes allow each player to say their piece without interruption and specifically call on specific players so they know when they can chime in. Also if you are the host server for a voip just mute or have others mute themselves until it’s their time to talk to eliminate talk overs.
I would have started with addressing the problem with the players at the start of next session (or in a message in a messenger chat or what you are using). Ask the players to try to be more disciplined then they need to be around a table. Only one talk at the time, try to keep conversations between two or three characters etc. If you watch an episode of Critical Role, you'll see they are quite disciplined even around a table (at least much more disciplined then we use to be). You need your players to "accept" that they must behave more like that and listen to the "speaker". (This advice is mostly concerned with roleplaying).
In combat or "action"-parts, I do more or less as Greenstone_Walker said. We're using zoom, and I'll simply quiet them down and ask them using the order they appear on my screen.
And one very concrete advice: ALWAYS use the name of the person you are talking to. Don't say: "You notice..." if you mean "BKThomson notice...".
Requiring push to talk helps with this. I make it mandatory now for my online games. It makes you have to actually take a second to think to push the button before you just start talking over someone. Plus after listening to one guy's wife yell at the dog while the TV was blasting and he was eating chips for an entire session that pretty well sealed it.
Thanks, everyone! This is some great advice and I appreciate each of you taking the time to respond. My next game is tomorrow so I will carry these suggestions over and see how they work out.
Also remember: Your players have probably also noticed this problem, and it's actually a problem that is nobody's fault. If I read you correctly, this is a problem because of a new way to play RPG (online vs table). You are all new, so addressing this problem doesn't step on anyones toes.
Best of luck from another DM forced from the table to the tablet because of 'you know what'.
Also remember: Your players have probably also noticed this problem, and it's actually a problem that is nobody's fault. If I read you correctly, this is a problem because of a new way to play RPG (online vs table). You are all new, so addressing this problem doesn't step on anyones toes.
Best of luck from another DM forced from the table to the tablet because of 'you know what'.
Thanks! You are right this problem is noticeable by all so it more about me getting ahead of the situation and have ways to address during a game if it becomes more of a distraction.
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I've started an online game with my group that was primarily paper & pencil. We did a test run using Zoom and Facebook Chat both formats worked well but we ran into several occasions where everyone was talking on top of each other. We managed to work through those occasions but it was still a nuisance.
I would like to know from DM / Players who have online playing experience online playing etiquette is manged in your game or if there are any tips to help players curb talking over or interrupting players without making the game feel disjointed.
I know it could just be a matter of the group attaining experience with the online format of play but I want to pick some brains to see if anyone had some feedback or ideas. (Withholding 'Experience Points' and 'Mind Flayer' references.)
I have a piece of paper with all the character names written on it. If things get chaotic in voice chat, I call for quiet, and start asking individual players what they want, making a little note of the piece of paper to check that I've actually asked everyone.
In combat, I'm thinking of getting really strict, and imposing a rule "you can only talk on your turn." Or perhaps, "outside your turn you can only answer in one-word sentences."?
What are group has done with online play is have basically an out of combat initiative for talking. Basically for conversation purposes allow each player to say their piece without interruption and specifically call on specific players so they know when they can chime in. Also if you are the host server for a voip just mute or have others mute themselves until it’s their time to talk to eliminate talk overs.
We get along surprisingly well without any rules.
Usually when two people start talking at the same time one of them will stop after a few seconds.
But we're used to having a "face" character that does most NPC interactions, so that might help.
I would have started with addressing the problem with the players at the start of next session (or in a message in a messenger chat or what you are using). Ask the players to try to be more disciplined then they need to be around a table. Only one talk at the time, try to keep conversations between two or three characters etc. If you watch an episode of Critical Role, you'll see they are quite disciplined even around a table (at least much more disciplined then we use to be). You need your players to "accept" that they must behave more like that and listen to the "speaker". (This advice is mostly concerned with roleplaying).
In combat or "action"-parts, I do more or less as Greenstone_Walker said. We're using zoom, and I'll simply quiet them down and ask them using the order they appear on my screen.
And one very concrete advice: ALWAYS use the name of the person you are talking to. Don't say: "You notice..." if you mean "BKThomson notice...".
Ludo ergo sum!
Requiring push to talk helps with this. I make it mandatory now for my online games. It makes you have to actually take a second to think to push the button before you just start talking over someone. Plus after listening to one guy's wife yell at the dog while the TV was blasting and he was eating chips for an entire session that pretty well sealed it.
Thanks, everyone! This is some great advice and I appreciate each of you taking the time to respond. My next game is tomorrow so I will carry these suggestions over and see how they work out.
Also remember: Your players have probably also noticed this problem, and it's actually a problem that is nobody's fault. If I read you correctly, this is a problem because of a new way to play RPG (online vs table). You are all new, so addressing this problem doesn't step on anyones toes.
Best of luck from another DM forced from the table to the tablet because of 'you know what'.
Ludo ergo sum!
Thanks! You are right this problem is noticeable by all so it more about me getting ahead of the situation and have ways to address during a game if it becomes more of a distraction.