Using text boxes while GMing

Hi,

I've been turning a lot of my 2e adventures into (5E) modules, and of course the original content has prepared text to read out loud. It may require tweaking to account for the party's actions, but otherwise contains useful narratives, and it's convenient to have there in the module via pins/bookmarks rather than flipping through pages.

My question to GMs is, do you ever paste it as a textbox to the FG chat as you read the description? Is that distracting for players who try to read and listen to you at the same time? What about NPC dialogues in the same vein?

Depends what it is really. It does make it easier for the players to keep accurate notes of things I want them to remember since they can copy it from the chat window into their individual Notes.

I read it aloud first and then click on the chat icon to send it to chat.

When I write my own stuff, I put room description stuff in the chat box (and use the chat icon to send it to chat) and rarely situational info (unless its critical that I want to make sure they can reference it later).

I also never read it out loud. All my players know how to read, and personally I get really annoyed when someone displays text and then read it to me. So, when I send the boxed text to chat, I always paraphrase or add other stuff to what I say out loud to the players. I've never had a player complain that I am saying one thing, while they have something else to read. I expect that if they have trouble listening and reading at the same time, then they know to listen, and they can always come back and read at their leisure. Hence why I put it in chat.

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Originally Posted by Zacchaeus

I read it aloud first and then click on the chat icon to send it to chat.

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Agreed. This is my default setting. Not only for notes, but for players to re-read the dialogue/description/whatever that was just said. I run pre-published adventures (currently almost exclusively) and this has been the best option for me. Even when using Syrinscape (which has dialogue pre-recorded) I'll still put the dialogue in chat just so they can read it again. I don't think any find it distracting, as they re-read it after my talking is done and then ask questions. I usually get more "on topic" questions when I do this, as opposed to those questions players sometimes ask that are covered within the textbox itself.

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Originally Posted by lousilver

What about NPC dialogues in the same vein?

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One of the games that I run uses the chat box for all interaction: PC actions are emoted, dialogues are typed out, ect. This is a fine way to do NPC-NPC actions, as it avoids the GM's voice being confused between characters. Obviously, it's a lot more work intensive, as the GM is typing out dialogue for both characters, but can help for RP-heavy games where NPC-NPC dialogue breaks immersion because of the GM having a single voice to use over the VOIP. Obviously, in many many games, this is overboard - but I find it really appealing and it creates amazing stories, it's perfect for this particular group of players. It's slower, it ends up looking closer to a PBP, but I swear to the Gods it's an amazing way to get a lot of great RP out of a group.

TLDR: I use the chatbox a lot - and find it a great way to create immersion in RP while using the VOIP for out-of-character shenanigans.