Tips for speeding up d20 play in FG2?

[Griogre]

I agree that if voice speeds up your combats you must know something about using it that the rest of us don't. I honestly can't see an advantage in combat unless you are playing with newcomers who are unsure of the combat rules, or you are having to correct a lot of mistakes. In that case, yes, voice speeds things up immensely because it's superior to even the fastest typist's skill. Personally, I now favor FGII without voice over traditional F2F table top, so I may be a black sheep on this issue.

Once you get past the lower levels there is always something. I flat find if faster to just say: Roll intiative. First Troll Attacks Albert. Two claws hit going over the tower shild and raking the his back. Bite snaps on the shield, missing. Claws do... [Roll Claw damagae so it can be seen] Rend does... [Roll Rend so it can be seen].

This is a very simple round of a fight but in the time it would have taken me to type that out I cound easily have done another couple player's rounds. It's not just the rules it's all the combat mechanics - special attacks, abilities, tumble skill, the fact I can remind the player they have a flank, giving status of characters and monsters, no AoO because of cover, etc.

My experience is there is usually someone in the group who doesn't know the rules in all situations. I have played in text only games and watched it take 5 or 10 minutes to finally get a rule explained to someone. That kills immersion, too.

I'm not knocking text only games they set a certain pace, a certain mood and depending on you campaign objectives it might be better for you.

[NymTevlyn]

Once you get past the lower levels there is always something. I flat find if faster to just say: Roll intiative. First Troll Attacks Albert. Two claws hit going over the tower shild and raking the his back. Bite snaps on the shield, missing. Claws do... [Roll Claw damagae so it can be seen] Rend does... [Roll Rend so it can be seen].

I keep combat descriptions short and I am a pretty dern quick typist. Voice chat wouldn't help me there.

My experience is there is usually someone in the group who doesn't know the rules in all situations. I have played in text only games and watched it take 5 or 10 minutes to finally get a rule explained to someone. That kills immersion, too.

Either way, voice or text, it's going to take time to explain it to them. If they're that new, you have to expect it. Otherwise make a quick ruling and explain why via whispers in between other stuff or after the game. If it's consistently the same person needing rules explained, tell them to read they either need to read and learn the rules or they won't have a place in the group.

[richvalle]

I keep combat descriptions short and I am a pretty dern quick typist. Voice chat wouldn't help me there.

The 'problem' with typing is that it is tied to the speed of the slowest person. Kinda like an adventuring group trying to escape with a halfling in the group. In platemail.

I'm a fair typiest but others in our group were not as fast. So, in combat, just being able to say this happens or that happens or so and so casts a spell takes less time to say then to type. And if anyone has a question things really bog down.

Also, when ever the players are trying to converse about what they are going to do, even in a fight, takes forever. Something that the players could hass out in 5 min will take 15-30 via typing and become a bit of a mess as some players are answering questions that were a few entries back while others are asking new questions and everyone steps on each others toes as they all try to type at the same time.

We tried the 'occ' stuff via voice and in characters stuff via typing but, once the voice was there, it was too easy to just do everything via voice.

Another reason I wanted to use voice is so that my prep time would be smaller. Instead of having to type out all the room descriptions I can just read them out loud. This is a HUGE savings in time on my part. I don't mind doing the work if it is going to be used but a lot of the rooms were passed over by the group and so I did the work for nothing. Forget that!

I will say it helps that most of my group are friends in real life so we know each other very well.

rv

[NymTevlyn]

Meh, I won't ever use it. It's just distracting and annoying to me. I type fast enough that I can wing it without prepping a module beforehand and so far I haven't had any issues with players taking forever to work out what they're going to do.

[richvalle]

Yep! To each their own and what works best for them! As long as you and your gamers have fun in your game, thats what counts. Typing, voice, 3.5 Dnd, Savage Worlds, what ever.

I just had a blast this past weekend playing a True20 Gamma World module. I might never play either of those systems again but I had fun doing it!

I found out afterwords one of the players was Monte Cook! Pretty funny.

rv