Playing OD&D via Google+ or Skype

[Fandomaniac]

Is anyone running games on one of these voice chats? Could you share your experience and/or offer some tips? Have you tried both and prefer one over the other? Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

[Deleted]

Well, not D&D, but TFT. Close enough?

We use Skype. The referee really should have a headset and have the computer screen face him, otherwise what he or she says tends to get lost.

[gloriousbattle]

I'd love to play in such a game, but every time I try, somehow it doesn't get off the ground.

[ragnorakk]

Not used Skype for gaming, and played one game on Google+ with a DM and one other player. It was a really good experience. It felt very "table-toppish" to me. Lasted about 3 1/2 hours (took a break in there too). Me & the DM had video on, the other player did not. It may be that I am kinda starved for gaming since I have no group to play with in real life, but I'm really enthusiastic to do more of it.

As far as OD&D specifically, I dunno. I'd bet that Calithena's games are somewhere in the ballpark! There has been some Swords & Wizardry, and EPT, and it seems to me that OD&D specifically would be great in the 'rules light' sense.

[ckutalik]

I have been running two EPT groups with Google Plus hangouts through a tricked-out Jakallan Underworld.

My experience might be unique, but I found the whole thing to be very, very positive--especially as compared to the semi-regular Skype games I play in. The video conferencing makes it feel to me much more like face to face and the interface is simpler and more stable than what I found with Skype. (And the buzz around it has certainly made it a lot easier to scare up players).

Things to remember:
1. You can only accommodate five cameras/slots--anything more and things start to go south. Google is full of it when they say you can host more at least at this time.

2. Test your camera and mike with a friend beforehand using the hangout feature.

3. You can also have people in the session who only have a mike. You get a blank screen and it is a bit distracting, but it worked otherwise fine for me.

Hope that helps.

[Fandomaniac]

Thanks for the input!