I noticed in the post-chargen post one of the nitpicks was not being able to see each other. One thought I had when considering doing a "distance" game was to use Google hangouts since you can have up to 10 people on video for free. I've never actually used it so I don't know how well it works and for people with only one screen (or not a big widescreen) it would be hidden behind MapTools when doing anything on the map. So probably not a perfect solution but one I had considered.

I don't have a webcam so no one would be seeing me.

You can use mine. I hardly ever use the thing. It's super-cheapo-generico, but it's functional, and I live in the area so I could get it to you.

Just today, Greg Christopher (who's name here on the forum I can not recall) posted something on Google+ about his experiences gaming over Google Hangouts. I don't want to crosspost his stuff without his permission, but if you're familiar with him on G+ already, I strongly urge you to go read his post from today. He is making an argument for the ways that Hangout gaming is better than tabletop gaming.

He was playing using an in-development RPG module for Hangouts, called, I think, Dragons for Dinner, and he posted video of the tool in action. Another project, Tabletop Forge, also has videos up of the tool in use. I'm sure there are others being built, too.

What's relevant right now is that they both allow you to see the video of the players at the same time as your game materials (maps, pics, dice rollers, etc). They both allow for the small vids of each player along the bottom, and Tabletop Forge, at least (and probably the other one) also can show the large vid of the person currently talking, right alongside the gaming materials.

I'm basing this on the videos they have online. I'm not in the betas for either tool, so I haven't used them yet, but they already look like they are competing hard with Skype and the various gaming virtual tabletops, combined, thanks to leveraging the Google+ functionality. If I were building an online game right now, Hangouts is the first place I'd look, and I'd be asking the fellow who makes Tabletop Forge if he'd like another beta tester.

[/unsolicited advice]

My name here is Ryoken.

- Greg Christopher

Here is the post where I discussed using hangouts for gaming today

https://plus.google.com/u/0/10577171275 ... uAKhYEksp7

Ok, then I should ammend that. I don't want a webcam so no one will be seeing me.

I don't have a problem using video, but if Wayne's vetoing, then I guess that's that. The only genuine concern I would have is the added load to our existing bandwidth problems. But it's possible Google hangouts are much better optimized than Skype, so maybe it wouldn't be an issue.

I'll append one bit of technical advice: It's a little annoying, but if you're using Google Chrome, you'll need to turn off ad-blocking extensions like Ad-Block Plus while using G+ Hangouts. The ABP extension just doesn't play nicely with Chrome—it keeps trying to remove part of the Hangout window's layout, despite there being no ads on the page. That was a headache for our group until I did a little research this week.

If video were added, I'd probably be forced to put on pants.

That would be terrible.