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riot the outsider
Learned Scribe
USA
121 Posts |
 Posted - 13 Oct 2007 : 23:57:21
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I have a friend that lives far away and its hard for if to make it to the games we play.Wondering if its possible to play if he could play just by himself,by following the rules and all as they are written and then join us when he can.
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Those who fear the darkness have never seen what the light can do. http://s13.gladiatus.com/game/c.php?uid=67846
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scererar
Master of Realmslore
USA
1618 Posts |
Posted - 14 Oct 2007 : 02:26:06
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| I have of heard of play it your self D&D adventures before, but not recently. |
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Kentinal
Great Reader
4685 Posts |
Posted - 14 Oct 2007 : 02:43:26
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There indeed have been single player D&D adventures, but also noted not published recently.
Yes it is posible to play as DM and player following rules at least under prior to 3.X by using random monster encounter tables. It of course basically requires the DM/Player to set up random condition starting point (d4 for starting direction) after setting random risks for a direction traveled. Self designed play can have very random results, but there were tables for friendly and unfriendly encounters.
Of course there would be no role play (in the acting sense) though a player with some imagination might be able to get some sense of it by established class/charater concept.
All in all it would be hard to be a fun game and clearly the dice would be a major factor. |
"Small beings can have small wisdom," the dragon said. "And small wise beings are better than small fools. Listen: Wisdom is caring for afterwards."
"Caring for afterwards ...? Ker repeated this without understanding.
"After action, afterwards," the dragon said. "Choose the afterwards first, then the action. Fools choose action first."
"Judgement" copyright 2003 by Elizabeth Moon |
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Aewrik
Seeker
80 Posts |
Posted - 14 Oct 2007 : 03:48:27
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In the novel I'm writing, I play with myself : )
It adds more dynamic to the writing, I think, if I can't decide everything that happens myself. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
Posted - 14 Oct 2007 : 06:08:17
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quote:
Originally posted by Aewrik
In the novel I'm writing, I play with myself : )
You do realize, don't you, the many, many ways this statement is begging to be misinterpreted? 
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Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen!  |
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Kuje
Great Reader
USA
7915 Posts |
Posted - 14 Oct 2007 : 06:10:11
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by Aewrik
In the novel I'm writing, I play with myself : )
You do realize, don't you, the many, many ways this statement is begging to be misinterpreted?
I wasn't going to say it but since you did. :)
And honestly, this whole topic made me laugh because it could be taken in so many ways. |
For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet and excite you... Books are full of the things that you don't get in real life - wonderful, lyrical language, for instance, right off the bat. - Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium |
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AlorinDawn
Learned Scribe
USA
313 Posts |
Posted - 16 Oct 2007 : 20:50:24
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Sometimes I play with myself. I am however more fond of the times my girlfriend plays with me.
What were we talking about again? |
Edited by - AlorinDawn on 16 Oct 2007 22:54:08 |
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Aravine
Senior Scribe
USA
608 Posts |
Posted - 17 Oct 2007 : 14:41:52
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| Can I ask where this thread is going? |
The brave don't live forever,the cautious don't live at all |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
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riot the outsider
Learned Scribe
USA
121 Posts |
Posted - 17 Oct 2007 : 16:57:30
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| I agree people on here need to grow up, Can one person play D&D by themselfs?,is that better frased for you all. |
Those who fear the darkness have never seen what the light can do. http://s13.gladiatus.com/game/c.php?uid=67846
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
Posted - 17 Oct 2007 : 17:33:38
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It's theoretically possible, but since D&D is based around a group, it'd be really different. I don't think it would be much fun -- because if he is player and DM, then he knows how to deal with every NPC and every trap, where every monster is, where the treasure is, what the mysteries are... It becomes little more than a dice-rolling exercise.
You (or whoever the DM is) should at least consider setting up a one on one play by email thing with him. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
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Aravine
Senior Scribe
USA
608 Posts |
Posted - 17 Oct 2007 : 17:41:13
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| Wooly's idea is a very good one. However, if he's the DM than it's kinda losing the player and if he's a player, no offence, I wouldn't let him/her. how easily the 20's come when playing by yourself. but it is good mental exersise. |
The brave don't live forever,the cautious don't live at all |
Edited by - Aravine on 17 Oct 2007 18:08:25 |
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IronHammer
Acolyte
USA
28 Posts |
Posted - 17 Oct 2007 : 20:15:48
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| Some friends of mine and myself in the past have made one person adventures for each other. We set it up in a turn by turn of the page format. Of course for it to be in any way fun you had to be honest with yourself. This was in no way as good as group play but when your bored and theres nothing else to do it was a good diversion... |
I remember playing Dwarves and Elves as a character class... |
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader
USA
7106 Posts |
Posted - 17 Oct 2007 : 20:19:56
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| Playing tabletop D&D by yourself sounds to me like it would be rather lonely. After all, part of the fun is the social interaction, I would think. |
"Instead of asking why we sleep, it might make sense to ask why we wake. Perchance we live to dream. From that perspective, the sea of troubles we navigate in the workaday world might be the price we pay for admission to another night in the world of dreams."
--Richard Greene (letter to Time) |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
Posted - 17 Oct 2007 : 20:23:16
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quote:
Originally posted by IronHammer
Some friends of mine and myself in the past have made one person adventures for each other. We set it up in a turn by turn of the page format. Of course for it to be in any way fun you had to be honest with yourself. This was in no way as good as group play but when your bored and theres nothing else to do it was a good diversion...
That would work, too... The objective here, at least to me, is to have this distant player able to play without actually running the show himself. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
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Kentinal
Great Reader
4685 Posts |
Posted - 17 Oct 2007 : 21:27:04
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Well I will repeat, there were self play modules, no DM required.
Also 1st Edition offered away to self play the game, axctually BD&D did as well (Just AD&D offered a way to generate a random map better).
Self play in a large part however is still dice dependent. Though the player could effect morale reactions, by PC acting first and asking questions later (if still alive of course).
It is not as easy as playing with people that have some experience to help advise and guide.
All in all before the game started there were no DMs, once the game started somebody became the first DM for a group (or one on one). Some were not good DMs, others clearly have kept groups together for years.
So yes self play is posible, however multiplay is advised. With the internet it clearly is posible to get some sense of group play, but that is never the same as table top play. |
"Small beings can have small wisdom," the dragon said. "And small wise beings are better than small fools. Listen: Wisdom is caring for afterwards."
"Caring for afterwards ...? Ker repeated this without understanding.
"After action, afterwards," the dragon said. "Choose the afterwards first, then the action. Fools choose action first."
"Judgement" copyright 2003 by Elizabeth Moon |
Edited by - Kentinal on 17 Oct 2007 22:06:21 |
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riot the outsider
Learned Scribe
USA
121 Posts |
Posted - 17 Oct 2007 : 22:00:26
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| All good ideas,is there any games for the computer that are layout like the table top is if you understander what I mean.( that aren't 3d)like its layout like the actual broad game its self. like they did with braod games like monopoly,life,clue. |
Those who fear the darkness have never seen what the light can do. http://s13.gladiatus.com/game/c.php?uid=67846
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Kentinal
Great Reader
4685 Posts |
Posted - 17 Oct 2007 : 22:04:47
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quote:
Originally posted by riot the outsider
All good ideas,is there any games for the computer that are layout like the table top is if you understander what I mean.( that aren't 3d)like its layout like the actual broad game its self. like they did with braod games like monopoly,life,clue.
Well a very old game "Survival in the Wilderness" (IIRC) provided a table top and the ability to have random encounters. Odds are you can not find the game, however you likely can find internet maps simalar to what was offered. |
"Small beings can have small wisdom," the dragon said. "And small wise beings are better than small fools. Listen: Wisdom is caring for afterwards."
"Caring for afterwards ...? Ker repeated this without understanding.
"After action, afterwards," the dragon said. "Choose the afterwards first, then the action. Fools choose action first."
"Judgement" copyright 2003 by Elizabeth Moon |
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Skeptic
Master of Realmslore
Canada
1273 Posts |
Posted - 17 Oct 2007 : 22:13:33
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IMHO, an RPG can't be played alone, because the basic idea is to share a imagined universe.
If there is no sharing, there is no conflict, so you can simply write a story.
The result of some suggestions above would be a board game, not a RPG.
Could a D&D-flavored single-player board game could be made ? Yeah, of course. |
Edited by - Skeptic on 17 Oct 2007 22:16:57 |
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dwarvenranger
Senior Scribe
USA
428 Posts |
Posted - 18 Oct 2007 : 03:41:41
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| There is a solo dungeon adventures appendix in the back of the Dragon Compendium. |
If I waited till I knew what I was doing, I'd never get anything done.
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LordArcana
Seeker
USA
53 Posts |
Posted - 04 Dec 2007 : 16:03:57
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Well...
Personally i spend a lot of time writing down ideas for new adventures and new campaigns. After i get ideas jotted down i do my best to formalize them into notebooks or .txt files (depending if i am too lasy to write). Once this is done i consider the character creation rules i am going to use such as starting level, money, concepts etc.
Mind you to this point can take days, weeks months...
Now i have an outlined idea of what the first few paths are going to be for the pc's. At this point i want to test some of my planned encounters so i will build basic characters of the appropriate system i have decided on. Set up the encounters on my battlemap as how i want them to start. I then do my best to think of how i would play..setting up watches at night, using wagons for defense..etc. Then i start the encounter and play it out.
Now mind you when i get to this point my wife thinks i have lost my mind as i spend a good hour or more talking to myself...rolling dice...moving little plastic pieces across the table...sound effects and sometimes even background music to get me in the mood.
Conclussion: Sure its possible to play D&D by yourself.
~Corey~ |
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slay_4_pay
Seeker
65 Posts |
Posted - 22 Dec 2007 : 19:34:41
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quote:
Originally posted by Aravine
Can I ask where this thread is going?
Nowhere. Fast.
Playing D&D by yourself is pointless. Without the other players and the DM to interact with you are basically just making up a story, so why not forget the dice and just write a story.
I do however have a suggestion, about how to deal with your problem. If your friend can't actually make it to the game there are a few of ways you could handle it.
1. Speaker Phone - call him up, put him on speaker and have him play that way.
2. Instant Messaging - all of you stay at home and play through IM, it's very time consuming but it can work.
3. Play by Proxy - have his character played as an NPC or by another PC when he is unable to make it.
4. The Guest Spot - keep his character level current with the other PC's (assume he is adventuring on his own when not with them) and just have his character show up whenever he can make it.
Of course none of them will be as good as actually being there for a regular game, but they work in a pinch. And it is certainly better than playing with yourself (sorry couldn't resist). |
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scererar
Master of Realmslore
USA
1618 Posts |
Posted - 23 Dec 2007 : 18:15:19
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| Did anyone ever read/ play the choose your own adventure books? They were great fun and good in a pinch, when no one else was around to game with. |
Edited by - scererar on 23 Dec 2007 18:16:03 |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
Posted - 23 Dec 2007 : 19:37:19
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quote:
Originally posted by scererar
Did anyone ever read/ play the choose your own adventure books? They were great fun and good in a pinch, when no one else was around to game with.
There was a whole buttload of those, from lots of different publishers. I think Choose Your Own Adventure came first, but it had many imitators. TSR did two flavors of imitation books: the Endless Quest ones (fantasy or sci-fi flavored, regular Choose Your Own Adventure-clones), and the Super Endless Quest (the same, but involving some ability scores and occasional dice rolling) ones. I had some of each, and in fact the first fantasy book I ever read was an Endless Quest one. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
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MerrikCale
Senior Scribe
USA
947 Posts |
Posted - 28 Dec 2007 : 21:12:08
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quote:
Originally posted by riot the outsider
I agree people on here need to grow up,
why? |
When hinges creak in doorless chambers and strange and frightening sounds echo through the halls, whenever candlelights flicker where the air is deathly still, that is the time when ghosts are present, practicing their terror with ghoulish delight. |
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AlorinDawn
Learned Scribe
USA
313 Posts |
Posted - 28 Dec 2007 : 22:47:54
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quote:
Originally posted by MerrikCale
quote:
Originally posted by riot the outsider
I agree people on here need to grow up,
why?
Becasue some folks lack a sense of humor. |
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Kentinal
Great Reader
4685 Posts |
Posted - 28 Dec 2007 : 23:15:36
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Hmm, the older I grow the less I find humor in.
IAE the question has indeed been answered a few timwes with different answers. Perhaps scroll should be sealed as complete as it is likely to ever be. |
"Small beings can have small wisdom," the dragon said. "And small wise beings are better than small fools. Listen: Wisdom is caring for afterwards."
"Caring for afterwards ...? Ker repeated this without understanding.
"After action, afterwards," the dragon said. "Choose the afterwards first, then the action. Fools choose action first."
"Judgement" copyright 2003 by Elizabeth Moon |
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MerrikCale
Senior Scribe
USA
947 Posts |
Posted - 30 Dec 2007 : 03:48:32
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I'll be 38 in a week. I'll grow up some other time |
When hinges creak in doorless chambers and strange and frightening sounds echo through the halls, whenever candlelights flicker where the air is deathly still, that is the time when ghosts are present, practicing their terror with ghoulish delight. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jan 2008 : 15:37:00
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by scererar
Did anyone ever read/ play the choose your own adventure books? They were great fun and good in a pinch, when no one else was around to game with.
There was a whole buttload of those, from lots of different publishers. I think Choose Your Own Adventure came first, but it had many imitators. TSR did two flavors of imitation books: the Endless Quest ones (fantasy or sci-fi flavored, regular Choose Your Own Adventure-clones), and the Super Endless Quest (the same, but involving some ability scores and occasional dice rolling) ones. I had some of each, and in fact the first fantasy book I ever read was an Endless Quest one.
And, much to my surprise, I just discovered that the Endless Quest line is apparently being revised: Endless Quest: Claw of the Dragon |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
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Stonwulfe
Seeker
Canada
81 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jan 2008 : 18:05:19
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Is it possible to play D&D by yourself? Yes. In fact, BioWare's made a killing because of it.
Without a computer, is it possible to play D&D by yourself? Yes, but there's medication for that. |
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Aureus
Learned Scribe
Luxembourg
125 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jan 2008 : 18:50:01
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It's possible to play alone, but it is still.... rather pointless
The only exception would be when I'm preparing a campain to test the encounters and the traps, but then again that's not playing, but play-testing, since I leave out the actual roleplaying parts + most walking parts and focus on the CRs and DCs (after all I want them to barily surive, not to die nor to beat the monsters up easily) |
That is not the weirdest thing that happened to me |
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is it possible to play d&d by yourself
