[gunrunner]

I have some basic ideas for running my new campaign that I wanted to share with you all. I'm thinking this will be pretty neat!

Step 1) Register a domain for the crew
I already have online hosting that I pay for, so adding a new domain will only be about $10 per year.

Step 2) Set up Google Apps Standard (free) on that domain
This will create Gmail addresses and access to Google Docs, Sites, Chat and the Calendar.

The basic idea is that the GM and all players have a laptop open during the session. Communication from the GM will mostly be vocal, but I'll have the ability to instant message brief notes to individual players privately. Inter-player messaging will possibly be allowed, but only very minimally if at all. I don't want to sit there typing too much, so the chat would be used sparingly.

Any documents or images can be shared via Google Docs so that players can all see the material clearly. Any updates made by the GM or other players will be seen in real-time by the others. Save trees and ink. Combat would still be done on the table, but city maps and such could all be hosted online.

Communication from Mr. Johnson or contacts may come by email to one or all of the players. I may continue to feed some information between play sessions if they are between runs. Possibly even allowing them to choose the missions they are most interested in and then spending time to develop it after they accept before the next session. For example, the players may log in to see several job offers... They discuss, pick the one they like, and the Face could negotiate/accept the job. Then I'll develop it more fully for the session. There will still be chances in the actual game to take jobs, of course - this wouldn't be a total replacement for that interaction.

A shared calendar can be used to schedule sessions... if anyone is on vacation or not available for certain periods, they can update the calendar so we're all on the same page.

Google Sites can be used to create an internal site that could act like a wiki/knowledge-base for players to keep up with storylines, contacts, etc.

Overall I'm really excited about using this in the game. I think that adding some technology to our sessions would be appropriate to the setting (as opposed to using it for D&D). I'd love to get thoughts or suggestions from experienced GMs!

[Denver Doc]

This is a great idea, but I regularly run into the following problems. 

Players with computers and internet access at the table become very easily distracted.  When it is not their action they are not paying attention.

Cross talk can be minimized with IM chat system, but this is also distracting.

GM player IMs while very nice for "secret" messages or perception information is incredibly distracting and time consuming.  Inevitably players take advantage of their secret GM channel and with the countless clarifications needed via that medium it drains the game time and players patience. Especially if you have the sneaky player archetype in your game group.

Open lines of communication for scheduling and out of game or side game stuff is great IF the players use it.  Inevitably one person will not maintain a level of acceptable response.  Some freaky people only check email once a week if that. Most people will not use it nearly as much as would be useful.  GMs are metahuman too and also lose focus or take their sweet time responding.

Everything for document sharing must be done well in advance and well organized, at least a dozen times I have experienced the GM placing the game on hold while he tries to find the file he wants to share. 

The GM and players lose focus and the web site and or adventure log stops getting updates.

It really is a great idea, I just haven't had a GM and/or group pull it off well yet.

[CanRay]

Gamers do typically suffer from attention deficit dis...  OH SHINY!

[gunrunner]

Good input. I guess I'll just have to see how it goes. I'm pretty sure I'm compulsive enough to keep the GM end of things tightly organized, but I can see your points about players... I'd rather them not be browsing their favorite sites while I'm trying to run the game.

[FastJack]

I like the idea GR, but I'd only use that for information between games. Great way to keep things rolling from one session to the next; especially for creating and posting job offers from fixers.

During the game, I'm planning on using my laptop plugged into the living room's HDTV to put up graphics, maps, and (once it gets out of Beta) Hero Labs' Tactical Console.

[gunrunner]

I had no idea about Hero Labs or the Tactical Console... looks like it has been a long time coming and sounds really cool! Thanks for that tidbit.

I like your idea of hooking up to an HDTV during the play session. That would definitely be a good way to avoid the distractions of everyone having a laptop... hmm. Options, options...

[CanRay]

When I tried running a Star Wars RPG, I used some simple JPGs and uploaded them to my PS3.  They made great options for visual aids. 

The ability to show pics, videos, and programs on a HDTV makes it even that much more awesome!

[Wickidsurfer]

check out maptools!! its great and its free! plus it helps focus players on their laptops.  My group because of distance regularly runs a pathfinder campaign via online maptools, but its set up for local networks as well.  At one time I had built a rear projection table and controlled it via my laptop to project maptools onto the table top.  It always had to be super dark, but I think the few games we ran with it where fun.  it also has a messenger feature so you would be able to chat with any of the group or all of the group.  When I initially built the table I was hoping everyone would bring laptops and control their "miniature" icons, but alas with pipe dreams.....

You could always load blue prints and npc pics into the program so players have nice visuals to keep them engaged.