Have Dice, Will Travel: Ko?ice

[Keith Baker]

Have Dice, Will Travel: Ko?ice

Keith Baker travels the world, running tabletop games for anyone who's willing to put him up for a few days. Today's stop: Slovakia.

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[vxicepickxv]

That's an interesting life he lives. I don't think I could do something like that. I'm not very trusting, and I'm not very entertaining either.

 

[Owlslayer]

This was an interesting article. The thing is , i live in a post-soviet country, too. And my first experience with D&D was also in a flat like the one in the article, i remember it had only a kitchen and a living room. So we sat around the table and started playing. And dammit, it was so fun. 6 hours later, we noticed we were really hungry. No-one though the game would make time fly by so fast, and no-one even though about buying snacks. So we had to improvise and cleaned our host's refrigerator out. But the next time everyone brought some money and we bought some chips and other stuff. And then we REALLY started to play.

 

[Jondare]

interesting article, and a series (this is gonna be a series, right?) i can't wait to read more off

 

[Xennon]

Haha, the food portion thing is so true The Slovakians are wonderful hosts! My girlfriend is Slovakian and whenever we go over to visit her parents, i'm always being given huge portions of food pretty much constantly! I feel bad I have to say 'no' so often

 

[Jesus Phish]

Very interesting article. Looking forward to future editions.

 

[Mordekaien]

Kudos for my country!

 

[GrizzlerBorno]

Can i bring up something that i've been thinking about? I've never played D&D (I wanna try) but i was thinking. What if Minecraft was allowed to become the next engine for Roleplaying on a computer? As in When you make a multiplayer server, the server host acts as DM and is in permanent InvEdit mode. He can also create and control "NPC's" and make whatever he wants, and give the rest of the players quests and stuff? Any thoughts? Should i make a thread about this or sth?

 

[Xennon]

Can i bring up something that i've been thinking about? I've never played D&D (I wanna try) but i was thinking. What if Minecraft was allowed to become the next engine for Roleplaying on a computer? As in When you make a multiplayer server, the server host acts as DM and is in permanent InvEdit mode. He can also create and control "NPC's" and make whatever he wants, and give the rest of the players quests and stuff? Any thoughts? Should i make a thread about this or sth?

Kind of already exists. Neverwinter Nights 1 and 2 both had a DM mode where one player was the DM and could do anything (script NPC's ahead of time or morph and play them himself, spawn enemies, place traps etc etc etc). They were both 3.5 edition.

I believe Neverwinter Nights 3 will be 4E and will probably feature the same DM mode.

As for its usefulness... it's just not the same as dming at a table It's much harder to adlib and be flexible. At a table with limited tools, you can throw together an encounter and create a map in minutes. Not quite so easy if you've pre scripted an encounter or you need to build a map using a map editor and run around spawning enemies

Nothing will ever beat the tabletop for D&D (or the virtual table top for those of us that have online games) but it can be a cool experience

 

[Smeagol150]

Very interesting article, I do hope for more editions as well.

 

[SoldieroFortune]

Bravo on the article!

I really hope to see more in this series!

 

[Vhite]

I never expected to see something even remotely connected to my country here.

 

[The Bucket]

That was one of the nicest things i've read in a while. Hope this is a series, i'm surprised the Escapist have such a travel budget available.

 

[Keith Baker]

Hope this is a series, i'm surprised the Escapist have such a travel budget available.

I wish they did, Bucket! This is something I'm doing on my own, which does limit where I go. I made ten stops on the leg that included Slovakia, and I'll likely wait to return to Europe until I have a similar set lined up. Since my hosts provide me with hospitality in exchange for the game, my costs are reduced, but the travel itself has always been on me.

 

[Satine Phoenix]

Go Team Go!!!!

 

[KBKarma]

Hey Keith. I'd invite you back to Dublin, but neither myself nor my friends have any spare room. Which is a damn shame.

Glad to hear you've enjoyed yourself anyway. Where's the next article set?

 

[whaleswiththumbs]

This sounds like an amazing idea! I'm glad that it is here, because i would pay for this and more of these amazing stories.

 

[delroland]

Keith Baker, you are an awesome guy. I've actually had the privilege of playing a game with you as DM when you made an appearance at one of the gaming conventions in L.A. just after the ECS was released; your players are in for a treat. I greatly look forward to future articles.

I am curious, though: did you set your adventure in Eberron?

 

[standokan]

That was more than interesting, your life must be like an adventure on itself.

 

[The Bucket]

Hope this is a series, i'm surprised the Escapist have such a travel budget available.

I wish they did, Bucket! This is something I'm doing on my own, which does limit where I go. I made ten stops on the leg that included Slovakia, and I'll likely wait to return to Europe until I have a similar set lined up. Since my hosts provide me with hospitality in exchange for the game, my costs are reduced, but the travel itself has always been on me.

Yikes, then i'm doubly impressed. Kind of a Minstrel-y set up then, trading story telling for food and shelter except with more dice. At any rate, congrats on a great start, i've never played Dungeons and Dragons (although i'm considering trying it after playing Risk until 5am a fortnight ago) but it was nice to get an insight into how it functions internationally. Can't wait for the column next week (or whenever they're put out).