Okay, first things first. I have not swung the hammer yet, so I have not committed to a really bad idea that only becomes worse the longer I wait. Still thinking about it, though.
Next, last night I participated in a beta-test/start-up of a D&D4E campaign that is being run with a combination of MapTools and Ventrilo voice-chat software. The GM and I are in the same town, but two of the other players are in New York, and another player is in Missouri. I will say that I found the experience very disconcerting. Yes, we were playing a table-top game, but none of us were really being social. I was admittedly being very quiet as this style of gaming is incredibly new to me, but I also felt somewhat disconnected.
Don't get me wrong, I love gaming and this is a chance to once again game with a friend who has been in another time zone for the last decade plus, so I'm going to give this another shot or two. Who knows... mayhaps everything will click with me and I'll come to enjoy it. On some level, though, it feels very foreign.
When I meet new people (especially gamers), I want to shake their hands and look them in the eyes. I want to see their reactions as I make a joke, or as we exchange ideas and philosophies about our hobby. In short, I want to connect with them, and doing things via voice-chat and chat boxes doesn't feel like connecting to me. Perhaps I am just a Luddite... who knows...
-- GopherDave
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