Obviously, coronavirus has heavily curtailed the prospect of Inquisitor events this year.
However, not wanting to let things die completely, I'm wondering if anyone would be interested in joining a campaign run online, such as via Tabletop Simulator (https://store.steampowered.com/app/286160/Tabletop_Simulator/).
Obviously, it means we don't get to put nice models on tables, but Tabletop Simulator does have a fairly considerable library of community-made WH40K assets at its disposal to use as stand-ins.
Count me in. I am SUPER RUSTY as I cannot even remember the last time I played, so don't make me a GM.
... suffice to say that I was mistaken about whether we'd be able to use existing miniatures. This was only a rough test, but suffice to say that 3D scanning technology is both further advanced and far more accessible than I thought. Zero specialist equipment required.
(https://i.imgur.com/zVhqVfY.jpg)
(Modelling thread for more detail (http://www.the-conclave.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=354.msg39934#msg39934)).
Quote from: MarcoSkoll on April 03, 2020, 07:40:20 PM
Zero specialist equipment required.
I see what you did there...
What software are you using? A phone app?
We could try something on tabletop simulator.
What are your thoughts as to the campaign?
(Topic split)
I haven't thought very far regarding a campaign at this point. Right now, I'm mostly trying to work out if the idea is even viable.
However, at this point, I've demonstrated that (contrary to this morning's assessment) it *is* actually possible to get people's existing miniatures into the program without requiring any particularly specialist tools:
(https://i.imgur.com/oPZ8X6w.jpg)
I think the early goal will be to try to get a few people scanning in some of their models, get three or four people together, and prove we can run a viable Inquisitor game using the simulator.
Once we've got that sorted, we'll see if we can build something more substantial out of it. I don't know if that's going to look like a standard event - I think probably not, as I suspect that could be hard to keep organised. It may end up with a narrative structure closer to what was originally anticipated for Inquisitor, with an ongoing story-line running when we can get people together.
FYI Everyone. Tabletop Simulator appears to be on sale this weekend (at least in my country). Now would be a good time to grab it if you are interested.
I would certainly be interested in joining an online campaign. I have no experience with Tabletop Simulator but since it's $9,99 right now I'm willing to give it a try!
@Marcoskoll
Looks like the old laptop (which is currently all I have available) can't handle the meshroom calculations. If I send you the photos, will you be able to process them?
I can probably take a look, yes. (Although I can't promise I'll be able to do it for very many of other people's models; it takes a while, and I do have other demands on my computer).
As it's presumably quite a large package, send me a WeTransfer link or something.
If you're looking to animate objects, I've used Mixamo in the past. I had a scan of me done in an artec booth as part of a study and using internal documentation I adapted the mesh files to work on Mixamo.
I apologise for the delay on this... even with lockdown, it's still a case of so many projects, so little time.
I'm going to try to push ahead with scanning in another couple of my models, publish a method (once I've nailed it down) and then if I can find some willing victims, run an online game.
To start with, I'm imagining it'll be run manually (real world dice rolls and character sheets on a trust system) rather than trying to do digital bookkeeping, but we'll see where things go from there.
For anyone watching this, let me know if you're still interested.
Quote from: MarcoSkoll on May 02, 2020, 03:11:33 PM
For anyone watching this, let me know if you're still interested.
Keep me in the loop. I will at least want to watch a game being played.
Sorry, this has taken bloody ages. Real life hit.
As is, when it comes to the guide, I've decided that the full process is going to need a video guide; while the photogrammetry itself isn't too complicated, cleaning up and converting the scans for Tabletop Simulator requires reasonable knowledge of Blender and will benefit from detail difficult to provide in a written guide.
However, that's going to take time, as I hate horrible rambling video guides that don't get to the point, so I'll need to write up a script and do some editing. Rather than farting around waiting for that, I'm going to take a direct approach.
~~~~~
I want to run a test game sometime in the next few weeks, most likely on a Saturday, although Sunday isn't impossible if it's earlier in the day (I have Dark Heresy sessions over Discord from 7).
As is, there's a fair number of WH40k models out there for Tabletop Simulator, and for a test game we can reasonably get away with a few stand-ins. The main point is to sound out any technical issues, work out what needs fixing for a regular game session or full event.
If anyone particularly wants to do the photo-scanning, I can send them the written guide I have on the first stages of the process, and I am then volunteering to do the final clean-up for a limited number of models if the results are sent to me. (Just please, not the night before).
So, I'm looking for volunteers who are willing to get involved in the near future. We'll organise an exact date and time once we know who's available.
This is one of those things where I'm interested, and assuming the Deadlands sunday campaign I was in really is dead (the server vanished off my discord, and when I checked with one of the other players, the response was that they had given up on the campaign too - no word from the GM though... :( ), I might have the time for.
Not sure what selection of minis I could photograph (I'm assuming a max of three?) and I only have a phone to work with for photos, so quality would be poor at best. (I'd be thinking Samantha, Jack, and their ex-law enforcer, as that would fit current timelines and conclave stories as they've been present at previous events).
I do have TTS on my steam account though, so there's that.
Quote from: MarcoSkoll on January 28, 2021, 01:35:57 AM
So, I'm looking for volunteers who are willing to get involved in the near future. We'll organize an exact date and time once we know who's available.
Count me in as an audience member if you get a game going.
Quote from: mcjomar on February 02, 2021, 06:17:43 PMNot sure what selection of minis I could photograph (I'm assuming a max of three?)
Three seems like a good number for a test game; events have shown that it's enough to provide tactical options (and a bit of a buffer against just getting knocked out turn two) without bogging things down, and I'm sure we'll have technical issues to deal with to start.
More could certainly be an option in the long run though; I'm hoping that remote gaming means it'll be possible to run stories on a less packed schedule than our typical gaming days.
Quoteand I only have a phone to work with for photos, so quality would be poor at best.
I've seen impressive photogrammetry done with iPhones and the like, so poor quality is by no means assured. I'll be offering guidelines on photographic technique.
Quote from: Inquisitor_Snarf on February 03, 2021, 12:29:42 AMCount me in as an audience member if you get a game going.
I believe that TTS is limited to eight people per session, and after players and a GM, I think I'd run out of spaces with all the spectator requests I've got going (although it is possible that not everyone will be available at the same time).
So I don't currently know what the deal will be with spectators, but assuming all goes well, I am planning to be able to screen capture the game and upload it afterwards.
Quote from: MarcoSkoll on February 03, 2021, 04:08:50 AM
I believe that TTS is limited to eight people per session, and after players and a GM, I think I'd run out of spaces with all the spectator requests I've got going (although it is possible that not everyone will be available at the same time).
So I don't currently know what the deal will be with spectators, but assuming all goes well, I am planning to be able to screen capture the game and upload it afterwards.
No worries, Either way, I am stoked this is going forward!
I was tempted to volunteer for this myself, but there are so many reasons I'd have been a terrible candidate... No existing Inquisitor characters, twentyish years of rust on the rules side, poor understanding of the IT side, two weekly RPG campaigns and a writing project to make regular time for already, etc. I am however very interested in the prospect of online Inquisitor gaming once you have all the creases ironed out, and will certainly be watching any videos of the test game that may be available afterwards. The temptation to buy some paints and kitbash a new warband purely to digitise them continues to rise...
Quote from: Mentirius on February 03, 2021, 05:00:22 PMtwentyish years of rust on the rules side
This is not so much of an issue as you might think.
Although it has a reputation for being complex, I've actually found that Inquisitor is a game that's easy to get into under the auspices of a competent GM. There's very few rules about things like "the movement phase is before the shooting phase", "only one attack action per turn", or anything like that.
As a general thing, a player can try whatever they want, and the GM can juggle the modifiers for it. I've seen rusty and novice players contribute just as much to a game as seasoned veterans.
How's this project going?
Following Marco's point re: rusty players, I've been carried through every one of the half dozen events I've been to over the last decade more by competent GMs than by my own rules knowledge - one of the big advantages of a percentile system is that a lot of it is straightforward to explain if you know the rules, and easy to grok if you need them explained to you.
I do hope to get to it, although I've recently built a new computer, and having to organise and install that up has bogged down a lot of my projects.
I did a video about the photogrammetry software prior to swapping systems, I just need to trim out various bits.
I'm still interested in this although the lack of a decent computer is a problem at the moment.
as i've been trying TTS for AoS i'd certainly be interested - would need a guide though as my first attempt (at a Burrows+Badgers mini) was ... interesting :lol:
Unfortunately, my wrist/hand is still pretty bad, so I've not been able to finish a proper guide myself, but I have seen that Goonhammer has recently published an article series about photogrammetry for Tabletop Simulator. (https://www.goonhammer.com/getting-started-with-photogrammetry-part-1-taking-photos/)
I'm not sure I necessarily agree with all the method myself - personally I think the photographic set up is quite involved, and I think Zephyr's Masquerade tool is better suited for masking than Photoshop - but I thought I'd share it so others can try it if they like it.
~~~~~
(My own photography method is written up here (http://www.the-conclave.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=2947.0), and may be a bit more accessible, as it's intended to make use of a simpler backdrop and diffuse natural light. However, the stuff about actually working the programs in the Goonhammer guide should be helpful in its own right).
I don't plan on getting into TTS, but a number of folks at Salute mentioned that they were when they stopped by the table - posting the thread link and some of those camera set-up photos could garner a fair bit of interest from the FB pages.
I need way more practice with TTS but it could be a great way to get more games in - maybe in a virtual event or how-to-play videos
I'm not sure I'd personally handle it quite as virtual play like our standard events, as it becomes a lot more practical to run an intricate narrative if you're not forced to try to ram together as many games in a short time before every one goes home again; you can run one game, take the time to write the next part of the story, then have another session in a week or three.
And yes, I have certainly considered it for How to Play guides. And also yes, I should actually share that stuff on FB.