Gemini Ascendant Campaign

[solron915]

No problem from me either. Take care of your family and I hope he has a speedy recovery.

[Starwolf]

Let me star by saying I hope the boy is well. IMHO you do enough for us with your great GMing, Terrie and I would be mad if we found that you didn't take time for your family in this situation, they should always come first. Best wishes...

So in lieu of a game Jim and I spent about 2 hours loading and testing MT. we have eliminated his router as the cause. I set up a server and Tim, through the same router, was able to connect with no problem. Yet on Jims Dell he gets an I/O Java Error: Sesssion Reset message. And on His wifes E-Machine he gets the connecting screen and then everything locks, MT never connects to the server. All three machines are connected through the same router and all three have net connectivity (Jim was able to get to various websites from both machines). We tried uninstalling, redownloading, and re-installing Java and MT, with no results. Both machines are running XP SP3. His wife's machine used to be able to make the MT connection. It used to be mine and was the machine I used durng our first year and a half of gaming as a group. Since we eliminated my server and his router as the cause, but found no solution, I posted our test results and parameters to the MT forum. Perhaps Trevor or one of the other Devs can help us figure it out.

[ghost-angel]

I'm going to guess it might be a Dynamic IP issue; MT is only recognizing the one IP sent by the ISP down the pipe and not using local addresses on the network behind the router/hub.

[Starwolf]

Hmm... I hadn't considered that. Would some be able to connect while others not if I have a dynamic IP address? And if so should I setup/get a static IP address ( I am not sure if I would need to buy a statis IP from my ISP or if I already have one as I am a broadband cable subscriber). If that proves to be the case then this could be more of a server issue than a client issue...

[Nolgroth]

Thanks for the support guys.

Being that you're Comcast (as I recall) you have a dynamic IP address. Mine tends to change about every three weeks. Do a web search for What is my IP and you will get some links to sites that display the IP you presently have. Check it daily and you will find out when it changes.

[ghost-angel]

Hmm... I hadn't considered that. Would some be able to connect while others not if I have a dynamic IP address? And if so should I setup/get a static IP address ( I am not sure if I would need to buy a statis IP from my ISP or if I already have one as I am a broadband cable subscriber). If that proves to be the case then this could be more of a server issue than a client issue...

Last time I looked into the MT issue and connecting (because I couldn't either) it seemed to be a Map Tools Reacts Badly To Dynamic IPs rather than anything an end user or ISP could do.

Personally, since I couldn't connect with MT on the last version we tried and I'm not in the mood to fight with one POS program that can't get itself together I don't think it's even an avenue we need to explore unless we downgrade to a lower version of MT (i.e. the last version we were able to use as a group).

[solron915]

Last time I looked into the MT issue and connecting (because I couldn't either) it seemed to be a Map Tools Reacts Badly To Dynamic IPs rather than anything an end user or ISP could do.

Personally, since I couldn't connect with MT on the last version we tried and I'm not in the mood to fight with one POS program that can't get itself together I don't think it's even an avenue we need to explore unless we downgrade to a lower version of MT (i.e. the last version we were able to use as a group).

Im fine with the Orpg myself. But I would like to be able to log into a server at MT. And maybe one day I'll succeed . Don't know if it's the way this one is configured or the fact it's a Dell or what. I'cm going to compare Tim's system to mine and see what programs are different between the two. Maybe just maybe it's a problem outside my computer. Oh well ORPG works just fine for me now.

[Starwolf]

I am not advocating changing from ORPG to MT. I am simply posting the result of my playing with it to try and resolve the issues we had. IMO MT would be a superior platform IF (big if here) I/we/the MT community, can solve the issues that make it problematic. But I am in full agreement that we NEED to stay with what works until or if things change. And even then we may not want to change, but at that point it MIGHT be worth considering. I just enjoy the challenge of trying to figure it out.

[Nolgroth]

Just for the record from the GM chair.

I really want to use MapTool for its mapping/token handling capabilities. I have seen the way more recent versions handle die rolls and such and that has impressed me to no end. So MapTool would be my preference. If it worked without a great deal of effort.

I won't switch Gemini Ascendant again unless and until every single connectivity issue can be resolved for every player. Further, there would have to be a drive on the part of the players as a whole to make me want to switch. MapTool is a shiny new sportscar. OpenRPG is a beat up Ford Pickup. It may have it's own little idiosyncracies, but it is basically reliable. We all want to drive a new sportscar, but when it is time to get the job done, we look to the old workhorse.

[Nolgroth]

This is a positive message. Just to make that clear before I go on.

I'm not sure what has changed, but my gaming instincts are starting to kick in. For the first time in a very long time, I had a vivid daydream regarding the campaign. I was lucky enough to have it scored for me personally. Okay, it wasn't scored for me personally, but the Tomb Raider 8 Main Theme is about the perfect music for the daydream I had.

This may seem utterly insignificant at first glance. It is not. The whole Gemini Ascendant campaign was born from a daydream and each subsequent, major plot point has also been spawned of daydream material. I'd say this is an encouraging thought.

Overall, the weather has cooled down at least 10 degrees Fahrenheit over the last couple of weeks. Some days are even cooler. I've increased my overall exercise level as well. Again, seemingly minor points that should not be discarded. I react very negatively to heat. I hate heat and summer drives me into a depression. With the apparent end in sight, I've started to feel better. And the whole sound body, sound mind comes into the mix with the increase activity.

So what has this to do with the Gemini Ascendant status? Everything. I'm feeling good again. I'm feeling creative again. I'm feeling energetic again. I'm having daydreams and listening to music with my eyes closed again. All this is going to lead to better sessions and more story.

I've also sort of exhausted myself on my other big distraction (Battlefield 2142). I still enjoy playing it, but I don't feel the compelling urge to anymore. That has helped.

To my players, now is an excellent time for suggestions on where you would like the plot to go. I'm also going to reorganize the gaming schedule a bit. I would like to stick with Gemini Ascendant for a while so I am putting the Turakian Age setting on the back burner for now.

And I am looking forward to gaming next week. Looking. Forward.

See ya then.

[ghost-angel]

You know one of the things that drives me crazy about Sam is I'm constantly running into a wall with where I want to take the character. It's weird.

I'm gonna have to email you an idea or two, but man, I'm kind of stuck.

[Nolgroth]

You know one of the things that drives me crazy about Sam is I'm constantly running into a wall with where I want to take the character. It's weird.

Really? I hope I ain't the cause of it.

I'm gonna have to email you an idea or two, but man, I'm kind of stuck.

Knowing what you want to do will help.

[Starwolf]

So this means that WADE is the stuff dreams are made of...

Thought so

I will stir up the old gray matter and send you some ideas for Wade, Sgt. Torgath, and some of Terrie's ideas on Doc.

[ghost-angel]

Really? I hope I ain't the cause of it.

Knowing what you want to do will help.

Only if by "cause" you mean running one giant massive Campaign Of Awesome.
Then yes. You are completely to blame.

[ghost-angel]

So, tonight kinda sucked. I couldn't keep a connection for more than 5 or 10 minutes. Even my email kept locking up so I'm pretty sure there was an issue on my end. Sighs.