DM tool suggestion - Hidden dice rolls

[Telkar]

Sometimes, a DM might want to do hidden dice rolls, such as for listen and spot, or any roll that represents noticing without consciously trying to notice. I think it's nice since it doesn't leave players wondering about what they missed, thus less ooc thinking. It's basically like DnD then where a DM rolls dice secretly.

I'm thinking the tool would be something like, what you'd use on an area, and the DM would select what should be rolled (what skill, ability check etc). Then a script would retrieve the rolls for him from all PCs in the area and see them all compiled in his log. So it'd also make things happen quicker, without having to wait for everyone to make their roll.

Thoughts?

[Dhark]

I agree it might help speed things up (our old PnP DM used to make us roll about 10 x d20 before the game for exactly this reason), also the fact that modifiers could be added at the whim of the DM as the situation calls.

The problem with onlline gaming is that your not looking at a person across a table littered with beer cans pizza boxes & dice, you cant see the expresions & thought of the DM or the players .  For this reason you constantly get disagreements over PvP like you never would in a table top game & I feel animosity might creep in toward the DM team from people who invisage some hidden vendetta against them.

Yep its a glass half empty day 

[Telkar]

The problem with onlline gaming is that your not looking at a person across a table littered with beer cans pizza boxes & dice, you cant see the expresions & thought of the DM or the players .  For this reason you constantly get disagreements over PvP like you never would in a table top game & I feel animosity might creep in toward the DM team from people who invisage some hidden vendetta against them.

Then it's just "woe be to those who earneth a DM's wrath!" 

Seriously though. There are like million other things players can suspect DMs of handling unfairly already.

[Minstrel]

IIRC, you can view players' character sheets when on a DM like you can view your animal companions sheet, along with all their skill ranks.

So if a DM really wanted a private roll, he could roll 1d20 and use their modifiers.

[DM Macabre]

We already can roll secretly. And we do so at times. Sometimes though you want to leave players in a mood that they have missed something. That's part of the horror.

About DM's who could be unfair: all our DMs are trained to be as fair as possible. Of course sometimes we also can do mistakes (all eh.. most of us are just humans). But we hold up high standards about being fair to players and I guarantee you that the team as a whole is one of the most fair DMs you can get in NWN.

[Telkar]

We already can roll secretly. And we do so at times. Sometimes though you want to leave players in a mood that they have missed something. That's part of the horror.

About DM's who could be unfair: all our DMs are trained to be as fair as possible. Of course sometimes we also can do mistakes (all eh.. most of us are just humans). But we hold up high standards about being fair to players and I guarantee you that the team as a whole is one of the most fair DMs you can get in NWN.

Do you mean you got a tool similar to what I suggested, or to look at people's character sheets? Cause I'd think such a thing to be much more convenient.

[DM Macabre]

well we simply roll [d20] on the DM channel and compare it to your sheet

[Telkar]

But then you have to be looking at everyone's character sheets all the time. 

Well, whatever works for you I guess.  

[Anarcoplayba]

WAIT!

I think I just failed a spot check...

[Kendric98]

We already can roll secretly. And we do so at times. Sometimes though you want to leave players in a mood that they have missed something. That's part of the horror.

About DM's who could be unfair: all our DMs are trained to be as fair as possible. Of course sometimes we also can do mistakes (all eh.. most of us are just humans[/color]). But we hold up high standards about being fair to players and I guarantee you that the team as a whole is one of the most fair DMs you can get in NWN.

They actually have tentacles, I saw one once and failed a madness check, that's why I act the way I do!