Online vs In Person. Which way should you play D&D?

Should You Play D&D Online or In Person?

Should you play RPGs online or in person? In this episode, the RPG Blokes compare both styles, discussing their advantages and challenges.

The Case for Online Gaming

Virtual platforms such as Roll20 and Foundry VTT have made online RPGs more accessible than ever. As a result, more players are choosing digital options. Online games offer:

• Convenience: Play from anywhere, eliminating travel time.
• Accessibility: Easier for those with social anxiety or mobility limitations.
• Flexible scheduling: Easier to coordinate across different locations.

However, online play also has drawbacks. Technical issues and lack of face-to-face interaction can sometimes disrupt immersion.

Why In-Person Play Feels Different

Many players argue that nothing beats in-person sessions. Sitting at a table together enhances group dynamics and allows for:

• Better communication: Body language and facial expressions add depth to roleplay.
• Fewer technical difficulties: No need to worry about internet connections or software glitches.
• A stronger sense of camaraderie: Shared physical space enhances group bonding.

Choosing What Works Best for You

Ultimately, neither option is strictly better. Instead, the best choice depends on your schedule, preferences, and gaming goals. In this discussion, the Blokes help listeners weigh their options and decide which format suits them best, and you can decide if you play D&D online or in person.

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Episode Transcript

Mark:
[0:00] Welcome to RPG Blokes. It is a podcast to try and get you into the hobby. If you are middle-aged, slightly older, slightly younger, we’re here to try And convince you this is the hobby for you. I’m going to introduce each of the RPG blokes to you quickly now. To my left I have Barry, a revelation actually to our gaming group since she Joined what must be about five years ago now. I often have said that every table needs a Barry. However, I’ve since discovered that cloning Barry would be a mistake on so many other levels. let

Jon:
[0:28] Them out of the salon I’m just

Barry:
[0:32] I’m not going to dignify any of that with a comment hello

Mark:
[0:36] John who plays far more than is healthy for him and I think it’s only his day Job that stops him from completely disappearing into this fantasy world oh

Jon:
[0:44] It doesn’t stop me I haven’t got a real job so it’s my mind is

Mark:
[0:49] You’re there and Stephen who prides himself on his self-control limiting his Game into just two days a week but then also as a five-day-a-week Bounder’s Gate 3 habit.

Stephen:
[1:00] To be honest, I’ve never played it.

Mark:
[1:03] It’s not what your wife says. And my name is Mark. I am the host. Okay, so we’ll get going. Today we’re going to be talking about online versus In-person play because it’s likely that if you’ve come this far in our podcast, You’ve got one big choice to make. Do you play online or do you find somewhere to play in person? So we’re just going to talk about each of those and what we feel about them. But let’s get going.

Music:
[1:25] Music

Mark:
[1:40] Okay, so online versus in-person play. So far, the podcasts have been primarily focused at the thought of playing in Person, which you can tell that we’ve got a passion for and that we generally Do, but we do play online too. And so let’s just discuss the differences between the two. I think describing what online play is exactly and how that might work for you.

Jon:
[2:03] Okay, so I’ve done, I ref one game a week online. I play another one online. Even done a couple that ended up on YouTube. So the biggest thing…

Mark:
[2:18] You’re there somewhere, right? Online. People will see John playing…

Jon:
[2:22] Oh yeah, it was Dragon Warriors. Grimstring.

Mark:
[2:25] Oh, nice.

Jon:
[2:25] So pros and cons. To a certain extent, the social aspect can be a bit limited. You’ve got a microphone discipline to worry about because talking over each Other, much as we can do here if we don’t watch ourselves, can block out everything else. Whereas if you’re at a table talking amongst yourselves, you can filter stuff a lot easier. Other times your laptop or whatever you’re playing on can limit certain aspects Of whatever website you’re playing through unless you’re doing something. Most of the time I play on Zoom. so it’s a straight up camera microphone set Up that’s about it there’s a lot of really really good aids especially for refs out there but

Mark:
[3:16] These cost anything for players some

Jon:
[3:18] Do some don’t a lot of them have got like a basic intro bit and

Barry:
[3:22] Then you know

Jon:
[3:23] Luxury packages and other bits so costs will vary most of the time that’s going To be shouldered by the ref some of these things have a subscription but bass level A microphone you don’t even need a camera what

Mark:
[3:38] About the capability of your machine that you’re playing through yeah

Jon:
[3:41] So mine had particular problems when i was playing in a sort of warhammer setting Not the warhammer that was the problem but the i think it was foundry

Mark:
[3:55] Foundry being one of the

Jon:
[3:56] I was having a real problem with i had to turn everything off Yeah,

Mark:
[4:02] Resolution issues, wasn’t it?

Jon:
[4:03] So I didn’t have the best of systems. So like any online thing, Make sure your system’s up to it. Be prepared to tailor things, turn off certain functions. But worst case scenario, as long as you can hear each other, you’ll be able to play.

Mark:
[4:22] And that’s the thing, I suppose we’re talking about differences, Like you pointed out. it’s the etiquette and the ability to interact and to be quiet

Jon:
[4:31] And to let

Mark:
[4:32] Other people have their turn is more important online because you cannot You cannot talk over each other there’s always there’s a noise gate isn’t it That seems to silence everybody else if you’re talking and you can’t hear anybody Else’s banter or so it does change the dynamic of a game and becomes very much Different to sitting around a table with that organic conversation that you Can have a gaming table, I think it’s far more natural, Far less effort for the DM because he can sit back and let the players all just chat and interact. Whereas online, I find when I DM online, it’s far more for me to do as a DM. I’m far more of a storyteller. I think it is more effort, but you get more control over the game. But I think in person, everything develops a bit more naturally and you can Form those relationships that we’ve talked about in previous podcasts far easier. But strangely enough, although that sounds like it’s a big disadvantage to online And play it still work. Yeah.

Jon:
[5:24] The other major pro about playing online, as opposed to my much preferred setting at a table, Is distance uh you get people in different countries i’ve gamed with people in australia Sometimes some of my group will travel as part of their job and we can still If the local timeline is okay we can still play which is much more preferable Than having to cancel a session because we haven’t got enough players or something like that and

Mark:
[5:56] I stay in touch i think a few of us do with people that we used to know when We were younger that don’t wouldn’t be able to make an in-person session so It’s a great way of staying in touch with that massive pro isn’t it

Stephen:
[6:05] For playing online is that you can play with people throughout the world really And certainly friends that aren’t local anymore I mean it’s one of the main Reasons to it apart from the fact it’s easier to find a general group just a Pick up group as they would be called play.

Mark:
[6:19] Whatever time you want with whatever type of game you want there must

Stephen:
[6:22] Be yeah they’re all there I think all the ones you see on YouTube I’ve not really Seen many that play in person and film themselves it’s mainly people that picked Up people online and play as actual play, Examples yeah it’s the main pro i would say to it or there are others of course Which i’m sure we talk about but uh the um the connectivity of it if you if You’re connected online that’s all you really need an internet connection i Guess the cost of that is the basics and a microphone yeah well and most laptops And computers come with that sort of thing these days so.

Mark:
[6:52] You’re likely to have the basic requirements some of the some of the systems That might be used such as the roll 20 or the foundry yeah

Stephen:
[6:59] They are quite intensive but again i think i would say they were a positive They certainly make the game a lot easier for beginners because you don’t really Have to know the rules then it’s all handled for you within the um the virtual tabletop.

Mark:
[7:09] They change change the game in many respects

Stephen:
[7:11] Yeah hugely as a dm as well through these.

Mark:
[7:13] Things barry you you don’t play online at the moment whereas the rest of us Actually do but you did and you played what during covid really wasn’t with Covid supercharged the online role-playing experience for many people but what Was your feelings about that most

Barry:
[7:27] Of us seem to agree that In terms of what you get out of it that sitting around a table is you know generally Speaking preferable but i you know i’m not exaggerating when i say that you Know playing online through covid made a massive difference to my mental health

Jon:
[7:46] Just you know it

Barry:
[7:47] Was so i was playing two games of poker online a week and one game of rpg which I think was warhammer fantasy role play and we did some Cthulhu and yeah, Those three things got me through COVID. No ifs, no buts. Without them, my life would have been much, much, much worse. I think one of the other big pros for, I don’t play online, but I play once A week and I’m fortunate enough to have somewhere local that I can do that. I think one of the big pros for certainly a significant number of people out There is if you’re that person who struggles with social interaction and has social anxiety, You can you can engage with this hobby without without leaving your house you Can engage you know if you’re agoraphobic if you’re you know physically disabled If all of those things are extra barriers to you doing it is a way to circumvent Those and i think that’s where it’s it’s real value lies but

Mark:
[8:39] In that respect i’ve always found online play to to be kind of two edged sword I think in a way that’s great that people like that can play but isn’t it a Shame that they’re not otherwise encouraged to come into the community and play In person which which would be fantastic

Barry:
[8:54] I mean i think i i’d like to think they are Encouraged but we need to remember for some people that is literally impossible I had a family member who who developed really really bad agoraphobia and you Know she could not leave her house for like nearly three years for some people It is the only option and and i think in that respect i think it’s incredibly important

Stephen:
[9:15] But it might lead as if you start an online group people you don’t know and You think it might lead to you arranging to meet up as an in-person group.

Mark:
[9:22] So I think from the perspective of what we’re trying to say here, It’s fantastic for them and everybody might have an element within their own Personality that that is appealing to them. But say for, for instance, you’ve got an option to play in person around a corner And you’re a bit nervous about doing so, but then the online gaming is there for you. What would you say to somebody that’s literally looking at it 50-50, I can play online or I can come in to play on person? Would we all be unanimous in saying?

Stephen:
[9:48] That’s a no brainer, come in person. Yeah, absolutely.

Barry:
[9:51] Yeah. Yeah. And like I say, unless there is, you know, a very good reason why You can’t, I think you’ll have a better experience. So, you know, online play is great, but it’s quite the same. I know there’s big pros, like you said, you know, crossing time zones and cultures And stuff like that. That’s really cool. No ifs, no buts. But, you know, but for me, I’ve talked a couple of times about the escapism element of that. And, you know, sometimes that’s the escape from your own four walls as well. It’s something that gets you out of the house, that gets you round a table with Other people, that, you know, there is value to leaving your front door from time to time.

Mark:
[10:24] It’d be a shame not to take the opportunity to do that. because COVID, That’s what really supercharged online play and made a lot of it possible.

Stephen:
[10:31] Yeah, absolutely. For me, personally, it’s a tool of necessity. It’s just like we play online because that’s what we have to do. I mean, especially in COVID, that’s why we already started it, but give it an option.

Mark:
[10:41] Our society during COVID survived because of online play. We kept the community together through Discord and continued to play the games Online. But as soon as we had the opportunity to, we returned. And I know that that was difficult for a lot of people. they found online play And they found that that suited them better And some of them didn’t ever return. And I actually know through the Grapevine, Other societies that didn’t even recover from COVID and lost their players to online games. John, you play the most online. And I know that some of your games have been in-person, drifted to online, And you’ve been stuck online because there’s certain players that couldn’t then Come back to play in person. Is that the only reason why you don’t bring it back?

Jon:
[11:20] Main reason, yeah. Travel times or modes of transport, buses can be erratic. Some people don’t have cars people move like a couple of our fallen comrades Yeah shit happens but once

Mark:
[11:37] You’re online it’s difficult to then snap back out of it and get things back into person

Jon:
[11:41] Can be but like you said rather online than not we still get the interaction I find it more when I’m riffing because I’m not technologically astute Basically, I’m a fuckwit. So I can’t use a lot of the functions that a lot of the really, Really good websites use. I’ve got no artistic capability, so maps are, yeah, no, not happening. So it’s very theatre of the mind. So again, for me, when I’m reffing, Very much all I need is that link and it’s talking. The guy that reffs for me on Sunday is a fucking legend. And he’s got this wonderful Website set up. There’s maps. There’s all the functions you want and need. And again, my laptop is not the best quality. So I have to turn off a couple of the bells and whistles, but it’s still very Functional and it does work. So that said, yes, if we were sat around a table, it would be even easier. But for those that can’t make it.

Stephen:
[12:52] Yeah in terms of attendance but to dm it is sometimes easier especially with Tools like roll 20 i think we’re talking about and i’d.

Mark:
[13:01] Like to cover that so these give you technical these technical tools allow to Battle board and to place counters

Stephen:
[13:06] Games that rely on figures like dnd potentially in combat it makes it infinitely easy you find that.

Mark:
[13:12] Makes it easier for me yeah i prefer theater of the

Jon:
[13:15] Mind yeah well

Stephen:
[13:16] If you’re not going for theater of the mind a lot of dnd games are not people Will like to see a battle map with their figure on it it makes that a lot easier And to obviously have the accurate map so.

Jon:
[13:26] Theatre of mind is descriptive role playing as opposed to ones which are more Map based which have an advantage in some ways where if you’ve got an area of effect and Of a certain amount say traditionally a Fireball or a grenade or something like that if you’ve Got a squared or hexagonal map that shows where every character is laid out You can then show exactly the radius of a healing spell a blast spell so people Can say well if i’m there i’m behind that cover

Stephen:
[14:02] Yeah it works well for games like dozens and dragons yeah so.

Mark:
[14:05] The difference being the way that you’d play online if you were to go theatre Of the mind you just need zoom potentially and maybe an online dice roller but For what you’re talking about with battle mapping it’s far more technical the Requirements of your PC is going to be

Stephen:
[14:18] Far greater yeah a lot of people do play on this roll 20 I think is incredibly proper isn’t it that’s.

Mark:
[14:22] Going to be off-putting for a new player isn’t it to look at it from that

Stephen:
[14:25] That’s where they’re coming from if they’re from playing online from a video Game perspective then absolutely not it’s kind of like natural isn’t it yeah But if they’re coming from maybe being older people that don’t like technology Or even having it, yeah, maybe it would be.

Jon:
[14:38] Whereas when I’m reffing, specifically Shadowrun, which is a slightly futuristic Setting, the narrative will lend itself to what people are doing. If people say they’re hiding behind the doorway, that’s a certain amount of Cover. If people are just diving into the room, they can say, okay, so is there a sofa? And if it’s appropriate for a sofa to be there, hell with it. Yeah, there’s a sofa, you can jump behind that. but that that Can actually bring people in to engage with the Narrative what’s going on expand the description That i give you you can read stuff from a scenario or An adventure and there is a room it’s this many feet by this many feet wide High and that can be a lot if you can throw in any details you want some pertinent Some random anything that brings them in make gets them to engage so it’s not just a sweep and clear It can add

Stephen:
[15:36] Narratively yeah i’m not sure you can do that online or offline can’t you can Play like that i don’t think playing online or offline kind of limits you to Either those things you can play quite narratively offline or online and you Can play with battle maps i.

Mark:
[15:48] Find i find normally online works better for me and battle mapping and the more Technical side of online play i find off-putting i’m more inclined to put a Map on the table with figures in person than i am online

Stephen:
[15:58] Okay that’s interesting because doing it online is easier because you’ve got The figures to hand And you have to root through the box and come out with, You’ve got this monster and you come out, oh, I don’t really have it.

Mark:
[16:06] I’ll have this kind of Lego figure instead. Football and everything else. And that kind of exploration level where you’re expecting everybody to have The same level of technology as well. Barry, when we played over the year in COVID, we did Theatre of the Mind.

Barry:
[16:20] So, I mean, I don’t know if you remember, but actually when we started playing, We had a guy who was going to run a D&D campaign and he pulled out of it. But I found it very off-putting having it. there was Something missing in the kind of tactile experience of Moving your miniature and stuff like that and you know somebody doesn’t come From a big video gaming background yeah i Just found it a little bit harder to connect with it all what i Would say in that regard though there was there was two things first of All folks don’t forget they’re not mutually exclusive like you Can play in person and online this isn’t a hard and Fast choice it’s you know john as we’ve Established plays an unhealthy amount and that is mixed between IRL And online right the other thing I found about playing online which I think Was I don’t know if this is unique to me and as if it is it might be useless But it was the point at which I started to connect more with the role play because Somehow I felt a little bit less self-conscious in my own home and Rather than sitting around the table with people who are actually physically There with me, that kind of disconnect, which normally I suppose you would present As a bad thing, actually allowed me to explore that part of the game with a Little bit more freedom. I don’t know if you remember the character I was playing, Volts Steiner, Was the first character that I’ve ever actually felt like I connected with and I truly behaved true to him, to what he would do rather than what I wanted to do. And that was, you know, that was, that was important. And, and it was a skill that, and I’m at least hope you’d agree with this. It was a skill that when we come back to playing in real life that I brought with me.

Jon:
[17:57] It’s interesting.

Mark:
[17:58] I think putting it like that, I think the online play definitely did bring that out in you. And I can think perhaps that may have been because the nature of online play Gives you time and space, but not talked over quite as much as you are in the table. The DM will give you that time and the other players be quieter than they would Around a normal table allowed you to develop that character potentially and Explore those avenues gave you the space to do it I

Barry:
[18:22] Definitely felt less self-conscious because I was in my own gaff that’s my house

Mark:
[18:27] Yeah it felt that way it’s a very comfortable place to play when I play online I play I just go up and sit on the bed and I do this lovely cup of tea and pyjamas

Stephen:
[18:36] Just don’t go.

Mark:
[18:37] To sleep sometimes yeah I

Jon:
[18:39] Don’t know what you’re talking

Stephen:
[18:40] About It was playing too comfortable a.

Mark:
[18:42] Position late at night.

Stephen:
[18:44] John, you’ve been there a few times, haven’t you? You see John’s snoring away On his bed and some friends of ours are sleeping in their chairs.

Mark:
[18:52] Yeah, sometimes you can wake them up. I remember one time with John, We couldn’t, and one of our players returned onto the Zoom channel in the middle Of the night, about three o’clock in the morning, and John was still…

Stephen:
[19:02] Still broadcasting live to the internet.

Mark:
[19:04] Yeah, so don’t get too comfortable, especially if you’re having a long day at Work. you will fall to sleep and it’s always not if

Jon:
[19:12] You’re reffing I hope you must

Barry:
[19:14] Have been playing an incredibly exciting campaign

Jon:
[19:16] It wasn’t even that it’s just my hours are I get it we’ve had players fall

Mark:
[19:22] Asleep at the gaming table before so it’s yeah that’s true sitting next to me On the sofa yeah that’s true because I used to play on your sofa John But yeah, the reason why that happens,

Stephen:
[19:31] Because there are longer gaps, I think, in between maybe potentially turns as Well, we’re playing online, because people do get an extended period at a time. So a lot of people then sometimes sit down and get comfortable in between.

Jon:
[19:41] And you’re listening to a story, and that’s who keeps you asleep. I’m grasping the straws here,

Stephen:
[19:46] But yeah, I’m thinking that’s where it’s going.

Mark:
[19:48] So like we have already described, as a new player, Particularly the combat side of the game can be quite good for you, Because you each get your turn within the initiative order, and you’re guaranteed To be asked what you’re doing and what your action is and you’re on an equal basis to everyone else. Online play can work very much like that on every element of the game where A good DM will bring your point of view in or want to know what you’re doing. It can work very well as a new player. Online play is a great way to initially get into the hobby and to explore other Areas of character development and play. We’re here to maybe encourage you to think about playing in person if you’re Given the opportunity to do so. I think I’d just like to finish off this podcast Really, I suppose, by saying what we prefer. I think it’s quite obvious, but Barry, you know, given the choice equally between the two things,

Barry:
[20:36] You’re… Oh, in real life, all day, every day. It’s, you know, I understand all of the benefits of playing online and the conveniences And that is all perfectly valid. And if that’s your bag…

Mark:
[20:48] Have

Barry:
[20:48] A wonderful time but i would much rather play in real

Mark:
[20:51] Life but you would play online sorry if you if you had no other option absolutely

Barry:
[20:54] Absolutely i mean you’re still getting the you know the principal benefits are still the same

Mark:
[21:00] Yeah john i mean you’re fairly even aren’t you between online time spent online And in person or maybe more time online these days i

Jon:
[21:08] Was saying in general i mean most of my games are in person and it’s preferable But yeah online that there are certain pros that I’m, I mean, for one thing, if you’re reffing, you don’t have to cart around your Entire shoulder bag of books. And you’ve got a suitcase. Yeah, exactly. You’ve got a car. I take public transport. It’s a thing. So, but yeah, overall, the more in tune you are with people, However that works for you, I would say. Yeah.

Mark:
[21:43] And just for the record only DMs need suitcases players you’re right unless

Jon:
[21:48] You play magic

Mark:
[21:49] Stephen yes so online or not would be my

Jon:
[21:53] Option to you

Mark:
[21:55] You’ve never been tempted to stay online when COVID no absolutely

Stephen:
[21:59] Not no I was looking forward to getting back to playing in person for sure yeah 100%.

Mark:
[22:04] And would online play be off-putting to you as a player if there was no other option

Stephen:
[22:10] I’m very much unlikely to play online with people i didn’t know to be fair i Probably wouldn’t do it but with people i know that i couldn’t get to the gaming Table then great yeah sure okay.

Mark:
[22:19] Yeah so you can see where we’re coming from we don’t want to put you off from Online playing you may not have anywhere to play locally and you know so that’s The only thing you’re looking at further podcasts we’re going to try and give You some insight on how you can create those spaces locally in order to play But for now i think we’re done for another week so let’s

Music:
[22:38] Music