Online Game FAQ

Find answers to some FAQ

COVID and Online Gaming

The spread of the coronavirus known as COVID-19 means we cannot offer in-person game events at this time. So we've moved all our events online! Join us each month via Zoom for our regular SNSO game nights, plus special events like Free RPG Day and GM clinic webinars. When this whole thing blows over, we'll return to our in-person events at Source Comics & Games and other locations. Until then, stay safe, practice social distancing, and wear your mask. See you soon, friends!

How will I join the game? 

When an announcement for a game goes online, we'll post a link to a Google Forms survey. To reserve your seat, you'll need to be among the first few players to do so. It's first come, first served. We'll notify the first few participants via email and include a meeting or game link for the date and time of the event. THIS IS YOUR TICKET. Do not share it with anyone.

Who can play an online SNSO game?

We're still dedicated to serving our local community, so all the players need to be from the Twin Cities metro, greater Minnesota and western Wisconsin. We may expand furthern at a later time, but for right now, we're sticking to our core mission of running games for those in our community. In the Google Form we ask for your location so we can confirm you're from the area.

How will I interact with other players?

We'll be using an online meeting or game platform, such as Zoom or Roll20. We'll let you know once your seat is confirmed. All games are on-camera, meaning we need to see you. We want everyone to be able to see faces and make this a safe environment for all participants. So all players expected to do so with their camera on so everyone knows who's at the virtual table.

Note: Unless expressly stated before sign-up, video and audio of games are never broadcast or recorded. Participants are also expressly prohibited from recording game sessions.

And also, please mute your mic when you're not speaking, so everyone can be heard in turn.

Is gaming this way safe?

We want everyone to feel welcome in our new online space. So we're asking all participants to be courteous, kind, and game with best intentions. That said, we still expect everyone to behave accordingly. We know you've all been stuck inside for weeks--we're right there with you! Evildoers will be electronically shown the door. That's it really--be good to each other and have a heck of a time!

What if I don't know much about Zoom, etc. or online games?

You're in luck! We'll have a second GM on hand to do a quick primer on the platform and/or answer questions for those who've not tried it out. So no worries, cadet!

When will I receive my link to play via Zoom?

For most events, we typically send out links a day or two prior to the event. Sometimes earlier, sometimes it's the day before. But you'll always have it in time for your game.

Do I need to bring anything?

Actually yes, make sure you've got some earbuds or headphones to plug into your computer. You'll also need a broadband connection to play. If your connection is too slow for you to keep up, we may need to drop you from the game to keep it from effecting other players. Just so you know. Oh--and you don't need dice, but if you have the usual assortment of polyhedrals, it's never a bad idea.

What if I'm late?

We were happy to accommodate players who showed up late to the table when we ran in-person games. For everyone's security and safety, we'll be closing the game room within 15 minutes of the posted game start time. This reduces our risk of having someone Zoombomb or similar incident. So, short answer: DON'T BE LATE.

Can I bring my friends? 

Sure, as long as they register separately for the game. But you should not send them your link. Gaming online is different than when we were in person and your pal could just pull up another chair next to you. Online, we reserve only so many seats, so that games flow easily and the GMs aren't over-taxed with managing more players than they prepared for. Also, we require everyone register so they read and sign The Code (our code of conduct). If you want to bring them, you can and should share the announcement about the game and encourage your friends to sign up for their own seats!

How will I choose a character?

Those that have gamed with us before know that we usually provide pre-generated characters or character templates to choose from. It helps us get right to the gaming part of the gaming! Once you're in the online Zoom meeting, we'll share character options in Zoom's chat window and you can choose from there.

Some games will have light character generation. In those cases, the GM will walk you through the process.

How will I roll dice?

Currently, the plan is to use a companion app. The GM may roll all the rolls on-screen just to keep things honest. We thought about the honor system as a back up--and it may come to that. But we'll do our best to keep things as transparent as possible.

Update: We've been having luck using Rolz.org to roll dice. We still recommend you bring dice if you have 'em, but this site seems to be doing the trick!

Will there be more games?

You bet there will! We've got a bunch of GMs waiting in the hangar bays to run more RPGs via online face-to-face apps. Watch for more updates, coming soon!

Photo Policy

Every once in a while we like to capture a screengrab of our players so we can share how awesome they are and what we do at SNSO. We’d like to take a few screengrabs of our players , but we’ll only take photos if we have a unanimous consent for a given game session. If you do not want your image used, please reply back prior to logging into Zoom, otherwise your participation constitutes consent to be photographed. For online safety reasons, we ask participants not take their own pictures or recordings of game sessions. And yes, we’ll always warn you before we snap a picture!