A lot of people have said WebRPG Online is the best Internet gaming utility available today. And while they may be right, some of these same people have also said it could use a makeover. James Mathe, WebRPG and RPG Host webmaster, agreed.
Sometime next month WebRPG will release WebRPG Online (WO) 2.2, an updated version of its vaunted software, featuring a handful of improvements over the existing system. While most of the improvements admittedly seem pretty minor, their combined effect has been to markedly improve the usability and flexibility of the system. Consider it a major stepping stone on the route to a quietly anticipated version 3.
Although the new version is still in beta and won't be totally finished for a few weeks yet, a few folks have already been enjoying the new toy for a while now. In fact, Mathe says they've been enjoying it so much that they've been forgetting to send in their bug reports. And while there are still bugs to be worked out, the beta is actually in better shape than the public version.
Probably the most significant improvement over 2.1 is more stable code that uses considerably less system resources and doesn't appear to crash anywhere near as often, if at all. One beta tester said that where version 2.1 crashes an average of once per four hour session on his machine, version 2.2 hadn't crashed at all in his first week of testing. This inherent instability in 2.1 has long been a major complaint of system users, and those same users are going to be pleasantly surprised when they get their first crack at 2.2.
Mac users, as well as those who have been itching to use newer versions of Sun's Java Runtime Environment (JRE) or Java Developmen Kit (JDK) will be happy to note that their concerns have been addressed as well. Scrollbar issues in Macintosh versions of the Tracker (menu interface showing all available games) have been successfully cleared up, and a new game filter has been added at the top. With the filter, users can enter a word or partial word to search for and then have everything not matching their query removed from the list. Additionally, WO 2.2 has full support for JRE/JDK 1.2.2 and 1.1.8.
Lag from sounds and images has also been reduced in this version. Although it has been difficult to measure the level of improvement, there was a recent situation that provided some insight. Two users, each with a cable modem, were in the same WO room. One user was running the 2.2 beta while the other had the current 2.1 release. The beta tester remarked that he was receiving zero lag from sounds and images, but wasn't sure if it was due to the version or the fact that the last time he had run 2.1 it had been on a 28.8 modem connection. The 2.1 user said that sound and image lag had only been reduced very slightly for him when he switched from a standard modem to cable modem. This would seem to indicate WO 2.2 as the party responsible for lag reduction.
Customizable features are also being included in the new version. The dicebar at the top of the chat window can be edited with a simple right-click. Dice buttons, including user-definable macros and new rolling options, can be added or removed at will. New options will include the ability to roll open-ended tests, roll against target numbers, and even the D666 test for In Nomine. Rolls can also be faked by the GM. For instance, if the GM needs to roll a d10+2 and get a twelve, they can plug in the roll forumla and then plug in the desired result. With the click of a button, the dice are rolled for all players to see, and the result: twelve. Talk about the ultimate GM screen! Players will never have any way of knowing when the GM is faking results.
Other simple, yet popular features will include the addition of a few sizeable user archives complete with pre-made character sheets, GM tools and even a Star Wars name generator. A multiple-whisper function has been implemented allowing people to send secret messages back and forth between as many other users as they wish within the same room. Users will also be able to use skins to change the appearance of certain screens, although more artists are needed before the available selection of skins will become very large. Mathe has issued a call for anyone interested in contributing original artwork to contact him.
The final and possibly most useful change is the addition of an offline work mode. Users are no longer required to actually connect to the internet before using the WO software. For people with only one phone line who need to work on character sheets or other game materials, this is a huge boon. While connecting to the Internet for playing in an actual game would naturally still be required, this new option definitely has its uses.
So although WO fans are cautioned not to expect a giant leap forward from this upgrade, they can still look forward to enjoying some significant and very welcome improvements.
