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I'm the default GM for a group of friends who have been - in some constellation or another - been playing together through two major campaigns and various shorter ones over the past decades (plural). However, despite having shifted to virtual tabletop systems (first Roll20, now TTS), we continue to struggle with the online format.

The main issue seems to be mostly focus and communication. While most of us know each other very well now, we're also mostly introverts. There were some discussions early on that revealed some players not perceiving an online game as equal to an "actual" meetup, which I can well understand. Right now, we are stuck in a bit of a rut where players (myself included on some of the occasions I am playing) are distracted or clearly tabbed out (actually or metaphorically) of the game, only replying when spoken to. Another issue is players misunderstanding each other and the GM because they did not catch an earlier piece of information and/or don't want to bother with asking. The third issue arises simply by people cutting each other off, since playing virtually makes it especially hard to gauge when someone else is done talking. This leads to either awkward pauses or people trying to talk at once.

I have seen quite a few questions on keeping the group focused around here, but all of them seem to be geared towards physical play. What about online play? What are good ways to keep everyone invested?

I'm the default GM for a group of friends who have been - in some constellation or another - playing together through two major campaigns and various shorter ones over the past decades (plural). However, despite having shifted to virtual tabletop systems (first Roll20, now TTS), we continue to struggle with the online format.

The main issue seems to be mostly focus and communication. While most of us know each other very well now, we're also mostly introverts. There were some discussions early on that revealed some players not perceiving an online game as equal to an "actual" meetup, which I can well understand.

1. Right now, we are stuck in a bit of a rut where players (myself included on some of the occasions I am playing) are distracted or clearly tabbed out (actually or metaphorically) of the game, only replying when spoken to.
2. Another issue is players misunderstanding each other and the GM because they did not catch an earlier piece of information and/or don't want to bother with asking.
3. The third issue arises simply by people cutting each other off, since playing virtually makes it especially hard to gauge when someone else is done talking. This leads to either awkward pauses or people trying to talk at once.

I have seen quite a few questions on keeping the group focused around here, but all of them seem to be geared towards physical play. What about online play? How do you keep everyone invested?