Play-by-post/online play: Experiences?

Azgulor · Feb 2, 2007

I typically GM in my tabletop campaigns and would like to play as a character. Unfortunately, it's tough enough to get my gaming group together as it is and I don't want to hang up the GM hat on my current campaign.

I'm interested in play-by-post or some other online RPG, but it's completely new to me. Anyone care to share their experiences, good or bad? Any advice?

Thanks,

Azgulor

Thanee · Feb 2, 2007

Take a look at the Talking the Talk and Playing the Game forums here... should give you a good idea what's going on.

It's certainly a bit different, especially much slower, than normal gaming at the table, but it's fun. Just give it a try, you have nothing to lose!

Bye
Thanee

Whizbang Dustyboots · Feb 2, 2007

Today marks the one year anniversary of my Midwood campaign's first pbp session. There have been 13 player characters in that time, and the campaign has split into two divergent directions, but it's been going on steadily since that time.

It's a lot slower than tabletop play: Even with players who typically post twice a day, after a year, the highest level character is 3rd level. But there's probably been more roleplaying and character development than most tables ever see in two years.

The story of the first Midwood adventure is just about finished in the Story Hour forum. Next week, a new adventure begins, which makes it a good jumping-on point.

hafrogman · Feb 2, 2007

I enjoy PbP gaming a great deal. It is, as other people have said, very much slower than table top gaming, but that has its benefits as well.

I find that I have much more time for characterization and speeches, and putting thoughts behind the decisions of my characters. I find it allows me to roleplay much more deeply than I do with my face to face game.

Someone · Feb 2, 2007

You'll get lots of good advice in this thread, but here's mine: don't think on them as poor substitutes of face-to-face play that you have to rely on when you're forced to, but almost different games on their own. They have enough diverging qualities to be treated almost as separate games.

A an example of what I mean, everyone says that pbp is slow. Most mention it as a disadvantage - but it doesn't need to be, it can be an advantage. Since it's slow, you can mull over a post for some time, without the time constrains of standard play. You can take your time to write a poem, google a song, even have characters that speak in verse, or review posts from past months looking for the name of forgotten NPCs or old clues. The best pbps are those where the DM concedes the players some small degree of control over the world, allowing them to invent enough details to write long and meaningful posts. In the end, it requires a good degree of confidence between players and DM, and it leads to a style similar to a cooperative novel writing where group cohesiveness isn't as important as with tabletop play.

(Psi)SeveredHead · Feb 2, 2007

IME, very negative. Most of the campaigns I was in didn't last long. The GMs also often want very long backstories. I don't know why they can't just ask for plot hooks, or ask what you want.

Whizbang Dustyboots · Feb 3, 2007

Someone said:
A an example of what I mean, everyone says that pbp is slow. Most mention it as a disadvantage - but it doesn't need to be, it can be an advantage. Since it's slow, you can mull over a post for some time, without the time constrains of standard play. You can take your time to write a poem, google a song, even have characters that speak in verse, or review posts from past months looking for the name of forgotten NPCs or old clues. The best pbps are those where the DM concedes the players some small degree of control over the world, allowing them to invent enough details to write long and meaningful posts. In the end, it requires a good degree of confidence between players and DM, and it leads to a style similar to a cooperative novel writing where group cohesiveness isn't as important as with tabletop play.

My Midwood Story Hour (a cleaned-up version of our pbp game) features (or will feature) songs, poems, shaggy dwarf stories, long diatribes and more. My group definitely appreciates the ability to cut loose and express themselves.

Thanee · Feb 3, 2007

(Psi)SeveredHead said:
Most of the campaigns I was in didn't last long.

Yeah, that is a problem with PbP games, that you need to find a GM, committed enough to keep the game going, and players who are willing to participate regularily as well.

Bye
Thanee

Evilhalfling · Feb 3, 2007

The game itself is great fun, but like others have said plan for it not to last long
the pace is slow, but it does allow lots of RP and thoughtful character driven events.

I have run a few PbP games, played in a few games and all but one ended in mid story
(this was occasionally my fault)

the best advice is to post all the time, more posts keep the game moving and everyone interested. Also say everything out loud (rather than just posting PC thoughts) so that other PCs can respond.

Seeten · Feb 3, 2007

I'd rather chew my arm into a stump than do pbp. I do chat based gaming on irc.psionics.net #dnd3e, enworld's official chatroom, though, and thats fun.