Confession...It's good for the soul.

[kinem]

I have to agree that running "short" 'one-shots' (which would take 6 months anyway) should be done more often for PBP, given the problems with longer games. That's why the last game I DM'd, Parting Gifts, was intentionally meant to be just 'a short scenario' - although I did end up trying unsucessfully to extend it.

One problem though is that the reward system in D&D is heavily geared towards experience points and magic items to be identified later - things which only would matter in a multilevel campaign. Although, it might be more conducive to roleplaying not to rely on those.

I just want to say that this thread has made me feel a little better about all the times my own games have been abandoned by others

For the record, I have never used any other screen names here (and usually use kinem on other boards too), nor dropped out of games without posting a withdrawal notice.

 

[Scotley]

Wow, this thread has brought out a lot of familiar faces. It is good to hear from you again Branding Opportunity.

DEFCON 1 does raise some valid points. A long, full fledged game pbp or not. Is not something that should be undertaken lightly. Not everyone has the time and energy to commit to make such a thing possible. This is an issue not only for DM's, but players as well. We've talked a lot about disappearing DM's, but I've seen a lot of players vanish without explaination too. I think Living ENWorld games do help to address this. I haven't had experience with them myself, but from the lurking I've done it seems to be successful. Now that I've taken on a lot of games as both a player and a DM the idea of some short duration games is pretty appealing. I've about reached my limits to do a proper job of playing and DMing the games I'm in now. It is tough to resist those recruiting threads and just say know. If more of the games I became involved with were of planned short duration it would be easier for me.

 

[Rhun]

but I've seen a lot of players vanish without explaination too.

This is certainly true. My two Greyhawk games started with 9 players each, and I'm down to 4 in one (though I just recruited a new 5th), and 6 in the other. Most of these players disappeared without so much as a 'goodbye!'

From a DMing standpoint, though, the games seem more enjoyable and easy to run with fewer PCs. I can't imagine ever trying to run another PbP game with more than 6 players.

 

[James Heard]

On the other hand, given the attrition of players I wonder sometimes when people start their games out with less than six. I figure out of six players, at least two of them will bail within a few months if the GM doesn't first.

 

[Rhun]

On the other hand, given the attrition of players I wonder sometimes when people start their games out with less than six. I figure out of six players, at least two of them will bail within a few months if the GM doesn't first.

True enough. And although it may be unfair to newcomers, I at least know which players around here are completely reliable by now. Next time I start a game, they will be high on my "want" list for players.

 

[Malvoisin]

DEFCON1 and Scotley, I'm not sure how much of a rational argument I can raise against your points. But, undeniably, I get more excited when thinking about running something BIG, something epic, something that involves lots of character advancement, and saving the world. I'm pretty sure I'm not alone, hence the great popularity of Adventure Paths and megamodules. The idea of starting up a short-term game just doesn't get my juices flowing the same way. Now, is PbP the right medium for running such an ambitious game? I don't know, but it's all I've got available to me right now. And, I'm a lot better at DMing via PbP, as opposed to over the tabletop.

Is it smart to be soliciting interest in a new Paizo AP given my history? Maybe not. I'm sure it might all crash and burn once again. But for now, I'm having fun thinking about getting something going again! I'm excited about it, and there are at least a couple of prospective players who are also interested in giving it a shot. Hopefully there will be more...

Having fun is what it's all about for me.

 

[Branding Opportunity]

Wow, this thread has brought out a lot of familiar faces. It is good to hear from you again Branding Opportunity.

Hi Scotley. Glad to see so many old Reconquista faces still around.

 

[DEFCON 1]

But, undeniably, I get more excited when thinking about running something BIG, something epic, something that involves lots of character advancement, and saving the world.

And that's exactly the kind of mentality we need to curtail here at ENWorld. Because big and epic is not better. Not in the least. Because big and epic DOESN'T FINISH. And you yourself are proof positive of that.

"Small and completed" is much, much, MUCH better than "big and abandoned". And so long as you, Malvoisin, and others like you keep disbelieving that... and keep thinking that your game has to be this huge, multi-plotted, multi-level, end-all-and-be-all roleplaying extravaganza or else it's not worth playing... then most games here on ENWorld are going to suck. Don't be a part of it anymore. Learn from your past mistakes.

Those who do not follow history are doomed to repeat it, as they say.

 

[Scotley]

From a DMing standpoint, though, the games seem more enjoyable and easy to run with fewer PCs. I can't imagine ever trying to run another PbP game with more than 6 players.

Um yeah, its tough to say the least. It takes me over an hour to process a round of intense combat. That's why I have my trusty co-DM along for the big game.

 

[Bobitron]

Hey guys. I was very active in PbP a couple years back, but now I've pulled back to only one game here on ENW. I'm a bit more active elsewhere on Groovy Gamers (where I'm an admin and moderator) and PbPHouse, two PbP sites with great people and sizeable communities. Groovy Gamers has probably a couple hundred active game threads.

I've played with Blue Genie and BrOp and they were both great DM's. He came forward and shared that with his players a while back and it was much appreciated.

BrOp's comments as to why he has had trouble continuing a game rings pretty true in my mind, as well. I've run a handful of games here as DM and none have ever reached the success I envisioned. One was definitely a case of aiming too high (My Silver Flame Inquisitor Eberron game) and another due to bad planning on my part when I involved a player far too closely to the plot and they left (Bad Moon over California, my western game). But in both cases, I'm pretty sure I could have worked through it to make the games more successful if I really tried.

My sympathies lie with others who feel the flame burns bright to start until interest...either the players or the DM's... starts to wane.

DEFCON's point is pretty valid, in my opinion. Over on Groovy Gamers, I ran the intro adventure for the updated WHRP with good success. It went great! The fact that it had a finite goal and a definite 'end' meant for a really obtainable goal. Of course, I didn't want to end it. We had some really solid players and a great game. So I decided to make a campaign of it continuing on where the story ended. It failed miserably after a few more months.

I'm running the Witchfire Trilogy now. It is the last long-form game I'll ever run. From now on I will only attempt to run short, finite adventures. Longer, more story arc-type games hold a pretty special place in my heart, but I don't think I have the right mindset to run them in PbP.

Actually, that reminds me of something I saw on another site; the concept of 'Quickie' games. They are a great way to introduce players to a new system. Just have a short plot that would be the equivalent of an evening's F2F game, usually including a mix of social interaction, combat, and whatever else you want to show off about that system. It may or may not include character creation.

That might be a great way to run a game without having to worry too much about the potential for burnout.