Tinker Gnome
Explorer
How have any Play By Posts gone for you? Either GMing or playing? Did you enjoy the experience?
-
The VOIDRUNNER'S CODEX is LIVE! Explore new worlds, fight oppressive empires, fend off fearsome aliens, and wield deadly psionics with this comprehensive boxed set expansion for 5E and A5E!
Your experiences with PBP?
- Thread starter Tinker Gnome
- Start date
TerraDave
5ever, or until 2024
In a word: slow. At least for me.
If you are doing PBP only, I think you need to take a different approach then face to face and just plan on doing less...especially important to cutback on the small stuff, secondary combat encounters...etc. Of course one advantage of this pace: as a DM, you are always on top of things!
The advantage of PBP is that it may be easier to do things like split the party, even over extended periods, and I think it can handle some "stories" better then face to face.
Also: visual aids. Don't hold back on the props and pictures.
If you are doing PBP only, I think you need to take a different approach then face to face and just plan on doing less...especially important to cutback on the small stuff, secondary combat encounters...etc. Of course one advantage of this pace: as a DM, you are always on top of things!
The advantage of PBP is that it may be easier to do things like split the party, even over extended periods, and I think it can handle some "stories" better then face to face.
Also: visual aids. Don't hold back on the props and pictures.
I have been involved in 4 different PbP games. They have all died after about 3 months due to slow posting. I am not sure how to combat this problem. My most recent was cut short because the DM had a baby. This would have cut a face to face game short too. I really like the meduim for role playing though. It is actually better than face to face for RP heavy games. They tend to be slow for combat. Learning a few tricks to speed up combat is a good idea.
Agamon
Adventurer
This is my experience, too. As a GM, I really enjoyed the long stretches of RP, but then would cringe at the thought of an upcoming battle. As a player, I'd like the RP, but get bored when there was a fight, especially a longer one.
GMing a PBP is a lot more time-consuming than a tabletop game. I tried running a PBP last year, and just couldn't do it.
Hunter In Darkness
First Post
I run 3 and play in 6..and yes they are slow. Combat and folks not posting will slow down a game bad. I tend to have everyone post combat action then arrange them. I also use a group init roll, as well as have players post up 20 rolls, 20 combat rolls in case I need to NPC an action. It's also understood in game I run that I will not allow a game to stale because one poster does not check back for 5 days, holidays, and weekends being the exception.
To let a game stall is death, that simple. I also tend to run 6-7 players as if 2 or 3 drop out it does not kill a game at once, with 7 players I can loose 3 or 4 players at once and still have a core group there.
My longest running game is 11 months. Today we wrapped up part 1 of savage tide. We have a total of 1'675 posts so far, and I have 7 players. I started with 6, lost 2 at diff times and gained 3. As can be told by the post number the game is RP heavy at times and slow, but very enjoyable. I know more about each pc then I ever could a home group pc. I get to see them grow and change in way you just can not do at a table.
It's a bit of work and slow but I'll keep running it as long as I have players, as it's a game experience unto itself.
To let a game stall is death, that simple. I also tend to run 6-7 players as if 2 or 3 drop out it does not kill a game at once, with 7 players I can loose 3 or 4 players at once and still have a core group there.
My longest running game is 11 months. Today we wrapped up part 1 of savage tide. We have a total of 1'675 posts so far, and I have 7 players. I started with 6, lost 2 at diff times and gained 3. As can be told by the post number the game is RP heavy at times and slow, but very enjoyable. I know more about each pc then I ever could a home group pc. I get to see them grow and change in way you just can not do at a table.
It's a bit of work and slow but I'll keep running it as long as I have players, as it's a game experience unto itself.
Silvercat Moonpaw
Adventurer
My experience is that there is a definite trade-off, and you have to decide what elements you want more.
PbP is slow, not good for combat or dialogue between characters (it becomes more a series of monologues), but you have a lot more time to think and you aren't limited by a specific scheduled time to meet (I've had lots of problems with this).
Real-time is fast, good for combat or dialogue between characters, but you have to think faster and you're meeting maybe only once a week at a specific time.
I've done both PbP and via chat, and while PbP isn't good for action (which I like) unless the chat game's really good I kinda feel trapped. I'm currently in the process of debating to become a GM, and I'd have to say PbP's slower time-frame would work better for me because I'm not that quick on my feet.
PbP is slow, not good for combat or dialogue between characters (it becomes more a series of monologues), but you have a lot more time to think and you aren't limited by a specific scheduled time to meet (I've had lots of problems with this).
Real-time is fast, good for combat or dialogue between characters, but you have to think faster and you're meeting maybe only once a week at a specific time.
I've done both PbP and via chat, and while PbP isn't good for action (which I like) unless the chat game's really good I kinda feel trapped. I'm currently in the process of debating to become a GM, and I'd have to say PbP's slower time-frame would work better for me because I'm not that quick on my feet.
I love PBP. For me it's been far more rewarding than any table-top game I've played. Mind you, I was a little younger when I last played face-to-face, but PBP brought me back to gaming and D&D.
I've played some fantastic games over the years. Sure, I had a load that died as well, but I've got three fairly committed groups that I play with. Our Age of Worms game has been going for 4 years now - we're just over half way. Yes, it's slow but the RP and interaction, and detail in the story make it more than worth. Combat is not as bad as most folk make it out to be. You can finish a normal encounter at 1 round per day, easy.
Our Shackled City game is now 3 years old - We're about 1/3 in and it's been one of the best games ever for me. I've been in PBP for almost 8 years now, and I wouldn't play D&D any other way.
Yes, it's slow, and yes combat can take long, but with a good group where people have the time to post 1-3 times per day, which is what we've got, you just can't beat it. Perhaps it's rare to find a good group.
Anywho, I find it very rewarding - it's the only way I play at the moment, and it suits my lifestyle as it doesn't nearly take up some much time each week as a face-to-face session would. The OOC banter is great as well - in fact, I've ment gamers in our group from Asia and the USA and I live in the UK.
So, just wanted to say it's worth it. Don't give up on one or even a handful of bad experiences, and keep in touch with the players you get on with so you can form a good group. I've been gaming with the same players for through different game for 5+ years now, the longest being almost 8 years.
Pinotage
I've played some fantastic games over the years. Sure, I had a load that died as well, but I've got three fairly committed groups that I play with. Our Age of Worms game has been going for 4 years now - we're just over half way. Yes, it's slow but the RP and interaction, and detail in the story make it more than worth. Combat is not as bad as most folk make it out to be. You can finish a normal encounter at 1 round per day, easy.
Our Shackled City game is now 3 years old - We're about 1/3 in and it's been one of the best games ever for me. I've been in PBP for almost 8 years now, and I wouldn't play D&D any other way.
Yes, it's slow, and yes combat can take long, but with a good group where people have the time to post 1-3 times per day, which is what we've got, you just can't beat it. Perhaps it's rare to find a good group.
Anywho, I find it very rewarding - it's the only way I play at the moment, and it suits my lifestyle as it doesn't nearly take up some much time each week as a face-to-face session would. The OOC banter is great as well - in fact, I've ment gamers in our group from Asia and the USA and I live in the UK.
So, just wanted to say it's worth it. Don't give up on one or even a handful of bad experiences, and keep in touch with the players you get on with so you can form a good group. I've been gaming with the same players for through different game for 5+ years now, the longest being almost 8 years.
Pinotage
