RP earned while DM/Game is on Hiatus

renau1g · Jan 11, 2011

[MENTION=36973]stonegod[/MENTION], [MENTION=2011]KarinsDad[/MENTION], [MENTION=82251]TwoHeadsBarking[/MENTION], [MENTION=9789]evilbob[/MENTION]

Just getting the judges attention to discuss RP's and whether they're earned while a game is on hold if a DM disappears.

Came up recently in Rhapsody as KD's awarding XP for the adventure.

" All I know is what the LEB rule states:

"Each player earns one Reward Part (RP) full month of play in an adventure"

Although the English of this sentence is bad, the intent is clear. This would be no different than the group waiting for the DM to run the second half of a 2 part adventure and their PCs are in the tavern for a few months while the DM gets it ready.

Btw, the exact same thing should happen to my PC Grys in the Paper Chase adventure. The DM has disappeared for 5+ weeks, so I should not get any RP for Grys during that timeframe.

If you think this unfair, write up a proposal to change or clarify it. The proposal can specify that the change be retroactive." - KarinsDad

I personally find it a bit harsh and I know I awarded the RP in Kalidrev's abandoned adventure as the RP helps mitigate somewhat the sting of waiting around forever and then not earning actual XP during that time. We can all agree it's far more fun to play than it is to sit around twiddling thumbs if a DM disappears. So, I wouldn't expect any gamesmanship to happen where the DM "takes a break" for a month to get players more RP, or something. Again, I went on break for 2 weeks around Christmas, so should I back out that time from rewards? It seems like I should if we do the same for absentee DM's.

Thoughts?

KarinsDad · Jan 11, 2011

I'm totally cool with "taking the sting" out of losing the DM.

I was just doing a "literal interpretation" of that rule.

I do think there is a big difference between missing a week because the DM goes sking and missing 6 weeks because the DM disappeared. In the former, the players are still more or less playing and in the latter, they really aren't.

We should probably discuss what happens if the DM takes any sort of extended leave.

I also think that we should clarify the rule a bit more.

If the DM disappears and we can get another DM to fill in, the RP continues for the hiatus timeframe. That sounds reasonable.

But, what happens if that does not occur?

If the DM disappears and we cannot get another DM to fill in, when does the RP end?

If the DM disappears and the players decide to not go with a new DM and head back to the tavern, when does the RP end?

If the DM disappears and we cannot get another DM to fill in but someone volunteers 6 months later to DM after the thread has been closed down, how do we resolve the RP?

drothgery · Jan 11, 2011

KarinsDad said:
I do think there is a big difference between missing a week because the DM goes sking and missing 6 weeks because the DM disappeared. In the former, the players are still more or less playing and in the latter, they really aren't.

But it's also true that until the judges declare a game abandoned, the players can't use their characters in another adventure, either.

renau1g · Jan 11, 2011

KarinsDad said:
I'm totally cool with "taking the sting" out of losing the DM.

I was just doing a "literal interpretation" of that rule.

I do think there is a big difference between missing a week because the DM goes sking and missing 6 weeks because the DM disappeared. In the former, the players are still more or less playing and in the latter, they really aren't.

We should probably discuss what happens if the DM takes any sort of extended leave.

I also think that we should clarify the rule a bit more.

If the DM disappears and we can get another DM to fill in, the RP continues for the hiatus timeframe. That sounds reasonable.

But, what happens if that does not occur?

If the DM disappears and we cannot get another DM to fill in, when does the RP end?

If the DM disappears and the players decide to not go with a new DM and head back to the tavern, when does the RP end?

If the DM disappears and we cannot get another DM to fill in but someone volunteers 6 months later to DM after the thread has been closed down, how do we resolve the RP?

& I don't disagree with your reading of it as it stands. (bolded above)

So re: RP for those in an abandoned game. My thoughts are that RP is earned up until the situation is resolved. I.e. if the game is on hold for 5 weeks and then the judge wraps it up and gets people back in the tavern, RP is earned for those weeks.

Basically up until rewards are given as if the group decides to stop playing, or the judge wraps up the game, XP still needs to be awarded for the challenges overcome, so just award RP at that point.

With the last situation, I'd say RP was awarded until the thread was closed, and then when it restarts treat as a new adventure.

stonegod · Jan 11, 2011

drothgery said:
But it's also true that until the judges declare a game abandoned, the players can't use their characters in another adventure, either.

This.

Until the characters are out of the thread, they are in "play" in the sense used by LEB. No reason to penalize the players for judge/DM delays.

stonegod · Jan 16, 2011

stonegod said:
This.

Until the characters are out of the thread, they are in "play" in the sense used by LEB. No reason to penalize the players for judge/DM delays.

Is everyone fine w/ this interpretation? If so, I'll update the Charter to be clearer (as this was the original intent). Otherwise, we should make a proposal to change it.

BTW: Can someone email [MENTION=9789]evilbob[/MENTION]? He's been MIA a bit.

renau1g · Jan 19, 2011

Good with me. I sent evilbob an email also.

KarinsDad · Jan 19, 2011

Sounds good to me.

evilbob · Jan 19, 2011

I apologize for releasing a crappy new album - er, I mean, being MIA.

(It's a music joke for those who don't get it.)

Yes, I completely agree with the sentiment in this thread as stated. RP for time spent is the key; just because someone is flaking out shouldn't mean you lose RP. I think updating the rules as you said is a great idea.

stonegod · Feb 17, 2011

I have (finally) updated the wording:

Wiki said:
Each player earns one Reward Point (RP) per full month of play in an adventure; this point is forfeit if they abandon the adventure (previous points earned remain). An active player is "in play" so long as their character is part of an adventure (assigned to an adventure thread).