Sixchan
First Post
There are differences within each game on how everything works.
As a good example, there's the "In Character Character Game" where everyone is playing themselves made with d20 modern. The entire thing is filled with one-line posts and single sentences, making in game speech more like real life. Most combats consist of "Jane attacks the bugbear, giving it a resounding kick to the stomach" or even "<one-line joke>, Six stays where he is."
In other games, single posts can be long and detailed, describing the actions, thoughts and feelings of the character down to the last inch. These characters are prone to long speeches, and to letting others speak at length.
In both, combats take a long time, but that isn't so important since most games are primarily roleplaying anyway, and combat is the exception rather than the norm.
Levelling up is handled in different ways too. For some games its when the DM feels you've all suffered enough. Others have a strict XP system with awards for roleplaying, etc. Hell, the ICC game levels up every week!
However, there are two distinct advantages of PbP over PnP.
One, Inner Monologues. With Posting--and mail too, I guess--you can describe your character's thoughts and feelings in a much easier way than you can around a table.
Two, Playing the Game. AFAIK, most people on this board are DMs, and many rarely have the chance to actually PLAY the game rather than run it. PbP allows us to unwind and pull out that 1st edition character sheet from so long ago, update it to 3rd edition, and start reliving our memories. And this is thanks almost entirely to the good men and women who are willing to DM for us in their spare time. They are too many to mention, but all have our thanks!
As a good example, there's the "In Character Character Game" where everyone is playing themselves made with d20 modern. The entire thing is filled with one-line posts and single sentences, making in game speech more like real life. Most combats consist of "Jane attacks the bugbear, giving it a resounding kick to the stomach" or even "<one-line joke>, Six stays where he is."
In other games, single posts can be long and detailed, describing the actions, thoughts and feelings of the character down to the last inch. These characters are prone to long speeches, and to letting others speak at length.
In both, combats take a long time, but that isn't so important since most games are primarily roleplaying anyway, and combat is the exception rather than the norm.
Levelling up is handled in different ways too. For some games its when the DM feels you've all suffered enough. Others have a strict XP system with awards for roleplaying, etc. Hell, the ICC game levels up every week!
However, there are two distinct advantages of PbP over PnP.
One, Inner Monologues. With Posting--and mail too, I guess--you can describe your character's thoughts and feelings in a much easier way than you can around a table.
Two, Playing the Game. AFAIK, most people on this board are DMs, and many rarely have the chance to actually PLAY the game rather than run it. PbP allows us to unwind and pull out that 1st edition character sheet from so long ago, update it to 3rd edition, and start reliving our memories. And this is thanks almost entirely to the good men and women who are willing to DM for us in their spare time. They are too many to mention, but all have our thanks!
I look at each post and think, "Nah, that's lame, you get ZERO fool!" or, "Hahaha, that was funny as bunnies in a shooting gallery, he gets 20 for that post!"
