[PbP] Fizzle, Fizzle, Fizzle

[Emerald]

Am not sure if this is the right place, but since it is a general PbP question I put it here instead of Talking the Talk, feel free to move if necessary.

What is others experience with fizzling PbP games? I am DM for a game for the last 9 months and it is still going strong, will get slow at times, but always picks back up, but I have tried to join several other games as players but they alway fizzle out, several during character creation, the others before we even reach 2nd level. Is this common or am I having especially bad luck?

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

I've noticed here at ENWorld PbP games seem to usually die quick deaths...it feels strange for me, since I started PbPs on my own board with a group of 10 or so friends, and we're STILL playing games we started a year ago...and they're running fast and strong.

 

[Umbran]

Most games fizzle out. PbP or F2F, they all tend to die young.

PbP may have a slightly worse track record, I think because there's more dedication and draw to showing up to a game and seeing actual faces who depend on you to be there than in a PbP game.

 

[nimisgod]

That's true. I hear a lot of stories about PBEMs and PbPs burning out quickly or dying out slowly.

My own PBEM has lasted for a year now and I consider that a miracle. Its a lot of work and it requires commited players, which I know I have (and I'm thankful for). Out of the 15+ PCs I've had in the game, I only have 8 or so left. And some of these are on their second characters.

I've little doubt that the number will decrease eventually but so long as I do my part and the players do theirs, it'll work fine. I think that the same follows for any game.

 

[Bloodsparrow]

We actually have a PbP game going with some coworkers and it seems to be chugging along okay...

It WAS going to be a PbEm, but I suggested PbP. So the DM set up a message board. It actually turned out for the best, since there was a huge lag as the game was startting up. The 3.5 rules shipped and we had to convert our characters, then several projects at work ramped up, and a bunch of people went off on vacation. But since it was Play by Post, nothing was lost. It was all still there on the boards, so we were able to start back up.

So in this case, being PbP SAVED a game from fizzing out.

 

[Buttercup]

I ran a PBP game right after 3E came out, and frankly, it took up too much of my time. The players wanted to post all day, every day, making me feel like I was the only one who had to actually be productive while on the job.

The role playing was spectacular. It was fun. But I had to stop, because it didn't seem ethical to me to spend work time playing D&D, and the players didn't want to play during the evening.

Interestingly, they're still using the EZboard that I founded to play PBP, just DMed by others. I can't understand why they all haven't been fired, because they surely can't be getting anything done besides gaming.

 

[WhatKu]

Here and the WOTC boards have that problem. Alot of games will grab players, play out the first combat, then just die. If one person is gone for a while, no more game. Its kinda sad.

 

[tarchon]

Most of the ones I've tried have died quickly, unless I knew the other players and GM before hand.
I think two big factors are involved, based on what I've seen in the 4 or 5 times I've tried it. First, people seem more prone to overcommitting themselves with an on-line game and then backing out because they don't have time for it. Second, when playing on-line with strangers, most people feel little commitment to the group and are less likely to tolerate the inevitable delays, slow spots, and conflicts that arise with other players. Basically, they cut and run at the first snag. This latter phenomenon does owe a lot to the greater difficulties involved with online gaming during play though.

 

[Majin]

I've had this problem since the beginning. I've yet to get into a game that lasts past the first roll of initiative. I'm in 2 D&D games atm and about to get a VTM game going shortly. So far it's all been DM burnout or something of that nature in the failed games, never from lack of player support. I DM all the games I play in RL so I never have a shot at being a player, so PbP is a great concept to me. Now as of yet I haven't DM'ed anything here on the boards, but if I would I don't forsee any circumstance that would tear me away from the game.

I know people work and are busy, college takes up a lot of my time itself, but I think that people interested in DM'ing a game should stick with it or not start one up at all. It's become very frustrating for me as a player to actually get into a decent game. With all that said though, I am hoping that my current games last, as they look to be run by very enthusiastic DM's, but if they don't I may be forced to just give up on PbP as a whole because all these consecutive games fizzling out on me is getting ridiculous.

 

[MerakSpielman]

Guess I'm just lucky. My PbP has been going since January. I had to re-recruit some new blood last month to get it to pick up steam again, but it never really stopped.

I consider it something to give me my D&D fix when I'm between RL games. Not much chance of burnout on my end.