PbP: Your Preferences and Advice?

[MummyKitty]

After participating in a few PbP games for a short time, and having a great time, I am thinking about running one myself. I wanted to get some ideas of what people prefer in their PbP games, so if you like PbP, please let me know your thoughts on the following:

1. Frequency of DM updates. What is your ideal timing for updates? Every day, every other day, weekly? Other? How often can and do you post?

2. When should updates occur? Weekdays, Weekends, both/whenever?

3. Expository Freedom. How much do you like to write? Do you like games where you can write as much as you want about your character (and perhaps even create dialog for minor NPCs), or would you rather do short posts describing your character actions and let the DM move the story along?

4. Reading. How much do you like to read? Do you like long DM posts or shorter ones?

5. Dice rolling. Do you like rolling your own dice (maybe using Invisible Castle) or do you like the DM to roll?

6. What is your favorite kind of game? Straight up RPG? System / setting? Type of adventure?

7. Any pitfalls to avoid as a PbP DM? For example: How do you handle players who drop out or maybe don't post as much as they should? Do you make them NPCs or drop them from the adventure?

Thanks!! I plan to listen to any and all advice before starting my game.

 

[Dagger75]

#1 I post multiple times EVERYDAY. I found it keeps the players more interested to. I also expect the players to try and post once a day. This keeps the game moving. So far it has worked out.

#2 Again everyday.

#3 I like it when the players write stuff. At this point my players have made at least 8 of there own NPC's that I could take and add story lines to.

#4 Not a big fan of long posts. I hate writing them and hate reading them. I find it easier to post mulitple posts then 1 huge one. Thats may just be me.

#5 As a DM , I do all the rolling. Makes it go faster. It sucks but thats what I learned.

#6 So far liking the Serenity RPG system. Combat is so easy, don't need a graph paper or anything like.

#7 Tell you when I hit one

 

[Thanee]

1) Should be at least twice to thrice a week. Daily is ideal.
2) Doesn't matter.
3) Both is good; best if all participants like it the same way.
4) Not excessively long, but not only one-liners either. It more depends on the content, then on the length of it. A huge text with little content is mostly annoying, as well as a short text with too little content.
5) DM, it's simply faster that way.
6) I cannot answer this!
7) The most important thing is to move the story along and to keep things interesting, when the players join in and there is a constant back and forth, it works out great, but that does not always happen. If someone drops out, which inevitably will happen, there are plenty ways to handle it, but best is to find a replacement, if it seems like the player isn't coming back, and work the new character in (thus avoiding adventures, where this is impossible, is a good idea ). Just move on and move on. Stagnation is the death of PbP.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Voadam]

Weekdays are my desired pace.

Shorter posts by both players and DMs.

DMs handle dice rolls. I don't even care to see the mechanics in action just tell relevant results.

D&D, most any setting, any level, any level of openness or restricted sources.

 

[Old Fezziwig]

1. Frequency of DM updates. What is your ideal timing for updates? Every day, every other day, weekly? Other? How often can and do you post?

Every other day or maybe 2x/week is a nice balance. Sometimes I get a bit overwhelmed with replies every day as a DM. As a player, I'll go with the flow.

2. When should updates occur? Weekdays, Weekends, both/whenever?

Whenever's convenient, although there will be a lot of lag on weekends in most games, IME.

3. Expository Freedom. How much do you like to write? Do you like games where you can write as much as you want about your character (and perhaps even create dialog for minor NPCs), or would you rather do short posts describing your character actions and let the DM move the story along?

It all depends on how the other players post and write. Sometimes I have more to say than other times. As a DM, I don't mind characters moving things along as much as possible, although I'm not completely at a point where I'm comfortable having people write dialogue for minor characters (who's to call an NPC minor?).

4. Reading. How much do you like to read? Do you like long DM posts or shorter ones?

Whatever's necessary to get the point across, although too much of a good thing is still too much.

5. Dice rolling. Do you like rolling your own dice (maybe using Invisible Castle) or do you like the DM to roll?

As a DM, I prefer to roll. As a player, I don't care.

6. What is your favorite kind of game? Straight up RPG? System / setting? Type of adventure?

I'm a straight fantasy guy most of the time, and I prefer running D&D, as I'm most familiar with it. I have no preference for adventures.

7. Any pitfalls to avoid as a PbP DM? For example: How do you handle players who drop out or maybe don't post as much as they should? Do you make them NPCs or drop them from the adventure?

Being too open-ended in posts is deadly. As for players dropping out, I'll NPC them for a bit if they've been fairly active in the game, but I'll drop them if I can get away with it, too. For instance, Dr. Zombie's batsman is a candidate for being dropped/redshirted in my current Call of Cthulhu game, as I have yet to see him post.

Nick

 

[Nonlethal Force]

1. The DM should update when there is reason to. Sometimes I update 4 or 5 times in a day, sometimes I update once a day. I try to not update less often than that without letting the players know why. I try not to update after every new post, though, because that limits player interaction with each other and focuses the players to interact with the NPCs. This is always an issue to keep watch over. Don't update too little because players lose interest. Don't update to much or else the only thing to get fleshed-out really well are the NPCs.

2. Updates should occur when the DM is online. Doesn't matter when. Whenever they are relevant I'd say.

3. As a DM, I like to write. I write and write and write. But I try and mix it up. I'll do one long speach and then maybe 15-20 two or three sentence posts. The big post helps keep the game moving in bigger chunks and prevents the game from slowing to a crawl, but the little posts allow for the players to ask for detailed information.

4. Personally, I hate reading. Yep, no two ways about it. But I love to write. I doubt very much though if you read through my games that you would guess that I hate reading. Because I read alot as a student. Now that I am finally done with my Master's work ... I am enjoying not having to force read myself!

5. DM rolls all dice. They can link to it if they want, but I don't even care. Its a game. If the DM wants to cheat me, I'll die and go play with another DM. Often, I like that system because it gives the DM fudge-room. I use that system because it is far more easy for me as a DM. I click over to one of many dice roller sites and do them all at once. I alternate sites because I have found that some days one site only gives majority bad rolls and the next it only gives majoritygood rolls. Its weird, and probably in my head, but its what I do!

6. I typically only play Homebrews. I love Homebrews. My world, someone else's world doesn't matter. I actually get dissappointed when I play a game and the DM wants to use something like Greyhawk, the Realms, Eberron, etc. DISCLAIMER: Now, in one of my DMs defense, I am playing in an Eberron game and enjoying it.

7. I never NPC players who drop. I've found I can't get the personality right. Best to kill them off or have them go a seperate way. It's jst easier that way. Also, do combat one round at a time. Don't let the players wait for their init to come up ... otherwise combat drags out forever. As a DM, I ask all my players to post an action for the coming round. I then go through that round. If in the middle of a round one player's action now seems stupid because of an action or two from aplayer before, I let that player revise their action and pick it up from there. But so far, i don't have many complaints aboutplayers having to post actions for the round all together. And I usually get through 1 or 2 rounds of combat in a day.

Feel free to check out my sig if you are curious about how I do things. I have great players. Honestly, I do. I wouldn't trade a single one of them in. They make the games fun. I do what I can to keep them coming back for more. But the players deserve the majority of the credit for the way the games are going. Start with good players, the game will be great.

 

[Bront]

1. Frequency of DM updates. What is your ideal timing for updates? Every day, every other day, weekly? Other? How often can and do you post?

When possable. It's hard to judge. Too fast, and the GM is pushing the players (Which sometimes needs to happen anyway). Too slow, and the players either take forever to get something done, or they stop posting waiting on the GM. Near daily is good for most, and I never expect more than that (though I have gotten it)

2. When should updates occur? Weekdays, Weekends, both/whenever?

Whenever. Different people have different schedules. The weekends tend to be slower on the boards, but some people are more available then than certaint days during the week. So, just whenever is good.

3. Expository Freedom. How much do you like to write? Do you like games where you can write as much as you want about your character (and perhaps even create dialog for minor NPCs), or would you rather do short posts describing your character actions and let the DM move the story along?

A little of both. Unimportant things shouldn't need the GM for much, like buying standard gear, but beyond that, GM interaction is always nice, and it makes the world more real. I like the freedom to assume a few basic things from the NPCs or the PCs though (Like the occasional yes or head nod durring a speach or lecture).

4. Reading. How much do you like to read? Do you like long DM posts or shorter ones?

Moderate posts are good. Too long, and they're hard to read without colored formatting (Colored speach, highlighted words, ect).

5. Dice rolling. Do you like rolling your own dice (maybe using Invisible Castle) or do you like the DM to roll?

I prefer the DM roll most of the time, since it preserves a bit more of the transperancy of the game, which is the best part of PbP.

6. What is your favorite kind of game? Straight up RPG? System / setting? Type of adventure?

Dungeon Crawls without maps realy suck on PbPs, otherwise, just about anything is good. Lower combat games tend to work a bit better, or at least seem to move along faster.

7. Any pitfalls to avoid as a PbP DM? For example: How do you handle players who drop out or maybe don't post as much as they should? Do you make them NPCs or drop them from the adventure?

I suggest starting with a smaller group (4) and growing later if needed. With 4, you're rarely waiting on anyone, but with 6, you're usually waiting on at least 1, and that can loose the interest of the others.

Make sure you approve all PCs. Try to have reasons if you don't approve one, but ultimately, a player should be willing to say "You're the GM" and bow to your will, even if they disagree with you. Just try not to pick on them, and be willing to admit you're wrong as well. A good give and take with the players is a good thing, and can help keep players interested.

 

[Scotley]

I like to see the DM posting at least once a day, sometimes more.

The important thing about player posting is make it clear what you expect up front. Many of the gamers here are weekday worktime players and don't post on the weekends. But there is nothing wrong with a weekend heavy game if you ask for weekend players.

I enjoy writing, especially background and description. I like a little freedom to post longer occationally, but I'm not a big fan of long posts by players that include the npcs. As a DM I enjoy writing occational long descriptive scenes to set the stage for new situations.

I don't mind reading longer posts once in a while, especially to set the mood or descibe a new scene, but I don't always have time or desire to read the DM's latest novella with each post. I prefer mostly short posts made with a higher frequency.

I know a lot of players like to roll there own dice, but it is a pain for the DM and the players. So I guess I'm in the 'DM rolls the dice' camp, but currently in my games the players are doing there own rolls.

I like straight up games, mainly D&D 3.5. I don't have the time and money for other systems right now even though they have merit. I like adventures that have a mix of story telling, mystery, interaction and combat. Too much of any one element seems to spoil a game.

Conflict between players/characters and really screw up a game. Oddly, I've had more trouble with this in an established group rather than a game of strangers. Players come and go. Don't wirte an adventure that is dependent on a particular character. Sometimes you can find someone willing to take over an abandoned character, but most people prefer to come in fresh with a character of there own design. You didn't really ask, but I like games that let you start out higher than first level. In a regular game you can gain levels fairly quickly, but in play by post it can take months to get a level. If you start a first, then you are unlikely to get the chance to play many of the cool options of the latest edition. You only get a couple of feats at best, no prestige classes, no races with an LA, and few other interesting toys.

 

[MummyKitty]

Thanks for all the great ideas! It's inspiring me to get moving on an adventure for this format. Good point on starting at first level, Scotley... I'm thinking it would be good to start at a middle level, say 4-6th...

 

[Scotley]

Yes, some of the best games I've played started in that 4-6 range.