Types of gameplay

[LostSoul]

You don't need a bloody questionnaire.

I think the point of having a questionnare is so that you don't end up sitting around with "What do you want to do?" being asked over and over again. Everyone's on the same page about what things people want to see in the game.

I think you could avoid the questionnaire in a number of different ways. Simply asking the player, "What does your PC want to accomplish? How do you imagine your PC getting to that point?" might suffice.

 

[Lord Mhoram]

I went with revealed linear.

When the PCs are being created, I talk to them about the characters personalies, goals, and where, story wise they wan the character to be in a year, in 2, in 5. Then I take what kind of stories the PCs want to tell with thier characters, mix them up, and come up with intervweaving plots to give them the opportunity to do what they wanted to do with the characters.

So there is sort of a metaplot - but it was created not by me, but by my players/characters' desires and wants rather than mine. I have a base world usually in mind, and then when the PCs are built I completely tailor said world to them.

For Example - I have a SF universe with knightly types and a corrupt government.

Mark wants to have "the last of the noble nights, who's father is a major bad guy, and he wants to redeem him" - so I change the world so that the knightly order is in history, and develop NPCs and plot thread to lead to the reveal and saving of the character's father.

Harry want to run a down on his luck smuggler with a heart of gold, and want his character storyline to be the personal redemption of the character. I work out situations that allow the character to choose the right thing to do.

Peter just want to run a big combat moster, also as a bit of comedy relief. So I set that up, and have plenty of combat, and pilot stuff.

Carrie wants to play a princess who's family has been fighting the corrupt government. And she tells me "I want to have a big secret in my past, that I find out about in play, and I want you to come up with it" - so I decide that her and Mark's characters are siblings.

Then I start running the adventure where they all meet, and work together and away we go.

 

[Mark CMG]

Our group was doing some one-shots up until the holidays after which we will hopefully gather a couple of additional players and get back to the dynamic game. Usually, though, I'll run a pre-set scenario or two with newer players to be sure they are going to get along with the other players because I dislike when a player who hasn't been working out leaves a group after things have gotten involved. It can take some time to get a tight group and a campaign going but once it's in high gear, Dynamic is my preferred style of DMing.

 

[LostSoul]

Mark

Harry

Peter

Carrie

Sounds like it would make a good movie!

 

[shilsen]

Dynamic, but without a number of the appurtenances you have in your description of the type.

 

[el-remmen]

Type Four: Concealed/Dynamic

 

[kanithardm]

Other, I make a world, drop them in it and say "Have fun!"

 

[BWP]

I try to get as much input from the players as I can, to provide storylines they want, and incorporate what they want into storylines that I want myself. I guess dynamic under your options. I have an idea of what I want to do, and I want to mix it with any ideas the players may have.

I chose "Other", and it's very like the above, with the exception that the players don't so much choose "storylines" for themselves; rather, they decide what they want their characters to do (in general terms), and they trust that I as DM will provide interesting adventures for them as they go along. These "interesting adventures" may or may not tie into an over-arching metaplot that I gradually pull together as the campaign proceeds; sometimes the requirements of this metaplot leads me to nudge the players in one direction or another, but they (hopefully) rarely feel that they're being railroaded into doing any one particular thing.

 

[Steel_Wind]

This type is potentially both the hardest to pull off for all involved and the most rewarding to run or play.

Why do I feel:

A - This thread's terminology originated on RPG.net; and,
B - The Original Poster has already decided what is "best" and wants to know how many agree with him?

Not meant to be a flame. The poll is legitimate and on-topic, but it does come off more than a little biased and judgmental.

 

[megamania]

Option Four: Free will / Free style

I let players create WHATEVER they want using 32 point buy. I will give hints of the storyline if they are uncertain or a role needs filling.
Then I run an introductionary adventure. I see what the players react to the most and tweak the further adventures to that wjile staying within the plot guideline I created.

EXAMPLE:
THE CREATION SCHEMA

Began with talking about the new game world : Eberron.

Listened to what interested them then set up an adventure that worked best with these characters.

Did an adventure or two. Looked at what I could do link everything together and gave players final options to switch out characters. I then wanted backgrounds for the existing characters.

Backgrounds used to keep adventures personal and help them better visualize their character

Then set up 3-4 ways I can keep group on target with adventure and let players stumble onto or find the adventure.

Even now, while they work for House Cannith, I give them several options whenever I can. I know how these options can lead to my goal but it is THEIR input that structures much of the adventure.

Throw in fun, food and laughs and its all good.