It can an be so frustrating to check out a game after days only to see its in the SAME position you left it. It takes the excitement out of the game and most of all role-playing. For me its the responsibility of the GM to keep things moving and not beg players to be there. If the players want to play then you will see their role-play if not let them return to their in game home and let the real adventures actually do that --> adventure! Rant over, do I hear an "Amen"?
Waiting For Slow Players In Role-Playing Games (Hover)
Even though I don't really play some games that I see in this forum like Dungeons & Dragons or Pathfinder I do notice that some games from some Game Master's are a bit slow on the updates sometimes but remember that it could also be the players as well that can slow them down as well. Those Game Master's should put some kind of 'penalty' for the players who took too long (Just like in JB's role-playing games) to put the character's actions to keep the game moving.
Edited: Felipe on 31st Jul, 2013 - 7:46pm
Funny, I just suggested the penalty thing in one of the Member Wars Role-playing Games I play. The thing is if players feel you're going to wait on them then they'll take their sweet time, if they know their character is going to lose out somehow then they'll be fast about showing up.
Great topic. Yes, penalties work very well for me. Throughout the years I've heard (Read) all kinds of excuses about why a Player can't participate regularly. Most of the time they may be genuine real life situations a Player cannot participate and other times they are simply slack excuses. Regardless, I cannot stop a whole game for one person, if they can't play, no problem but I do not hold back the joy for others because of one Player's issues.
The other point, many are not privy too, is that I actually do see people logging in DAILY and checking the SAME Threads they are participating in (Like the Member Wars Board) but they only actually reply after many days so its not that they have not been online but for whatever reason they simply chose not to reply - strange. I do notice some players do like you to caress and hold their hand to participate, it may even delight them that you are holding up the game just for them - those kinds of Players never last.
I think that is a Member Wars thing because it doesn't really happen in the other Role-playing Games here so like my condolences to the anguish you're experiencing Krusten.
When real life problems creep up its hard to maintain game participation, I have no problem with it - life happens. My only suggestion is just let everyone know that they shouldn't expect you.
Some of them don't even like coming back to say they can't be there so you figure that out on your own but I think what Krusten is trying to say is whomever runs the game shouldn't be waiting for them.