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Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 Play By Post Questions - Page 9

I'm making this entry in the play by play questions, so I hope I don't need to say ooc first, no one else has. I'm wondering how this is going to work out with some players not present for days? Can this structure of game play actually work, shouldn't we all be present for a scheduled period of time for smooth game play?

Questions Post Play Dragons and Dungeons

The Dice Master says...

You really are a fussy guy for someone who just joined and created a character some hours ago. First of all it has been working before you got here and will continue to work long after - that is the whole idea of Play by Post, everyone does not have to be here at the same time. In addition, in case you have not noticed as yet this is an International Community which means everyone lives in different time zones and are usually professional with people to feed and so on, or in other words we can't all be here at the same time, all the time to play RPGs online. Next I do not know what you're talking about players not being online for days, as far as I am aware most involved in this AD&D Scenario administered by the GM are here daily. In fact based on the GM's schedule he will not be able to update til Tuesday because he works and takes time for his family and his wife who has cancer Sunday and Monday. Therefore this pattern works for some because it allows us to participate in some online RPGing and then actually get back to our real lives, if that can't work out for you then you may want to try starting your own RPG and invite players that can fit your schedule.

Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 Play By Post Questions Archive Pathfinder / D&D

I am very sorry, seriously. I wasn't trying to undermine anything. I'm a newb, I wasn't sure if the system would work. Obviously it does from what you say. I apologize if I've been irreverent in any way, that was not my intention.

Page 9 Questions Post Play Dragons and Dungeons

Dude relax man you're like in hyper mode. Go play some games in the Arcade if you don't know what to do with yourself.

Questions Post Play Dragons and Dungeons

Again, I apologize, please, understand I'm not trying to be difficult. I was only curious and was wondering about the game play. Thank you for the response, I'm truly sorry if I've overstepped my bounds. The question was in my head and JB said ask if you have questions. I don't know what else to say about this, I'm sorry.

Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 Play By Post Questions

Heya =)

Nothing to be sorry about, you're totally right, if you have questions, ask them, just like anywhere else - but better because most anybody that answers here is pretty knowledgeable, as opposed to 99% of the rest of the internet.

In this game, I'm the Party Leader - I'm the only one that makes the final post for our group, in the thread of that same title, and the GM posts in the Game thread.

I get the post for our group from (usually) getting ideas of what everyone wants to do in the Party thread, and then sort of try to combine those all as best I can, with my own judgment, into a final decision for the group, and meanwhile, when the GM isn't posting, you roleplay and discuss things in the Party thread.

This is the first time I've played anything here too, and in fact quite a few of us this is the first time playing this kind of game here, but it's not too bad - just took a little getting used to for me, still playing a lot by ear but I think overall things are going well. I've run a few forum RPGs on other forums but done it a bit differently, so it's interesting to see some different approaches.

Forum RPGs are more "turn based", rather than being real-time and yes, while it's true for a few of the ones I've ran, you do tend to lose occasional people who can't maintain their interest for a day or two before the GM updates, this seems to be a much more experienced and patient and active group, so I'm quite impressed.

So the ideal sequence is:

1. GM posts situation, any results from previous turns, and obvious options, in Game thread

2. Each player reads the GM's Game thread

3. Party discusses options, players each stating desired action in Party thread

3. Party Leader posts party's action(s) for GM to read

4. Repeat 1-3

The past couple of turns, I've made a couple of quick-decisions without consulting the party but I don't like doing that, and try to get group consensus, but I myself have my doubts about exactly how to play and what should and shouldn't be done sometimes, so I wing it, discuss it with the others and try to improve next time - nobody is being insulted or being judgmental or anything, it's just participating in a fun social activity with everybody having their say and all trying to work it all out.

Just don't get all ahead of yourself and mixed up - there's nothing to it, just go from point A to point B at your pace, nobody's going anywhere. =)

Edited: jpatt on 29th Nov, 2009 - 1:28am

Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 Play Post Questions - Page 9

Oliron I personally forgive you . Just kidding, you're alright man don't worry about it.

You have it down good jpatt.

I was thinking like we should have a set response for AD&D so we don't go all off on everything else and forget our rolls and actions.

Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 Play Post Questions D&D / Pathfinder Archive - Page 9

A set response? I don't follow. Another thread or a particular text style in the existing Party post (like OFFTOPIC), or something else?

When I ran/run games, usually I post then wait for everyone to make their turn's post (instead of a Party Leader), including any rolling or other requirement, all in the same thread ("PLAY"), and then make my next post with results from that one, etc. It makes the thread a bit longer quicker and not as easy to see or reference a particular post/differentiate GM from Player posts, in a glance, but everything is "in order", including the last time the GM or Players went, and whose turn it is and who hasn't posted yet. I can see where both styles have their potential strengths and weaknesses.

Now back to my question(s): do I wait every time to make a decision, for everyone to post their input and have a consensus, before posting any action in the Leader thread? Am I supposed to decide which action we finally take, out of the available options the players want? I'm not sure how long is an acceptable waiting period -if I'm supposed to make some decisions without a consensus or do we prefer to all have our say for each situation?

Some games do a "turnaround", where the game proceeds every 2 or 3 days or so, resolving whatever actions have been posted by Players, and the ones that didn't post within that time didn't do anything. Do we want to do something like that, where I wait a couple of days and then post whatever we have up in the Party thread, in the Leader thread? I don't care either way, as long as we're consistent. =)