GM Tips, Tricks, & General Advice

[Hibernate_Paths]

I'd would seriously be happy if even one player were to read this and then post a campaign that got to at least 1000 posts. So far I don't think any one has been inspired enough by this forum to even start a game. Still... build it and they will come, right?

Have no fear, I am one inspired at least. I mean, I was thinking of running a game already, but this thread has given me some confidence and motivation to forge ahead. Just taking my time to get everything together. :rolleyes:

I'd love to run a game to 1,000 posts or more...and that leads to another question, if you don't mind. Your Crimson Throne campaign is quite long lived. Any tips for longevity? You know...keeping players interested, keeping the DM interested, how to keep the plot interesting enough to invest in, etc. I have an idea that group synergy would play a part, and also encounter variation (see, I'm paying attention!), but anything else you could speak to would be great.

ps- your vampire encounter is very cool. Hope ya'll don't mind ppl reading your game over your shoulders.

[cailano]

Have no fear, I am one inspired at least. I mean, I was thinking of running a game already, but this thread has given me some confidence and motivation to forge ahead. Just taking my time to get everything together. :rolleyes:

I'd love to run a game to 1,000 posts or more...and that leads to another question, if you don't mind. Your Crimson Throne campaign is quite long lived. Any tips for longevity? You know...keeping players interested, keeping the DM interested, how to keep the plot interesting enough to invest in, etc. I have an idea that group synergy would play a part, and also encounter variation (see, I'm paying attention!), but anything else you could speak to would be great.

ps- you vampire encounter is very cool. Hope ya'll don't mind ppl reading your game over your shoulders.

Not at all man, thanks for reading. I'm even thinking of posting a thread on there for "lurker" comments. I wish I could take a hundred players but since I can't at least its a place for those enjoying the campaign for the outside to post things like "don't go down there!" for the players. Haha.

Biggest thing for longevity: Pacing. If you as the gamemaster are posting ten times a day and have plenty of encounters planned, your game will be a success.

Group synergy is a big thing. I'd take a look over at the players in D academy and see if anyone there seems like somone you want to game with. Maybe you can supplement / replace open recruitment with this. I didn't have any option for that when I first joined, and I got very lucky with my group of players.

There can be a bit of personality juggling as the gamemaster. One thing I implemented early on was a rule against player arguing on the forum. The characters could argue, but not the players. I also broke up one intra party fight early on. The way that group has gelled over time is one of my favorite things about that game. They started out with some conflicts but these days they're pretty tight. It took us months to get there though.

[Garrett Bishop]

Have no fear, I am one inspired at least. I mean, I was thinking of running a game already, but this thread has given me some confidence and motivation to forge ahead. Just taking my time to get everything together. :rolleyes:

I'd love to run a game to 1,000 posts or more...and that leads to another question, if you don't mind. Your Crimson Throne campaign is quite long lived. Any tips for longevity? You know...keeping players interested, keeping the DM interested, how to keep the plot interesting enough to invest in, etc. I have an idea that group synergy would play a part, and also encounter variation (see, I'm paying attention!), but anything else you could speak to would be great.

ps- your vampire encounter is very cool. Hope ya'll don't mind ppl reading your game over your shoulders.

I play Koral the Female Rogue, and I don't mind at all if people read our game.

Also I think that the way Cailano has kept us all interested is, he makes it interesting. He also knows when to give us a boot in the ass, and when not to.

As for group synergy that is complicated. In the beginning we had a character that just wasn't going to fit. And he ended up leaving on his own (With a pocket full of the groups gold no less) but the rest of the group have their ups and downs but that's part of what makes it fun. The disagreements IC etc, and I won't relate the Koral & Lazlo encounter, just so I don't damage his dignity, but if you read our forum you will find it. It was a very memorable scene. One that we still don't let Lazlo live down.

[RaistlinMC]

Hey, I play Giogen the monk, by the way. And I think it's awesome that people are reading our game and enjoying it

I'm with Garrett on every point there. Cai is something special as a DM, no question.

I will say this, for what it's worth. I have one piece of advice for keeping a game running (length, as in months, and thousands of posts):

You have to post every day as a DM. If you can't, tell folks so they aren't waiting. If you can, post just a little something to nudge the game along when you're busy. Tell folks they come upon something and to roll perception. But give them something.

Because most folks aren't Cai here, who can go away for three weeks and come back to find every player still there, waiting and happy to do so. If you want a game to work as a PbP DM, you don't have to play all day (though it's a fun luxury for you and your players on the rare days that you can)...but you should be able to play a little almost every day.

[Hibernate_Paths]

Very good. And yes, I value you players' input on longevity as much as the DM because it's good to know what keeps you guys around! Thanks.

[willvr]

Posting every day - depends. What's more important than posting every day; is posting on a regular, known schedule. I don't run any games here; but I run a couple on another site. I don't post every day; I don't post weekends. But my players know this; and haven't really had any problems.

Group dynamics is important; but it's also important to know the difference between IC issues and OOC issues. And to not necessarily judge on first impressions. I'm on a game here; and me and another player had disagreements on first. We moved on past it though; and I now judge him to be one of the better players I've played with online.

[willvr]

I'd also like to comment on equipping your boss fights -

It's okay to have them have good items sometimes. They don't all have to be used up. Because the players will value equipment they found through the hard win of beating a villain much more than stuff they've bought.

[Garrett Bishop]

Posting every day - depends. What's more important than posting every day; is posting on a regular, known schedule. I don't run any games here; but I run a couple on another site. I don't post every day; I don't post weekends. But my players know this; and haven't really had any problems.

Group dynamics is important; but it's also important to know the difference between IC issues and OOC issues. And to not necessarily judge on first impressions. I'm on a game here; and me and another player had disagreements on first. We moved on past it though; and I now judge him to be one of the better players I've played with online.

A lot of people say that they cannot post everyday. Okay if your in prison then I agree, but it only takes 1/10th the time it takes to read the newspaper, have a cup of coffee to put up a post. Maybe I am just a fanatic, but I don't think that anyone is so busy that they can't at least post a short post everyday.

That's just me.

[willvr]

And I'm not going to take /any/ time away from my family to post to a PBP game. I get home during the week; my son is straight off to bed just about. And no; it doesn't take that little amount of time; especially in combat situations.

[Garrett Bishop]

And I'm not going to take /any/ time away from my family to post to a PBP game. I get home during the week; my son is straight off to bed just about. And no; it doesn't take that little amount of time; especially in combat situations.

Woah man, cool down. No one is asking you to take any time away from your family, but I can do this.

Attack 1 [roll0]
Attack 1 [roll1]
Attack 1 [roll2]
Attack 1 [roll3]
Attack 1 [roll4]
Attack 1 [roll5]

And that didn't take me more than 20-30 seconds. I'm just saying.

[Garrett Bishop]

Cai feel free to delete my posts because they are really detrimental to what you are trying to accomplish here, which I think is great. I was just trying to point out that DM presence is a big thing, even if it is just one sentence, so that your characters know that you are still kickin'

Sad to say that he took what I said the wrong way, and I apologize for that. Anywho. Delete these if you wanna. Actually you probably should.

Garrett

[cailano]

Sorry Garrett, I don't actually have delete powers on this thread, since this is Blackfox's forum.

While we're on the subject of that, I'd like to personally applaud Blackfox for starting the D Academy. I think its great that there are people on TTW like Blackfox that are actively taking their own time to spread this hobby of ours.

As far as the family time vs. game time argument, of course I think everyone would agree that family is more important than playing an RPG, or just about anything else one could reasonably name.

On the other hand, we gamers are also members of our families, and we deserve a little play time too.

As far as posting everyday, it seems Willlvr and likely others have found a way around it. Myself, I wouldn't recommend it especially early on in your campaign. Everyone misses a day or two now and then. As some of my players have mentioned, I once got so busy that I had to take a hiatus of three weeks. It happens. Just be aware before you're going to start a game that you'll need to commit a certain amount of time to it.

How much time to post ten times a day? If you aren't in the middle of a combat you'll probably check the site three times a day, for about ten minutes per time. Thirty minutes a day. If you are in the middle of a big scene, that could go to an hour a day or more, depending on how into it you are, if you're using battle maps, etc.

Don't forget prep time. This can be dramatically reduced by using a published campaign like I do, but Ra-Thalun has said he saves time by making everything in his campaign up and his game is very successful. I think it just depends on personal style.

Me, I love gaming. I'd sit around and post all day if someone would just pay my bills for me. I'd run three or four games just as busy as my current one. Not everyone is quite that committed, but its all about doing the things that make you happy.

[Garrett Bishop]

I'd like to touch on Wish Spells.

Hey all,

I am a very old school gamer, and I think that RPG's without the wish spell would be lacking. The reason I say this is because if someone were to wish for something way out of line like, "I want to be King of a region" you could have so much fun having that character try and prove that the man who holds the thrown is in fact a usurper, and you are the true king. Ok yeah that is large scale.

If a player wished for 1 Million gold then have it given to him, but he has to go and find it, and trudge it back home past all of the demons, dragons, etc.

Same thing for "I wish my mother was still alive and not an undead." Maybe the mother was on another continent, or had a whole different family.....

I just don't think that any spells, or magic items should be banned. You as a GM can always throw a twist onto it.

Garrett.

[willvr]

I agree with that; which is why I post multiple times a day during the week. I'd probably do weekends more if I didn't run an RL game.

Prepared adventures also have players more likely to come back; especially if they're DnD adventures. (I've seen Pathfinder adventure paths advertised frequently; but I haven't seen Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil (for example) advertised for a long time).

I use prepared modules; but does make running combats long some times; as they're often more tricked out that I would make my monsters.

[willvr]

I don't ban any core stuff; but some of the stuff from optional books I do ban; even if I allow the book in general.