The Problems of the Forum Game

[LordKruelos]

It seems like there's a real lack of forum games lasting here, I found myself wondering why earlier (the little things one imagines while at work).

These are the two articles I found that give some pretty solid advice on PBEMs, but many of them seem to me to remain relevant:


http://www.moglit.demon.co.uk/rpg/pbem/pbemmr3.htm

http://www.sabledrake.com/2000a/rules_pbem.htm

Let's try this again :http://www.crafty-games.com/forum/index.php?topic=1402.0

This time, I'm going to use a set of Pre-gen characters that Psion posted and that I've tweaked a bit for my own use, which will both help me test them out in-game and cut down on the work you as players have to do to get started.

Thoughts?

[Mister Andersen]

Don't use pre-gens. They don't tend to be as interesting or involving to players as the characters they create themselves.

[LordKruelos]

Don't use pre-gens. They don't tend to be as interesting or involving to players as the characters they create themselves.

Usually I would agree, however it seems one of the barriers to people playing is the effort required in typing up a character.  Presenting these actually gives you a jump start on playing, rather than waiting the X number of days to see who cares enough to actually type out a character.

Take a look (even at it's lowest setting, which blacks out the pictures you might find it still cool)  http://www.freewebs.com/sdirective/Pregen%20Characters%204th%20level%202008%20%28small2%29.pdf

[Psion]

You changed Major Tom's codename to Mars, but cross references still refer to him as Major Tom.

[Mister Andersen]

Usually I would agree, however it seems one of the barriers to people playing is the effort required in typing up a character.

At the same time it also acts as a filter to weed out the less dedicated, but I see your point

[NezMaster]

I tried once, and I'd like to try again, but i really dropped the ball last time. I lost computer access at precisely the wrong time for about two months, by the time I came back, I couldn't get myself to run the game.

I've never succesfully been in/run a pbem game. I'd love to be in one, but I've just all confidence in my ability to run one at this point.

[Mister Andersen]

Some I'd also consider is simultaneos initiative - surprise rounds aside, everyone acts together.

[Psion]

Some I'd also consider is simultaneos initiative - surprise rounds aside, everyone acts together.

A house rule I use is: initiative is "per side". You still roll initiative as per normal, but after the first round you break it down into a cycle of PCs act/opposition acts.

[LordKruelos]

Some I'd also consider is simultaneos initiative - surprise rounds aside, everyone acts together.

A house rule I use is: initiative is "per side". You still roll initiative as per normal, but after the first round you break it down into a cycle of PCs act/opposition acts.

I can see that working, I honestly would be more inclined to try the semi-simultaneous approach, with contingencies. Having some basic contingency plans would allow the game to keep moving if one character stops responding for awhile. 6 seconds goes by pretty quick.

[LordKruelos]

You changed Major Tom's codename to Mars, but cross references still refer to him as Major Tom.

That'll get ironed-out -- again, version control rears its ugly head (I had one version where I'd done the replace already).  Much as I love me some Bowie (and, in related news, the Venture Bros), I generally operate under the belief that agent codenames shouldn't be 1) more than 2 (and rarely 3) syllables, and shouldn't contain that agent's name.  Totally an irrational personal prejudice, I admit.