Who here suffers from play by post lag? I can’t understand/ stand it. I start out my games like a cannonball, then a life- blip happens and, BB King said it best, the thrill is gone!
Yes, I include the games I am currently running in this demise.
Chronic PbP Burn-out
Re: Chronic PbP Burn-out
It's pretty common with PbP. I've seen or been in more games that have died from attrition than not. That said, when they are good, you remember them. So don't give up 
I think mostly the GM has to try and keep up the momentum up - without that foundation, the players will lose interest and wander off. Not that players don't do that sometimes anyway. It's a balancing act for sure.
Years ago I wrote some PbP tips, I think those are still useful. The format hasn't really changed since then.
https://smolderingwizard.wordpress.com/ ... mastering/
I think mostly the GM has to try and keep up the momentum up - without that foundation, the players will lose interest and wander off. Not that players don't do that sometimes anyway. It's a balancing act for sure.
Years ago I wrote some PbP tips, I think those are still useful. The format hasn't really changed since then.
https://smolderingwizard.wordpress.com/ ... mastering/
Re: Chronic PbP Burn-out
Heh... I saw this post and meant to reply, but was so dang busy I just got to it.
The first PbP I started on the Goblinoid forums lasted like 3 years, and was a post a day, didn't slow down till the last 5-6 months. The others I've started since then haven't lasted more than a year. Now Greyarea had some awesome PbPs that I've been in, a couple of which that ran for several years (I think Skull Mountain went for like 5 years if I'm not mistaken, maybe longer) and Tumblingdice campaign of Nights Dark Terror ran a couple years. All very memorable.
I've been laid off a couple times, and three kiddos, all of this stuff contributed to the burn out. I'm optimistic of my current campaign, my new job, consulting workload, and dad stuff has slowed me a bit, but not as bad as in days past.
One problem for me is picking adventures for PbPs. Case in point - the current one is super cool, its got TONS of adventure hooks and cool NPCs and goings on, but the problem I didn't foresee was how much time and non-fighting/adventuring it takes to set the stage and get things going. I appreciate the patience of everyone, but I know it's a snoozer till we get things moving. I try to keep the flavor high, but it's not exactly running away with action at the moment.
I'm thinking of starting a second PbP on here soon, but for maybe only 1-3 players, and it'll be a much more simple sandbox, no real background, and a quick jump into an adventure. This time I'll be planning this on the fly and being totally mindful that this is a PbP and trying to keep the action and movement as priority, and a little less focus on a really deep backstory. Thinking it might keep interest and momentum better with less interactions and more hack/slash/adventure. Not saying I'd do away with interactions, but just less emphasis and deep plot lines. I don't know if anyone would be interested though.
At one time I was playing in 8 PbPs across a couple sites, and now I'm just in the one here, and I really am having PbP withdrawals, and I'd like to get in a couple, but I have limited interest in what I want to play in.
I'm thankful for this site though, it's really helped keep my creative juices flowing, and more importantly - kept some important friendships going with a great group of guys. So I'm committed to churning through the great PbP burnout and reinvigorating some PbP action.
Now just need to find some gullible suckers interested folks for a new PbP....
The first PbP I started on the Goblinoid forums lasted like 3 years, and was a post a day, didn't slow down till the last 5-6 months. The others I've started since then haven't lasted more than a year. Now Greyarea had some awesome PbPs that I've been in, a couple of which that ran for several years (I think Skull Mountain went for like 5 years if I'm not mistaken, maybe longer) and Tumblingdice campaign of Nights Dark Terror ran a couple years. All very memorable.
I've been laid off a couple times, and three kiddos, all of this stuff contributed to the burn out. I'm optimistic of my current campaign, my new job, consulting workload, and dad stuff has slowed me a bit, but not as bad as in days past.
One problem for me is picking adventures for PbPs. Case in point - the current one is super cool, its got TONS of adventure hooks and cool NPCs and goings on, but the problem I didn't foresee was how much time and non-fighting/adventuring it takes to set the stage and get things going. I appreciate the patience of everyone, but I know it's a snoozer till we get things moving. I try to keep the flavor high, but it's not exactly running away with action at the moment.
I'm thinking of starting a second PbP on here soon, but for maybe only 1-3 players, and it'll be a much more simple sandbox, no real background, and a quick jump into an adventure. This time I'll be planning this on the fly and being totally mindful that this is a PbP and trying to keep the action and movement as priority, and a little less focus on a really deep backstory. Thinking it might keep interest and momentum better with less interactions and more hack/slash/adventure. Not saying I'd do away with interactions, but just less emphasis and deep plot lines. I don't know if anyone would be interested though.
At one time I was playing in 8 PbPs across a couple sites, and now I'm just in the one here, and I really am having PbP withdrawals, and I'd like to get in a couple, but I have limited interest in what I want to play in.
I'm thankful for this site though, it's really helped keep my creative juices flowing, and more importantly - kept some important friendships going with a great group of guys. So I'm committed to churning through the great PbP burnout and reinvigorating some PbP action.
Now just need to find some gullible suckers interested folks for a new PbP....
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tumblingdice
- Posts: 456
- Joined: Tue Oct 11, 2016 5:26 pm
- Location: Southern NH
Re: Chronic PbP Burn-out
Those are some helpful hints, merias. Thank you!
Like Brandon, I had a lot of momentum when I first started out on the Goblinoid Games forums. Blood Axe was a great DM--remember Lord Hawk and the missions he would send us on?--and I soon got brave enough to try running my own games using pre-published adventures. After a brief test adventure, The Sarcophagus Legion, which went well--I was not yet married and didn't have any kids--I started an adventure that took years to get just halfway through (Night's Dark Terror). The siege at Sukiskyn alone took months! The game became hit or miss as my family responsibilities increased, until I mercifully brought it to a close, and my group mercifully was cool about it.
I've tried a couple other adventures (Isle of Dread, Treasure Hunt, In Search of the Unknown here on this forum), but they all petered out quickly. Nothing, however, has been as big an epic disaster for me as Master of the Desert Nomads. I've had more false starts with that adventure than Spinal Tap has had drummers. I've tried running that on the GG forums, over at Unseen Servant, twice, I think; heck I've even thought about trying again here. There's wreckage from that module all over the place. And I still cling to the idea that someday I'll have the chance to run the whole thing, including its follow-up, Temple of Death.
As Brandon, who has run some great games, mentioned, Greyarea ran some great games as well, with some real longevity, 2 at the same time even. But it was really easy for me to fall behind in posting my characters' actions, especially when I wasn't finding time to DM my own game. Guilt would keep me away. Then I'd fall behind. Then I'd feel more guilty, etc.
I've met some fantastic role-players on these various forums, many of which I consider my real life friends now. To be honest, I'm more interested in maintaining those friendships, like talking about stuff here, than I am in actually playing the game. But Brandon makes a good point. Maybe if we streamlined our approach for play-by-post (e.g. Okay, you've learned the following rumors, and you're standing at the entrance to the dungeon. Now what?), we might be less daunted and keep better momentum. On the other hand, my wife, 4 kids, house and un-mowed lawn don't care if we skipped over the tavern scene and information gathering portion of the adventure, and got straight to the action. They're still not gonna let me sit down in front of the computer for an hour, uninterrupted. But maybe that will change one day.
Basically, everything Brandon said, just much less succinctly.
Like Brandon, I had a lot of momentum when I first started out on the Goblinoid Games forums. Blood Axe was a great DM--remember Lord Hawk and the missions he would send us on?--and I soon got brave enough to try running my own games using pre-published adventures. After a brief test adventure, The Sarcophagus Legion, which went well--I was not yet married and didn't have any kids--I started an adventure that took years to get just halfway through (Night's Dark Terror). The siege at Sukiskyn alone took months! The game became hit or miss as my family responsibilities increased, until I mercifully brought it to a close, and my group mercifully was cool about it.
I've tried a couple other adventures (Isle of Dread, Treasure Hunt, In Search of the Unknown here on this forum), but they all petered out quickly. Nothing, however, has been as big an epic disaster for me as Master of the Desert Nomads. I've had more false starts with that adventure than Spinal Tap has had drummers. I've tried running that on the GG forums, over at Unseen Servant, twice, I think; heck I've even thought about trying again here. There's wreckage from that module all over the place. And I still cling to the idea that someday I'll have the chance to run the whole thing, including its follow-up, Temple of Death.
As Brandon, who has run some great games, mentioned, Greyarea ran some great games as well, with some real longevity, 2 at the same time even. But it was really easy for me to fall behind in posting my characters' actions, especially when I wasn't finding time to DM my own game. Guilt would keep me away. Then I'd fall behind. Then I'd feel more guilty, etc.
I've met some fantastic role-players on these various forums, many of which I consider my real life friends now. To be honest, I'm more interested in maintaining those friendships, like talking about stuff here, than I am in actually playing the game. But Brandon makes a good point. Maybe if we streamlined our approach for play-by-post (e.g. Okay, you've learned the following rumors, and you're standing at the entrance to the dungeon. Now what?), we might be less daunted and keep better momentum. On the other hand, my wife, 4 kids, house and un-mowed lawn don't care if we skipped over the tavern scene and information gathering portion of the adventure, and got straight to the action. They're still not gonna let me sit down in front of the computer for an hour, uninterrupted. But maybe that will change one day.
Basically, everything Brandon said, just much less succinctly.
Re: Chronic PbP Burn-out
I always look at PbP as a different game, with the same base, as D&D. I really enjoy both ways of playing, but differently. Folks can play in a couple different PbP games because all it takes is a quick post. But DMs have to put a lot of time in. I found myself, when I DMed PbP putting in the same time committee to prepping, once or twice a week, as I was prepping for my every other week FtF game. It was a commitment! I miss it though and might have to get back into it soon.
Holy Schmidt He swears by his pretty floral bonnet...
Cure Light Wounds -- 3/3
Hold Person — 1/1
Updated: 4/16/2024
Bind wounds for 1d3 after each combat
Cure Light Wounds -- 3/3
Hold Person — 1/1
Updated: 4/16/2024
Bind wounds for 1d3 after each combat
Re: Chronic PbP Burn-out
I've preserved some of the games you guys are mentioning here, in a 2017 snapshot of the full Goblinoid forums, just before Dan shut the PbP games down there. Some good reading there.
https://osr.smolderingwizard.com/gg/gob ... index.html
https://osr.smolderingwizard.com/gg/gob ... index.html
Re: Chronic PbP Burn-out
Oh my gosh. Good stuff!merias wrote: ↑Fri Aug 05, 2022 1:25 amI've preserved some of the games you guys are mentioning here, in a 2017 snapshot of the full Goblinoid forums, just before Dan shut the PbP games down there. Some good reading there.
https://osr.smolderingwizard.com/gg/gob ... index.html
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tumblingdice
- Posts: 456
- Joined: Tue Oct 11, 2016 5:26 pm
- Location: Southern NH
Re: Chronic PbP Burn-out
That's some deep magic from the dawn of time stuff there.
Here's some even deeper magic from before the dawn of time. Unfortunately only the first page of the threads have been archived.
https://web.archive.org/web/20100121155 ... inoidgames
Here's some even deeper magic from before the dawn of time. Unfortunately only the first page of the threads have been archived.
https://web.archive.org/web/20100121155 ... inoidgames