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View Full Version : An idea I had for PbP games...



Eldan
2011-03-31, 03:36 AM
We all know it: for some reason, players always drop out frequently in PbP games (on these boards more than others, but it's a general issue).

So, I had an idea. How about a murder mystery game with a twist? You start with maybe a dozen players, a DM and a co-DM (to keep things running. His main job would be to kick the DM into gear when he gets lazy) and a time limit. Say, three days.

Whenever a player doesn't post for 72 hours, they automatically turn NPC and are designated as the next murder victim.

Opinions?

Tengu_temp
2011-03-31, 03:43 AM
Killing inactive PCs or making them mysteriously disappear (thus providing a plot hook!) is something I've already been doing in my games, so I approve.

EccentricCircle
2011-03-31, 03:43 AM
that sounds like an awesome idea to me. although you could run out of players quite quickly...

Eldan
2011-03-31, 03:47 AM
It does, however, have the added benefit to quickly sift through a pool to find reliable players. I've killed characters as plot hooks before, but with a standard 3-6 person party, you run out fast. You kill the first two because they don't even show up in the game, another one because he stops posting after a page and the other three get frustrated because they don't have anyone left to interact with.

That's why I'd do a party of a dozen people. You can kill eight in the first week, and hopefully the four survivors will be dedicated.

EccentricCircle
2011-03-31, 03:56 AM
That would be good.
what would you do about people with a genuine excuse for not being able to post, Internet fails, suddenly have to go away for the weekend etc?

Eldan
2011-03-31, 03:58 AM
Well... if they actually post with an excuse...

You can always find a way to bring them back. Usually, people who disappear are just gone. (Then come back to apply for your next game, sometimes :smallsigh:)

Sydonai
2011-03-31, 09:21 PM
Ah, the "identical twin" method.

Eldan
2011-04-01, 02:18 AM
Eh. D&D has tons of ways to do it. Shapeshifters are easy. Or Illusions. Or Time Travel.

Sydonai
2011-04-01, 06:23 AM
Time-Travel is to much of a pain in the neck to use, it never works right and you get the Inevitables angry.

Reynard
2011-04-01, 07:17 AM
Time-Travel is to much of a pain in the neck to use, it never works right and you get the Inevitables angry.

Two good reasons for it against one against is alright in my books.

And, oh god yes. I've had people killed, kidnapped, eaten, NPCificated, made into the BBEG's slave/apprentice/b*itch.

And I've got a... well. A blacklist, of people I won't accept into my games without a lot of persuasion.

So yeah, this idea appeals, and is kinda how my current game ended up, with 6/8 of the original players either refusing to post, or vanishing off of the face of the earth. So now only two of them remain, plus some other people who were interested in joining a game.