Player/DM personality-type tests?

[Seharvepernfan]

I think the biggest problem when it comes to losing players and DMs (specifically in PbP games, but also IRL) is that their playstyles, sensibilities, and personalities just don't match, or maybe the DM says this, but means that.

How can we clear this up? Especially in a way that can be added to the Big 16?

Any ideas or suggestions?

[GnomeFighter]

Um, talk to each other about expectations before starting?

[Seharvepernfan]

Um, talk to each other about expectations before starting?

Um, clearly it's not obvious?

[Grinner]

In my experience, the least successful games are usually the ones that amount to "Hey guys! Let's play D&D! I wanna to play a Swordsage!" They may mention a setting, but probably don't. Somebody will offer to GM, and while he gets his act together, a bunch of people will post interest along with character concepts (usually amounting to "I wanna play a X!"). These concepts rarely match the setting and never align with one another. The GM has his own ideas but wants people to play, so he doesn't curtail characters. The end result is that you get these super-powered, player-controlled fiends* running around in a low-magic world. Basically, no one has any idea what they're doing and are not working with one another.

The more successful games are the ones which lay out everything in the recruitment thread. The more that the players know about the setting, the better off everyone will be. If the GM's expectations are made absolutely crystal clear, there's a better chance that the game will last longer than a month.

In short, the longer the first post in the recruitment thread is, the better the chance the game will reach completion.

*Not necessarily the D&D kind.

[Tengu_temp]

What kills so many PbP games is apathy and lack of dedication. These games are easy to pick up and easy to put down, because there are so many of them around and you don't have to look any disappointed players in the eye to tell them you quit. Here's how to make sure that won't happen:

1. Play with people you know outside of the game. Just like in tabletop, it's better to play with friends than complete strangers.
2. Run a very specific premise for the game. This will make it different from all the other generic PbPs, and it will attract players who are interested in this premise specifically and are less likely to quit.
3. Spell out everything you can think of up front - about your DMing style and what kind of players do you expect to have.
4. Be active, demand activity from the players. Nothing kills a PbP game more than slowness.

[Mhelisis]

If there's something that the players don't like in a DM, they should ask the potential DM to see if he's compatible. Everyone has their own criteria, so I don't think that you can make a universal list of questions.

Some people just don't know what they want. But even if you make a huge list, they will probably still be indecisive.

[Zorg]

RPG same page tool. (http://bankuei.wordpress.com/2010/03/27/the-same-page-tool/)

[Seharvepernfan]

RPG same page tool. (http://bankuei.wordpress.com/2010/03/27/the-same-page-tool/)

This is exactly the kind of thing I'm looking for. Thank you!

[Dimers]

I can see the Same Page Tool being useful, but what immediately came to mind to answer the OP was in 4e's DMG (the first one). Several pages were spent on describing different motivations for play and how to respond to each. VERY insightful, very easy to use. I bought the DMG just to have a better grasp of mechanics, but that section alone is worth the price. And it's not even slightly oriented toward 4e, or even toward D&D in general.

Don't like 4e? Don't want to spend money on this? Borrow a copy from a friend or a library and photocopy a few pages! :smallsmile:

[AttilaTheGeek]

RPG same page tool. (http://bankuei.wordpress.com/2010/03/27/the-same-page-tool/)

I would love for this to be added to the Big 16.

[TuggyNE]

I would love for this to be added to the Big 16.

It's actually more of a precursor, I'd say, defining what goes into it.

Also, no love for the Big 16's replacement?

[Verte]

I can see the Same Page Tool being useful, but what immediately came to mind to answer the OP was in 4e's DMG (the first one). Several pages were spent on describing different motivations for play and how to respond to each. VERY insightful, very easy to use. I bought the DMG just to have a better grasp of mechanics, but that section alone is worth the price. And it's not even slightly oriented toward 4e, or even toward D&D in general.

Don't like 4e? Don't want to spend money on this? Borrow a copy from a friend or a library and photocopy a few pages! :smallsmile:

Yeah, that was one of the better parts of the 4e DMG, especially since I think it's better to understand different playstyles beforehand instead of finding out several months after a big intraparty conflict. However, I think many of the same ideas came from Robin's Laws of Good Gamemastering.


It's actually more of a precursor, I'd say, defining what goes into it.

Also, no love for the Big 16's replacement?

I dunno, I think the Big 16 focuses mainly on rules variants and elements that define what character creation and the campaign will entail. The Same Page Tool seems to be a questionnaire to define playstyle beyond what's covered by the rules. The new Play-by-Post Questionnaire is good because it doesn't assume D&D 3.5 (while the Big 16 has a number of questions that do), but again, it doesn't delve into playstyle much. Basically, I think the Same Page Tool would serve as a supplement to those questionnaires.

[Deaxsa]

3.5e DMG2 has a large section about different play styles/why people play at teh beginning, not sure if that's what you want though. you'd have to read it yourself i don't remember all that much about it anymore.

[Scow2]

3.5e DMG2 has a large section about different play styles/why people play at teh beginning, not sure if that's what you want though. you'd have to read it yourself i don't remember all that much about it anymore.It is also portrays those playstyles in a simplistic and condescending manner, and spends way too much time telling you that you should railroad stuff. The 3.0 DMG had a lot of good advice, though.

[Greylond]

This post about GM Alignment is always fun...

http://rpglabyrinth.blogspot.com/2011/03/gamemaster-alignments.html

[mcbobbo]

RPG same page tool. (http://bankuei.wordpress.com/2010/03/27/the-same-page-tool/)

So that's an interesting tool, but the premise is a bit flawed. To draw on the author's own example, it is possible to play 'cards' at a friend's house where everyone gets to play Poker, Hearts, and Go Fish as desired. We call it dealer's choice. It's all about the communication and setting of expectations, but 'be flexible and tolerant' is a viable expectation for most non-purists.

I consider it a measure of GM skill to identify these preferences in my players. I then both cater to them and challenge them.

Some of the items on this list are incompatible, but most aren't.

For example, some sessions can be tight crunchy dungeon crawls and some can be mysteries.