How to make a game last?

[Greenflame133]

I just realized that moust games I ever part take a part in usually not lest beyond 1 good fight. Never on this forum have I had to level up a character as games just don't last this long. This is bad as before finding out about d&d I was doing a lot of free form replaying and there stuff lasted way longer. (in terms of both total words used and post count.)

Is there anything a player can do to keep the game going?

[RFLS]

I just realized that moust games I ever part take a part in usually not lest beyond 1 good fight. Never on this forum have I had to level up a character as games just don't last this long. This is bad as before finding out about d&d I was doing a lot of free form replaying and there stuff lasted way longer. (in terms of both total words used and post count.)

Is there anything a player can do to keep the game going?

I'm guessing you're talking about PbPs on these forums. There are a few reasons. The first is that D&D in general (in all of its forms) is pretty intensive in its requirements for play. Sheet management and combat both take significant time investments. Missing a little bit once can mean you have to play catch-up, and that can just snowball. After that, it's a little harder to gauge intent of DM/players in a structured rules environment. Finally, resolving actions just takes longer with the dice rolling, which means that all of the other bits are compounded. Really, it takes joining a lot of games, even if they seem outside your wheelhouse. If you feel like a game is dying, message the players that are failing to post. Don't do it a lot, but it can save a game.

[Greenflame133]

Yes, your guess was right. Altho one game I did played irl had similar problems.

[RFLS]

Yes, your guess was right. Altho one game I did played irl had similar problems.

That's unfortunately (less so) common in IRL games, as well, although that's more for scheduling reasons. My best suggestion there is to try to introduce your friends to the hobby.

Another thing to note (and I mean no offense with this. It's not judgement/condescension/anything like that) - many PbP DMs will include in their (unstated) criteria for picking players that the players they choose post in clear, grammatically correct language. The posts in most of the games that last tend to be written more like novels or essays than spoken word. This is mostly done to minimize miscommunication. I absolutely recognize that there are good reasons to have trouble with this (English is a second/third/etc language, dyslexia, and others), but it is worth mentioning that the way you write your posts may have prevented you from entering a few games that would last a while. Again - this is not an attack. I want you to get what you're after and this seemed like something worth mentioning. I am sorry if this upsets you in any way.

[Knaight]

PbP is inherently prone to this, and certain systems (including every edition of D&D) can really cause it to drag. Games at an actual table or even over Skype/Discord or similar see much smaller problems in this regard, and your one example is a bit more of an outlier.

With that said - if you like and value the speed of freeform, and can work with that level of structure at all D&D might not be the best system for you. I'd look for something lighter and faster, grab some friends (either by getting together at a physical location or using Skype/Discord or similar), and play it.

[Greenflame133]

Perhaps an new system could work, are there any pretrial systems you would recommend?

[Knaight]

Perhaps an new system could work, are there any pretrial systems you would recommend?

I came from a similar RPG background and really found my footing with Fudge (http://www.fudgerpg.com/goodies/fudge-files/core/Fudge-1995-Bookmarked/), so I'd try there. It's also free, so it's at least worth checking out, and it drags less than D&D in combat over PbP (although it still drags a bit; it's a bit of an intrinsic weakness to PbP). There's a lot of good options though, and while Fudge was actually really unusual in offering a free .pdf when I found it, and the big aggregation sites weren't there yet that's changed dramatically - you can find digital reams on DrivethruRPG, including a large free section worth browsing.

[Darth Ultron]

The vast majority of PbP games don't last. Though this is only slightly less true for real life games. And really is generally true with any group activity. It's simply hard to get a number of people to do anything.

Sure, some people do have Major Life Emergencies like five minutes after they make their first post in a game thread.....and most of the rest, despite saying they ''want'' to play the game, oddly just fade away and don't even log in anymore.

There is no magic thing to do to make the game ''something'' so people will stay. All you can do is keep trying.

[Greenflame133]

Obviously there isn't one magical thing but there surly are some smaller things that can be done. One I found to be rather effective is group inactive

[Goaty14]

Maybe keep a pen of alternates in your backyard. Once players start to lose interest, you swap them out with alternates and again and again and agai- you get the idea. Mainly the thing is that there's a ton of hype at the beginning and then it drops like a rock when it actually starts.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that if you were able to get an "always recruiting" game popular, then you'd be able to keep the hype alive since people could (and would want to, hence the popularity aspect) go back and make another one.

TL;DR Keep hype going, swap out slow players.

[Kaptin Keen]

I just realized that moust games I ever part take a part in usually not lest beyond 1 good fight. Never on this forum have I had to level up a character as games just don't last this long. This is bad as before finding out about d&d I was doing a lot of free form replaying and there stuff lasted way longer. (in terms of both total words used and post count.)

Is there anything a player can do to keep the game going?

... I've never abandoned a game as a GM (or player, come to think of it). But players have left. You, for instance :p

Not pointing any fingers, if players aren't having fun, they shouldn't stay. And as a player, I've seen lots of GM's abandon their games too. As far as keeping a game alive - keep a decent posting rate, and if you find yourself dissatisfied, talk to your GM. Maybe reroll if your character begins to bore you.

[UrielAwakened]

You need a compelling story.

[2D8HP]

Both players and GM's bail.

Some "red flags" that I've noticed in GM's that seem to quit faster:


If a GM responded to a "request for a GM" thread instead of starting a recruitment thread themselves.

If they have PC's start more powerful than standard.

If they permit "Evil" PC's.

If they start combat early.

If they haven't a history of running PbP games before, but they do a big "info dump" of "macro" setting info (not "On the road up ahead you see...", but instead "10,000 years ago on the continent of...").

If they post lots of images and flavor text at first.



Red flags for players bailing include:


Special custom rules for their PC.

Long back-stories that they have their PC's give soliloquies about near the beginning of the game.



Basically if it looks like their posts are of a length and quality that don't look like they can be sustained, or if it seems like their goal was to have someone read some short fiction that they wrote, but not interact with others, then they seem more likely to quit early.

[Greenflame133]

So if DM starts a game in new thread as a response to "GM needed" post is that a red flag or not?

Also that point about powerful pcs, is it about PC controlled by DM or player?

[2D8HP]

So if DM starts a game in new thread as a response to "GM needed" post is that a red flag or not?


Yes.


Also that point about powerful pcs, is it about PC controlled by DM or player?


Keeping in mind that I've only played PbP for about two years (at this Forum only), what I've noted is that if it looks like the GM is offering "goodies" (high levels, magic items, higher point buy), to entice players, then yeah they seem more likely to bail than if PC's start "standard".

A BIG RED FLAG is if you have to "click" a link to another site to play ESPECIALLY if you have to create an account at the other site.

You're more likely to be accepted to play if you go for non 3.5/5e D&D games, but those don't last any longer.

The games that are most likely to last that you may join is one that has already lasted but has a new opening.

The longest lasting PbP game that I was privileged to play in was a new GM who didn't post many images at first, and provided very little setting background info, the ones with snazzy pictures and lots of initial background detail haven't lasted.

[inexorabletruth]

Hey Greenflame133,

I'd like to comment on post 1, for a sec.

Games on PbP, even in D&D can last a long time, but they seldom level up fast. I've been running a game for 3 years... the highest level character in the group is 5, and they all started at Lvl 1. If you're looking for a game with staying power, check the DM registries. I keep mine in my signature and it works as my resume, so to speak.

Look at their past games and see how successful they are. See if they've got the stamina to run the long games. You don't have to read every game, just look at how many pages long it is, or look at the timestamp of the first and last post.

Regardless of the system on PbP, the cornerstone to a long running campaign is an active and involved GM. Players may come and go, but if the GM isn't diligent enough to maintain an enticing game that is flexible enough to allow for player drop-off and recruitment, while still keeping the action/RP mix balanced just right for the active group's needs, then the game will inexorably putter.

So, keep your hopes high, and be emboldened to research your GMs before joining a campaign, so you can set yourself, and your character, for success in the coming years of high adventure!

[Darth Ultron]

In a general sense, it does not matter how spectacular the game is: chances are the game will just fall apart. It really does not matter what you do. It's bad enough that people ''suddenly'' say something like ''oh, I just started a new job'' out of the blue, but most people will just Utterly Vanish.

You can do a bit of research on each person. Do a forum search. If you can see they have stayed (or are even in) a long running game, that is a good sign they might stay in the new game.