Quote Originally Posted by Mai View Post
Yes, in person / over skype / whatever as opposed to play by post. Someone mentioned gming by post was harder.

I think I can make some educated guessed but... Was hoping some o be would elaborate.
Hmm well I think it depends on the person. For example, there's no way I'd be able to run a live group, because I don't ever have significant blocks of free time to set aside. So for me, you could say that face-to-face GMing is harder (because it's impossible).

There are some unique challenges to PbP though, such as:
  • The slower pace can make it harder to keep people's attention.
  • You need at least passable writing abilities.
  • Organising and managing information in a purely digital space isn't always easy (though this one cuts both ways).
  • Some people might find it harder to communicate emotions without being able to use body language. This can also exacerbate OOC drama if people misunderstand each other.
  • Things that slow the game down, like initiative order or things that interrupt other people's turns become problematic in ways they wouldn't be at a table - which means the GM has to take them into account when planning.
  • You'll usually be gaming with strangers, and there's generally less investment in the game.
  • You can't play when the site goes down.

It's nothing that can't be overcome, of course. And there are positives as well.