Anyone ever finished a PbP game?

[Jalor]

I've played in 30+ play-by-post RPGs on this forum and others, in five different systems spanning dozens of various settings. Of all of these games, only two ever made it past the first combat. One lasted three encounters before the DM vanished, and the other was a one-shot adventure in which everyone but me and the DM dissappeared during the first week. He DMPCd everyone else's characters and we finished the game on our own. Every other game has died within three weeks, due to either the DM or all the players quitting without warning. I've seen games where the DM demanded a 500 word background and then dumped us before the first encounter. I've seen games where out of 6 players and 8 alternates, I was the only one to stick around.

Has anyone had a good experience with a PbP game, or any advice for keeping one alive?

Tl;dr: PbP sucks. Anyone disagree?

[Mystic Muse]

I like PbP although I have no advice for keeping games going.

on a side not what's tl;dr?

[Schism]

Too long; didn't read.

[Mystic Muse]

ah okay.

sorry for your bad experiences Jalor.

[Godskook]

I'm on pbp game #3 right now that's actually gotten off the ground and into the IC. Game #2 is so far my record for longest game played at 14 pages, and hopefully, it doesn't die here, since it still has some decent potential going for it. Game #1, lasted a disappointing 2 pages.

[Sinfire Titan]

Nope. Note that these ones are only a fraction of the originals, which were devoured when Gleemax "upgraded" a few days ago. Both the Gleemax version and this one have the honor of being the longest threads I've ever started (with the Gleemax's Recruiting thread hitting roughly 50 pages with 50 posts/page, and the BG version getting 72 pages at the rate of 30 posts/page).

Can you really blame it for dying? 6 campaigns set in the same world, with a massive background story and at least 5 or even 8 players per game. Each of those players was using a Gestalt build. It was a massive undertaking, and I bit off more than I could chew. I regret letting it die out, but I draw a lot of inspiration from the failure (and popularity) of that campaign.

My current PbP has hit 16 pages, and is slowly gaining. Those 16 pages make up all of 2 days and 3 encounters worth of action. I'm going through some lengths to keep this one from dying out entirely.

[SurlySeraph]

I'm currently in one that's on its fourth encounter (but still on its first day). It's been going for a while.

I've seen a few on these boards that were extremely long-running, like The Necromancer's Pact. I've also seen some, like the first iteration of Total War 2125, that went to a satisfactory conclusion.

I think the most important factors in longevity are that the DM is committed, everyone posts regularly, and the players actually want to play. If the players like the plot, like playing their characters, and like the characters the other players are playing, then it's more likely to hold together.

[Jalor]

I've tried to ensure good and dedicated players, but I can't control who gets approved when I'm not the DM. I do, however, have a PbP blacklist that takes up a page and a half of single-spaced 12 point Verdana. It's to the point where I'm likely to run invitation-only games and nothing else.

[skywalker]

I've tried to ensure good and dedicated players, but I can't control who gets approved when I'm not the DM. I do, however, have a PbP blacklist that takes up a page and a half of single-spaced 12 point Verdana. It's to the point where I'm likely to run invitation-only games and nothing else.

Damn man... That's pretty intense...

*hopes he's not on any blacklists...*

[Mystic Muse]

I hope I'm not one one of your blacklists

I only have one name on mine but it's an IRL name so I won't mention it here.

[The Glyphstone]

I've only ever finished one - it was a short one-shot adventure. If I remember right, it was level 4 or 5 Gestalt, and all four players were siblings of a powerful adventurer couple and needed a suitable anniversary present, so we went and raided some evil wizard's tower for a magical artifact of some sort. I played a Fighter/Cleric of Kord, and actually Bull Rushed someone...and it was before Dungeonscape came out, so no Dungeoncrasher. I'd never even heard of optimization back then, but it was still loads of fun.

[Keld Denar]

Blacklists are fine, as long as you don't publish them anywhere. That makes Mr St Jude mad (cause its against Teh Rulez). Same with white lists, btw.

That said, after having gotten into my first couple games, many of the rest of the games I've been in have either been either games I've been refered to, or games I've refered a few other plays that I can vouch for.

As far as those games go, I've been pretty lucky. I've only had 3 die out, and to be honest, I was not expecting one to last. Some update less often, and some more. I think the longest have been through a dozen encounters at least, and one has involved a level up and another will if we survive the current encounter (really touch encounter!). I'm in about 10 active games right now and apping into 3 more, 2 of which I've pretty much already been approved for.

I guess my advice is to get to know people. Even if a game dies, you can generally get a good feel for others. Talk to the people who were active and see what games they are joining or running and get in. Be active. Just like in real life, networking is key. You could be the best roleplayer/character builder/combat tactician, but you could run a gambit of bad luck and never get accepted. A lot of it is in presentation and who you know.

[Skorj]

I'm going to do my best to see that my new PbP game doesn't die! I've never quite understood why someone would do the work to make a build and join a game, and then drop almost at once.

EDIT:

I guess my advice is to get to know people. Even if a game dies, you can generally get a good feel for others. Talk to the people who were active and see what games they are joining or running and get in. Be active. Just like in real life, networking is key. You could be the best roleplayer/character builder/combat tactician, but you could run a gambit of bad luck and never get accepted. A lot of it is in presentation and who you know.

I just realized that this is the exact same advice that works for getting a good PUG and then guild in an MMO. I guess that's not surprising really.

[Resident Fool]

I've only ever actually participated in one play by post game before, and... well, it wasn't pretty.

The first encounter was one of those things that is "impossible to defeat". You know, no matter what you do to it it does nothing. Cast a spell with an obscene will save and it makes it. Hits you every time, but you can't even it it once. Anyway, this guy (Some kind of expert fighter or something?) grabbed my bard and teleported away. I didn't even get an opposed grapple check, or a save against the teleport. I was just gone.

This DM proceeded to describe, in excruciating detail, how this guy repeatedly raped my character. I don't know why I was still playing at this point, but I tried a few things to escape. Picking the locks, escape artist (I was playing a very rogue-like bard, as far as skills go), the works. Every time it was always just "No, it doesn't work."


I finally got pissed and left the game. That was about two months ago, and I'm just now looking into play-by-post again. These forums here look pretty good though, so I think that shouldn't happen? D:!

[Lycan 01]

I was in one for several months, before my character died due to a bad roll involving a grenade.


I hosted a freeform game on another forum for almost a year, but then my computer died right when they were about to get to the BBEG.


Most pbp games I've joined, though, didn't work out too well. I had to quit two of them for various reasons, although the DM dissappeared on the 2nd one around the time I dropped out. I've Kept two Call of Cthulhu games on here. One of them had most of the players drop out (a few had good reasons, but the rest just stopped posting... ) and the 2nd one I had to shut down because I was going to be without internet for a few months.


I think that in theory, pbp works great. But there are a lot of variables that can pop up and screw things over. Then again, don't RL groups have the same sort of problems?

[Jokes]

We managed to finish Sellswords of Punjar a few weeks back. After we got down to just 3 people (from 7) it started to pick up the pace.

Sometimes I think DMs start PbP games to get ideas for their own IRL characters...

[Mystic Muse]

I finally got pissed and left the game. That was about two months ago, and I'm just now looking into play-by-post again. These forums here look pretty good though, so I think that shouldn't happen? D:!

if that happened in a game here there'ed be about twenty reports and they'd have the wrath of the mods called down upon them. That does not work within forum rules.

[king.com]

I've only ever actually participated in one play by post game before, and... well, it wasn't pretty.

The first encounter was one of those things that is "impossible to defeat". You know, no matter what you do to it it does nothing. Cast a spell with an obscene will save and it makes it. Hits you every time, but you can't even it it once. Anyway, this guy (Some kind of expert fighter or something?) grabbed my bard and teleported away. I didn't even get an opposed grapple check, or a save against the teleport. I was just gone.

This DM proceeded to describe, in excruciating detail, how this guy repeatedly raped my character. I don't know why I was still playing at this point, but I tried a few things to escape. Picking the locks, escape artist (I was playing a very rogue-like bard, as far as skills go), the works. Every time it was always just "No, it doesn't work."

I finally got pissed and left the game. That was about two months ago, and I'm just now looking into play-by-post again. These forums here look pretty good though, so I think that shouldn't happen? D:!

WOW, thats fairly extreme (and possibly one of the more disturbed DMs going around). I mean, having certain "unkillable" characters can be alright but to have them completely screw with a PC like that

I personnally have little choice over whether i want to PbP or not. Cant seem to find and DnD groups in my area

[Catch]

So many unfinished games, or unstarted ones. I don't keep track (or grudges for that matter), because the most fun I have in PbP is planning and building. Rolling and posting is fun and all, but I try not to get hung up about it.

Plus, I play with the same rogue's gallery of people, so when a game dies we shrug and move on to whatever's next. I'm proud, at least, of one game I'm in that's lasted two years and all but one player quitting and coming back.

And I'll keep it going if I have to throttle each and every one of them... *ahem*

[Keld Denar]

I've also noticed that smaller groups tend to work better. I have a game with 4, and we easily made it through 4 encounters faster than another game got through one. Of course, its harder to get into smaller games since statistically speaking, they accept fewer applications.

[Toliudar]

I've been lucky enough to have four campaigns reach a suitable stopping place, here on PBP. Mind you, one was an "orc and pie" game, but the other three were actual storylines. One has been running for three years now, and we're just in the midst of the climactic boss fight.

It really does come down to having a DM who cares enough to keep it moving, and to react intelligently when it starts to stumble. Not everyone can do it - I've failed myself in that, more than once.

It's important that the story be flexible enough to deal with inevitable player dropout. My current theory is to start with 4-5 players - not so few that one dropout stalls the conversation, and not so many that if there are only three active posters it seems preposterous.

[Catch]

I've also noticed that smaller groups tend to work better. I have a game with 4, and we easily made it through 4 encounters faster than another game got through one. Of course, its harder to get into smaller games since statistically speaking, they accept fewer applications.

It's easier among friends, especially those who you either know outside the internet or through an IM service.

Case and point, my longest running (still) game was three, now four players and a GM. One's a best friend of mine and the others I talk to on AIM with relative degrees of frequency. Like most social events, communication is the key to a successful game.

[taltamir]

it is practically impossible to play by post... you are missing out on the whole experience, and things move way to slow.

Now, playing by live chat? I think it can work. Bonus if it has audio or video chat.

Last 4 weeks I have been playing with a new group... we played from 3pm to midnight the first two session, second two dragged on to 3 and 4 am respectively.

And we were much quicker about things too... you just cannot condense this much content into the slow taking turns of PbP...

I have never successfully joined a PbP game, I tried multiple times, it always collapsed before the game started (or shortly after, but before first combat). I made characters, the DM made an adventure, players were signed up, and nothing came out of it.

[Resident Fool]

if that happened in a game here there'ed be about twenty reports and they'd have the wrath of the mods called down upon them. That does not work within forum rules.

Okay, whew. I was looking through the rules and threads real quick-like before signing up and things seemed to be pretty cool here.

king.com: Yeah, it was messed up D: I mean, I've played DnD at gaming stores loads of times, never had anything nearly so bad. So I figured that it had to be an exception, rather than the rule. I don't really have a choice if I want to do DnD either though, since I moved to a smaller town without much in the way of gaming stores or people to play with. D:

[Mystic Muse]

it is practically impossible to play by post... you are missing out on the whole experience, and things move way to slow.

Now, playing by live chat? I think it can work. Bonus if it has audio or video chat.

clearly you've had bad experiences, haven't played Play by post or don't have the patience.

that or maybe I like pbp because I can say cheesy lines and the players dont' have to see my face.

[taltamir]

clearly you've had bad experiences, haven't played Play by post or don't have the patience.

that or maybe I like pbp because I can say cheesy lines and the players dont' have to see my face.

oh, nothing as cheesy as not seeing each other. The experience is dynamic human interaction, every group I was ever in was full of hilarious moments, tough moments, etc. There was tons of human interaction. PbP doesn't give you that.

As for patience, I have tons of patience, but I am trying to be realistic here. It is like comparing broadband to dialup. Dialup is just inferior, and it has nothing to do with me "lacking patience".

Also, see my recent edit to previous post

[FerhagoRosewood]

Usually the games I've played don't make it past the first encounter. Heck, some don't even make it to there.

The longest game I had was on Myth-Weavers and had a good set up. It lasted 1 chapter, but unfortunately the DM had computer issues... Then just disappeared completely after returning to post that she was returning. If the game starts up again I'll go back to playing though, as I liked the DM & her storytelling.

I'd like a PBP game to last but it just doesn't apparently for me. In fact it's caused me to give up on them for the time being; which sucks considering I've become basically the main DM in my real life group's meetings.

T.T

[ZeroNumerous]

My currently longest running PbP is.. 2 years running now? I've had plenty of other aborted games, outright failures and not a single finished game.

oh, nothing as cheesy as not seeing each other. The experience is dynamic human interaction, every group I was ever in was full of hilarious moments, tough moments, etc. There was tons of human interaction. PbP doesn't give you that.

Gotta agree there. The best experience for internet roleplaying is chat based via IRC, AIM, Maptool, etc.

Why? Simply because you never have a post saying: "Guys, we need to have a break. That last bit of dialogue caused me to spew Dew all over my screen."

[Jade_Tarem]

The majority of PbP games tank because the DM gets the group through the first encounter or the opening sequence, and realizes that even in PbP, DMing still requires a little bit of effort.

A close second is that the players lose interest, and then the game atrophies into nonexistance.

I've had DMs walk out on several games. I've had players simultaneously abandon one that I was running for no reason that I can discern.

I'm DMing one game that's been going quite a while. I've had two players drop, but the character that they were playing have been taken over by new players. This group is on it's third "in game" day, although the game has taken more than an RL year.

I'm DMing another game that's been going since this summer, also (interestingly enough) on its third day in-game. This is a sandbox game that started with a huge group. Four players are left - they seem pretty solid, though, and as long as they're willing to play, I'll DM.

I'm playing in one game that's been going just over a year, and is on it's fourth (and best) DM. The group of players is fantastic (ok, we're down to four from the original six, but still...), and we've stuck together through being dropped by a DM three times, recruiting a new DM each time. The game is semi-rapidly approaching the 1000th post, and I actually feel a bit more "attached" to that character than any I've ever played.

Beyond that, I've been in only three games that went beyond the first encounter, and only one of those has lasted longer than two months - it's still going.

tl;dr: Yeah, keeping PbP alive is trickly - what you really need are players who really want to play their characters and have a vested interest in the story. There's no magic formula to produce that - you just need quality players, a great DM, and a bit of luck to ensure no RL interference trashes the game.

[taltamir]

My currently longest running PbP is.. 2 years running now? I've had plenty of other aborted games, outright failures and not a single finished game.



Gotta agree there. The best experience for internet roleplaying is chat based via IRC, AIM, Maptool, etc.

Why? Simply because you never have a post saying: "Guys, we need to have a break. That last bit of dialogue caused me to spew Dew all over my screen."

or get to personally SEE said dew spewing... Just an FYI, in my current group most of us sit on a horseshoe shaped table, with a laptop in front... electronic character sheets, text messaging private info with DM, etc...