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Lemernis
Senior Scribe
378 Posts |
 Posted - 21 Jan 2007 : 14:20:08
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If any of you play message board style PnP type games, how exactly do you go about it?
I got involved in one of these years ago that didn't require extensive knowledge of D&D mechanics (which was good, because a number of players in the game had no tabletop experience, only CRPG experience). For combat the DM did all of the dice rolls for everyone and posted the results (just the basic outcomes). At the start of the game players filled out a character record sheet for their character and submitted their PC's bio. We all purchased starting gear, and off we went. All that was required from there was to get in character and respond to the developments in the game. Nearly all of the interaction remained in-character. Out-of-character communication was so noted. We were fortunate to have a talented DM who kept the story moving and gave out XP and items at just about the right level. It was great fun, actually.
For any of you who have done this, is that how you go about it? Or do you use a more detailed approach with respect to the dice?
If you have ever run a campaign like this, how demanding did you find it to be to DM? Can you offer any advice for a DM running such a campaign?
Do you know of any freeware tools that might help for a game of this type? I know the d20 System Reference Document offers character record sheets and other essential resources. And there's this dice roller tool from WotC.
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Kuje
Great Reader
USA
7915 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jan 2007 : 17:32:07
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I can't say much about a message board game because I haven't run any message board games in years nor have I played in them. However, they aren't that much different then email games, which I do run.
Sometimes I do roll the dice for the players and I'll leave a message like, "If you didn't like that roll, please send me your own roll and I'll edit the post to reflect your roll instead of mine."
I do as you said, I try to keep the game moving and the rolls are reflected as actions in the story. Speaking of, I need to send Alaundo some more logs of that game. I'll have to get on that soon.
Also, I try to label OOC emails as OOC, etc and the players just keep to in character developments.... |
For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet and excite you... Books are full of the things that you don't get in real life - wonderful, lyrical language, for instance, right off the bat. - Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium |
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Lemernis
Senior Scribe
378 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jan 2007 : 18:12:13
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Thanks Kuje! Yeah, I agree, PbEM and message board amount to the same thing, really.
Do you have any interest in DMing such a campaign?
I'm curious if anyone with experience with this is interested in running a campaign based primarily in Amn, circa 1345. We'd be using the D&D 3.5 edition ruleset. Source books: Lands of Intrigue and Empire of the Sands, and the three editions of FRCSs. We're very much about keeping with canon. But the setting allows for the DM to fill in a lot of blanks, and to add original content of their own (provided it remains consistent with the lore of the setting).
This is for members of the NWN2 persistent world project referenced in my sig. We have some outstanding DMs on the staff who could do it, but all hands are currently occupied with NWN2 toolset as we toil away at getting the gameworld built. It is turning out to truly a monumental undertaking, and we're pacing ourselves. But there's a risk of overextending ourselves and burning out with all the tasks before us. We'd like a fun outlet too, as we work, but none of us currently has the time to DM this.
A game like this would give interested players (we have about 60 signed up so far) and DMs alike a chance to get to know one another better, and for both to increase their familiarity with the nuances of the setting. I reckon we would have to limit the number of players to 6 maximum.
It'd be great if the adventure offers excursions as well to other locations in the Lands of Intrigue and Shining South such as Tethyr, the Calim Desert, Calimport, the Shaar, Great Rift, Halruaa, Dambrath, and Lurien. These are all locations we would eventually like to feature in our persistent world. It's actually fine to take the adventure to anywhere on Toril in the course of the campaign. But many of our players are looking for a break from Faerun's Heartland, and are seeking a change of pace to the South.
The DM is free to tell whatever story they like, just as long as it's in keeping with the Realms. We may have some continuity with this camapign to the start of our persistent world, we'll see. Whoever DMs this game could be given access to our DM boards in order to avoid any potential collision with his campaign and plots we have planned for our persistent world, as that might be awkward. Or if they plan to be a player eventually I'm sure we could figure out some way to try to avoid such a conflict without spoiling the DM to global plots.
If anyone has an interest in DMing such a campaign, or offering suggestions about it, etc., please reply! |
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Kuje
Great Reader
USA
7915 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jan 2007 : 18:25:30
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Sorry, I'm going to have to turn down the offer to DM because I have 3 email games going already. Plus my time is spent keeping Ed's file, plus my NPC files, plus my two dedicated Compendium articles, plus my own writings, etc. So, right now, I don't feel that I can run another game but if someone needs some help with answers, I'll try to answer them the best I can. I've been running online games for three to five years now and played in many good ones, and bad ones.
The reason I like email games over message board or chat games is because I can plug in the players actions into the logs I keep, which is harder to do on message board games because people's replies sometimes backtrack on things that happened before the game moved on. So, with an email game, I can take that text and add it to the parts that are relevant to the reply that the player posted. If that makes sense. Hard to explain. :) |
For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet and excite you... Books are full of the things that you don't get in real life - wonderful, lyrical language, for instance, right off the bat. - Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium |
Edited by - Kuje on 21 Jan 2007 18:27:53 |
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Lemernis
Senior Scribe
378 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jan 2007 : 18:47:26
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| Okies, and if you can recommend anyone interested in DMing such a game please send them our way! |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31797 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jan 2007 : 23:42:54
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I'd like to say I would try... but I've simply got too much of my own stuff to handle at the moment. Plus, I'm overdue on the deadline for a Compendium submission...
Sorry.
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Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36826 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jan 2007 : 03:43:58
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quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
I'd like to say I would try... but I've simply got too much of my own stuff to handle at the moment. Plus, I'm overdue on the deadline for a Compendium submission...
Sorry.
Ditto. On both counts.  |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen!  |
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Lemernis
Senior Scribe
378 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jan 2007 : 13:24:21
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| Thanks for responding anyway guys! I really hope someone with experience in this particular form of gaming will feel inspired to DM for us. Are there any sites you can think of where I might recruit someone? |
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Kuje
Great Reader
USA
7915 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jan 2007 : 16:20:33
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quote:
Originally posted by Lemernis
Thanks for responding anyway guys! I really hope someone with experience in this particular form of gaming will feel inspired to DM for us. Are there any sites you can think of where I might recruit someone?
Try WOTC's classifieds or ENworld's, which are both on their message boards. Most of the sites I had for email/message board games are no longer in operation.
Well RPOL is still active: http://www.rpol.net/ |
For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet and excite you... Books are full of the things that you don't get in real life - wonderful, lyrical language, for instance, right off the bat. - Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium |
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Walls
Acolyte
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30 Posts |
Posted - 23 Jan 2007 : 00:18:50
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I posted this over on the FG boards at Wizards. Might as well get the perspective from here too. I am thinking I may just open a board, start advertising it and build it as I, with others help, figure out a good method.
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What about a non DMed message board "game"? Basically the premise would be you (by yourself or jointly with others) basically writing out adventures. They could be in short story form, written as if a novel or written as if an actual game or perhaps a weird mishmash of the where you write novel style for the story/roleplaying bit but actually have numbers for the combat, using stats and such? It'd be a completely free form game and board. Could have different subforums for different parts of Faerun, etc, etc. It's an idea I've been kicking around for quite a while.
At the same time you could have DMed game as well on it, combined with those of us more into the creative writing process |
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Lemernis
Senior Scribe
378 Posts |
Posted - 23 Jan 2007 : 00:49:22
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It's a very intriguing idea, Walls.
One thought we have at Exodus is to have our DMs each play a number of different NPCs. Several DMs would then begin weaving and intertwining plots with the players. Each player plays one PC, presumably (though perhaps they could play multiple PCs). We'd just let whatever happens grow organically out of all that.
Our main goal is to give players the flavor of Amn before the PW is released. Your concept could do that for them, and I think it may be an interesting experience in terms of story and creative writing. But I'd still like for players to be able to have experience of being awarded XP, growing more proficient at what they do, acquiring loot, and all that. I think they'd probably miss the concrete aspects of combat in D&D. Anyway, if we end up not finding a DM to run a Play by Post game, I think we'll give your concept a go. |
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Walls
Acolyte
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30 Posts |
Posted - 23 Jan 2007 : 00:52:59
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I think with my system I'd have both formats. Have a PbP system with DM's for parties who have such and a system for those who will more free form write whether on their own or within a group.
To me this is something like how Weis and Hickman came up with the DL Chronicles. If I am right, alot of the ideas actually came from them playing the modules first. You could very well play an adventure and chronicle it.
To me, this is not only a fun avenue for us D&D fans to explore writing and gaming but for those serious writers to get possible exposure. |
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Bluenose
Learned Scribe
United Kingdom
134 Posts |
Posted - 24 Jan 2007 : 10:51:21
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I'm currently running a game like this myself. It's the first time I've done it, and it hasn't been going for very long, but I've got some ideas of what seems to work well and what doesn't.
Firstly, I'd suggest keeping separate threads for the "action" and the "banter". The "action" would be where the DM posts the events, the players post what they're doing, and the consequences come out. The "banter" thread would be for interaction between the players and NPCs in a group. Those are strictly in-character, so taunting the DM about typos (AC 123 ) would be out. There's also an out-of-character thread for various announcements. Other things I think are useful include a thread for people to describe their characters - not the stats but appearance, mannerisms, catch phrases and so on. A lore thread for people to ask questions or for DMs/players to post background information is also a good idea, separate from the OOC thread.
One slight difference from the original game you were involved in is that I don't roll the dice myself. There is an online dice-roller which will post rolls to two addresses, so that the player and DM can have a copy, which we use. Otherwise, what I'm doing is very similar to your original game. I don't find DMing it that hard, but I think 60 players would be too many for one DM to cope with. I might be willing to act as a DM for one or maybe two groups of PCs, but Amn is an area that I'm familiar with mostly from the BG series of games, so I'd need some time to become more familiar with the setting. Is Lands of Intrigue the source for the area? If so I can get it off the Wizards site as a free download. |
These, in the day when heaven was falling,
The hour when earth's foundations fled,
Followed their mercenary calling
And took their wages and are dead.
Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
What God abandoned, these defended,
And saved the sum of things for pay. |
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RodOdom
Senior Scribe
USA
509 Posts |
Posted - 24 Jan 2007 : 16:22:39
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I've been running a message board campaign for about a year now on a free site dedicated to this style of play, www.rpol.net
Because play-by-web can be very slow when waiting for each participant's response, we've split the game into concurrent solo adventures for each player. Otherwise it's run as an ordinary pen-and-paper style game where everyone rolls their own "dice".
Here's my games:
http://www.rpol.net/game.cgi?gi=14614
P.S. RPOL.NET has literally thousands of message board games going on, with every kind of system out there. Forgotten Realms is probably the most popular setting among the fantasy games there. |
Edited by - RodOdom on 24 Jan 2007 16:46:23 |
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Lemernis
Senior Scribe
378 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jan 2007 : 00:17:53
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Bluenose and RodOdom, thanks for your responses!
Bluenose, please pay us a visit at our forums (see link in sig > Community) and see if you might be interested in running such a game for us. We did find one DM so far to begin one game. But we have a large number of players and registered members, and I expect we will be starting other games as well. I very much want to expand the PbP game aspect of our project.
As for source material, Lands of Intrigue is a free classic download at WotC. And if you register on our forums, you'll get access to our Exodus Player Handbook, in which a great deal of Amnian lore is compiled. And we're adding to it all the time. Bear in mind, though the the PbP campaigns we're running will be set 1-2 generations earlier than the some of the developments described in our PHB, which is set two months following the Sythillisian invasion.
Really, increasingly, what Exodus is, is a project that is all about the regions we're developing. A place to gather lore for your own campaigns in those regions. To get story ideas of your own from our extensive lore resources, and from our PbP games.
We're beginning with Amn so that's where our focus will be for the next 1-2 years. So in other words, in many ways we're a site that more about Amn itself, as a fictional place, than simply a place to play NWN2. Hope that makes sense.
As we expand we will do the same for other regions. (Tethyr's next.)
***
RodOdom, I did post an ad at rpol.net, so we'll see what happens. :) |
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RodOdom
Senior Scribe
USA
509 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jan 2007 : 00:20:53
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| Best of luck ! |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36826 Posts |
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Lemernis
Senior Scribe
378 Posts |
Posted - 26 Apr 2007 : 23:20:40
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Hey all,
I'm resurrecting this thread because unfortunately the DM who's been running our Amn adventure has gone MIA. So we need to get a new game rolling. The game needs to be set a generation prior to the Sythillisian Empire's invasion in 1370. The intent of a PbP game at our project has been to familiarize players with the subtleties and nuances and Amnian culture through a series of short adventures. You could think of them sort of like a collection of short stories set in various locations throughout Amn. We're actually looking for relatively short adventures, rather than epic ones. Anyway, we'd be very grateful if anyone can DM some PbP adventures such as this set in Amn. :D |
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WalkerNinja
Senior Scribe
USA
577 Posts |
Posted - 26 Apr 2007 : 23:50:57
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I played in a message board game for about three years (96-99) it was a good experience. Here is the link to that old game:
Dragons Inc. |
*** A Forgotten Realms Addict since 1990 ***
Treasures of the Past, a Second Edition Play-by-Post game for and by Candlekeep Sages--http://www.rpol.net/game.cgi?gi=52011 |
Edited by - WalkerNinja on 27 Apr 2007 12:47:34 |
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Zanan
Senior Scribe
Germany
942 Posts |
Posted - 27 Apr 2007 : 08:39:43
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Well, I have been running message board style campaigns for years now (apart from playing twice a week on the table) and you can get an impression hereabouts:
http://games.dnd-gate.de/viewforum.php?f=7
In game:
- Sticky 1 = current campaign (A simple escort ...)
- Sticky 2 = End of last one
OOC:
- one orga(-nization) thread
- one for dice rolling
- one for character descriptions
- one for description of certain places et al
- some for character in-game conversations
It is pretty slow to play, as you want to give every player a chance to say/do something or to react to what you write. And if people live all over the world (we have a Finn (not now though), an Austrian, some Germans, US chaps - even a Brazilian for about a blink of an eye and I also enlisted a Norwegian lately (even though he is a Celtic fan)) it may take a couple of days or more till everyone has replied.
Can go into some detail later on regarding how to do it, if you want? |
Cave quid dicis, quando et cui!
Gæð a wyrd swa hio scel!
In memory of Alura Durshavin.
Visit my "Homepage" to find A Guide to the Drow NPCs of Faerûn, Drow and non-Drow PrC and much more. |
Edited by - Zanan on 27 Apr 2007 08:41:04 |
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eldritchknight
Acolyte
USA
27 Posts |
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message board style games
