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  1. #1
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    What do you think makes for the best PBP/PBEM games? What could be improved?

    Curious about what you all think makes for the best games in whatever mass scale Internet format, and what, if you could magically "fix" things, could be improved to make them better or more viable?

    Take a step back and look at things from a view of what your "vision" or "goals" for a good PBP or PBEM would be.

  2. #2
    Site Moderator AndrewTall's Avatar
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    For me the biggest issue is players trying to 'win next turn' - in my view for a game to be fun for everyone over a period of time people have to play their roles, recognise social constraints (and impulses) for/against war, respect/awe of temple/sources, etc - when people metagame or play as modern people in a medieval world they can break it very quickly.

    Of course, some people don;t want to play the role-play side, even find it annoying, they see BR as a war game and would have the opposite view to me. Plenty of other views also exist, so I guess that what you need is a group of players with matching playing styles.

  3. #3
    I think you need a balance of those two points.

    Having endless social discussions and roleplay with zero rule mastery is just as bad as someone who justifies all their role playing decisions based on meta-game rule analysis.

    For most games, you really need to "survive" the first 3 turns or so, though. After the spasm of trying to do everything at once, people calm down when they realise the game isn't dead already... and start to think long term, and politic towards those goals.

    I have to say, though, the most important thing these days is having a DM willing to run a game.

  4. #4
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    And why is it so hard to get a DM to run the game?

    I've thought about running one frequently, but then reality about time commitment beats some sense into me. So for me, the time commitment is the huge issue.

    What are some areas where the burden is greatest on the DM?

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    Site Moderator AndrewTall's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rowan View Post
    What are some areas where the burden is greatest on the DM?
    Thinking of the internet games rather than tabletop:

    1. Running npc's and npc realms while they are off-stage so that growth, etc are credible and aware pc's get a chance to take advantage of opportunities, etc.
    2. Running adventures for players in different timezones.
    3. Doing the book-keeping for the realms, even if only checking player realms.
    4. Handling a game with over a dozen - possibly over 2 dozen - players.

    The book-keeping can be reduced with use of spreadsheets and the like but is still a chore.

  6. #6
    Senior Member arpig2's Avatar
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    The book-keeping can be reduced with use of spreadsheets and the like but is still a chore.
    Amen to that.
    Call me Bob.
    My website: NRGGames.org
    My game design blog: Bob's Worlds

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    So if you could magically take the bookkeeping out of it, for both PCs and NPCs (and reasonably-auto-run NPCs), would it make being the GM much easier--and encourage more people to do it and let there be more games?

    What then becomes the biggest burden? If turn resolution (from a bookkeeping standpoint) is easy for players, is the non-rules aspect still forbidding, with large numbers of players?

    Is it the character-level adventures?

  8. #8
    Senior Member arpig2's Avatar
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    keeping track of everything is a major chore, and turn resolution can be as well, but a good part of that may well be my fault for adding far too much detail.
    Call me Bob.
    My website: NRGGames.org
    My game design blog: Bob's Worlds

  9. #9
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    The problem is that the whole thing is asynchronous. Imagine you wanted to run a DnD combat with 30 people but:

    - There is no turn order.
    - Combat is free form.
    - Every player may react in a different way than their original planned move depending on what other of the 29 people do.
    - The resolution procedure has to take into account people who act often and people who do not.

    Then you will have a general idea of the incredible mess and effort that is to run BR on a PBP game, even with electronic tools aiding you.

    Regards!
    Vicente

  10. #10
    Member Swashbuckler's Avatar
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    My question, then, is:

    What tools are available out there for DM's/GM's who are interested in running a Birthright game? Haven't seen a thread on the boards that consolidates that kind of info, which might be nice to have.

    It would also be nice if we could note which ruleset they support. There are some good domain tools in the downloads/tools folder, that much I am aware of. But do other people use home-made spreadsheets or ...?
    "Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master."
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    Quod illo, senito aliquos togatos contra me conspirare.

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