In answer to the GM's question I knew Shilynn was sleeping becuase she posted that she fell asleep. I have read the action posts from the other players because well we need to know what each other are doing and cause I can keep player knowledge and In character knowledge separate. Bandar does not know where Auntie is...I posted that IF he saw any sign of her he would react thus...not that he knew where she was.
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K, you need to not read stuff not addressed to you. I personally consider that cheating. If I find evidence of it again, now that you know my position on it, you will be asked to leave the game (and depending on how amicable that ends up, some reporting might be in order, too... I don't want to go down that road, so let's not :) )
Instead, I have a way to bridge this barrier: If you want to know what someone is doing, stay in the same area as them :)
Also, just because you are posting actions in spoiler format, doesn't mean you have to post your conversation in spoiler format. For example:
[Spoiler GM round 3 action:]Schmandalf does the hokey pokey (move), and turns himself around (double move). That is his turn. /endspoiler
If you do not agree with me, you are welcome to explain why, or if it is a big enough obstacle or too much a temptation, you are welcome to leave the game amiably and we can get together later and do lunch ;)
Concerns? Questions? Agreement? Dissent?
p.s. PFS was AWESOME tonight! Our 2nd session, and we had 3 new faces and 7 players! We will be doing 2 tables from here on out most likely! Ah yeah!!!
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I'm just a bit confused about where the breakdown occurred and, if I was the cause of it, I want to make sure i correct my behavior in the future. I didn't see anyone acting as if they knew something they shouldn't...but then again I really only paid attention to my actions and your end of round summary.
Also good to see your PFS group going strong! The Pathfinder tables at my FLGS's Free RPG Day were the first to fill up; and they may cancel the D&D slot for lack of interest!
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Gah... guilty as charged, but I didn't even realize it until I went back and checked. My husband was reading posts to me while I packed for our trip and just read everything including spoiler posts. I responded when I had a chance to sit down at the computer without realizing what I was responding to. I promise it won't happen again.
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GM - for myself personally I try to do a solid job of keeping player knowledge and character knowledge separate. I don't think poor Ahz knew anything in that last fight ;).
Now that being said, I basically envision PbP games like real life tabletop games. Obviously I, the player, am going to know what the other players sitting around the table with me are doing, in most (not all) cases. But also just as obviously, my character (if he's not there to see it) will have no idea.
So... I know I'm not really saying anything of substance here haha... just kind of telling you my viewpoint on it.
Cool news about your PFS game! I'm trying to convince my FLGS to start a pathfinder society chapter, without having to run it myself.
Yeah I was in the same boat as Ahzrin. Figured this is like a table top game where we as players would know what the other players are doing (that's part of the fun: you get to hear the whole story even if you are in different areas), while our Characters obviously don't know and we need to act accordingly when running our characters. I do not read spoliers that have a specific person's name on it but besides that I figured they were open and we were just using them to help define where actions were taking place.
I don't see this as a problem but if that is not how you run your games when doing PbP then I'll follow your rules.
On a seperate note I have noticed that your rule about speaking equaling a move action really cuts down on my interest in Role Playing during a "combat" situation. I am not willing to sacrfice a game action to utter a few lines of good Role play speech. In other games in PbP or Table top that I have been in speech is considered a free action (obviously within reason...like coming up with a detailed tactical plan in the middle of a fight would not be included but saying, "My name is Bander Reese, you killed my father, now perpare to die." would be a free action) We did this to encourage reasonable Role Playing even in the middle of a fight. Not trying to argue the rule but just pointing out a side effect I noticed with my own playing in our last situation. I guess I need to know what constitutes speaking=free action and speaking=move action in your book. How many sentences/words is the cut off. Until then I'm not likely to talk during combat in case I waste an action.
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A few things here.
A) I'm not mad, but I am being a little serious here. I know that it is easy to read anger in cyberspace, but that is not what is happening here.
B) The way that I actually run my personal tabletops (with my groups) is they all have "google talk" on their phones, and I have a cpu at the table, that I use for combat ("combat manager" is a GMs best friend). When someone makes a skill check that no one else knows how to do, or a nature check in combat, or any of that stuff - I message that person specifically, and it instantly pops up on their phone. I say "Check your log," then that player passes on what they want to the rest of the party in an rp situation.
- I don't do this for stupid stuff, or when the majority make the rolls. But if only one person knows something, I like for it to come from him, rather than "Hey I know you painstakingly put 11 ranks in Arcana, but I'm going to tell the fighter who doesn't even get a roll what you know at the same time, so those skill points are belittled, because you actually don't know anything that the group doesn't... Thanks for making the high roll." Hey, you know how you speak 12 languages fluently? Well, now the group does, too. Thanks for not being special, as I generalize this information to everyone..." (THe spellcaster doesn't get to share in the 12 acrobatic ranks that the fighter loaded up on, after all.) And the best is when everyone tries to *not* meta their way through a potential combat situation, separating player knowledge from character knowledge in a language they don't even speak. BUt by "not" being meta, they actually find themselves *being* meta, because rather than acting naturally to their character, they are trying to separate knowledge they have from non-knowledge.
Or how about this this scenario? GM and player are hissing back and forth to each other (Draconic) and the only thing you know of the conversation is what the person that actually speaks the language tells you from time to time... but, I give you a perception check and you notice that the kobold across from you is tightening it's grip on it's sword a little, and that the hissing is getting a little more "agressive." How natural does that feel? Nothing to separate, and you are as intent, or more so, as to what is going on than you would normally be, but there is no player knowledge to separate. If you haven't ever done it, you should try it out, judiciously. It is so much funner for the PC to say "I've heard of those before, they are vicious man eating rabbits!" than the GM say "it's a killer rabbit. Everyone roll initiative."
C) Tabletops, in my experience, are better than PbP in quite a few ways... Time playing vs getting stuff done, overall fun and laughing between players, ease of combat and other things, PbPs are a lot more work for the gm, and so on and so on. Everyone is at the table so you aren't waiting for someone, I can just look at you and say roll perception.... etc
The three areas I think PbPs are FAR superior to tabletop is: Players that normally don't have the schedule to game can do so (you all don't have to be at the table), in depth roleplay (if you talk about what your player constantly thinks at a table that might be a little annoying in real life, but it is the standard here), and an easy way to keep player knowledge separate from character knowledge.
D) Bander asked what my standard is for talking. I stated in the thread after round 1 of combat that 6-14 words are free, and 15+ words are a standard. You can speak for probably 40-50 words... (whatever you think you can get out in 6 seconds of full talking).
2 quick-ish sentences is basically the cutoff. I'm not going to penalize you for that.
E) I summarize the result of every player's actions at the end of every combat round. You notice that I stopped telling you what Aunties were because you were unaware of her after a certain point. After Shilyn closed the door - thus effectively isolating herself on an island from everyone else - I stopped giving you knowledge of what happened to her, unless she would have yelled something at any of you.
Why should you, being upstairs, have any knowledge of what is happening to someone downstairs with the door closed?
And, on a related note: Everyone can *say* that they do a very good job of separating player knowledge and character knowledge, and I genuinely think that everyone tries, but the second that a character "got sleeped" almost everyone that was perfectly happy to bail on the party and search the house thoroughly, send for help, etc etc was **suddenly** like maybe I should go check on SHilyn. As a 3rd party observer, I totally saw that happen. Remove yourselves and read the combat as a 3rd party observer and you will see what I am talking about. How else do you think I knew that multiple people were reading the spoilers? It was that obvious.
Like I said, if you want to know everything that is going on, I suggest you train yourself in everything, and never, ever separate yourself from the rest of the party. :)
Anyone have a problem with this going forward, or more questions?
Read and acknowledged.
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I created a "campaign info" link, and I am posting links to the maps there, so you don't need to go hunting through posts to find them.
Hope that helps.
Wait a minute I just noticed is game's title is "In service to Lore" and we got a gnome wandering around calling herself "Lore" does that mean we are all working for a pint sized pip squeak? ;o)
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Sorry guys, I had planned on taking the boat out with Bander but long day at work and no chance to post until this evening. I just got home but will get a post up in a few hours once I get settled in here at home.
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I'm not sure what the GM needs for us here. I guess we need someone with a positive modifier to strength to do the crane...that's not Bander...so maybe that's what we are needing someone to use there strength on the crane to get us moving forward here.
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Well the only ones with + to STR are Shilynn and Thaddeus. So one of them is going to have to do this.
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My pregnant wife has a kidney stone, so I will be in and out today.
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Regarding party loot: You'd mentioned how PFS works it when we completed the first segment of the mission with Auntie. Just keeping with the character, knowing she'll have to turn it in (half-cost) and buy back that which we wished to carry forward. No worries.. but she wouldn't be a rogue if she let pass up an opportunity, even a short lived one.
Picture the behind-the-scenes / off camera argument between a young rouge and the Society fence backed by an all-seeing wizard.. "But.. but.. I found it.. she stammers as the stern looking fence holds out his hand.. "Cough it up.. as the wizard just looks on shaking his head thinking, "Recruits.. they try it every time.."
THere is a joke that you get "scryed" when you walk into the bathroom and you come out to a level 12 half orc named brutus. Hey, whatcha got there?
Thanks, best wishes to you, too.
She is mostly better now.
We seem to be kind of slowing down...hopefully this isn't a bad sign. Maybe everyone has been busy.
Sounds like we are headed to the Osirian Noble...I'm fine with the GM moving us on along.
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Sorry guys, had a job interview today, and PFS tonight.
Fingers crossed. This job would be top 5 jobs of all time.
So I had my interview with the regional rep today. Needless to say he was impressed. It is just coming down to dollars and cents now, he offered me the job, but I want to be considered for the higher position.
I'll know about the higher position on monday.
It's a good day, all around.
(Sorry for the infrequent posting the last couple days. This is the 2nd person I've interviewed with for the position. I might be interviewing with HIS bosses on tuesday if they are seriously considering me for the upper position.)
I guess they take the store manager position seriously. :)
Sorry for my low number of posts over the past week. We were having a field exercise (Army stuff) and I was out most days with some very late nights. That's over now so I'll be able to get on more frequently. Still mainly in the evenings (Eastern Time zone) during the weekdays though.
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Happy FREE RPG day everyone!
I'll be out most of the day, as I'm running some Paizo stuff a good portion of the day.
Hope everyone had a good free rpg day/ father's day weekend.
Now let's get on this and finish this baby up this week, and get you all some PFS credit!
So, after 3 interviews (the final of which took place yesterday), peeing in a cup, salary negotiations, and things of that nature...
I am now officially the Assistant Manager of one the largest/busiest Gamestops in the state of Utah, with a very sure foothold to be the next Store Manager, and soon.
So now I get to spend my 9-5's talking about video games, and my off duty hours RPG'ing lol. My conversion to ultimate nerdness is almost complete!
Sorry guys it's been graduation week here for my Basic Training military unit so we have been swamped getting everything ready and participating in all the events. Next week we graduate the other half of our trainees after that I should be back to normal life and a bit more regular on posting.
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Yep and this week is round two. Did have time to play a table top game of pathfinder this weekend. Killed my time to get on here though to post. Ok back to it...once more into the breach...and all that jazz. :)
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