Is there an active forum for PBP GMs to discuss stuff?
Hmm...not sure what you mean, exactly. Just like a general forum for GMs to chat and bounce ideas off of each other or get tips and tricks on running in PbP format? Not really, I'm afraid. There's various advice threads scattered about and if you're looking for feedback or help on running a specific scenario/module/AP you can check out the relevant forums or discussion threads as they usually offer some pretty good advice.
For "general questions" I would say that this one that you posted in: "Community/Forums/Online Campaigns/General Discussion" is place for that. For AP specific questions, go to the Pathfinder forum that deals with the AP and ask there. For rules questions, go to the Rules forum.
-- david
Thank you both. I’m looking for a place to bounce around general ides, not really AP specific. For example, how do you keep players from disappearing during pbp on you?
I’m an old school DM, AD&D, 2nd ED, etc. maybe players are different these days and require something more than I used to wield back in junior high? Stuff like that.
One thing that can help with disappearing players - While recruiting, look at what other games your potential PCs are in. If they have dropped out of other games, or never played a PbP before, I would peg them as more likely to drop out.
OP, have you read this thread?
For your specific question, it's the internet, and people are going to flake. Almost all of the time, it's nothing personal about you and your game; they just get busy and stop checking the forum. Prevention is worth a pound of cure: background-checking your potential players before choosing them is the best way to avoid people who are likely to disappear on you; however, I've had long-time posters who have been reliable players for years disappear as well. Life happens.
If your players are posting elsewhere but not in your game, you can PM them and ask if there's something about the game they're not enjoying or would like you to do differently. General advice from strangers is less valuable than specific feedback from the people involved.
OP, have you read this thread?
For your specific question, it's the internet, and people are going to flake. Almost all of the time, it's nothing personal about you and your game; they just get busy and stop checking the forum. Prevention is worth a pound of cure: background-checking your potential players before choosing them is the best way to avoid people who are likely to disappear on you; however, I've had long-time posters who have been reliable players for years disappear as well. Life happens.
If your players are posting elsewhere but not in your game, you can PM them and ask if there's something about the game they're not enjoying or would like you to do differently. General advice from strangers is less valuable than specific feedback from the people involved.
This is great! Thanks Joana. PbP is definitely not like face to face table top. I have learned that quickly.
Still, it would be nice to have a meta-tavern, where GMs hung out after “work” to swap tales about their games.
There's a GM forum for the Pathfinder Society, but that's a group that plays with a restricted ruleset, and sometimes need to adapt published materials to fit that ruleset
And each published adventure has its own thread where GMs frequently ask questions about that particular game.
I'm not sure what you're looking for that would be exclusively for GMs. Most of us are both players and GMs, so there's not a lot of exclusivity that would make that forum different from the Rules forum or the Advice forum, or the general Gamer forum, or any number of other discussion forums that already exist.
What kind of audience and/or conversations can't you find in the current forums?
DM Nation, I'd love for you to visit us in the Flaxseed GM Mentor Lounge
It has a discussion area for talking to other GMs about issues, and occasionally we run a GM mentoring game where you can learn and ask questions. Yes, it is for Organized Play, but there's no reason you can't participate too.
Hmm
Hmm, is it OK to send other new GMs there who aren't asking about organized play?
It appears to be in the general "Online Play" forum, not anything specifically PFS. But the thread is titled "Flaxseed".
Yeah, send them over. We’re all about helping GMs honing their skills.