Flaxseed GM lounge (Inactive)

Game Master Redelia

It seems like the majority of the complaints that I receive about slow and/or stalling games happen with dungeon crawls: especially in Crypt of the Everflame and Tome of Righteous Repose. It's to the point where if we ever do a scenario recommendation list for novice PBP GMs, I'm considering recommending that they don't start with a dungeon crawl as their first PbP.

I'm fine with them doing one as their *second* pbp, though once they've experienced the medium and learned their own personal style. Also experience can bring in the ability to do standard door operating procedures, and other GM guidance.

I realize also that Masters of the Fallen Fortress while technically a dungeon crawl, does not suffer from the same issues. MoFF is pretty much a linear dungeon. There aren't decision points that fork off in various directions to cause dithering.

Hmm

I'm not sure I agree with you about a dungeon crawl being a bad place to start. I find it easier to run a dungeon crawl than an investigation, because the decision points are at least well defined. I think that for a new GM who really has a strong preference for dungeon crawls as a player, a dungeon crawl is not a bad place to start, as long as they know what to be careful of. I also would suggest a short dungeon crawl to start, such as Risen from the Sands, rather than a module.

Risen from the Sands was my very first PBP as a GM!

However, it is also a fairly linear dungeon. There are only two main paths that go in straight lines. Other than its sheer deadliness, it's not a bad choice with the right group.

Hmm

So if a new GM was going to try a dungeon crawl, it looks like these are things to consider:
1. Short
2. Not a lot of branching
3. Marching order/decision making procedure/door opening procedureI
4. Difficulty for players

Is there anything else?

For those who like dungeon crawls, do you have particular favorite dungeon crawl modules?

For those who don't, is there anything in particular you dislike?

Hey guys, we're getting close to the end of gameday, so it's time to start arranging games. The plan is to have several tables of True Dragons of Absalom. I need to know how many of you are able to play and interested so we know how many tables to set up.

I know we also have some more experienced GMs hanging around to help; if you're in this category, please let me know if you're interested in playing if we need to fill out a table.

If any of the GMs who are here to be mentored are not able to play this particular scenario, please let me know and stay around. After this scenario we will put together a few tables of something else, and we will make sure you get included in those.

Please try to post an answer within 3 days so we can set up the proper number of tables.

ALSO:

If you cannot GM True Dragons, but are an experienced GM that is still interested in leading a mentoring game, raise your hand as well. Not all our tables will be True Dragons.

Hmm

Count me in...whether it be True Dragons or otherwise...

I'm able to play True Dragons of Absalom and am very interested! :)

I can GM True Dragons if you need warm bodies.

I'm good to play True Dragons! I'm far from an experienced GM but I'm also happy to run a game at some point as well, if need be :)

(At work, will respond to the dungeon-crawl stuff later!)

I'm available to play True Dragons.

So if a new GM was going to try a dungeon crawl, it looks like these are things to consider:

1. Short
2. Not a lot of branching
3. Marching order/decision making procedure/door opening procedureI
4. Difficulty for players

Is there anything else?

For those who like dungeon crawls, do you have particular favorite dungeon crawl modules?

For those who don't, is there anything in particular you dislike?

I would also heavily suggest rolling perceptions for your players. 1) as part of the Standard Door Opening procedure and 2) to inspect rooms you scurry past. I did this when I ran the 'Rise of the Goblin Guild' and found it very beneficial.

Something I recently encountered and then utilized in Hungry Ghosts was using a dotted arrow/line to show the path the group traveled in the dungeon crawl. GM Kuey uses it in the Tome of the Righteous Repose. For myself, it helped to visualize our travel as the gm described it. (Granted this probably only works with the bigger maps that have each location)

I have already played True Dragons. I would however, be willing to toss my hat in any direction you think I would fit. I thought True Dragons could only be run by a 4-star, did that change?

Edit: Oh! I'm also a huge advocate for the 'Rule of 2'. Even in dungeon crawls there are the occasional decision to be made. As soon as two players agree on a direction to take/decision, I go that way. As with the botting policies, just be up front about this.

True Dragons can only be run by a 5 star, or a by a Venture Officer with a star adjustment to add up 5 stars. So VLs can do it if they have four stars.

Hmm

Sadly not enough stars here but I am definitely keen to play in Dragons.

Wow! Just a week ago I considered myself lucky to sign up for True Dragons at a convention in a few weeks. Nuts! Oh well.

That being said, I would love to stick around and play a different game when one comes open. Also, I would like to be a fly on the wall for your dragons game so I can pick up the valuable GM tips!

It's always a success when like-minded GMs and players get together for a session.

I'm new to PbP, but it's been a mostly great experience so far.

The best mentoring I got was an unofficial referral to some great GMs. Then I invited myself to join their PbP tables. I got off to a great start by seeing how they tell the story, handle the dialogue and action, and resolve issues as they rise up. It helped tremendously that the players were great collaborators, too.

I've also joined a few tables without really knowing the GM or players. After a couple of weeks, you feel like you're stuck on a bad date.

Doing the reporting for PbP Gameday VI has helped me become a little more familiar with some of the names in the community. Some I hope to play with soon. Some I'll avoid like the plague. Not so different from F2F play.

If they're dice-grinders and rules-nazis, I'm not the right guy for that kind of group.

I'm hoping that word-of-mouth from like-minded players and GMs will be enough to direct the right sort of person to me for whatever mentorship I can provide. If you know me and have played at any of my tables as a GM or fellow player, please send such folks my way.

Larry Smith
aka GM Lorenzo

We appreciate your help with GD 6, Lorenzo. Cheers!

+1 top a top notch GM right there. Larry you are awesome and a hell of a story teller. You have me laughing almost constantly, I do need too breath occasionally. If you didn't know it's Ebonwolf

Cheers

Yeah Larry’s game of Overflow has been great fun! He’s made a real splash there!

Seconding the thanks for being our HQ. By doing so, he kept us all afloat!

Ha! The fun keeps going and knots stopping.

I'm planning to GM Scenario #5–99: The Paths We Choose (Tiers 3-7) in my next PbP session, starting right after PbP Gameday VI, setting things up before Thanksgiving and starting play immediately after the holiday weekend. This scenario offers a great precursor for Season 9 Factions' Favor.

(Many thanks to Shifty for introducing me to the scenario as a player.)

If you're interested in checking out PbP sessions I've run or ones I'm currently GMing, take a look at these:
#6-10 Wounded Wisp
#2-11 The Penumbral Accords
#6-15 The Overflow Archives

If this style appeals to you or to a GM you know, please let me know. I'd prefer to avoid open recruitment, especially for Redelia's mentorship program.

(I already have two seats reserved for a couple of players in our local F2F group. One is CariMac, who's already posted in this thread.)

Scenario #5–99: The Paths We Choose

The failure of Mendev's wardstones set in motion not only a new crusade but also catalyzed a change in the Pathfinder Society's various factions. As the Pathfinders prepare to march on the Sky Citadel Jormurdun, members of the various factions scramble to consolidate their gains and neutralize their enemies.
"The Paths We Choose" is a special event designed to highlight the changes in each faction over the course of Season 5, The Year of the Demon, and the adventure is different for each group depending on which factions are represented at the table. Content in "The Paths We Choose" also contributes directly to the ongoing storylines of the Andoran, Cheliax, Osirion, Qadira, Sczarni, and Taldor factions. This adventure kicks off Season 6, The Year of the Sky Key and is for character levels 3-7.

Lorenzo - I'd like to play in that one, if you've still got room

Lorenzo, if you're starting right after gameday, could you please try to find a spot for the people who have already said they can't play True Dragons?

Alas, I am still rather new to Society and do not have a Level 3 yet... But I would love to play and see your style in action! Would you mind if I played a pregen?

I can't play or run True dragons either (played it previously and not 5 star gm)

Understood Hmm. I am not skilled enough yet to run that one in such case. :-)

@Lorenzo, I would happily join you, sadly I have already played in that one. Best of luck!

Hey guys, is anyone else interested in playing in either of these games? There's less than a day left of the original three days I mentioned.

I can play True Dragon's, but as you saw I'm in GM Lorenzo's #5–99: The Paths We Choose.

If there's space awesome, if not next time.

True Dragons: Not enough stars to run it, but totally willing to help flesh out a table if needed. At the very least, I will be lurking!!

I am a bit overloaded still for the moment, but as soon as some bandwidth opens up, I can run a mentoring game as well.

@GM Lorenzo - If you still end up needing to fill spots in The Paths We Choose *after* accounting for anyone that isn't able to play True Dragons, I would be happy to play.

@Redelia - As I mentioned, I'm good to play True Dragons but I sadly can't run it myself.

More of a general question, how will mentoring games be run/handled exactly? Or will that be the next phase of the explanation/setup and I'm jumping the gun a bit by asking? :)

Ok, I will work today on writing out table assignments. This is going to be fun!

I am happy to play if another body is needed, but don't have the required stars to GM.

Lady Ladile, the games will mostly be run like normal. The individual GMs running games will set up threads and make formatting requests and everything like normal. The difference is that they will be explaining why they do things and how things work in discussion. Also, we as players will be keeping a close eye out for tricks they use, and for 'tone' and pacing and other such issues.

Understood, thank you!

I'm the other person that GM Lorenzo is holding a spot for. I'll be joining his game, hoping to get some mentoring and PBP GM tips so I can start running PBP sessions. I'm hesitant to be in more than 1 or 2 at a time and I've already played True Dragons.

I'm happy to accept JAF0 and GM Ladile at my table of #5-99 The Paths We Choose (subtier 3-4). That would make four, including the two spots I'd reserved. Happy to seat two more RP-loving GMs.

@Nomadical, @CariMac please post in my recruitment thread. Then post an in-character PC introduction in the discussion thread.

@JAF0, @GM Ladile, you're welcome to check it out, too. But I don't want to step on Redelia's toes, as she works the assignments. Let's hope it all works out.

Sláinte!
Larry Smith
aka GM Lorenzo

Lorenzo's table, please report and post as he has requested above:

JAF0
EwokBanshee
CariMac
Lady Ladile
(Nomadical)

I'll be joining this table, but yielding my seat if any problems come up so that we have to move someone else to this table.

True Dragons, run by our fearless Venture Captain, Hmm:

Poblano Pepper
Zin Z'arin
DevilDoc
Sedoriku
(seat reserved by the GM)
me (Redelia)

checkin for this game is here.

True Dragons, run by Dungeonmaster S:

Shieldbug
Otha
Carimac
Turmoil
Lady Ladile
Khaoz

checkin here.

Dotted to get my respective campaigns on my tab; currently out and about so I'll catch up more later today!

Question: Is there a repository or file with the Pregen characters written out in BB code?

I ask selfishly for myself, but also because I'll be running a Pregen game soon and it would be a nice resource for the players.

I don't know of any such resource, but I have found that just selecting the text in the pregen's pdf and then copy pasting into the profile requires very little cleaning up.

Little by little I am creating BB coded pregens. The true dragons I do not have yet but soon will. I will let you know when I finish some.

I am working on the BB Code Kobold Pregens right now. If anyone wants to help with adding bolding and creating headers, please let me know.

Hmm

I am working on the BB Code Kobold Pregens right now. If anyone wants to help with adding bolding and creating headers, please let me know.

Hmm

HMM you know I am always willing to help out. Just point me in a direction and let me loose.

^ Poblano is AWESOME.

Together we finished the full BB Code Conversion of the Kobold Pregens.

Hello everyone. VCHmm asked me to introduce myself.

I am the Venture-Agent for the PFS play-by-post community on Myth Weavers.

We're in a bit of a lull with the pbp games wrapping up and the holidays coming, but if anyone ever wanted to branch out from the Paizo forums we can be reached at MythweaversPFS

I've even put together a guide for players that goes through some effort to explain some of the differences between Paizo and Myth Weavers.

Little by little I am creating BB coded pregens. The true dragons I do not have yet but soon will. I will let you know when I finish some.

I just suddenly realized what you said here.

How many of these do you have converted? Can we get them in the PBP GM Kit? Is it possible to get a couple volunteers to help on this project?

It suddenly occurred to me what a great resource this could be.

Hmm

I've even put together a guide for players that goes through some effort to explain some of the differences between Paizo and Myth Weavers.

Those guides are magnificent! We have got to get them in the PBP GM Kit.

Man, I am going to need to reorganize it soon. Another item for my ever-growing to do list.

Hmm