Gob Smash One

Game Master Tacticslion

Congratuations!

Congratulations! I am so glad to hear that you are doing well! And many wishes for a healthy little one. :)

Yay! Congratulations! (^_^)

Wishn' every one all'a very bestest!

Thread for the curious!

Congratulations. Glad everything worked out with all the craziness you guys got into.

Congratulations!!!

Congratulations!

(^_^)

Very much awesomest congratulatons an' welcomings ta ye all!

Yaaay!! Another little lion added to the Tacticslion pride!

Super congratulations to you all! (^_^)

Sorry I'm late to the congradulations party! Hope you're both doing welll!

In an effort to be as fully transparent as possible: running this game on an iPad is... not very possible. It has too many players (something I don't mind), too many moving parts (something I don't mind), and too many subtle elements for me to memorize (something I don't mind).

Here at the Ronald McDonald House, I have access to a PC - which is great! - but none of my notes, maps, or enemy statistics.

In short, the reason nothing has moved forward in the last twelve days is simply that I cannot while I am here.

(Que, "I can't work under these conditions!")

I'm really sorry, guys. I've tried making posts, but one mistake kills the whole thing, and I'd be deceiving you, if I said I didn't have to either look stuff up or make it up "on the fly" - something I'm good at in table games, but less so in PbP (where I'd have to remember the stats for days or weeks instead of hours).

Creating and formatting GM posts for this one takes a lot of time!

This came at a pretty harsh time, too: the middle of combat with the (first adventure's) final boss! Boo!

(I regret nothing of our little one, only that I wasn't able to bring this to the conclusion and drop-off point I'd planned on.)

So, we have a few options, and I'd like to hear from the players.

1) Declare an official hiatus; we'd pick up again at some point in the future
2) I write a denouement of this combat based on your character's abilities
3) We go along sporadically and post erratically, as possible
4) We end the game
5) A different idea that I haven't thought of (post your own)

I'm sorry for the two-week delay.

I appreciate you all, and am enjoying the game, but I don't want to keep you waiting for something that might not be coming for a while without at least telling you. Playing is muuuuuch easier than GMing, and I'm having problems keeping up with the games I play, too!

So, what say you? What do you, the players, want?

If I can, sometime in the next month, I'll try and hit up my house, and grab relevant notes. My in-laws are cleaning my house (which is awesome of them!)... so I'm not entirely sure where all my stuff will be. Still, if you'd like, I can try to spend a day doing that.

Let me know!

I'm good just waiting around. As long as once we get started again we do a quick what happened in the past and a round up of what's happening as we come back.

Option 1 is ok. Though it could lead to a more likely option 4.
Option 2 is ok too! It looks like we might have this in the bag.
Option 3 is ok as well! Though sporadic does break the flow
Option 4 is sad. Vitreous still hasn't had the opportunity to console(woo) Nugglet.
Option 5 No idea right now.

The fact that you even have time to explain the issue to us is an excellent mark on your dedication to this game.
You have however just had a brand new addition added to your family, so I was kinda expecting a 'sorry guys, can't do this anymore' sort of post at some point.
I very much enjoy this game but to be quite frank I'm hearing quite a few Ifs tacked onto the concept of us continuing. I'd love to see it happen but I think in the long run getting to a decent ending point (option 2) and then declaring a Hiatus would be best for the future.
We have no way of knowing the furture and I find the chances very good that a significant portion of time which used to be 'Make my Gobsmash players confused GM time' is now going to be 'Oh dear my newborn is traumatizing the family pet/has decided I require more grey hairs than I already have and is eloping to dangerous places time.'
Least that my thoughts on it.

I wish to add: I don't partic want this to end, but I want the players to decide as a group- also, an immediate denouement would be a substantial retcon (and take a bit to craft anyway), but is doable at what is effectively a lull: it could be an end, and I'm okay altering my plans; the rail isn't important if the ride is boring! I wanted to clarify that for you guys. :)

EDIT: added correct alias and correct wording.

I would prefer the hiatus. I like this campaign. If you feel that you are too busy now then that's fine too. I'd join up in the next campaign you do.

If you feel you will be able to get rolling again after a break then I would absolutely love to continue playing with ya. But I want this to be a source of fun for us all and not just a big source of stress for yourself. If you are not worried about stuff like this gnawing at your legs while life keeps you away then im entirely fine with waiting.

I think a hiatus would be the best idea -- in my experience, a declared hiatus actually helps things more than sporadic posting. With the latter, there's maybe one post, then a wait, then one post.... people throw energy in when they can, but then often there's no immediate result and it feels like energy wasted... it becomes exhausting. A declared hiatus means we circle a day on our calendar -- a day, a week, a month from now, and then check back, energy refreshed.

I wouldn't suggest ending the game now. If we hit the end of the hiatus period and you find you can't continue on due to circumstances as you know them at that time, I'd trust your judgment, but it sounds like it's too early to tell and in likelihood you'd be able to pick up once your home life is a bit normal. (Even under circumstances where an infant was born full term, I'd expect a parent GM/player (both in this case) need to take a break. With a premie definitely so(my Dad was a premie.))

Full disclosure: all this said, for myself personally, I at one point was thinking about finding a good stopping point to pull out of the game. It is hella fun and you're a great GM, Tac, but I find it very overwhelming for a number of reasons (lots of players, lots of complex enemy swarms, very complex plot hard to keep track of--no one has done anything wrong, my little brain can just only process so much). Actually, the break came at a good time anyway because this month has been hella busy for me (is lightening up now). I don't feel inclined to leave at the moment--I'd rather get us to a proper end of an arc before deciding what to do with Ceru--but since we are probably taking a stop anyway (I see other votes for hiatus), I figure I should probably put that out there now in case it might be best I just pull out now.

*Holds up hand*

I be all okeys with a hi-ate-us... Though it dun't sound rilly healthy or good or nuffin'.. (>_>)

Seriously, wishing you all the very best. Thanks heaps for DMing and we'll see how things go when you're able to kick off again. (^_^)

Wishing every one all the very best!

Hiatus it is!

Limited internet access, sick, and a newborn (who is still in the hospital dealing with preemy things) combined with upcoming and impending tremendous amounts of family visitors over a large period of time means that, in all probability, I'm out for another month. I'm sorry it took so long to post this up, but, our days are mostly spent:

1) wake up
2) guzzle something approximating breakfast
3) travel to hospital to engage in endless cycles of:
- 3a) feeding our son
- 3b) wife pumping milk for the future (while I meet with someone or wait with poor wifi reception)
- 3c) seeing someone about something
- 3d) repeat
- OPTIONAL: occasional breaks for eating (some days)
4) come back to the RMDH!
5) eat free food!
6) sleep

This, naturally, is not conducive to gaming online.

To be clear, while tiring, it's not a bad state that we're in; things are generally okay. The two "bad" things are: our newborn is battling anemea (lack of red blood cells produced by bone marrow, not lack of iron), and I'm rather sick (which is why I'm at the RMDH and have time to update this, leaving my wife alone at the hospital today); oh! and a mistake with Verizon meant my iPad lost its Roaming Wifi capabiilty for... I dunno, until they stop falsely claiming I owe them $125, but that's mostly just waiting for us to talk to an actual person in-person instead of people on the phone. Seriously, and truly, though, those are the only things that are bad. Everything else is going as well as it can.

I am sorry about the lack of updates/information!

Anyway, with all this in mind, if no one minds, I'm going to beg us out until December - probably sometime later December. December itself will be a bit tricky, but by then, Lord willing, things'll have settled down enough, we'll be home, and we'll have internet access.

Apologies again for the lack of communication and time!

~ Tac

*BIGGEST HUGZ* (^_^)

Am rilly glad that things be going swell fer ye. (Seemin' fer a tad amount o' 'reasonably') fer ye an' all!

Rilly am sendin' ye all'a bestest wishes an' such fer lii' DM, Mama DM and y'self DM. (^_^)

Please, take ye time, take ye care an' ye take joy in all'a ye things on yon side of screen.

We all be here, awaiting wiff baited breath just ta' be read in' ye developmentals.

Much cheers and bestest wishes ta' all. *Waves madly* (^_^)

Again congratulations, I wish you both the best.

As to the game I had established in my mind that there was little chance of the game becoming viable again until at least January.
New kid and holidays and snow and all the other things.
Take your time, and worry nothing over us internet people when you have family, friends, a new baby, yourself and *shudder* Inlaws to fret over.

Super congratulations again! I hope you are doing okay! I hope Layla and the new little one are doing well! (^_^)

I'm repeating the same sentiment, though it is worth repeating. A hiatus is one hundred percent expected. Please, take all the time you need. I will be happy to jump back in whenever everyone is ready to continue the story! (^_^)

*Skips around hugging friends* (^_^)

Wishin' every one all'a very bestest!

Hopin' lil DM be doin' wonderfullest!

Much cheersy-ness ta' all!

Keep on keepin' on; glad mom and baby are doing well; hope you get better soon, Tac.

And happy Thanksgiving!

We are home for Thanksgiving!

... lacking sleep (feeding a literal "cry-baby" every two-hours, more or less), but home!

Family coming over tomorrow, and my oldest boy will finally be back with his mommy and daddy and with his little brother all the time! WOOOOO~!

... we're still hecka on hiatus. Sorry. (Only marginally, though, 'cause we're home!)

Yay home!

Wow... such food coma.

Glad you'se folks are doing well. Ensure to curb your in-laws in your states preferred method of disposal.

Much happy turkey day ta every ones. (^_^)

Whut's a 'Turkey', anyways...? (>_>)

While I'm not "back" yet, I wanted to make sure to wish everyone an early Merry Christmas (and/or whichever other thing you celebrate)... and to let you all know that I've neither forgotten nor given up!

Though we've still lots of doctor visits, with a sick three-year-old (the big brother), and several cross-state trips, we're doing well over-all, and God is good.

Later this month, Lord willing, we'll be back!
(Though it miiiiiiight be early January.)

Thanks!

Peace and God bless you!

Wishin' eveyr one all'a very bestest!

(^_^)

Best to you and yours, GM.

Best to Layla, best to the GM, best to all! (^_^)

Merry Christmas to all!
Our little halfling baby is growing well, and we're looking forward to being more involved online again in the New Year. :)

This will be an excellent thing, and it is good to hear said baby is well.
It is a good thing yours is a halfling baby Or else you might need to worry about kobolds.
All hail King torg!

Thanks!

Best wishes for everyone's holidays, whichever you may celebrate!

Looking forward to Layla and Tac coming back!

Wishin' every one all'a very bestest an' seasonal type greetin's! (^_^)

Good news all around! Look forward to experiencing this story with all of you again!

Reconstituting...

Reconstituting...

Reconstituting...

Reconstituting...

Load Error, Restart Process...

Reconstituting...

Rereading...

Rebuilding...

Returning...

... soooooooooooooooooooooon(-ish)?...

BWAHAHA!
IT LIIVVEESSS! *ominous thunder clap*

Disclosure: I'm looking at updating this weekend or possibly by Monday. The idea is to create a sort of "here's where we are, and here's what's been going on" recap - hopefully a clear and comprehensible one.

As GM, I also need to study my notes thoroughly - I've been out of this world almost as long as you guys have, and I've got to regain a handle on where it was and what has been going on. It's moving pretty smoothly so far, but I don't want to promise anything that I can't deliver.

In all likelihood, updates will be a bit slower on my end from this point forward... but I'm not saying they will or won't be, rather that, as of this posting, it seems like they might be.

Also, I want to thank any of you who're still interested, and say that I understand any of you who aren't, but I'm very thankful for as long as you've held on and as long as you've played with us. If you wish to drop out, let me know so I can quietly retool things. Characters won't start disappearing... yet... but I'll know not to put things that require said entities' unique talents or style to progress past. That said, we are nearing the end of the "main" (well, "first") story - the one I most wanted to tell, and that inspired the whole idea - and continuing on thereafter is purely a matter of choice of the players involved.

Life has been... insane for the last few months, and it's good to be asymptotically approaching something vaguely resembling sanity.

Currently, the campaign seems to be in the "Previous" campaigns section on my Campaigns area, and thus doesn't show any updates - I don't know how to get that out of there and into a "real" section, nor do I know how it shows up for you guys. Let me know, and I'm looking into it... slowly, along with all sorts of other things.

I'd appreciate any feedback you guys are willing to give! Can't guarantee that I'll incorporate it, though I'll try!

Peace and God bless you!

Squeees! (^_^)

*Jumps around and glomps every one* (^_^)

huh, strange. What with there being activity on the thread it has popped back into my current game spot.
I'd love to know how that works though as my RHOD game 'which I am still active in' has been in my Previous game slot for months with me unsure how exactly I am to get it back.
So let me know if you uncover the arcane secret of the dread forum mods and attain enlightenment.

Far as I can figure? Post in the Gameplay thread. ... that's about it.

just posting in discussion worked for me on this one. Neither has successfully brought my RHOD game back up from the depths.

Hm. Sorry. I dunno!

It was only Layla posting in Gameplay that brought this one back up for me.

You might want to post here, where I discuss it a bit with Chris Lambertz. Your situation might be useful information for them there at Paizo office.

Is it really happening? It is!

The Return of Gob Smash One's Revengeance: The Quickening!

Hello!

I am really glad to see y'all back.

I admit however trying to dig up a muse for what was a challenging game is difficult. I've said before, with no offense intended to anyone here, as y'all are a truly delightful crew, that I'd sometimes considered dropping out because it was a bit hard for me to follow at times.

I think though as Tac said, we are near the end of an arc. I think it would probably make sense to play Ceru to the end of the arc and then see how I feel. Would that be okay?

That said, some serious recappage would be very helpful to all of us I think.

Yes, it really would, Ceru! I'm happy you've been here so far!

Point in fact, the game will continue only with by and for those who wish it to continue at the end of this arc.

There will be two (rather close-together) upcoming places where people can easily drop out, which I will note to you at the time (one is more of a "vanish, never to be seen from again" thing and one is more of a "wander off into the <insert situation/environment here>" sort of thing).

After that... it's going to be up to you guys.

Also worth noting, is that this will be the end of the Wild Magic arc... probably. While it does depend on your actions, it looks like you guys are about to sweep the whole pot, nab the grand prize, and finish everything involving that arc right now. Didn't know if you would, or even could. It looks like you just might.

* As opposed to literal dragon, which may or may not apply - you don't know!

"SSSssssssSSSsssSSSssSS!"says Vitreous still waiting to not be a humongous snake monster! Hard to woo the ladies, when they're afraid he might eat or squish them...

Dealing with sickness in the household. Doesn't mean we're going to wait, but I'm letting you know in case there is a slight delay as a result. (We're really excited to be getting back into this, however.)

Also, in facing the GM's dilemma, I've realized that, despite having a clean and clear record of literally everything we've played, I'm not certain how much you guys know. So I'm going to be giving you a kind of "clearance" of information - effectively, in my recap I'll be telling you things that your characters probably know, but you as a player might not have realized. I will tell it from the character-point-of-view (despite probably being in a narrator voice), however, so if you'd likely know incorrect information, you'll get incorrect information, or information to the best of your knowledge. If you know something that contradicts that... well, that's interesting, isn't it?

Hope that's okay, and doesn't ruin immersion.

Back to work! HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO~!