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If I was open recruiting for a new game, chances are you would get in. First-come first-served doesn't necessarily mean instant recruitment. A lot of people will truck up to a recruitment thread and will posit an idea, like "How about a dwarf ranger?". That's not going to get you in. Yet very many people don't get past that stage. What gets you in is positing an idea for a character that has both a bit of crunch and a bit of fluff, and being able to translate that into a more-or-less realised character sheet in a day or three. Even people who get past the initial stage often fall down due to other commitments, a lack of follow-through, or whatever. I will also input to the character creation process to make something that will mesh better with the overall campaign and, in particular, the campaign opening. Creating the characters at the start of a campaign usually takes at least a week, which ought to be plenty of time. That, effectively, is my recruitment process. If enough people get to the end of that, we have a game.
But on the other hand, if someone takes a long time to even come up with a viable concept I have to think to myself: is that person is actually going to be able to drive the action forward. It's well and good agonizing about the character's relationship with his maternal great-uncle, but in the end what a game needs from players is a bit of drive and the ability to make decisions, otherwise the game will bog down, and the ability to post very regularly. If indecision makes it hard to do that - as evidenced by an inability to sling six stats together and come up with a character idea that can articulated in a paragraph - then it will count against you. And it should. Creating a wonderful, fully-realized character at the start of a campaign isn't all there is to being a player, you have to be able to play it too on an ongoing basis. In PbP, that's basically a commitment of years (in my games, anyway). A lot of the character development can, and should, happen in-game and doesn't have to be part of the character creation process.
Hello, new here have gamed for years but not pathfinder and never online. So my question I notice all these play by post games are ongoing daily post. Does anyone run a pbp session ex. 4 hrs on a given day. Almost like table top play
Some people do, although they mostly use Roll20 or some sort of virtual tabletop. Offerings of set-time games pop up in the recruitment thread from time to time. Coordinating a time for everyone to get together can be an issue, as the community here is international so what's a convenient time for some is the middle of the working day or the middle of the night for others.
Understood thanks. One more question. I see the how to format your text at the bottom, but am unable to get them to work is there a trick to it
Understood thanks. One more question. I see the how to format your text at the bottom, but am unable to get them to work is there a trick to it
you might be doing a typo somewhere.
Below is a Cut and paste of the format stuff in the format spoiler.
You must use [] brackets and NO spaces inside the brackets,
if you need a space in a title, use "" to surround it.
i.e.
[?dice=Sense Motive] is invalid
[?dice="Sense Motive"] is valid
--------------------------------------------------------
Quoted material here....
This is bold and italics and strikethrough.
Go to Paizo Inc..
Contact customer.service@paizo.com
- one
- two
This is and this is smaller.
This is for play-by-post threads.
This is a dice expression.
I will keep working on it thanks. But so far no luck
Post an example here, OldSmith, and hopefully we can figure out where the problem lies...
Hi Michael! Welcome to the thread.
PbPs are easy to get into. What you first want to do is look on the Online Campaigns folder (where this thread is located) and open up the Recruitment sub folder. GMs starting games usually post there.
A word of warning: about 50% of PbPs end up not working. Join a couple, that way you'll have some choices. The pace is fairly slow, but it can be just as rewarding as a regular real life game.
This is a great thread to introduce you to the conventions of most PbP games on the Paizo forum.
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GM: "You see a door."
Rogue: "Trap check! Ooh, rolled a 2. Uh...doubt I see anything."
GM: "You don't see any traps." :)
Ranger: "Yeah, uh, how about you open it?"
Rogue: "How about you open it?"
*Day goes by*
GM: "Guys."
Beguiler: "I, uh...move towards the door. But I let someone else open it."
Cleric: "Y-you guys better not make me open it." :(
Ranger: "Okay, that's enough. I open the door!"
GM: "Nothing happens. Beyond, you see a big, spooky door."
Ranger: "Guys, that door looks spooky. Bet it's trapped."
Beguiler: "Yes, that is definitely trapped." *Detect Magic/Perception*
GM: "You see no traps, Beguiler."
Beguiler: "I don't see any traps, guys. Maybe the traps are being magically hidden. I analyze it with Spellcraft!"
GM: "You see no traps, Beguiler."
Ranger: "Maybe the door is actually a monster?"
Kobcleve's Portal of Delaying
School illusion (phantasm, fear); Level bard 3, sorcerer/wizard 4
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range close (25 ft + 5 ft per two caster levels)
Effect one door 10'x5"
Targets up to one PC per two caster levels
Duration Concentration + 1 round
Saving Throw Will negates (see text); Spell Resistance yes
To the affected subjects, a great door made of whatever substance the caster chooses appears to block their path in a direction you specify. No matter how much room they have on either side, they cannot venture in that direction save by going through the door. A Will save allows them to move around the door at half speed, but they must continue saving every round they are on the other side of the door in this way. A failed save forces them to return back to their prior position.
The door itself appears perfectly ordinary in every way. Nothing about it looks threatening, and in fact there is a pleasant welcome mat at its base encouraging entry.
The door is locked, requiring a DC 15 Disable Device check to pick. Once one of the affected subjects has proceeded at least fifteen feet through and suffered no immediate negative consequences, the entire terrifying effect dissipates.
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You can't prove that's from your game! Names have been changed to protect the indecisive!
You know, I have a simple, open question to all PbP GMs:
What would you say is your average rate of "apologies-per-year" with regards to being slow to provide a post or update?
I'm not sure what you're asking for. Like apologies from GMs to the players? Or just generally people in the game apologizing for being slow to post?
If it's the first, then I would say it varies wildly by year. Some years the answer has been none, and then there are years like this one where I have to apologize at least once a month because stuff keeps coming up. Hopefully there will be routine again soon, but life can be really unpredictable sometimes. So an average would get weirdly skewed with the whole feast or famine nature of things for me.
I apologize frequently. But my life is often a sh1t show, and my PbPs are often pushed to the bottom of the queue.
I don't apologize for being slow to post as a GM. Instead, I post in discussion: "Hey guys, the next three days will be busy. If I get a post in, great. If I don't see you next Thursday." And then I come back on Thursday.
It works great. If my life's busy, my players know when to expect me back and no one's left hanging.
Hmm
I don't apologize for being slow to post as a GM. Instead, I post in discussion: "Hey guys, the next three days will be busy. If I get a post in, great. If I don't see you next Thursday." And then I come back on Thursday.
It works great. If my life's busy, my players know when to expect me back and no one's left hanging.
Hmm
Good, good, just wanted to make sure I was right to feel rotten about it.
I'm curious—for those of you in high-level play, what methods, if any, do you use to track the various buffs and wards PCs start to rack up at higher levels?
As a player, I put an [ ooc ] chunk like the above lines at the beginning of each post when there get to be multiple spells going. I put in every spell I have cast (and on whom) or that someone has cast on me. I assume the other players will keep track of their own buffs/penalties.
As a GM I have enough to keep track of, if the players can't keep track of their own PC's buffs... Well too bad. I may spot check them on occasion if something looks wonky though.
I can't create new threads for some reason. Including creating a thread to explain that I can't create threads...
I don't know how to proceed... :/
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I can't create new threads for some reason. Including creating a thread to explain that I can't create threads...
I don't know how to proceed... :/
Go to this thread I created in Website Feedback, and reply to explain your problem.
Thank you! :)
It is very interesting to see the discussion here of what makes a good application for a game, and how even with qualified applicants, a good 50% of games fail right away.
I think that's inevitable in a very large user-base community, like exists here. But for what it is worth, I've played for many years in a steady game universe with zero chance that you will not get to play your PC from level 1 to level 20, although that takes about 10 years to do. What's the secret? Here are some suggestions, hope you can use them.
1) All games are set in the same homebrew campaign universe, and DMs come from a common pool and are assigned to games (usually for about two years) by the Campaign DM. That means if a DM fails to post, there is a campaign sherriff checking attendance, and the campaign DM steps in right away to assign a new DM and keep the game going. So games do not fail.
2) Almost all games actually have two Co-DMs who share the job of posting daily, and if one has to miss a post, the other steps in to keep the game on track.
3) DMs get shuffled around not just every two years, but also when a DM vacancy needs a replacement or a new game launches at level 1 or when a game retires at level 21. So DMs do not get a sense that this is "their" game, but rather, that they are giving back to the community.
4) We have ZERO tryouts or applications. You wanna play, you're in. You have to agree with our house rules and commit to posting 5 times a week. That's all. We find that people who are not a good fit for us drop out, and the ones who are stick around.
Anyway, if anyone wants to hear more, please feel free to ask. I got lots of resources and examples. And we often have openings.
Ok have a few generic questions would appreciate some feedback from a couple of you all:
So I've run several PFS scenarios in PbP format here on the Paizo boards. But, I'm ready to branch off to run at least the first book of an AP. (Snows of Summer from Reign of Winter). I will run this in Campaign mode, but will give out a chronicle sheet to all players who want one and qualify for one on completing the book.
Here's a few of the questions I have regarding the differences or changes from running a straight up PFS scenario.
1. Is it fair(realistic) to ask your potential player pool to post at least once a day on weekdays and at least once on weekends (vacations and other planned time off being the exception.)
2. In other GMs experience...assuming a regular and faithful group of posters...how long for book 1 of an adventure Path? (on PbP)
3. Is it fair to ask the players to have Herolab to apply for the game?(and send me copies of their character's portfolios)
4. What do you think about limiting content? (ie. what if I don't want Occult Classes or stuff from Ultimate Wilderness?)
5. Lastly..I recall running in to a thread that matches GMs with players and their preferred adventure Paths...is their a link to a spreadsheet (that's current)? What is the thread called again?
6. Would it be too cheesy to play a GNPC? Or should I leave that spot open for a 5th player?
7. Outpost is just about to start...will my player pool of dedicated players be watered down too much? (I can wait on starting up)
Anyway, thanks in advance for answering these questions and or any other advice; anyone might want to add...
Lucklesshero
Ok have a few generic questions would appreciate some feedback from a couple of you all:
So I've run several PFS scenarios in PbP format here on the Paizo boards. But, I'm ready to branch off to run at least the first book of an AP. (Snows of Summer from Reign of Winter). I will run this in Campaign mode, but will give out a chronicle sheet to all players who want one and qualify for one on completing the book.
Here's a few of the questions I have regarding the differences or changes from running a straight up PFS scenario.
I'll answer what I can.
1. Is it fair(realistic) to ask your potential player pool to post at least once a day on weekdays and at least once on weekends (vacations and other planned time off being the exception.)
It's typical, but you should keep in mind that you'll need to at least match that posting rate yourself as the GM.
2. In other GMs experience...assuming a regular and faithful group of posters...how long for book 1 of an adventure Path? (on PbP)
Reply hazy, ask again later.
It depends.
OK, seriously--it really does depend on the players and on you. There are groups that have managed to do parts in well under a year, while others have taken up to three (?!) years. If everyone is having a good time, you're going at the right pace.
3. Is it fair to ask the players to have Herolab to apply for the game?(and send me copies of their character's portfolios)
Hmmmm. I don't see that done very often; most of the time, people use the boards to set up character profiles. The minor errors and gaps in HL, along with the price, make it a nonstarter for me. YMMV.
4. What do you think about limiting content? (ie. what if I don't want Occult Classes or stuff from Ultimate Wilderness?)
Rock on. You're the GM, and if people don't like it they don't have to apply.
5. Lastly..I recall running in to a thread that matches GMs with players and their preferred adventure Paths...is their a link to a spreadsheet (that's current)? What is the thread called again?
I haven't seen that for a while, and when I did I really didn't like the idea. As a GM, I have some idea of what my limits are, and would prefer to pick my players individually.
6. Would it be too cheesy to play a GNPC? Or should I leave that spot open for a 5th player?
Yes.
OK, that's my opinion, but I really don't like GMPCs unless they're absolutely necessary...especially when the player pool is so big.
7. Outpost is just about to start...will my player pool of dedicated players be watered down too much? (I can wait on starting up)
Anyway, thanks in advance for answering these questions and or any other advice; anyone might want to add...
Lucklesshero
You might want to wait until Outpost is winding down, because a lot of the PFS PbP folks are going to be focused on getting everything done by the end date and may not want to jump into something until they've figured out how much time they have to spare for another campaign. The first few weeks of a new PbP tend to have pretty high posting densities, so that competes directly with the time-limited nature of the Game Day.
If you wait, I strongly suggest that you restrict your recruitment time to a week--two at the most. You'll have no shortage of players.
Good luck!
So, this is an issue that has come up on other PbP forums and ground some games to a halt while dealing with the possible fallout, and I've contact Paizo via email about it, but got a one-line canned response that did nothing to help and never got a response with the follow-up I sent back.
I know that maps from the Adventure Path and Module PDFs are explicitly called out as not being allowed for use. At the same time, however, I rarely see a Paizo AP or Module on this very site that does not use Paizo maps and images straight out of the PDF files, despite this being explicitly not allowed under the Community Use Guidelines.
So I'm confused as to whether I'm wrong or something. People have wholesale halted posting on some of my other sites because of this coming up multiple times recently.
As a DM, can I or can I not grab a map from, say, Legacy of Fire, rotate it so the compass faces correctly, slap some tokens onto it, and post it to a non-commercial, free-use website dedicated towards PbP games? I can't find, nor have a received via email with Paizo, a definitive, direct answer.
*shrug*
I have in the past , and no one’s given me grief about it. IANAL, only a paralegal, so I can’t speak to the strict legality of it. My feeling is I’d be using the map if I was at table with people, instead of online, and once you’ve slapped your own tokens on it it’s pretty useless for someone to steal it from you.
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I suspect that strictly it's probably not legal, but there's a degree of proportionality about it in that Paizo can't sue everybody who happens to do so, and if it isn't widespread and there is no personal gain involved for the individual (i.e. profiting from Paizo's intellectual property) then the hassle of enforcement probably isn't worth the expense. That said, if they say don't do it, then probably you shouldn't, if only because they own it and you have a duty to respect that like you would with anyone else's property.
That said, if they say don't do it, then probably you shouldn't, if only because they own it and you have a duty to respect that like you would with anyone else's property.
This response in combination with the complete and total lack of response from Paizo is the problem.
One of the sites I'm speaking of has already received C&Ds, but enforcing a website-wide rule of "never use Paizo maps" is kinda...absurd.
But games are being halted due to Paizo's lack of a response and we're at a total loss as to what to do.
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Well, you draw your own versions. I run Paizo APs and I don't use their maps, I use my own. As for the lack of response... Well, you've said yourself that the Community Use Rules here say you can't reproduce them. So they don't need to respond, they've told you explicitly not to.
Other people have either not the read the rules, or have decided to ignore them, and Paizo for their own reasons have chosen not to enforce them, probably because the hassle isn't worth it for the vast majority who are just gaming and not plagiarising it or using it for personal gain. But I expect they don't want to tell you you can reproduce their copyright as that might be the same as effectively waiving it in some cicumstances, which they don't want to do. So those maps which are reproduced here are probably strictly in breach of copyright, but Paizo is chosing not to do anything about it because it isn't doing them any harm to speak of. So you then need to decide if you want to breach the rules like some other people, and maybe take the pretty tiny risk of comeback, or not.
Note, I have no particulat legal training so an expert might see the differently.
As for the lack of response... Well, you've said yourself that the Community Use Rules here say you can't reproduce them. So they don't need to respond, they've told you explicitly not to.
Except that I'm not reproducing them and I'm specifically looking for clarification on the Community Use Guidelines. When I ask "Hey can you clarify this part of the guidelines" and the response is a one-line response with a link to the guidelines, my question isn't solved. It's deflected.
But I expect they don't want to tell you you can reproduce their copyright as that might be the same as effectively waiving it in some cicumstances, which they don't want to do.
That's what Community Use is for. It's reproduction but it's also not "descriptive reference", so it ends up in an area that is not explained in any specific way.
So you then need to decide if you want to breach the rules like some other people, and maybe take the pretty tiny risk of comeback, or not.
Note, I have no particulat legal training so an expert might see the differently.
We're not looking to run with a tiny risk of getting the site shut down and legal action taken against the site owners. We're looking for no risk while also trying to determine how many games and DMs we're going to have to shut down.
And I have been consulting a lawyer through this whole thing. They're the one that recommended I make multiple attempts at contact.|
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Well, y'know, nothing is without risk. I hope this is a lawyer friend and not someone who you are paying, because this is actually not that big a deal. Reproduce the maps on google docs like I do if it bothers you that much. You are not without options, you are just insisting on one option but, being uncertain of the legality, paralysing yourself. I think we have taken this as far as we can.
One more time, I am not seeking this for myself for my own personal use in games. Nor am I insisting on one option. I realize there are other options, but those options are neither the most viable nor are they even what people on this very site use.
This is a site-wide situation that could end up with many games, and I stress again that it is beyond my own games, that would be affected.
As for the "not that big a deal" line, if website termination and C&Ds are "not that big a deal" I'm not certain what constitutes a big deal. Especially when the ones who have the power to hand those down have not properly responded in nearly two weeks (emails were sent awhile ago).
You have taken it as far as you can, as you are a community member and customer like I am. But I'm trying to get a straight answer rather than a shrug and "nothing is without risk".
I'm interested in joining a PbP campaign. I've never played PbP before. How do I get involved with this?
I'm interested in joining a PbP campaign. I've never played PbP before. How do I get involved with this?
This thread is very helpful.
If you're interested in Society play, I understand that this thread is always organizing new games.
Awesome, thank you.
How can I get a PFS-ID? Do I need one in order to play PbP?
How can I get a PFS-ID? Do I need one in order to play PbP?
Only if you want to play Society games for credit. Getting an ID is as easy as creating a Pathfinder Society character in your account, iirc; I don't play Society, but I'm sure someone in the Flaxseed thread can tell you for sure.
Cool, thanks again :)
Looking for advice on how to deal with erratic posters. I run a couple of games in which the communicated expectations are 1 post per weekday and 1 per weekend. I know that's a little on the higher end but it's certainly not unusual. I'm fine with absences but ask players to let me know so that I'll bot them immediately instead of letting everyone else wait, losing steam.
I have several players in different games who will routinely go 3, 4, 5 days with no word. When I PM asking what's up, the response tends to be "Something came up but I'll catch up." Then they start missing days again. Tips on how to handle this? I've never had to boot a player before as typically they've left when the fit is no longer good but now I find myself with a few stragglers who seem to just want to keep on posting every now and then.
You set the expectations clearly and you've pmed them. It's very important to maintain posting rates in PbP. Nothing hurts more than watching your more active PCs lose interest because the game isn't moving.
1) Put the absent PCs on autopilot. Let the other PCs suggest how to use them, or just automatically control them after say 2 days of no posting. Ask them for botting instructions so you know what they're doing.
2) If this is PFS, you're only screwed for this scenario. If this is a long term game, I think you need to boot those players and start recruiting replacements. Either way, you need to put them on your "nope" list and move on.
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It depends. You can put up with it if they are erratic but present, but the game will take longer. But it can be a sign of lack of motivation for the game, and it can make the game drag and lose momentum. If you want to maintain the pace, you may have no choice to asking the players to leave. My own posting rate has slowed a lot in recent years - life happens, circumstances change and you can't always devote the time every day. If you are OK with that, then carry on, if not, you'll have to do something about it.
I always put in a caveat that a lack of posting will result in characters being autoboted. That being said, I can hardly complain. When I started PbPing I’d post multiple times daily. Now, I’m a lot more mellow. Real life takes precedence. The magic of PbP is you have time. However, if your group is all punctual except for a straggler and you feel like it is dragging the tempo of your game down, by all means PM them and explain your concerns. If they continue to prevaricate and make excuses, then you are certainly within your rights to ask them to leave. It is your game. If something is bothering you, then you have the right to rectify it. It’s not like they players are paying you for your services, and it isn’t fair if their issues are impacting the group as a whole. If you let them stay without consequences, they will continue with their actions.
I've seen several GMs that outright banned the Vigilante class. I understand them. But other do allow the class and I wonder what kind of special fun you could have with the two personas.
I was thinking of giving one persona, most likely social, to the GM as a recurring NPC.
Or maybe create two aliases that never appear in the same scene at the same time.
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Is it my imagination, or do a lot of play-by-post games here use Gestalt rules? What's the appeal?
My guess is that PbP offers a chance to run more complicated characters/games than one usually does at the table. Gestalt PCs have a lot of options every turn, which can slow the game down IRL; in PbP, you can take more time without feeling like you're holding things up.