Welcome to the wonderful world of PbPs Eragar. What you are looking for is the >Recruitment< forum. This is where the notices get thrown up. Good luck and good gaming!
EDIT: Also, if you want some good ideas about PbPs, check this thread out: >here<. It meanders a bit, but there is a lot of good info buried in there.
Actually, that's no longer correct. Gamer Connection is for local, tabletop games. Recruitment is the forum for play-by-posts now.
Actually, that's no longer correct. Gamer Connection is for local, tabletop games. Recruitment is the forum for play-by-posts now.
My faux pas =D
Patrick Curtin, it's a fairly recent change. :)
Eragar, the best way to get the hang of how PbPs work is to pick a campaign and read through some of it. You'll pick up on most of the standard conventions.
If you're still there Eragar, just going to say there aren't that many DMs for as many players want games so my suggestion is to just keep your eye on the thread.
I GM a couple games here and play in a couple more. It may seem obvious, but the first thing to do is read the GM's posts. I mean, really read it. Is it an AP? Homebrew? Are there prohibited classes/races/books? What's the theme? Do you like lots of bloody action or lots of court intrigue? Are you okay with the rules and restrictions?
You should also look at the player's guide, if there is one, and determine if it's something you'd really want to play.
See what other characters are being proposed. If there are 8 bards, 9 inquisitors, 10 rogues, 11 ninjas, and 12 monks, you won't stand out with Sneaky McGuyver, the halfling acrobat. Make a cleric. A lot of people don't find clerics sexy, but they sure are great to have in a party. Not a lot of people post clerics, but there usually is one in the selected party.
Most GMs end up selecting a good mix of character types, so you've got enough magic, muscle and skills to go around for the themes of the adventure. Post a character you'd really like to play, but don't be surprised if there are lots of wizards and your wizard wasn't picked. Save him, if you really like him, and apply to another game where there aren't a lot of wizards being proposed.
I'll second Joana's suggestion about reading a few threads to get the feel of the games and how they're played. My goblin campaign is way over on the goofy side, with lots of character humor, but biiiig fights, while the Absalom gangland one is just starting, but way more dark and serious in tone. Goblins are silly (mine, anyway). Ruthless, power-hungry crooks aren't.
Pay attention to details. Do your math right. Have an interesting, believable character with a well-written (not long) set of reasons why he/she would be there and ready for the adventure. Follow the GM's instructions to a T, and have a legible, organized character sheet. If I have a question about a character stat, and can't find it quickly, it's frustrating.
Also, keep trying. It's kind of like looking for work in this economy. Lots of people want a job, and there aren't that many openings. Keep an eye on the games that appeal to you, because people DO drop out due to RL issues. I'm sad to say I booted one character because of his argumentative interaction with other players.
I've been in several games that got started, then just ended. The GM disappeared. I guess they lost interest, or moved to Rwanda or something, who knows? RL gets in the way. Half my aliases are from games that fizzled after a promising start. I recycle them, now. XD