PFS PBP Gameday IV

[Hmm]

Hey there! Maybe you can never make any conventions? Maybe you are a sad, sad GM who feels left out? Or perhaps you're a player and PFS is thin where you live...

If so... Please check out PFS PBP Gameday IV!

There's still a few days to submit scenarios to GM, or to come join in the fun as a player.

I'm posting here in General Discussion as I haven't seen any announcements about this event in this particular forum yet.

Hmm

[Carla the Profane]

Id like to start GM PBP games. Is there a guide to be found somewhere?

[Michael_Hopkins]

No clue, but I need one fast!

[Auke Teeninga]

This is mainly for players, but there's some GM advice in there as well:

Painlord's PbP advice thread

[Hmm]

And here is the Guide that Painlord wrote for GMs:

Painlord's Guide to PbP GMing: Make Your World a Better Place

I'd read them both the PbP play guide and the PbP GM Guide. I'd also read many of the comments and recommendations from others in the GM Guide -- they're very helpful.

I'd also check out this advice from Jiggy:

Jiggy wrote:

The most important piece of advice I can think of that's easy to miss when switching from tabletop to PbP is this:

Avoid things that require a full round of posts before you can continue.

Perfect example: initiative. Do NOT make a GM post that announces the beginning of combat and ends with "Everyone roll initiative!" Why? Because now, just when things were about to get exciting, everyone has to make a post that's nothing but a roll, waith for everyone else to do the same, then finally find out whose turn it is. Instead, roll all the initiatives yourself and jump right into the action.

Similarly, Perception or Knowledge checks. If you're going to have everyone make a reactive Perception check, don't say "Everyone make a Perception check" and wait. Instead, roll it for everyone and then deliver the results. Or if it's something like ID-ing a monster where it's okay for the action to move forward prior to resolving a potential check, you can include a spoiler tag in your post that's labeled "Kn(Nature) DC 17" or whatever, with the relevant information inside. Whoever makes the check can read the spoiler and react accordingly, and in the meantime the game hasn't ground to a halt.

But there don't have to be dice involved for this potential pitfall to come into play; sometimes the PCs encounter something, and it's obvious what they'll do next, with no decisions to be made. Don't wait for a round of posts saying that yes, they do the obvious thing. Keep the narrative going until there's a decision to be made.

[Hmm]

Mods, could you please move this back to PFS General Discussion? The whole point of this thread is to make people in the General Discussion forum aware that this event exists.

[Carla the Profane]

I've been playing in DM Kludde's PBP games for a while now, so I think I'll copy his style a bit.

However, I'm more worried about the technical side of things; how to start a 'campaign', how to set up google drive for maps etc, a recruitments thread etc. It just seems a bit.. much to do all at once.

That said, opening a thread and starting play is easy, of course. What I'm looking for here is that little extra 'oomph'. (I have read painlords guide)

[Nohwear]

I have seen at least one person use roll20 for maps.

[Hmm]

Either google drive or roll 20 is great for maps. Roll 20 is very nice indeed.

With Google drive you basically set up your map as a drawing. There are youtube tutorials all over the net on google drawings that can get you started.

You can start a campaign by starting a thread in either the recruitment forum (for a recruitment thread) or in play-by-post (for a gameplay thread.) You can then attach a campaign to either, and open up the other threads as you need them.

(I figured this all out AFTER I opened my recruitment thread.)

I recommend opening up in Recruitment if you don't have players yet, or just opening gameplay for a private game if you already have the players. There's no need for a recruitment thread if you aren't recruiting.

If you want to change things later, you can do that by Editing Your Campaign in the Campaign tab.

Also, make sure that you use the GM form for submitting your game once you have created your thread, so that you can be an official part of PFS PBP gameday!

Hmm

[Woran]

Carla the Profane wrote:

I've been playing in DM Kludde's PBP games for a while now, so I think I'll copy his style a bit.

However, I'm more worried about the technical side of things; how to start a 'campaign', how to set up google drive for maps etc, a recruitments thread etc. It just seems a bit.. much to do all at once.

That said, opening a thread and starting play is easy, of course. What I'm looking for here is that little extra 'oomph'. (I have read painlords guide)

E-mail me :P

[EvilMinion]

If we already own the scenario in question, we don't need to register a game by this Sunday, correct?

Am humming and hawing about whether I want to give the PBP gming thing a try... just trying to determine my deadline to make up my mind =)

[Michael_Hopkins]

Oh, the scenarios I signed up with I already have! I just read that the deadline was to get in by this Sunday.

[IronHelixx]

Correct. You can still sign up after the product-support deadline.

But you have to sign up by the deadline to get the scenario from Paizo.

Also, the GM Session submission deadline is being extended through August 31st, 2015 at 12 PM CDT US [UTC-5]. So you have a little more time to work out who is running what, et cetera.

Michael_Hopkins wrote:

Oh, the scenarios I signed up with I already have! I just read that the deadline was to get in by this Sunday.

[Carla the Profane]

Thank goodness that the deadline is extended, I don't have time this week to set up a game. I think I'll run #6: Black Waters, it is one of my all-time favourites. Look forward to my recruitment thread!

[Hmm]

Awesome, Carla!

I'm glad that I started this thread... Even if the mods moved it to the wrong forum. Can you guys mark it to be please moved back to PFS General discussion?

Hmm

[GM Lari]

For potential new GMs, there seems to be quite a bit of demand for tables of Phantom Phenomena, the level 1 quests. Because of their short structure and the fact that they're all pregens, they seem like a good option for a new GM (that's how I'm getting started). There's at least three players interested in my table I can't take.

[DM Kludde]

Carla the Profane wrote:

I've been playing in DM Kludde's PBP games for a while now, so I think I'll copy his style a bit.

>>poof!<< You summoned me?

Honoured about the remark, and looking forward to your GMing. I'm sure your PbP games will turn out just as awesome as your RL ones. Oh, and please don't copy the bits where I randomly forget stuff that somebody posted just two posts before.

CtP wrote:

However, I'm more worried about the technical side of things; how to start a 'campaign', how to set up google drive for maps etc, a recruitments thread etc. It just seems a bit.. much to do all at once.

That said, opening a thread and starting play is easy, of course. What I'm looking for here is that little extra 'oomph'. (I have read painlords guide)

Whenever I set up a new game:

(1) I create the thread, campaign, discussion and all that. No avoiding this one.
(2) I create a google document (feel free to make a copy of this one (link)) and link it in the campaign under 'short description'. Whenever there's a handout or a new map during the game, I put it on a new slide.
(3) I invite the players to upload their token and add their init to the table (on slide 1). Saves me a lot of boring work.

----

To anyone who is a new GM: leave a message here or PM me if you want help. The more questions the better, I might actually compile them into a guide of sorts.

[Nohwear]

Sorry if this is the wrong place, but does my GI Joe character need to be based on the original series?

[Hmm]

So DM Kludde, do you have an example of a filled out slide show so that I can see how one would be used in gameplay?

Hmm

[IronHelixx]

It can be from any generation of Joes, as long as it is a Joe. :)

Nohwear wrote:

Sorry if this is the wrong place, but does my GI Joe character need to be based on the original series?

[DM Kludde]

Sure. I'm seeing you're GMing overflow archives, so I probably won't be spoiling things too hard if I showed you that one (For players that haven't played overflow archives: the following spoils pretty much the whole game, so you're better of not looking here)

Overflow Archives:

Maps and handouts

Alternatively, you can look at any of the active games in the campaign tab (just click my name to have my profile show up, then click 'campaigns' for a list of my games) and open the 'Maps and Handouts' that comes with it.

I've only been using slides recently, before I have used drawings mostly. Someone pointed out to me that slides were easier to edit on a tablet, that's why.

[Carla the Profane]

Awesome Kludde, thanks alot!

[Hmm]

Okay that is supercool.

And given that I run almost everything off a tablet, I was dreading using Google Drawings for maps because I would have to sneak on to my spouse's computer everytime I wanted to update the map. This will be VERY helpful to me.

Thank you!
Hmm

[GM Lamplighter]

Love the slideshow idea - one link for everything. I've been using Google Draw but this is worth trying. Thanks!

[DM Beckett]

I'm undecided on Slides. It has a lot less options on the DM's side, but it does seem to be able to offer a tiny bit more usage options on the Players side. But, at the same time, Slides also seems to be causing more issues with work computers, so I'm not sure if it's a net gain or lose, or if Apple users can edit it?

I still prefer Drawings, but if asked to, I'll make the map slides. Hopefully they will make an app for Drawings soon and it will be best of both. :)

[Carla the Profane]

I made the thread! Sign up here!

[Hmm]

Good luck!

Hmm

[Shifty]

Haven't had an issue with slides on:
iMac
Macbook Air
iPad Air

So should be good to go for Apple kids.

[DM Beckett]

Cool, good to know.

[Silbeg]

I am using slides currently for a game of the Wounded Wisp, and will likely use it more in the future,

Important note, though, you will want to change the default page size to something that works better with the maps you are using...

[DM Beckett]

Good to know. I'll need to look into that. That's one of the things that's irking the crap out of me.

[Silbeg]

I use a custom page size.. Can't recall right now what it is, but I think it is something like 8" wide). PM me if you'd like to see an example.

[Hmm]

Jack, since I am also using slides, I'd love to see an example with the larger custom size. I'll have to figure out how to do that in the PFS game that I am running.

I have question for all of you. What event codes do you use for reporting PFS online games? Does each GM grab their own reporting number, or do they use one specific to PFS PBP gameday !V?

[Shifty]

* You can zoom in on Google slides. Works fine.

* Game day has its own event number.

[DM Beckett]

Hmm wrote:

Jack, since I am also using slides, I'd love to see an example with the larger custom size. I'll have to figure out how to do that in the PFS game that I am running.

I have question for all of you. What event codes do you use for reporting PFS online games? Does each GM grab their own reporting number, or do they use one specific to PFS PBP gameday !V?

I just happened to get an easy number to remember so I use that most of the time. For the Game Day, there be a specific number, and we will report the game a bit differently than normal using a special spreadsheet, similar to how you registered the game originally.

So for Risen Sands game, you report like normal and use your own number. For the Library game, you will report on a special site and use that number.

[DM Kludde]

One thing to note is that google slides always open on slide 1, so it pays off to now and again re-arrange slides to that the currently relevant map or handout is the first slide on the deck.

[Hmm]

Okay, this is going to sound idiotic... Can someone point me to the link where I request a new event number?

[Auke Teeninga]

Hmm wrote:

Okay, this is going to sound idiotic... Can someone point me to the link where I request a new event number?

Link

and press the Create New Event button.

[Hmm]

Thank you! I now have an event number. I feel like one of the cool kids!

[Curaigh]

My search fu has failed. where is the information about the Joe character contest? I think Jesse linked a list to all the Joe's, but now I cannae find it. Was it in one of the emails? or could someone send me a link please?

EDIT: Nevermind, I even favorited the link. Here it is for others though.
PFS PBP Gameday IV!

EDIT EDIT: the link to every joe failed for me. If there is a correct one please let me know. In the meantime here is wiki: page on GI Joe

[IronHelixx]

PbP Gameday IV - Week two Wrap Up post: http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2sze1?PbP-Gameday-IV-End-Of-Week-Two-Wrap-Up#1

[chadius]

Question:
Someone is currently playing a PFS Scenario for no credit (they played this scenario already.) This scenario started during PbP Gameday IV. Is this person still eligible for a boon?

[IronHelixx]

If they are playing to make the table legal, per the rules in the Guide - Yes - they are eligible for the boons rolls like the other players.

chadius wrote:

Question:

Someone is currently playing a PFS Scenario for no credit (they played this scenario already.) This scenario started during PbP Gameday IV. Is this person still eligible for a boon?

[GM Rutseg]

Question:
Is it possible to give up a reroll in benefit of another player of your table?

Side question:
How do I have to manage this situation as the table GM during Gameday IV?

[GM Lari]

Locally, it happens, along with some players bringing extra reroll products. Whether it's 100% kosher is unclear, but since it's generally done in the interest of helping a new player have a good time (by confirming a particularly cinematic crit, not dying, etc.), I don't think anyone's objected.

There's also a GM star reward boon (from the chronicles) that allows you to give someone your reroll, with your star bonus,

Ultimately, I'd say its reasonable to rule either way on it.

[Kyshkumen]

GM Lari wrote:

Locally, it happens, along with some players bringing extra reroll products. Whether it's 100% kosher is unclear, but since it's generally done in the interest of helping a new player have a good time (by confirming a particularly cinematic crit, not dying, etc.), I don't think anyone's objected.

There's also a GM star reward boon (from the chronicles) that allows you to give someone your reroll, with your star bonus,

Ultimately, I'd say its reasonable to rule either way on it.

I've seen this done locally as well. Just remember one thing, only one reroll per person.