The GMs Of The Unseen Servant

I can promise terror, glory, and riches...or a quick and brutal death.
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Alethan
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Re: The GMs Of The Unseen Servant

#21 Post by Alethan »

Name: YamItheonly1

Systems I'm willing to run: Basic,1e, and 2e DnD (plus retro clones), Pathfinder, D6 Star Wars, D20 modern/future, I prefer simple systems but will run just about anything.

Settings I prefer: Homebrew settings are my bread and butter

Games that I've run before: No PbP games run so far.

The Crunchy Bits: I run my games with simple house rules and plenty of rolling for the players. I prefer rolling behind a DM screen, but if I roll a crit or just an amazing roll I will show the players. I like to add in new classes or races or just mix up the old ones a bit.

The Fluffy Bits: I generally run my games 60% Role Playing and 40% combat, generally I'll have 1-2 FtF sessions that are nearly all role playing and then a sessions of combat. I love to read character back stories so the more you give me the better, I also like to include characters back stories into my campaigns. I make a majority of my homebrew worlds with medium magic and fantasy settings, occasionally sliding into grimdark. I love hilarity in games, so long as it doesn't take us to far off track.

Player Expectations: I would like my players to be able to post 2-3 times a week. So long as I can understand what you are trying to get across I don't care how you spell (I mean lets be honest I suck at spelling)

Selling Myself: My games are always fun because I find ways to shove your characters backstory into my worlds, molding the campaign to your characters individuality. I like to be a little zany but I know all to well that there is a time and place for serious decisions to be made by characters and players alike.
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Starbeard

#22 Post by Alethan »

Name: Starbeard

Systems I run: Lots, all genres. I enjoy teaching new (old) games and giving obscure rarities the chance to be played. See the list at the bottom.*

Settings I prefer: Homebrew, but often branching off of published settings or maps (e.g., the Wilderlands). I focus on starting simple and expanding the setting in-game.

Games I've run: Star Trek Adventure Gaming in the Final Frontier, The Chronicle of Raizenbrayne (solo game illustrating my prose style, and how I like using tables)

The Crunchy Bits: Start strictly by the book, house rules added if they become necessary. I lean on letting the dice do what they will, I think the system can really express its own unique 'character' that way.

The Fluffy Bits: I love sand-box campaigns, with as many random tables as I can get my hands on. I also enjoy running closed adventure scenarios if I'm teaching a game. I accommodate just about all play styles, levels of RP, mortality rates & adventure themes, based on what’s appropriate for each game.

Player Expectations: Always flexible. Turns usually 2-3 times a week, sometimes more or less. I never insist that anyone commit to more than initially asked. If a player has to drop out or take time off, we'll figure out a way to keep playing.

Selling Myself: I really get into the spirit of trying out stuff, and encourage that in my players. I like to think I’m not half bad at running short ‘learning scenarios’ to teach a system to new players—I’ve even hosted Star Fleet Battles and RoleMaster game nights for non-gamers, each with positive feedback. I’ve let players run multiple PCs, play bad guys, start out as kings, run a shop, backstab each other (both players willing, of course), invent house rules, etc. Most of the time, I’m pretty sure everyone has a blast doing something in a game they’ve never done before.

*I usually prefer out of print and/or older editions of things. I'll run any of these as a campaign, or as a short one-shot 'teacher' (bold type = I’d love to run this):
  • D&D: OD&D, AD&D 1e, BECMI
  • D6 System: Star Wars, D6 Fantasy (create your own spells!), Ghostbusters International
  • BRP: Call of Cthulhu, RuneQuest
  • Star Trek: FASA Trek, Star Trek Adventure Gaming
  • Other fantasy: The Complete Warlock, L5R 1e, HârnMaster, Heroes of the Dark Ages, RoleMaster/MeRP, Undiscovered
  • Other modern/sci-fi: Crimefighter, Traveller, Universe, GURPS anything, TMNT/After the Bomb
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Re: The GMs Of The Unseen Servant

#23 Post by Alethan »

Name: DavetheLost

Systems I'm willing to run: B/X, BECM, 0D&D, T&T, Stormbringer, Gamma World, others

Settings I prefer: Open sandboxes, may be published or home-brewed

Games that I've run before: Too many to count tabletop, this will be my first PBP in a decade or so.

The Crunchy Bits: I generally run "mechanics lite", that is to say more emphasis on role play, less on crunchy game mechanics. I like players to calculate their own modifiers and make their own dice rolls. I tend not to use a lot of house rules.

The Fluffy Bits: I love inter character discussion and role-play. Not at all averse to combat, but don't usually make it the focus of my games. Character backstory will be rewarded. I like having a rich backstory to draw from and will often have elements from the game world have special meaning for characters who have a backstory. I also give my players a broad rein in collaborative world building. If a player wishes his character to have some relationship with an NPC that they might reasonably be expected to know I will run with it. If a player adds a reasonable item of set dressing to scene I will run with that too. For example in a back alley gunfight it is perfectly fine for a player to have their character take cover behind a trash dumpster, even if I did not specificly state one was present. A dumpster is something that is likely to be in a back alley. If the player then wanted to reach under the dumpster and find a rocket propelled grenade that would be vetoed as too unlikely and not reasonable.

Player Expectations: I would like posts at least 2-3 times a week. More is great if everyone can keep up, but not required. Don't feel required to post just to post. If the game is moving along and your character is not part of the action, if you are happy just watching that is fine. If you want to rejoin the action then write yourself back in.

Selling Myself: I have often said "never let the rules get in the way of a fun game" this sums up my philosophy of RPGing. I want games to be a fun exercise in creative storytelling and shared adventure. I try to avoid saying "No, it is not the rule book that you can do that, so you can't." Instead I may say "make a die roll, see if you get lucky enough to do it" or "tell me how your character would do this thing that is not in the rulebook". I want players to feel that have control of their characters and are active participants in the world, not just spectators.
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Re: The GMs Of The Unseen Servant

#24 Post by Alethan »

Name: Griffith

Systems I'm willing to run: B/X, Labyrinth Lord (Core and AED), Mutant Future, Arcanum, and Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG

Settings I prefer: They all have something to offer. But if I have to chose one it would be the Wilderlands setting by Judges Guild.

Games that I've run before: To be honest, it has been years since I have been the GM of a play-by-post. Way back in the day there was an MSN Group called Medieval Fantasy Roleplay (MFRP). I GM'd a couple of games there.

The Crunchy Bits: I plan to use the dice macros on this site. If everyone (including myself ;) )understands how to use them, then players will roll for their characters and I will roll everything else. I go btb mostly, but will wing it occasionally. I am welcoming of players' ideas and creativity; the rule of cool is always an option.

The Fluffy Bits: I prefer science-fantasy type setting similar to Thundarr the Barbarian, but not neessarily future Earth. Like the Wilderlands with a dash of gonzo sci-fi; Saquatch, aliens, and ray-guns. My homebrew, I would like to think, is a mix of Zothique and Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind.
I would also like to do a western sometime using the Go Fer Yer Gun system or possibly the Black Powder, Black Magic supplement for DCC.

Player Expectations: I would like players to post at least twice a week. One descriptive paragraph that fully describes your characters actions and/or interactions is fine. Or even 2 or 3 short paragraphs. I don't want to discourage players from being creative. Players should try to have good grammar and spelling, but I make my share of mistakes. Other expectations? Let's have fun.

Selling Myself: Hopefully the information I've provided above will be enough to get players interested in giving me a try.
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Re: The GMs Of The Unseen Servant

#25 Post by Alethan »

Name: coil23

Systems I’m willing to run: Swords & Wizardry, Labyrinth Lord, D&D 5e (and I hope for this list to grow)

Settings I prefer: homebrew or homebrew hybrid

Games I’ve run before: coil23 - Labyrinth Lord - North Spine campaign will be my first

The Crunchy Bits: I prefer that players make most of their own rolls. I like house rules- possibly too much though the need to stay streamlined helps keep me in check. Private forums for each player will be a standard. Maps and diagrams will most likely be hand-drawn.

The Fluffy Bits: I like Story, I like Fantasy, I like Strange. Evolving narrative, exotic, bizarre, dark but with a dash of silly- this is sweet sweet nectar to me. Less humanocentric than many settings you may find and possibly more morally ambiguous. Blend of role-play and hack-n-slash.

Player Expectations: Daily posting, group cohesion (not necessarily strife-free), stay involved in the narrative. Extensive backstory not required but your player needs to arrive with a personality and play style in mind. Bring a color to the palette ‘cause we’re gonna paint.

Selling Myself: I want us to meet at the crossroads of dark and exotic to tell a fantastic story.
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Marullus

#26 Post by Alethan »

Name: Marullus

Systems I'm willing to run: Willing to run most systems, depending on the player desires, but generally run only one major chronicle at a time. I most enjoy running Burning Wheel and Burning Empires, and am interested to try the Song of Ice and Fire RPG, Nights Black Agents, and Stars Without Number more as a player or GM. I have several dozen small press RPGs in my library and when I get to play IRL, my local area groups are constantly playtesting these systems.

Right now, my focus on the Unseen Servant is the Lab Lord: The North Marches chronicle, for which we've chosen Labyrinth Lord Basic rules and the West Marches exploration style. This is by player demand, and it provides a simplistic rules-set which is a non-intrusive backdrop to player-driven quality storytelling.

Settings I prefer: I enjoy high fantasy, post-apocalyptic survivalism, and space-based science fiction with equal fervor as settings. I prefer to have my settings be collaboratively-generated by the playerbase and find world-burning to be as enjoyable (if not more so) than actual game play. (The games Microscope and Downfall being good examples of this.) I also am a fan of J. R. R. Tolkien and Star Wars and like setting stories in those more familiar genre settings as well.

Games that I've run before: I began running 1st and 2nd edition AD&D almost thirty years ago. I've run games in Burning Wheel, Burning Empires, AMP, Apocalypse World, Monsterhearts, and all of the World of Darkness systems at various points. For the last 19 years, I've primarily developed and run MUDs and MUSHes in the roleplay-intensive (RPI) community. Real life offers limited time for any gaming, so shifting to a post-a-day forum format offers a creative outlet with less demand.

The Crunchy Bits: I like the players to make as many as the rolls as possible. For transparency sake, I like to keep all rolls together here in the forum dice roller. My main goals in any system, though, are that the players have fun and we collectively tell a good story. All games have a Gamist element, but I like to balance between the Narrativist and Simulationist camps when possible.

The Fluffy Bits: Combat and die rolling are a key part of any game, but the game is about telling a compelling story. I encourage and reward quality roleplaying in any system. I like to see player initiative - I want to see characters striving to impact and change their gameworld and struggling as their gameworld changes them.

Player Expectations: Daily play is preferred but three posts a week is a minimum. It is important to keep play moving for the story to maintain momentum. This is a written storytelling medium - being able to communicate effectively in writing, with functional grammar and spelling, is part of that. Everyone should always do their best. As a college professor I was without mercy in this area. On a free-play gaming forum, my standards are more lax but the desired end-state remains the same... you should be able to be clearly understood and effective in your prose. I also believe in a high-trust environment and I expect integrity and honesty from my players when dealing both with me and each other. My games run with a strong player compact - two characters may conflict but the players should be able to talk about it and both enjoy the interaction.

Selling Myself: My games tend to be sandbox-y and player driven. I want your characters to have drives, beliefs, and goals which they pursue and which I, as the GM, can challenge. I pay dividends to my players for the effort they put in, deriving and building more aspects of the setting according to the direction that the characters pursue. I want characters to try to change the world and put in the blood, sweat, and tears to persevere.
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Spearmint

#27 Post by Alethan »

Name: Spearmint

Systems I'm willing to run: Well I am familiar with most editions of Dungeon and Dragons, but am a favourite of the OSR. I enjoy the true barbarism the some BasicRolePlay rules and CoC have and have enjoyed the latest 5th edition of for its' simplified and accessible style.

However on this forum I am willing to run a homebrew campaign using 1st edition rules as a main character guideline.

Pirates: cannons and dragonshas been inspired by a mix of DnD, Pirates of the Caribbean movie franchise and playing hours with Sid Meiers 'Pirates' game.

Settings I prefer: I enjoy most settings as I enjoy character development and roleplay. From 'Steampunk' mix of arcane wizardry and science or the brutal savage nature of a viking wilderness. Give me the setting and I will give you the character.

Games that I've run before: Nothing on this forum but i have lead games at convention tournaments and host a monthly campaign in my stables.

The Crunchy Bits: I play mostly by the book with a few house rules, mostly adding character options or some fun toys to gameplay. Players roll their own dice, make their own decisions and we all live and die, laugh and cry together. I want my players to try the heroic, create memorable epic moments, survive critical wounds and slap their own heads for missing the obvious. I am useless at providing maps but will try to fix points best I can, I do use visuals a lot to give a feel of the environment. I also love to use lots of weird and wonderful creatures and enjoying creating my own spells for your characters to discover and use. Magic, both arcane and divine are brilliant instruments to shape character destiny but not without some cost.

The Fluffy Bits: I like backstory and I try to weave elements of player character history into the campaign theme. I try to play by the book, don't fudge dice but am not a rules lawyer so you can try anything and achieve it if you roll high enough.

Player Expectations: I am hoping for a 48hour minimum turnaround. That way players are not waiting mid encounter for little Jonny who can only post on a Saturday afternoon. Good spelling and grammar definitely encouraged and appreciated. I like to keep things in character for speech and give rewards for good roleplay and player initiative.

Selling Myself: Well my name is Kris, my grandfather flew for the Polish airforce in WW2, staying on in Great Britain after the war. I have a passion for my cuddly wife, my kids and my horses who I breed and race.... I breed and race horses though with five kids it felt like I was breeding them and I still run after the wife, bless her soul. Dungeons and Dragons is also a passion, I love the fantasy worlds and fun gaming. Enjoy the game if you play.

Thank you for reading thus far, this message will self destruct in five seconds.
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Re: The GMs Of The Unseen Servant

#28 Post by Alethan »

Name: Tamerlaine

Systems I'm willing to run: Swords & Wizardry, LL, C&C, BFRPG

Settings I prefer: I prefer homebrewed settings.

Games that I've run before: Here on Unseen Servant, just the one, Keep of Shadows (a S&W game).

The Crunchy Bits: I like the players to roll for their characters while I roll those reserved for the DM. I follow the rules with some attached house rules. Some house rules are posted up front at the beginning while some may be put in later. I like experimenting to see what works and what doesn’t.

The Fluffy Bits: I love roleplaying over crunching numbers and min/maxing. I enjoy the players acting out their characters, in their triumphs as well as their defeats, the way they reveal their strengths as well as their weaknesses. I don’t like a whole lot of rules and especially rules lawyers. Rules are guidelines. For me keeping things fun is paramount.

Player Expectations: This is PbP, so I don’t expect daily posts. I have a life, you have a life, real life gets in the way more often than not. Ideal posting rate would be one every 48 hours. If unable to contribute, then the character would be played by the group to keep the flow going.

Selling Myself: I want to have fun and I want the players to have fun. My idea is to provide a fun, sane game light on the rules and heavy on roleplaying.
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Spartakos

#29 Post by Alethan »

Name: Spartakos

Systems I'm willing to run: Mostly variants of old school D&D, including retroclones (BECMI, Labyrinth Lord, 1st/2nd edition AD&D, OSRIC)...I picked up Dungeon Crawl Classics lately, and would maybe like to run it. I'd LIKE to run some more unusual systems (Iron Kingdoms, Song of Ice & Fire, Godlike), but don't know if I can manage it right now (I can run stuff I'm more familiar with a lot more easily). If you really want to try, convince me. :)

Settings I prefer: These days I prefer homebrew amalgams, incorporating (i.e. stealing shamelessly from) various published settings (Greyhawk, Forgotten Realms, Mystara, etc) and mixing in stuff from myth, fantasy fiction, and my own invention. I borrow a lot of ideas from Jeff Rients and Patrick Stuart, and wish I could be as gonzo as those guys.

Games that I've run before: I ran a PbP on Dragonsfoot (1E AD&D) for around 4 years. I plan to set my next game in the same world, just a different part of it.
http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewforum.php?f=84

The Crunchy Bits: I houserule like a mad monk, seeking the alchemy of the perfect rule set; I have to restrain myself, so that people can still know what the heck they're playing. I will never play a strict BTB game.
In my last campaign, I did almost all the rolling; but since UnsServ has such a nice die roller, I think I'm going to have the PCs do most of the rolling my next game.

The Fluffy Bits: I'll admit I'm not awesome at sandboxes; I try to let the players direct the action as much as possible, but I prefer an episodic/chapter based campaign, where the PCs follow rumors and make plans, but pursue one adventure/module at a time. For adventures, I prefer site-based to plot-based...I don't like having the end written ahead of time. I'd rather the PCs approach a situation, apply their mojo, and we all see what happens. Not to say there won't ever be plot-based stuff, but if the PCs make some wacky move that throws the whole plot off the rails, I'll happily run with it, not try to steer you back on.
I like fighting...violence won't always be the best solution, but it will often be a viable one. But your enemies will not be mindless robots or cardboard cutouts; they can be interacted with and manipulated (Cha is not a dump stat), and of course there's always room for stealth and cunning. I like coming up with a cooperative story with my players; I have a homebrew setting pretty well done up, but I welcome PC input (as far as inventing places, people, things, etc). I encourage players to develop a personality and RP their PCs appropriately, but keep your initial backstory fairly simple (a couple sentences, no more than a paragraph). I tend towards low fantasy, where the PCs are motivated mainly by fame and fortune...you can be heroic and altruistic if you want, but don't expect to be asked to save the world for the milk of human kindness. For feel, I like a mix of George R.R. Martin, Raymond E Feist, Jack Vance, Joe Dever, Roger Zelazny, Conan, The 13th Warrior, Shining Force, and John Wayne.

Player Expectations: Please use spellcheck. Use blue text for dialogue, red text for OOC chat. Try to narrate your character's actions, not just give raw mechanics. I'd prefer daily posting, but realize real life intrudes. I will generally move the game forward every 48 hours or when all the players have chimed in about the current situation, whichever comes first. If you fall behind, your character will become an NPC until you make arrangements to resume play and keep up.

Selling Myself: I've been gaming for around 25 years. The players in my last PbP were all very pleased (read our curtain call thread). I've been told I spin a great yarn; I like the world to feel immersive and the NPCs to sound real. I have a pretty encyclopedic knowledge of D&D rules, I'm a fair adjudicator, and I'm always up to examine the rules and change them if necessary. I don't mind if my PCs point out a perceived goof on my part, or want to (gently) argue over a ruling. My ultimate goal is that everybody have fun...so make sure you're not making things fun for yourself at the expense of everybody else.
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Inferno

#30 Post by Alethan »

Name: Inferno

Systems I'm willing to run: AD&D 1e, B/X, V&V

Settings I prefer: Classic old school modules mashed up with a favorite genre or author.

Games that I am currently running:
The Horror at Briarsgate: Lovecraftian Gothic Horror (N1, homebrew)
Lost City of the Pharaohs: Hyborian Age 'Weird Tales' Sword and Sorcery (B4, homebrew)
Sauron Victorious: Dire Apocalyptic Fantasy in Middle Earth (B2, homebrew)

Games that I've run before:
Once and Future Earth: Pop Culture Sci-Fi Dungeon Crawl (ASE1, B1, X1, homebrew)
Also, Villains and Vigilantes for 5 years tabletop and 5 years pbem, Call of Cthulhu for 3 years pbem, Stormbringer for 3 years tabletop, AD&D 1e for 4 years tabletop, Gurps Horror for 4 years tabletop, others.

The Crunchy Bits: By the book with some house rules. Players roll their own dice. I show my rolls.

The Fluffy Bits: I like roleplaying and thrilling adventure. I believe the players need to drive the action, and must be able to make a difference. I use images and maps to try to create a specific mood or tone for the game.

Influences include: H.P. Lovecraft, Robert E. Howard, Michael Moorcock, Dashiell Hammett, J.R.R. Tolkien, Roger Zelazny, John Carpenter, Frank Frazetta, Dave Carson, more.
Favorite RPG authors: Tom Moldvay, Paul Jaquays, Douglas Niles, Gary Gygax, more.

Player Expectations: 2 thoughtful posts a week. Roleplaying is important. Creativity encouraged. Backstories can inspire play. Spelling and grammar required for clarity. Play nice. Have fun.

Selling Myself: Here are references from some of my players, shared with their kind permission:
  • "Inferno's games are so good that he's convinced me to join two of them... when I realistically don't have time to manage either. They're just too awesome to turn down, and would encourage you, or anyone, to get involved in a game he's running if at all possible. ...Without a doubt. His imagery and writing is top-notch." -dmw71

    "Damnation, Inferno! I love your battle descriptions." -hedgeknight

    "Dave wasn't kidding. You run a great game man! It's really a work of art... your PbP DM style has an excellent organization to it as well as a ton of information and action in the game. I really dig how you do that." -rredmond
Thanks, guys.
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drpete

#31 Post by Alethan »

Name: drpete

Systems I'm willing to run: ACKS

Settings I prefer: Any.

Games that I've run before:
Elphand Adventures (ACKS Wilderlands) viewforum.php?f=98
Dwimmermount ACKS viewforum.php?f=280

The Crunchy Bits: I like the way that mechanical constraints, whether from light, time, encumbrance, etc, ground the game and apply decision making pressure on the characters... I like to try house rules to bring these elements more into focus rather than handwave them away. I generally like to roll the dice to streamline things/speed things up, but players can roll themselves, if they like.

The Fluffy Bits: I'm probably most interested in the exploration element of the game. Combat is fast and brutal, and I like my roleplay more gritty and plain spoken... Black Company rather than Lothlorien. I generally prefer the backstories kept short, and for character to emerge through play.

Player Expectations: I like players to post a few times a week, for them to engage with the environment and the situation, rather than just their own backstory, and to try to mesh with the rest of the group. I like the game kind of a more serious vibe, rather than slapstick.

Selling Myself: I've been playing for a long long time, but I haven't been GMing for long. That said, I have high standards, and a desire to make my game as good as it can be.

For a long time, I played online in a harsh, high mortality, high rp world. One of the big lessons I learned there is that the success is sweetest when you accomplish something hard than entailed genuine risk of death, but you made it through. If that sounds like something you might want to try, maybe you'll like playing with me.
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Gelatinous Q

#32 Post by Alethan »

Name: Gelatinous Q

Systems I'm willing to run: 1E, OSRIC, LL/LLAEC, S&W Complete; interested in learning DCCRPG

Settings I prefer: Greyhawk, homebrew

Games that I've run before: viewforum.php?f=17

The Crunchy Bits: 70/30 BTB/houserule. Always open to rules-lite alternatives for initiative and combat. Players make all rolls it makes sense for them to make.

The Fluffy Bits: One benefit of PbP vs. tabletop gaming, I've found, is that players are more likely to fully develop and inhabit character and backstory, so use the platform to its advantage! I prefer a human-centered setting but that shouldn't deter you from playing what you like. I'm more pulp fantasy than high fantasy, and while strategy and tactics are certainly important I'm *not* a fan of the type of play (or fantasy literature) that treats the adventuring party as a sort of paramilitary, black ops squad.

Player Expectations: Ideal posting rate is 3-4x/week, but life happens. Basic literacy is nice. Use color-coding to differentiate between PC-speak and OOC. Try not to traffic too heavily in genre clichés — the gruff, brogue-talking dwarf, the pensive elf with the overworked name, that sort of stuff — but, if you do, put a twist on it.

Selling Myself: I've been playing since 1981 with a sizable gap in the 90s and early 00s; I never got dragged into the edition wars. But at heart, any ruleset is just an adjunct to what is essentially a collaborative storytelling venture. And to that end, a good GM is a whole lot more than just a beancounter.
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RotFuchs

#33 Post by Alethan »

Name: RotFuchs

Systems I'm willing to run: D10, D6, Ubiquity

Settings I prefer: Warhammer 40000 (FFG), Mutant Year Zero, Hollow Earth Expedition

Games that I've run before: none

The Crunchy Bits: Mostly run the book rules, any homebrew will be more on the story than the mechanics. Standard rolls for DM and players. I will roll for the NPCs. If we are in an agreement, I am willing to give some bonuses to the players or expanded classes but expect the games to be more difficult.

The Fluffy Bits: I prefer the roleplay than that of combat. I'd like the backstory of the characters to be as much as full as possible. Most of the setting will be in Grimdark fantasy or post-apoc settings.

Player Expectations: I expect posting 1-2 times per day. Grammar and spelling not important. I like when people stick to their characters during the game. I'd like to run mature games but no real-world cursing or too explicit details-scenes. I am expecting for the group to have fun and bonding relations to develop.

Selling Myself: I am passionate about Post Apoc and Grimdark (especially Warhammer, where my knowledge is extensive) settings. I have lots of years playing DnD, mostly 5E and a couple 3.5DnD games. I accept feedback and I am good at telling stories. I can also make drawings / comic strips if I have the time.[/quote]
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Alethan
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tibbius

#34 Post by Alethan »

Name: tibbius

Systems I'm willing to run: Barbarians of Lemuria; Risus; Sorcerors and Sellswords. Generally I prefer "rules light" rules. If you see anything similar to these, please let me know about it!

Settings I prefer: Mythic Egypt. The Fjarrstrand Sagas. Thran. Karameikos. Hyboria.

Games that I've run before: About a dozen play by posts over the past decade or so. Recent ones are searchable on giantitp.com under my username (tibbius there as well).

The Crunchy Bits: I like dice macros. I like the rule of the roll - no matter what comes out of it. Strongly prefer that you come up with a plan, roll on it, then narrate plan and results rather than narrating plan then roll then results. Prefer that players make all rolls for things the "heroes" intend to happen, while I will roll for things that happen otherwise.

The Fluffy Bits: I am happiest with swords-and-sorcery, sword-and-sandals, somewhat grim settings leavened with humor.

Player Expectations: "Fast" posting games make me happy. To clarify what fast means, that's about once every day or two, no less than two or three times a week, no more than twice a day, with breaks on the weekends for our real lives. I typically post weekday early morning or evening.

Selling Myself: I write for a living. I don't have time to read much for leisure, but when I do it's typically non-fiction like Michener or McCullough. Most memorable book I've read recently was the Lost City of Z. Although not my profession, I've been published as a poet.[/quote]
Dragon foot. Bamboo pole. Little mouse. Tiny boy.

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Alethan
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ffilz

#35 Post by Alethan »

Name: ffilz

Systems I'm willing to run: OD&D, BX D&D, Classic Traveller, Classic RuneQuest, EPT, Burning Wheel, Cold Iron, Talislanta, Thieve's Guild, possibly others

Settings I prefer: Wilderlands of High Fantasy, Blackmoor, home brew

Games that I've run before:
Classic Traveller Wine Dark Rift
RuneQuest (in Glorantha using RuneQuest 1st ed)
Yoon Suin (using BX D&D)
OD&D Wilderlands of High Fantasy
Classic Traveller Wine Dark Rift

The Crunchy Bits: I am happy to make dice rolls for the PC but also happy to let the players make the rolls. My goal is minimal house rules, but I can't resist some house rules.

The Fluffy Bits: The players of my games tend to set the level of role play. I'm not big into long expositions from NPCs but will respond to role play from the players. Since I tend to like old school games, combat is deadly and can be avoided by smart play. I prefer minimal back story, I won't necessarily engage it, but well played and introduced as we go along it can work out (see General Foix in the Wine Dark Rift campaign here). My games are sandboxes and require player motivation to seek adventure.

Player Expectations: I prefer players to post at least once a week if not multiple times a week. I will move the game forward if it feels like there is consensus. Don't get caught up in flowery prose and perfect spelling and gramma. Keep OOC chatter to the appointed threads.

Selling Myself: The above covers it pretty well, if you'd like to play in a sandbox using some old school rules, check out one of my games or try and convince me to run something (I'd love a group of players so motivated they asked me to run something).
Dragon foot. Bamboo pole. Little mouse. Tiny boy.

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Alethan
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roryb

#36 Post by Alethan »

Name: roryb

Systems I'm willing to run: B/X, BECMI, Swords & Wizardry, White Box: FMAG, The Hero's Journey 2e, and lots of indies, including Barbarians of Lemuria, Jaws of the Six Serpents (PDQ), Sharp Swords & Sinister Spells, Fate Core, Fate Accelerated, Cornerstone RPG, Freeform Universal, Crimson Blades 2e, Scarlet Heroes, Lasers & Feelings. The common trait here is light. One generally won't find me pitching anything crunchier than B/X.

Settings I prefer: Mostly familiar with Faerun and the Known World as far as published settings, and of course the implied settings of the indies mentioned above (Lemuria, Erisa, Ancient Greece, World of the Six Serpents, Crimson Lands). Other honorable mentions include Howard's Hyboria and Newhon. Otherwise, I enjoy improvising home-brew worlds as the need dictates, often with the input of the players.

Games that I've run before:
...among countless others.

The Crunchy Bits: Usually I prefer players to roll unless running some form of D&D, in which case I'll take action declarations and assemble a round's outcome behind the screen. I generally prefer to run games by the book, with few additions, including fancy classes. Any houserules get introduced during play as need arises, assuming players are familiar with nothing more than the original text.

The Fluffy Bits: I love low fantasy with some horror elements more than the opposite end of the spectrum, so tend to envision games that are geared toward that sort of play. If I run B/X or similar games, I prefer play between levels 1 and 5. I tend not to enjoy overly verbose backstories for characters...some of the games I enjoy are lethal, so a lengthy backstory is unnecessary (and I won't remember the details). Having said that, including a usable hook or two and a goal in a brief 1-2 sentence backstory works well. Some narrative games I run may have a smidge more than that, but are usually tied to the requirements the rules present. I like action, so will usually try to cut to the chase. There's still plenty of room for role-playing. But in a pbp environment, I rarely come up with scenes that serve no purpose or allow PCs to completely run away from the matters at hand.

Player Expectations: I can rarely get into a game with a posting rate less than 4-7 times a week. Grammar/spelling do not completely discourage me, but I tend to enjoy playing most with gamers who have a command of the language and even a bit of knack for flair. Depending on the game (and similar to backstory above), I usually enjoy some evocative bits that adds to characterization, even letting players have more agency...but there's no reason that can't be accomplished in a concise format. Posts that go off the rails or comprise more than one or two paragraphs break flow and tend to slow things.

Selling Myself: Folks seem to enjoy my games. I am a fan of the characters by and large, and unless I've settled on a more lethal system in which character death is a foregone conclusion, I find ways to make them shine, memorable, and live on to fashion a saga about their exploits. I'm responsive, and not offended if I've left out an important detail from a player post. By all means, call me out on it! I'll rectify whenever possible. If I'm unable to continue an established posting rate, I'm up front with my players whenever a conflict comes up and expect the same from them.
Dragon foot. Bamboo pole. Little mouse. Tiny boy.

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Alethan
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Valdus

#37 Post by Alethan »

Name: Valdus

Systems I'm willing to run:
Tunnels and Trolls 5th, Risus, FUDGE (fantasy) and other rules-lite games.

Settings I prefer:
home-brew settings as we go. Usually not connected to other campaigns. High fantasy dungeon crawl.

Games that I've run before:
First time running T&T but I have run many other games before, they just don't exist anymore.

I am running another T&T at Gamersplane at Tales of Tunnels & Trolls

The Crunchy Bits:
I am heavy on role-play (70%) and very rules-lite when it comes to combat (30%)- you got to be that way in pbp. Once in the 80's I could memorize the whole AD&D book. Now just give me simple math and a character sheet on an index card.

I prefer the player explore their character as the adventure unfolds. A simple backstory is fine in the beginning, and hopefully the adventure will flesh it out.

My favorite and go-to setting is the good ol' fashioned Dungeon Crawl. I feel at home when I am writing on graph paper. I like to start off small, seeing where we go. Then it usually expands into a series of inter-linking settings in a campaign.

Player Expectations:
Posting rate is roughly every other day. If the muse grabs us perhaps more. Absences should be announced. I don't see how posts should go over 250 words. I usually have a section on backstories and scenarios in case the players have an itch.

Selling Myself:
I am an ancient role-player, far removed from the modern assembly-line rpg's of today. I first took the helm of warrior, the staff of a magic-user, or the dagger of a thief, my freshman year of high school. I hid from the 1980's in a Dungeons and Dragons Redbox, opening the lid only to watch Highlander, Dragonslayer or The Terminator.

Thus I am part of that old school of thought, when role-playing games were a mysterious set of codes and rituals; where any rule you have to look up is one you should not use. Maybe that's why I like FUDGE and not FATE. Story and characters comes before rules and dice.
Dragon foot. Bamboo pole. Little mouse. Tiny boy.

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Alethan
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BackworldTraveller

#38 Post by Alethan »

Name: BackworldTraveller

Systems I'm willing to run: Traveller

Settings I prefer: Imperium, or My Own Setting

Games that I've run before: I'm running A new Heaven? A New Earth

The Crunchy Bits: I try to get the players to make rolls, but try to get a gist of what is possible without needing to roll at all.

The Fluffy Bits: I like the background. So it will get stitched around the situation. I like players to join in (OK - within limits) but I do like characters to be personalities and worlds to be internally consistent. But the price of pedantry is eternal vigilance!

Player Expectations: Reasonably quick cycles.

Selling Myself: I hate selling myself - take a look at the game above and see what is going on!
Dragon foot. Bamboo pole. Little mouse. Tiny boy.

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Alethan
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jemmus

#39 Post by Alethan »

Name: jemmus

Systems I'm willing to run: Bushido 2E, Boot Hill 3E. Maybe A Song of Ice and Fire someday.

Settings I prefer: Homebrew. Sometimes with resources (maps, illustrations, etc.) and ideas from published settings.

Games that I've run before: Current running Honor or Death (Bushido 2E) https://www.unseenservant.us/forum/viewforum.php?f=1094 and Law of the Gun (Boot Hill 3E) https://www.unseenservant.us/forum/viewforum.php?f=1326

The Crunchy Bits: I tend to rely on the game designers and their playtesters and not mess much with the rules as written. Players and I sometimes agree on house rules, mostly about faster character advancement considering the slow pace of PBP. Players generally do their own rolls and post them. To save time and effort, I roll some basic GM rolls offline with analog plastic dice. But if it's a life-or-death combat, I roll online and post all rolls.

The Fluffy Bits: I'm a wargamer, so I like to give players interesting tactical combat situations to deal with. As the same time, I like to present players with detailed game worlds with lots of opportunities for RP and interactions with NPCs with unique characters and personalities.

Player Expectations: I ask players to post at least twice per week, to keep the momentum going. I usually post a GM post the same day after the last player has posted.

Selling Myself: I like to write, and I tend to write long wordy posts with lots of setting details and NPC dialogue. Since both of my current games are set in real historical settings (samurai Japan and the Old West), it's easy enough to just plug real events and people from history in for the homebrew. I like to also have the game world have an overall background theme. In the samurai one, that's a war between two great samurai clans for control of the Emperor. For the Western one, that's Texas 1876, which has plenty of stuff going on (cattle drives, outlawry, the Comanche wars, and the conflict between U.S. Federal government and local unruly hardheads.
Dragon foot. Bamboo pole. Little mouse. Tiny boy.

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