Abandoned Games! Where's the Love?

[Inferno]

Great points.

And thanks for the first-hand steamroller feedback, Starbeard and Rex. It helps to know that.

[Scott308]

I have a job that makes it very difficult to be online while at work. There have been a number of times where other players and the GM make several posts while I'm at work, moving the action on without me. This causes me to miss out on roleplay opportunities as the other characters are now doing something different.

[tibbius]

That's an important point about taking turns ... games work better when everyone is accorded input.

[hedgeknight]

Excellent points, all.
I am guilty of just about everything in this discussion: steamrolling, being steamrolled, railroading, being railroaded, swamped at work/real life and hold up my own games, being hungover and not really able to think and a myriad of other things that get in the way of keeping the flow of a game.
And right now, I'm stretched pretty thin > and it's my own doing! I'm running three games on three forums with three different editions! And I'm playing in three games on two different forums...

But...I'm hoping to work some of this out by the beginning of 2021.
I will be bringing a 10-yr game to an end, along with a short-lived 5E email game.
And I fully expect my character to get killed or eaten in Inferno's Middle Earth game!

So, 2021 is going to be a relief...I hope

[Inferno]

And I fully expect my character to get killed or eaten in Inferno's Middle Earth game!

Always happy to help.

[Inferno]

And right now, I'm stretched pretty thin > and it's my own doing! I'm running three games on three forums with three different editions! And I'm playing in three games on two different forums...

Being stretched too thin is a common situation. We love rpgs so much, we play more than we can handle.

This impacts our ability to post on time (threatening the games we love), and also impacts our focus. Trying to run a mystery game, or one with a long, epic story arc, is a real challenge when players are juggling your game among six others. How can they hope to keep the clues straight?

This is another reason to run shorter adventures for PbP. Wrap them up before the details are forgotten!

...I keep telling myself.

[tibbius]

A string of one-shots linked by common characters, with some background menace gradually unfolding, also can work. Even if the menace is never confronted before the game ends, you know it's there and its implied presence gives the players a feeling of importance as they work against its machinations.

Of course some one-shots never really launch.

[rredmond]

...I keep telling myself.

Of course some one-shots never really launch.

You are both prolific and creative with your games. I’m glad you keep trying because members here appreciate it. But I do think most of it is timing for players. Especially for some of the more senior members who can look a couple months ahead and not commit to too many games. I dig when people chime in with “I love the concept but can’t play because I’m in too many games already” because on Unseen Servant folks really mean it.

Every so often someone asks to play Boot Hill or A&8s and the like and tons of folks chime in that they want to play such a game. But it’s rare someone can DM a western themed game. Just an example that there are things members will overload for, but that always worries me, because 90% of the folks here feel bad when they have to drop out of a game - even though we all know RL comes first.

[Inferno]

Thanks Ron.

But it’s rare someone can DM a western themed game.

Dang. You had to go and put that challenge out there.

[hedgeknight]

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[hedgeknight]

A string of one-shots linked by common characters, with some background menace gradually unfolding, also can work. Even if the menace is never confronted before the game ends, you know it's there and its implied presence gives the players a feeling of importance as they work against its machinations.

Of course some one-shots never really launch.

It's interesting you mention this, Tibbius, because that is exactly how I began two campaigns...with a string of one-shot, mysteriously linked adventures. One of those campaigns was on another forum (Online Role-Playing.com (ORP) > now defunct), and the other was my first time as a DM on here.
The game on ORP ran for a few years and was a helluva good time > 3.5 edition!

[tibbius]

Thank you Ron! I really appreciate the kind words.

[Norjax]

This is another reason to run shorter adventures for PbP. Wrap them up before the details are forgotten!

...I keep telling myself.

I think limiting choices for PbP, to promote forward progress, was discussed on another thread, akin to a "Choose Your Own Adventure" style.

Thanks Ron.

But it’s rare someone can DM a western themed game.

Dang. You had to go and put that challenge out there.

[Norjax]

Every so often someone asks to play Boot Hill or A&8s and the like and tons of folks chime in that they want to play such a game. But it’s rare someone can DM a western themed game.

Does Dark Trails count?

[rredmond]

We’ve had a couple western themed games for sure, and, IIRC, a westernish Traveller game. It’s a somewhat popular genre here, which is interesting to me as I’ve never played any.
And, Gary, I do have the OSRIC weird west supplement, Revolvers & Wizardry from Usherwood - which you Cowboys vs. Aliens pic reminded me of. I must have helped edit it, because I have a beta version pdf or something. But I’ve threatened to run that once or twice, I don’t think I’d do a “Dark Tower” inspired game all that well.
So yep, the Gauntlet (wizard needs food, badly) is thrown down for whoever wants to pick it up.

[Inferno]

Hey Norjax. Good to see you.

A string of one-shots linked by common characters...

Great idea.

So yep, the Gauntlet (wizard needs food, badly) is thrown down for whoever wants to pick it up.

Rredmond created a slight breach of etiquette by skipping the 'triple-dare-you' and going right for the throat.

[Norjax]

Hey Norjax. Good to see you.

Thanks. Great to be back!

[AsenRG]

Guys, I challenge you to find a forum where most PbP games don't end up abandoned due to either the players or the GM losing interest !

I recently posted a thread on another PbP forum "how many completed games you've been in". Let's just say that the number of people who answered "zero" was worse than I expected...

But I don't really think that site is somehow different from all other PbP sites out there .

[Inferno]

To me, that a problem is widespread is all the more reason to try to solve it.

[ravenn4544]

This is another reason to run shorter adventures for PbP. Wrap them up before the details are forgotten!

...I keep telling myself.

A compromise for sure as, conversely, I very much enjoy the long campaigns as they allow for more opportunity for advancement and achievement and some attachment to the characters. I imagined Alordan would be a throw away at first after seeing the horror imparted to the unfortunate's on that one particular island, now, however, I look forward to playing the Reluctant Ranger. Go figure