[OC] A Note on PbP vs Tabletop
Sept 26, 2021 7:57:02 GMT -8
Post by FortunatePilgrim on Sept 26, 2021 7:57:02 GMT -8
PbP gaming may look basically like tabletop in a different format, but in my experience it's a different animal altogether and requires a different style of play in order to have a good chance of working like it should.
The main difference I want to highlight at the outset is this: other than player chemistry (which isn't really controllable), the single most important trait of a successful PbP game is momentum. A PbP game that is moving forward is a successful one and a PbP game that has stalled out will soon die.
Consider one of the common D&D things ever: finding an inn.
DM: You see an inn up ahead.
Players: We approach it.
DM: As you get close you see [physical description].
Players: We go inside.
DM: Inside you see [things]. And there's a tall round guy behind the counter.
Players: We go up and ask if there are any rooms.
DM: He says there is.
Players: We ask how much.
DM: He says [amount].
Players: We say we'll take it.
DM: Do you want to go up now? Or mingle in the common room first?
Players: We'll go up now.
DM: As you enter the room you see [description].
Players: We settle in and go to bed.
DM: Just as you're about to fall asleep there's a frantic knocking at the door!
Players: We draw our weapons and open the door.
DM: There's a wizened old man there.
Players: We ask him what he wants.
DM: He says "Are you adventurers?"
Players: We say yes.
DM: He says "Thank the gods! I need your help!"
Super common. And around a table that would take two minutes. But over PbP, with a 24 or 48 hour delay between each exchange, it would take weeks to get that far and the story hasn't moved forward at all. Death. This is the main reason why heist-style games (Shadowrun, for example) are excrutiatingly hard to get working via PbP. Around a table with voices and faces, you can brainstorm a plan in a few minutes. On PbP, it just sputters and dies.
So my guiding principles as a DM are: start each scene as far in as I can, end each scene as soon as I can, and always have something actively happening the players can push against or react to. Around a table, it's fine to tell the players what's around them and let them ask questions until they work out what's next, but over PbP that doesn't work. So I will always try to frame a scene that tells you what's next (or gives you one or two clear options for what could be next).
So, the inn scene, on PbP, I would set that scene by describing the inn, assumuing you go inside and up to your room, and start with the knock on the door. And, in fact, I'd probably narrate the knocking and you answering, and just tell you whatever the old man needs help with, since that's the actual story.
Sometimes this causes problems. When it does, don't panic.
Maybe you wanted to check the stables before you enter. Maybe you did want to mingle in the common room. Maybe you wouldn't have answered the door. And on the other end, sometimes I'll cap a scene and move on and you weren't quite done. That's all fine. It's bound to happen. If I've gone too far too fast and you can't work into your next post and it's too important to let go, don't panic. Just let me know OC and we'll fix it. There are lots of ways to address it, from discussing it OC, to an IC sidebar, to a full retcon.
This also goes for combat. That won't be as much a factor in this game because all the combats are story-events, but I will also look for ways to speed up combat. I will often double the damage creatures do and halve their HP (which cuts combat time in half while maintaining the game's underlying math) and I will also often just end combat with "You finish up the final few orcs" once victory is certain so we don't spend a lot of time just doing math with no stakes.
What does this mean for you? I discuss some of this in the 'Guiding Principles' thread, but you should also try to be mindful of momentum when you're posting. If something is low stakes, just tell me about it rather than asking me (Does the innkeeper have a cat? Is it raining? What colour are the wizards robes?). Unless necessary, don't end a post with something one specific player needs to respond to before we can continue ("Everyone stop! Bill, do you recognize these runes?"). And, in general, whenever you can, try to post in ways that move the story forward.
The main difference I want to highlight at the outset is this: other than player chemistry (which isn't really controllable), the single most important trait of a successful PbP game is momentum. A PbP game that is moving forward is a successful one and a PbP game that has stalled out will soon die.
Consider one of the common D&D things ever: finding an inn.
DM: You see an inn up ahead.
Players: We approach it.
DM: As you get close you see [physical description].
Players: We go inside.
DM: Inside you see [things]. And there's a tall round guy behind the counter.
Players: We go up and ask if there are any rooms.
DM: He says there is.
Players: We ask how much.
DM: He says [amount].
Players: We say we'll take it.
DM: Do you want to go up now? Or mingle in the common room first?
Players: We'll go up now.
DM: As you enter the room you see [description].
Players: We settle in and go to bed.
DM: Just as you're about to fall asleep there's a frantic knocking at the door!
Players: We draw our weapons and open the door.
DM: There's a wizened old man there.
Players: We ask him what he wants.
DM: He says "Are you adventurers?"
Players: We say yes.
DM: He says "Thank the gods! I need your help!"
Super common. And around a table that would take two minutes. But over PbP, with a 24 or 48 hour delay between each exchange, it would take weeks to get that far and the story hasn't moved forward at all. Death. This is the main reason why heist-style games (Shadowrun, for example) are excrutiatingly hard to get working via PbP. Around a table with voices and faces, you can brainstorm a plan in a few minutes. On PbP, it just sputters and dies.
So my guiding principles as a DM are: start each scene as far in as I can, end each scene as soon as I can, and always have something actively happening the players can push against or react to. Around a table, it's fine to tell the players what's around them and let them ask questions until they work out what's next, but over PbP that doesn't work. So I will always try to frame a scene that tells you what's next (or gives you one or two clear options for what could be next).
So, the inn scene, on PbP, I would set that scene by describing the inn, assumuing you go inside and up to your room, and start with the knock on the door. And, in fact, I'd probably narrate the knocking and you answering, and just tell you whatever the old man needs help with, since that's the actual story.
Sometimes this causes problems. When it does, don't panic.
Maybe you wanted to check the stables before you enter. Maybe you did want to mingle in the common room. Maybe you wouldn't have answered the door. And on the other end, sometimes I'll cap a scene and move on and you weren't quite done. That's all fine. It's bound to happen. If I've gone too far too fast and you can't work into your next post and it's too important to let go, don't panic. Just let me know OC and we'll fix it. There are lots of ways to address it, from discussing it OC, to an IC sidebar, to a full retcon.
This also goes for combat. That won't be as much a factor in this game because all the combats are story-events, but I will also look for ways to speed up combat. I will often double the damage creatures do and halve their HP (which cuts combat time in half while maintaining the game's underlying math) and I will also often just end combat with "You finish up the final few orcs" once victory is certain so we don't spend a lot of time just doing math with no stakes.
What does this mean for you? I discuss some of this in the 'Guiding Principles' thread, but you should also try to be mindful of momentum when you're posting. If something is low stakes, just tell me about it rather than asking me (Does the innkeeper have a cat? Is it raining? What colour are the wizards robes?). Unless necessary, don't end a post with something one specific player needs to respond to before we can continue ("Everyone stop! Bill, do you recognize these runes?"). And, in general, whenever you can, try to post in ways that move the story forward.