Pace of campaign, PC visible progress, bonus character points

[Randover]

Is there any conection to these? For a game to be fun it needs some action going on.

There are simply too many factors to name them all. (Some of them frequency of game sessions, genre and play style, setting conventions, knowlegde of rules...)

I do enjoy pre-made games, where everything is set even the character and its abilities to fit the story.
I do enjoy weekly game session and long campaign. Since I can get hooked on the story.

But what about iregular campaign gaming? There could be 3-4 session per week, or there could be hardly one per month. How could I keep up any thrill with this?

Lately I am toying with idea of meta-game points distribution. Like every week your character gets some points. And you get bonus points each time you complete story arc.

It still hurts, to miss session. But at least I get some compensation. If pace of gaming encrease we still get points for story arcs. If there are few sessions we could look forward for power boost our characters will get. Since they were last in action.

[Gold & Appel Inc]

I personally don't find getting XP very thrilling compared to actually getting to do some RP, so a simple hand-out of XP in between sessions of a game that (in my opinion) didn't meet frequently enough wouldn't do anything to hold my interest, especially if I get them for not doing anything.

Have you tried having your players stay engaged between sessions by writing a paragraph / IC journal / whatever about their character's down time? A lot of people do that between sessions, or make it an option (and bribe with XP or whatever your players want to encourage it if necessary).

[Ultraviolet]

I play in two GURPS campaigns.

One is Cliffhangers once per week. At the end of an adventure (long adventures might have a mid point where we award points), we get points, and spend them. Either on things we've used but need improvement for, or after the down-time between stories on things we train or study. Long periods of downtime is discourages, but during these we get a few points for time use, job training or taking time to hirea teacher for some skill or other. Basically we don't want time to run too fast. If this play style, the evolution of the PCs is an important part, since we start out somewhat weak (100 pts)on the breoad scale (or hyper specialized), and eventually get either broader in scope or even more specialized, depending on concept. Social advantages are a popular point sink! This has gone on for 14 years now.

In the other project is Spec Ops, with a handful of different campaigns/projects during the last 12 years. Currently we're ruthless Mercenaries, instead of being on Uncle Sam's dime. We play in average 6-8 times a year, but with a somewhat lopsided schedule, so no regularity. We have a large cadre of potentials, but we're never all there at the same time, mostly a hard core and some fringe players which vary. A lot of character change goes on, either the old one croaks, or you just want to try something new out, or suddenly notice nobody is a Medic or so.
Since the point budget is so large (400 pts) there is little room for improvements, and even though we dish out perhaps 3 points per mission, taking up to an entire day to play through, a lot of people don't know what to do with them. The PCs are built to do what they should be able to. Mostly somebody investe in byuing a new language or improving a broken one. or tosses them into a rarely used and low skill, where 1-2 pts makes a difference.
Back in the US NAVY SEAL days, the points were easily spent - you were docked 2 points for a Purple Heart if wounded on a mission! Eventually we decided that only the first cost 2, repeats were just 1 piece a pop. Several of the veterans had up to 5 of them, and everyone went to great lenghts to try and margianalize wounds. If you were shot, that would be that. Also shrapnel. But even severe blunt trauma on a vest, hand to hand damage or cuts from broken glass were disguised and not reported in.

Oh yeah, and even if there is major down time, we don't utilize time-use sheets. That time is spent avoiding skill degrading. Since we play more or less real-time, if there is almost half a year between sessions, there has been almost half a year between (important) missions for the Mercs.

[Randover]

Well so far. My problem goes for no-down time campaign.

First example: Campaign mildly inspired by Warcraft 3. Characters are stucked in middle adveture on road to there mission. There was no session for about month or so.

Second more important: One of characters was about to tell the group that she is the murderer they seek. There was no game session for about three weeks. (Ill players, exams etc.) After that long time (that for characters would be couple of seconds, but for players month) I wonder if player could get back into pace.

[Gold & Appel Inc]

Originally Posted by Randover

Well so far. My problem goes for no-down time campaign.

First example: Campaign mildly inspired by Warcraft 3. Characters are stucked in middle adveture on road to there mission. There was no session for about month or so.

Have them write a scene from their backstory, preferably something with relevance to the development of the motivations that put them where they currently are.

Originally Posted by Randover

Second more important: One of characters was about to tell the group that she is the murderer they seek. There was no game session for about three weeks. (Ill players, exams etc.) After that long time (that for characters would be couple of seconds, but for players month) I wonder if player could get back into pace.

The murderer: gets to write out one of their murders, preferably in a way that demonstrates why they felt it was justified.

Everybody else: Write a scene in which you are with The Murderer, doing something innocuous. Shopping for supplies, exchanging X-Mas gifts, mundane stuff they wouldn't mind you writing their part of. Ground everybody in their IC assumptions about the character before you restart and it will have more impact when those assumptions are flipped upside-down.

[thalassogen]

Originally Posted by Randover

There was no game session for about three weeks. (Ill players, exams etc.) After that long time (that for characters would be couple of seconds, but for players month) I wonder if player could get back into pace.

We meet about ten times a year to game for 4 to 6 hours and had not much of a problem continuing the adventure. We try to end each session in camp or tavern or during a cliffhanger moment. At the beginning of each session one of the players recaps the last events and then we go. Maybe it takes getting used to, but there really isn't a problem in having some weeks between sessions.

[Randover]

Sorry I forgot to mentioned it ealier. I have pretty good player. They have done this already. To sum the example of that "murderer" player supplied me with history of her character, the fact that she had murdered man. Basicly giving perfect example of Secret and Enemy disadvatege. With little touch that it will came into play not as artificialy group braking.
Long story short. Woman got raped by lesser noble, killing him in turn. Law is against her because her victim had noble blood, while she is mere commoner without no backing.

What I need for them is look futher into future. Because what is to come is already well set, with little or no room for improvement.

And I am pretty sure that her brother (tief), and a would be witch (midwife) will colaborate. Especialy since she was that midwifes client, so she can back up her story.