What is Storium anyway?

[Archangel Beth]

It's $10 to get a look at the beta, yeah. (Which may be pocket change for some or a distinct investment for others, obviously.)

I just now signed up... Should probably upgrade to the $40, since just browsing some of those settings sounds interesting, but $40 takes a bit more thought from me than $10 did. *grin*

Anyway, it looks interesting -- sort of a PBEM with props, and the props are also mechanics that seem intended to keep spotlight-hogging to a minimum. The automated stuff that Storium provides for pick-up-groups, er, open invitations, and for reminding players if they haven't posted, look pretty useful -- it's more automated, which reduces GM stress as well, since they don't have to be the Bad Guy about reminding people.

I suspect that for people who play PBEMs, and people who do the FATE/FAE system, and especially the Venn Diagram set of both... That Storium will be very interesting.

[Graham]

Originally Posted by Langy

I wish there was a way to actually see the site and how it works without backing, but it seems to be very much a 'buy blind' effort at the moment.

If you know someone who is narrating in the beta, they can invite you for free. You'd be able to play, but not create your own games during the beta.

Once it goes public, anyone will be able to participate in three games before needing to purchase a subscription.

Graham

[PK]

Originally Posted by Langy

I've had a pretty decent amount of experience with freeform play-by-post 'games' before, and one thing I've noticed over that time - it is much more hit-and-miss than in-person gaming for keeping a story flowing. You'll very, very commonly run into people who simply stop posting, or go much slower than they anticipated, etc. Watch out for that.

It's less of an issue in Storium, as long as the Narrator is paying enough attention to realize it. For example, I have one friend who simply cannot log on very often, but who wanted to play. So I just make sure I don't set up so many challenges that her cards are required to beat them. And that's just the mechanical concern; the actual flow of the story isn't harmed by her not chiming in for a few days, as everyone else's narration keeps it going.

A lot of those games were less collaborative and more adversarial in nature - the very basics of the Storium system might still work in that sense, but it doesn't sound like it's set up to handle it.

Currently, Storium is weak in the "PVP" area, yes. However, that's been raised as an issue in the Feedback forum and it's something they're looking into addressing -- hopefully as part of the gamma test.

I wish there was a way to actually see the site and how it works without backing, but it seems to be very much a 'buy blind' effort at the moment.

They've put up multiple videos showing the site being used, how it works, etc. -- I can confirm that what you see in the videos is what you get on the site. Otherwise, Graham is right; if you know anyone who's backing it, they can invite you into a game, and you pay nothing for that privilege. (There's also the third option of pledging at the $10 level, checking it out for a few days, then deciding whether to renege on your pledge and stop using the beta account.)