[OCC] Poll : What makes a good PbP game? (will be applied)

[Litvyak]

Genre: Fantasy, DF, Science Fiction, Supers, Space Opera and others. Which make you say "I've got to play this", and which do you particularly avoid?

Genre doesn't normally matter too much.

Activities Planned: Do you prefer solving puzzles? or is it combat that enthuses you? How important is character development? Is negotiation an enjoyable part of play?

I enjoy all of the above.

Supplement materials: Which sets of rules make or break a PbP game for you? This includes Cinematic vs Realistic, G:Magic, Thuamology, Supers, Psionic Powers, DF, MH, MA, and so forth.

GURPS specifically, I like the Action and MH lines, am perfectly happy with most of the other lines. The jury is still out for me on Technical Grappling. So far I've only used in a Mythic-powered solo game to try out and I'm not sure it adds enough to be worth the extra complexity.

Plot: how important is the plot? do you avoid games without it, and only go for ideas that sound cool? do you prefer just wandering around letting characters make their own decisions? And is this question even an issue?

I like at least some sort of motivation for my character, even if it's only "You wake up naked in a strange place", and as long as things aren't completely on rails, then I'm okay with it.

Power Level: Do you love working with mounds of points? is such a prospect dull to you? does it matter by genre? similarly, (but not the same) do you enjoy being world shakers, or do you want to deal with peers? or is this even an issue?

Doesn't matter to me. In GURPS terms, I'd be just as happy with 50 point character investigating the Cthulhu mythos as I would be with 400 point MH character battling demons and vampires.

House Rules: Are they annoying or wonderful? If depends, what determines this? or are they just all par for the course?

I'd call this the number one way a game loses my interest. I'm generally fine with house rules to fit the setting or to fit the PbP format. I generally pass if there's major changes outside of that. Honestly, I also pass if I find myself losing focus reading through setting rules. Generally, less is more in my opinion.

Gaming Group: Different players and GMs cause games to behave differently. when using PbP on this forum, how important is who is already playing in the game, or GMing it?

Very important. I can't really speak about this forum, but in my past PbP experience, I have dealt with people behaved obnoxiously OOC and I wouldn't game with someone like that again.

Other issues: what other issues strongly effect how well a pbp game runs?

Posting frequency, or at least being on the same page about posting frequency when there is three or more people involved. This is especially true in a combat heavy game when posting by initiative every round.

Even outside of that, though, the longer the interval between posts, the less likely for my head to be in the game.

[Alden Loveshade]

Genre: I don't think there's a major genre I haven't both GMed and played. (Although I've yet to play a gun-slinging, star-ship traveling, yodeling dinosaur. Hmm....) I like variety.

Activities Planned: I am highly character oriented. And I like puzzle solving. For the most part, I prefer combat not be the major focus--but like it as a change of pace.

Supplement materials: As long as I understand the rules and think they work, I'm pretty open.

Plot: As a GM, I tend to create/adapt a world, closely examine the PCs, then go from there. I like letting the players create their own plot. As a player, I'm open.

Power Level: Again, I like variety from game to game. I'll jump from being a world-changing super to being an escaped slave turned city alchemist guard trying to get his life together.

House Rules: As with supplements, as long as I understand the rules, I'm likely cool with it. My first play by post gaming didn't even have game rules or dice rolls.

Gaming Group: I've roleplayed with senior citizens and kids. Again, I'm flexible.

Other issues: None I can think of right now.

[Dahiiro]

Genre: My favorite genre is fantasy (sword and sorcery, dark fantasy, low fantasy).
I also find post-apocalyptic worlds very fascinating.

Activities planned: I love almost every aspect of roleplaying. Social, Combat, Exploration, Puzzles, Dungeon delving...

Supplement materials: Gamemakers:
Basic: Martial Arts and Powers; for fantasy games Low Tech and the Companions 1 and 2 are a must.

Plot: I prefer playing in a Sandbox, but if there is a cool plot... yeah... let's go for it!

Power Level: depends on the game imo.

House Rules: should the need for house Rules arise... I am open minded.

Gaming Group: I have no experience with that

[the_matrix_walker]

What makes a good Play by Post game?

I never did this one for you... Might as well now!

Genre: Fantasy, DF, Science Fiction, Supers, Space Opera and others. Which make you say "I've got to play this", and which do you particularly avoid?

Supers is #1, followed by Monster Hunters lately, Space opera probably, then fantasy/DF.

I like interesting builds and cool powers, and getting to customize them. If your game setting is historically accurate and pretty much staying that way and there is no access to cinematic stuff and under 250 points, I'm probably not enthused.

Activities Planned: Do you prefer solving puzzles? or is it combat that enthuses you? How important is character development? Is negotiation an enjoyable part of play?

I think a good mix of these is important to a good game and I find them all enjoyable. Character development and growth most of all.

Supplement materials: Which sets of rules make or break a PbP game for you? This includes Cinematic vs Realistic, G:Magic, Thuamology, Supers, Psionic Powers, DF, MH, MA, and so forth.

I'm all about cinematic gaming, so the more the merrier, but omitting any particular one isn't gonna break anything for me if there is something on the menu I can order that I'll enjoy. Ritual Path Magic, Sorcery and Supers are all areas I'd love to have more opportunities to use.

Plot: how important is the plot? do you avoid games without it, and only go for ideas that sound cool? do you prefer just wandering around letting characters make their own decisions? And is this question even an issue?

On rails or open sandbox, I don't think it is an issue... as long as if the GM keeps it on the rails and moving when it is supposed to be.

Power Level: Do you love working with mounds of points? is such a prospect dull to you? does it matter by genre? similarly, (but not the same) do you enjoy being world shakers, or do you want to deal with peers? or is this even an issue?

Points are options. Points are details. Points are freedom! Yes, please give me the points!

World shakers are nice every now and again (and I'll be the first to play a paragon Super given the opportunity), but usually I want to be on the heroic level. Probably the best there is in the room at "my thang" unless the plot says otherwise.

Attributes are a reflection of basic competency, and they are expensive. High attributes now means cheap skill s later. Our hero needs a 12-14 in that skill he's never seen after the montage... So my preference starts at 250 points plus. Are you familiar with the argument that it's expensive to be poor? Skills with low attributes are like that.

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But sometimes it's nice to give in to the inner munchkin and go hog wild. Ward was a lot of fun! So yes, give me a pile of points and stand back and

All Shall Love Me and Despair.

House Rules: Are they annoying or wonderful? If depends, what determines this? or are they just all par for the course?

Usually annoying, but very rarely wonderful. I play GURPS because I like GURPS. I can understand not wanting to use optional rules, but don't change what isn't broke unless it is clearly adding fun. A friend of mine introduced a "hero pont" system that worked much like Impulse Buy style points ahead of it's time, and that was fantastic.

So the "depends" is depends on what it's adding. If it's adding fun, simplification or player options, perfecto!

If it's fiddliness, unnecessary rolls, slowdowns, mystery-problems popping for the players or characters, arbitrary-situational-reverse-uno-card stuff ... I'll pass.

Gaming Group: Different players and GMs cause games to behave differently. when using PbP on this forum, how important is who is already playing in the game, or GMing it?

I don't give it a lot of thought.

I'm not naming names, but there are a few over the years I might shy from. The list is short and the names have not been seen any time recently.

Other issues: what other issues strongly effect how well a pbp game runs?

You're experience is broader than mine here. My biggest issue has been with vanishing GMs.