DM RP XP

Ideas and suggestions for game mechanics and rules.
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oldgrayrogue
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Re: DM RP XP

Post by oldgrayrogue »

t-ice wrote:
Swift wrote: Campaign style playing groups have been around in ALFA for 10 years.
Yes, and I'm not against that. Consistent set of PCs improves any DMd game hugely. I'm just very leery of the fact that these campaigns are apparently arranged "under the counter" in closed group forums so that most of the community, and especially new(er) members, aren't aware of when and where they are.

If a campaign is already "at capacity" with PCs, then fair enough, say it. But most of the times I would presume other players on at the same time could brush off as quest stars or even ambience. And a player thinking "hmm, where and with what PC I could find some game in these times I can play" should have as much info as possible on what and where game happens.

But yeah, general game organizarion is beside the topic here, isn't it.
After pointing out the derail I'll chime in on it. On BG the Sword's Edge has a regular "Campaign Night" on Wednesday nights with Ronan. I am pretty sure there is the "Docks" group, I will call them, who have regular sessions with Boggs and their own forum as well. Paazin has another group I think. The SE group routinely involves other players in their "campaign sessions" mostly through PCs developing those connections IC on "off days." My current (and former) PCs have similarly crossed over into other player group sessions quite often. For example, my former PC Voric had strong ties to Zelk's PC as well as Punchy's PC both in different factions than SE which led to crossover RP between all three "groups." I can say this is actively encouraged by both the DMs and the players and there is no exclusion going on that is not IC. As far as SE goes, the group is ICly always looking for new members (mostly because Ronan is so good at killing the old ones off =P). The private group forums are a way for the groups to plan and discuss both IC and OOC issues with each other and to prevent metagaming by non-IC group players, because there is conflict between player factions from time to time. The simple truth is that players who organize into groups, are proactive in interacting with each other and with DMs tend to get more regular DMage in ALFA -- and on any other PW I have ever played on.
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Re: DM RP XP

Post by Zelknolf »

It does indeed look better from the perspective of someone who's in a player group; everyone you play with regularly has regular DMing, and every time you recruit someone you get to feel inclusive-- but that skips the people who are excluded as collateral and how this sort of organization pushes servers into ruts (like TSM getting taken over by racial factions, BG's overwhelmingly-evil population, or MS's population loss). It also does a lot of phooey for the major contributors who can't get a plot.
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kid
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Re: DM RP XP

Post by kid »

To be fair I think TSM is not very racial baised anymore.

And to some degree thats cool to have that.
If one DM DMs faction A and another faction B,
thats allright.
If all DMs DM faction A and no one DMs B... than we have a problem.

HDMs can try and ask DMs to DM someone but... thats hard.
You DM people you enjoy DMing and thats understandble.
(If cuase you enjoy thier play style or friendly with them or whatever)

Either way we strayed to a completly different topic here didnt we?

In general all I can say is that tyring to give back to people who contribute to everyones enjoyment is a positive state of mind, but we must also tend to our simple player base. Not everyone can or should do something. (RL time, skills, whatever)

But I would defently agree that giving alot of time effort and love to the project and not being rewarded at all sucks and promots burn out, And we should defently try colectivly as DMs to not let that happen.
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ElCadaver
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Re: DM RP XP

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oldgrayrogue
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Re: DM RP XP

Post by oldgrayrogue »

Zelknolf wrote:It does indeed look better from the perspective of someone who's in a player group; everyone you play with regularly has regular DMing, and every time you recruit someone you get to feel inclusive-- but that skips the people who are excluded as collateral and how this sort of organization pushes servers into ruts (like TSM getting taken over by racial factions, BG's overwhelmingly-evil population, or MS's population loss). It also does a lot of phooey for the major contributors who can't get a plot.
I really don't think player groups are to "blame" for any of the issues cited. As far as those not in a group getting plot, that has not been my experience at all. My longest running ALFA PC was essentially an evil loner who was secretly plotting to kill or discredit most of the IC "friends" he had made, didn't belong to any established group, and got tons of DM attention. To those ALFAns not getting a lot of DM attention my advice is be open to the plots DMs throw your way and you will get more and more. The fun works across both sides of the screen. Be a player DMs enjoy DMing ICly and OOCly and you will get your fair share whether you are in a group or not. Also, don't be afraid to throw plot hooks a DMs way, and again be open to the direction a DM wants to take the hooks you throw or that the DM comes up with on his own.
rorax
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Re: DM RP XP

Post by rorax »

oldgrayrogue wrote: My longest running ALFA PC was essentially an evil loner who was secretly plotting to kill or discredit most of the IC "friends" he had made, didn't belong to any established group, and got tons of DM attention .

LOL!


ALFA really needs more flavor characters like time, sadly meta usually kill any attempt to do something similar.
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Swift
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Re: DM RP XP

Post by Swift »

Zelknolf wrote:It does indeed look better from the perspective of someone who's in a player group; everyone you play with regularly has regular DMing, and every time you recruit someone you get to feel inclusive-- but that skips the people who are excluded as collateral and how this sort of organization pushes servers into ruts (like TSM getting taken over by racial factions, BG's overwhelmingly-evil population, or MS's population loss). It also does a lot of phooey for the major contributors who can't get a plot.
It is also hardly TSMs fault that the only good PCs going around these days seem to be almost entirely made up of elves. The few non-elf good people left the server a long time ago.
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kid
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Re: DM RP XP

Post by kid »

oldgrayrogue wrote:Be a player DMs enjoy DMing ICly and OOCly and you will get your fair share whether you are in a group or not. Also, don't be afraid to throw plot hooks a DMs way, and again be open to the direction a DM wants to take the hooks you throw or that the DM comes up with on his own.
This helps alot.
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Keryn
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Re: DM RP XP

Post by Keryn »

Swift wrote:
Zelknolf wrote:It does indeed look better from the perspective of someone who's in a player group; everyone you play with regularly has regular DMing, and every time you recruit someone you get to feel inclusive-- but that skips the people who are excluded as collateral and how this sort of organization pushes servers into ruts (like TSM getting taken over by racial factions, BG's overwhelmingly-evil population, or MS's population loss). It also does a lot of phooey for the major contributors who can't get a plot.
It is also hardly TSMs fault that the only good PCs going around these days seem to be almost entirely made up of elves. The few non-elf good people left the server a long time ago.
Swift I'd like to add something to this statement because being one of the player who have worked hard to maintain the elven group up alive and kicking, I confess sometimes its "painfull" to feel/hear folks complaining about the success of a few toons and its player group.

The elven group as some like to call it has battled through very hard times, months and months without any DM attention at all, not to say years, times in which the so called group was my toon alone, times where others kept it going when others like myself included lost a bit of faith and left ALFA for a while. Many times has Curm asked me if he should just delete the player groups forum due to lack of activity.

Any DM with access to the elven groups forum can attest to this, we've tried for years to find a DM that would give us some attention, and yet we kept going, PCs like Laniara, Sywyn, latter Elenaril, have been around for a long long time. And have gone through very long periods of time without 0 DM love. Yes recently we were lucky to have viigas for a small amount of time, and as the TSM server wide plot kicked in we being the larger group which basically kept TSM numbers up played a role, and a central one at that. Its easy to say we had love recently, but everyone forgets the long walk in the dessert most of our players went through, that we endured to reach where we are now.

So yes it is hard for me to see folks complain about someone else's success when after such a long time they finally managed to find some DM attention and get some fun out of it.

Just like OGR was saying, if you are pro-active, if you understand not always things go your way and you need to wait your turn so to speak. If you keep an open channel with DMs who are willing to work with you and establish a relationship with those DMs obviously good things will happen. Fun goes both ways, the DM also needs to have fun while DMing. And this brings me to another situation (and I know I am getting way out of topic but since Im here..), which is not everyone in RL is someone you get along with, some folks you just love hanging with, others you cannot stand, for different reasons, perceptions, character, attitude, whatever. IG weather we want it or not, it is basically the same thing, and when folks hide behind the idea of "It was IC for me to do this or that" its just BS, because more often then not there was something they could have done that would not harm the toon played by someone you don't like that much OOC, and by doing so you just ruined their fun IG.

Try to find players you enjoy gaming with, that share your game style, and that are willing to actually work and game with you. To force someone to play with you, by constantly forcing your toon onto them, specially when the players don't see eye to eye, can only lead to bad things, and a general OOC bad attitude that will reflect in the IG actions. Weather we want it or not, if a player don't digs another player, from the infinite IC options they have, its not surprising they pick the one that will screw the toon of the player they don't like, or at least not be that helpful. It only generates conflicts OOC, because the players do feel there is no cooperation to reach the ultimate goal which is to have fun and accomplish something IG.

This all just to say, player groups can be fantastic in this, usually when folks stand as a group, its because their game dynamics are matching, and that reflects in the team work and dynamics which usually is also something that attracts DMs because it allows to reach goals and attempt things. I as a DM never enjoyed DMing folks that spend more time butting heads among them, then trying to unfold the riddles and the plots I throw at them, and I'm sure most DMs would agree with me. When a DM puts time and effort in a plot, he also wishes it to work out, seeing the players fail completely often feels like a waste of time.

Regarding player groups being, a problem to servers... I seriously doubt that. TSM has had their number up mostly because it had a player group that thrived, and IMO a server should nurture those that keep their numbers up. If a server does not captivate players to stay, they move to another server and the server loses players and becomes more and more inactive. Whats best? Having a server almost without activity? Or having groups that keeps numbers up, that usually also tend to attract more players since there is a better change to interact with other folks? No one wants to play in an empty server.... Otherwise we would be playing the OC.

Sorry for the rant, but I think of late I have been witnessing a lot of conflicts and what feels like jealousy more then anything when someone is actually successful. Don't try to screw those that accomplished something just for the sakes of it. Try to accomplish something yourself. That is my advise.
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