(no subject)

[the_rck]

It occurs to me that many of the people on my friends list do role playing of one sort or another. Perhaps somebody here will have an idea that may help me.

Basically, I'm going through what one might term role playing withdrawal. I miss the interactive creativity involved. I just can't do the sorts of games that I'm used to.

I'm thinking that it might be a good thing for me to get involved in some PBEM games, but I have no idea how to find good ones. Indeed, I've only got the vaguest notion of what makes a good PBEM. I'm hoping that e-mail games will work with the unpredictability of my schedule (I can never be sure when I'll have time or how long till the next interruption or how long dealing with that will take. Anything real time is right out).

I've poked around a couple of sites that list many PBEM games, but I found myself puzzled (and a bit intimidated) by terminology that wasn't explained anywhere. Does anybody know any good places for a neophyte to find information and welcoming games?

I've done some PBEM before but not a lot. It's all been Amber so far (a friend recommended two of the games, and a third was run by a friend). One was a letter game, so I'm not convinced that it counts as a PBEM. Of the other three, two died rapidly without giving me a lot of sense of how to make things work, and the third is still going. That GM knows I'm new at this and has been pretty supportive.

Right now, I'd kind of like to try something that isn't Amber, but... I don't know where to start. I wouldn't mind doing another letter game, but, in my experience, that's a larger time commitment.

Any ideas?

Comments

[the_rck]

Sadly, I don't think this'll work for me for two reasons. The first is that I'm not at all sure I'd be comfortable role playing something that explicit with people I don't already know really, really well. The second is logistics-- I simply can't guarantee being able to sit down at the computer for long enough to complete a scene. I may be called away in the middle of typing a response and not get back for hours or even until the next day. That seems dreadfully unfair to other players.

The PBEM I've done has been a lot like table top role playing but much slower because of lags in response time. It seems to work best if no more than two players are involved in any given interaction. It's flexible, though, because the people involved don't have to be online at the same time (although a scene can progress very rapidly if they are which is why I say it's best if not more than two players are involved. Players will generally wait patiently for the GM but leave absent players out completely).

Letter games are a different matter-- The characters never meet, only write to each other. They may interact with the same npcs and try to solve the same problems, but each player creates his/her own character's plot pretty much entirely (just has to stay consistent with what other people have written and the game ground rules). The whole thing's more of a creative writing exercise than a rpg, in my opinion, but letter games can be a lot of fun, while they last.

[the_rck]

Oh, and the other thing that occurred to me as I read the setting background-- It sounds as though parts of the temple complex ought to be haunted. Then I started thinking about what sort of ghosts you might have. I came to no conclusions, but I thought I'd share the notion with you.

[the_rck]

Oh, please don't feel bad for having invited me. I'm flattered that you think I might be a good enough writer/role player to pull it off. It's just not my cup of tea.

Also, in games, I have a tendency to try to create a character who is in some way off from the expected norm for the setting. I suspect that's why a ghost occurred to me so quickly.

[illandaria.livejournal.com]

You'd be welcome in either of the PBEM games I'm involved with...

One of them is set during the American west, and while it's not perfect, the list owner is a real sweetheart and would gladly answer your questions. It can be found here:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wildwest_RPG

There's also going to be another game starting up that I agreed to help moderate (because I am unable to say no to these things.) It's set on a future Earth, very Pagan, and with a very matriarchal society. It hasn't started yet, but it can be found here:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kingdomoftara

Again, you'd be welcome in either, and people are generally patient enough, in my experience. ;)

[the_rck]

Both games sound interesting. I'll go take a look.

[turnberryknkn.livejournal.com]

If you have Usenet Access, there's also the White Wolf based Wolves Glen Pub on rec.games.frp.storyteller --which moves at about a reply every few days or so. It's where I met deor, malada, lederhosen, silverblue, reynardo, (also cerebrate), and others whose diaries I'm sure I'm blanking on. Much fun. If you'd like more info, just drop a note to deor or malada and tell them I sent ya. :-)

[silvermoonstar.livejournal.com]

I'm in quite a few PBEMs, and really they are like writing a small segment from a fic. I am only in a few Weiss based ones now, and I have never talked with some of the players in the game.

All it takes to make a good PBEM are people that understand the characters, can write well enough to make a post that other players can play off, and that people try to post at least once a week....or a month depending on the game.

No one has to be online for you to post and you never really have to even talk to the other players if you like. If you are interested I can get you in a few games...all Weiss of course.

~Star

[the_rck]

I'd like to know more about the possibilities. Why don't you e-mail me-- the_rck@earthlink.net