Playing a tabletop roleplaying game in an online format can be intimidating to new and veteran players alike. New players, who typically benefit from the immediate support they get from their friends around the table, are now left staring at a screen with nothing but a rulebook to get them through a situation. Meanwhile, veteran players will find many of the old conventions they have come to rely on are now very different, along with the standard interactions they have gotten used to over the years.
However, forum-based RPGs can be just as fun and rewarding to play, as long as you can keep some things in mind.
Gameplay Tips
-Although you may think otherwise, time is even more of an issue in a forum game. Even though a scene that would usually be resolved in an hour of playtime in an offline game would seem like it would be so efficient when played out little by little over the course of a few days online, it's actually not. Forum games can easily succumb to massive slowdowns, so it is very important to make your posts as efficient as possible.
Know what you are saying, and post all information in a clear and understandable manner. Try and simplify your dice rolls- rather than rolling 1 d6 5 times, roll 5d6. Make sure your math is correct. Understand what your feats and abilities do before you use them. There is nothing as irritating as having a player make a faulty post, and then having to backtrack through a days worth of posts and fix it, thus altering the events of all posts following it.
-Don't be shy. Talk to your other players and your DM. Use PMs, instant messenger, emails, anything you can. Communication is vital in tabletop RPGs, even if your kitchen table is currently devoid of anything resembling a playmat and dice. You NEED to let people know what is going on, particularly in the case of your DM. Do not fall into what I call the "MMO mentality." While this is an online RPG, it is not World of Warcraft. You have more than just a responsibility to your character and his development, you have a responsibility to everyone else in your game. It's still a social game- it's just being executed through an impersonal avenue.
-In a setting where intonation, facial expressions, and anything outside verbal statements are nonexistant, roleplaying becomes doubly important. Make sure your posts are fleshed out- don't just "I roll 1d6 and do 6 damage." Try "grasping your rapier tightly, and slashing the beast across it's chest, the blood spurting out like mist from a waterfall." Also, watch for spelling and grammatical errors. We all make them, and that's fine. However, nothing ruins the mood more than a comical error. I mean, if you were talking to an important NPC, how seriously could you take "Plz adventurers u must defeat teh dragon to save my dauhgter!"?
-On a related note, though, do not get carried away. Writing is good. Good writing is better. However, no one is expected to be Hemingway. In past games I've DMed, I have had problems with hardcore RPers getting too involved in their post-writing, spending literally hours writing a simple response. As a good rule of thumb, you shouldn't spend more than 15 minutes on a single post. There are exceptions, obviously, but in general, the amount of writing you can do in 15 minutes should be MORE than enough to summarize that 6 seconds we call a turn. Additionally, in regards to speaking- when you are addressing someone, you need to write as though you were actually speaking. Do not type up paragraph upon paragraph of dialogue, or large lists of questions. Follow the basic flow of conversation- say something, wait for a response, and then say something again. In my eyes, dominating a conversation (unless the situation calls for it, or it is in character) is almost as bad as double posting, if not worse, as you are taking away another players (or a DMs) ability to react to a situation and shaping the game to suit your own tastes specifically.
-Keep vigilant. Watch your thread. If you are the sort who logs onto MTGS daily (and I know most of us are), there is no excuse for you to have not stopped by the PnP Inn and made sure you have no outstanding posts to make. Making a post is relatively quick in most situations- and more importantly, it's necessary to keep the game moving. Do not keep people waiting on you. By the same token, don't let people keep you waiting. If someone has not posted and you need them to do so, track them down. PM them. IM them. Talk to a mutual friend to see where they are. Just make sure they know "Hey! I need you to post!"
-In the event you CAN'T post, let your DM know, and arrangements can be made to remove you from the situation at hand. This doesn't mean quitting the game, and most DMs will do everything they can to keep you involved.
-Movement and distance are problems in forum RPs, but that doesn't mean you can ignore them. Make a note of the actions you have taken- typically, I like to denote any action I take with a little tag, like this- "Photon Eater ran up to the charging orge (move action), and then lashed out at him with his flail (standard action.)". Also, keep things that account for range sensible. Just because we can't measure steps taken and distance, it does not mean that your fireball spell is effectively a WMD, or that your crossbow can hit something a half-mile away. Note to DMs: Be specific when describing how far away or how high up something is when you post- it really helps players not only clarify these otherwise murky issues, but it also paints a better image of what is going on.
-Make use of the features and opportunities a forum RPG allows. You have a lot more time to think your actions through in this format- you can come up with brilliant battle strategies, think up the perfectly witty reply to your party's wisecracking bard, or dream up a wonderfully poignant emotional reaction to a particular event. Consider to that you will have the opportunity to play with people from around the world, with players which you ordinarily would never have a chance to play alongside.
However, forum-based RPGs can be just as fun and rewarding to play, as long as you can keep some things in mind.
-Although you may think otherwise, time is even more of an issue in a forum game. Even though a scene that would usually be resolved in an hour of playtime in an offline game would seem like it would be so efficient when played out little by little over the course of a few days online, it's actually not. Forum games can easily succumb to massive slowdowns, so it is very important to make your posts as efficient as possible.
Know what you are saying, and post all information in a clear and understandable manner. Try and simplify your dice rolls- rather than rolling 1 d6 5 times, roll 5d6. Make sure your math is correct. Understand what your feats and abilities do before you use them. There is nothing as irritating as having a player make a faulty post, and then having to backtrack through a days worth of posts and fix it, thus altering the events of all posts following it.
-Don't be shy. Talk to your other players and your DM. Use PMs, instant messenger, emails, anything you can. Communication is vital in tabletop RPGs, even if your kitchen table is currently devoid of anything resembling a playmat and dice. You NEED to let people know what is going on, particularly in the case of your DM. Do not fall into what I call the "MMO mentality." While this is an online RPG, it is not World of Warcraft. You have more than just a responsibility to your character and his development, you have a responsibility to everyone else in your game. It's still a social game- it's just being executed through an impersonal avenue.
-In a setting where intonation, facial expressions, and anything outside verbal statements are nonexistant, roleplaying becomes doubly important. Make sure your posts are fleshed out- don't just "I roll 1d6 and do 6 damage." Try "grasping your rapier tightly, and slashing the beast across it's chest, the blood spurting out like mist from a waterfall." Also, watch for spelling and grammatical errors. We all make them, and that's fine. However, nothing ruins the mood more than a comical error. I mean, if you were talking to an important NPC, how seriously could you take "Plz adventurers u must defeat teh dragon to save my dauhgter!"?
-On a related note, though, do not get carried away. Writing is good. Good writing is better. However, no one is expected to be Hemingway. In past games I've DMed, I have had problems with hardcore RPers getting too involved in their post-writing, spending literally hours writing a simple response. As a good rule of thumb, you shouldn't spend more than 15 minutes on a single post. There are exceptions, obviously, but in general, the amount of writing you can do in 15 minutes should be MORE than enough to summarize that 6 seconds we call a turn. Additionally, in regards to speaking- when you are addressing someone, you need to write as though you were actually speaking. Do not type up paragraph upon paragraph of dialogue, or large lists of questions. Follow the basic flow of conversation- say something, wait for a response, and then say something again. In my eyes, dominating a conversation (unless the situation calls for it, or it is in character) is almost as bad as double posting, if not worse, as you are taking away another players (or a DMs) ability to react to a situation and shaping the game to suit your own tastes specifically.
-Keep vigilant. Watch your thread. If you are the sort who logs onto MTGS daily (and I know most of us are), there is no excuse for you to have not stopped by the PnP Inn and made sure you have no outstanding posts to make. Making a post is relatively quick in most situations- and more importantly, it's necessary to keep the game moving. Do not keep people waiting on you. By the same token, don't let people keep you waiting. If someone has not posted and you need them to do so, track them down. PM them. IM them. Talk to a mutual friend to see where they are. Just make sure they know "Hey! I need you to post!"
-In the event you CAN'T post, let your DM know, and arrangements can be made to remove you from the situation at hand. This doesn't mean quitting the game, and most DMs will do everything they can to keep you involved.
-Movement and distance are problems in forum RPs, but that doesn't mean you can ignore them. Make a note of the actions you have taken- typically, I like to denote any action I take with a little tag, like this- "Photon Eater ran up to the charging orge (move action), and then lashed out at him with his flail (standard action.)". Also, keep things that account for range sensible. Just because we can't measure steps taken and distance, it does not mean that your fireball spell is effectively a WMD, or that your crossbow can hit something a half-mile away. Note to DMs: Be specific when describing how far away or how high up something is when you post- it really helps players not only clarify these otherwise murky issues, but it also paints a better image of what is going on.
-Make use of the features and opportunities a forum RPG allows. You have a lot more time to think your actions through in this format- you can come up with brilliant battle strategies, think up the perfectly witty reply to your party's wisecracking bard, or dream up a wonderfully poignant emotional reaction to a particular event. Consider to that you will have the opportunity to play with people from around the world, with players which you ordinarily would never have a chance to play alongside.