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Message no. 1
From: John E Pederson <lobo1@****.COM>
Subject: Looking for PBEM help
Date: Tue, 10 Jun 1997 22:12:58 EDT
I'm giving some consideration to running a PBEM game for a couple of my
players. I'm hoping someone out there in list-land can give me some
advice on doing this (like: how it's done, GMing tips and tricks, etc). I
know there are at least two of you currently running PBEM games, so I
expect to get at least a nominal response from this:) when the list comes
back up;)

--
-Canthros
And ye shall know the truth, and lobo1@****.com
the truth shall set you free. canthros1@***.com
--John 8:32, KJV
http://members.aol.com/canthros1/
Message no. 2
From: Loki <daddyjim@**********.COM>
Subject: Re: Looking for PBEM help
Date: Tue, 10 Jun 1997 23:47:06 -0700
---John E Pederson wrote:
>
> I'm giving some consideration to running a PBEM game for a couple of
my
> players. I'm hoping someone out there in list-land can give me some
> advice on doing this (like: how it's done, GMing tips and tricks,
etc). I
> know there are at least two of you currently running PBEM games, so I
> expect to get at least a nominal response from this:) when the list
comes
> back up;)

Victor is GMing the PBEM game I'm in right now. I've really been
impressed, so I'd hit him up for ideas if I were you. :o)

===

@>--,--'--- Loki <gamemstr@********.com>

Poisoned Elves: www.primenet.com/~gamemstr/

If in your adventures you happen across the skull of a dragon, turn
and leave that place quickly. Whatever killed the dragon may still be
around.
_____________________________________________________________________
Sent by RocketMail. Get your free e-mail at http://www.rocketmail.com
Message no. 3
From: Drekhead <drekhead@***.NET>
Subject: Re: Looking for PBEM help
Date: Wed, 11 Jun 1997 09:47:02 +0000
On 10 Jun 97 at 23:47, Loki wrote:

> Victor is GMing the PBEM game I'm in right now. I've really been
> impressed, so I'd hit him up for ideas if I were you. :o)

As a player in the same game, and someone who also has run PBEM's, I
would have to ditto those sentiments, not only because Victor is a
good story teller, but because he is juggling several different
threads in his game, players in several different places, and is
still keeping a good handle on his overall campaign. And everyone
seems to be having fun. I know I am.

So, I guess that's it in a nutshell. In PBEM, you have to keep the
story interesting. Not just the big picture, but each turn has to
keep the player's going. And it is imperative that you be organized,
especially if you have a large group (like he does). Keep all posts,
because you may have to refer to something that was said several
days, or even weeks ago. That may seem excessive, but remember, in
game time, all those posts may only reflect only a couple of days.
Some GM's have used a website to distribute game related information,
like maps, or logs of the game. This is a good resource if it is
available to you. I plan to try this in the next PBEM I run.

Hope that helps.

--

=DREKHEAD========================================================
drekhead@***.net --- http://users.aol.com/drekhead/home.html ---
=================================================================
=================================================================
If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot
stomping on a human face...forever. -George Orwell
Message no. 4
From: Duncan McNeill-Burton <Dreadnaut1@***.COM>
Subject: Re: Looking for PBEM help
Date: Wed, 11 Jun 1997 11:33:19 -0400
In a message dated 97-06-11 11:17:05 EDT, you write:

> > Victor is GMing the PBEM game I'm in right now. I've really been
> > impressed, so I'd hit him up for ideas if I were you. :o)

Definitely. I'm also playing in his game, and I'm loving it. He's doing a
great job of keeping things interesting, and keeping loads of different
threads going.

BTW, save all the PbeM mail.

Later-

Duncan
Message no. 5
From: Caric <caric@********.COM>
Subject: Re: Looking for PBEM help
Date: Wed, 11 Jun 1997 08:46:25 -0700
| I'm giving some consideration to running a PBEM game for a couple of my
| players. I'm hoping someone out there in list-land can give me some
| advice on doing this (like: how it's done, GMing tips and tricks, etc). I
| know there are at least two of you currently running PBEM games, so I
| expect to get at least a nominal response from this:) when the list comes
| back up;)

Talk to Victor he should be able to help you out here.


-Caric

"I was NAKED!!!!!!!!!!!"
-Blackjack our Racoon Shaman when asked why he ran away from one
particular fight."
Message no. 6
From: Drekhead <drekhead@***.NET>
Subject: Re: Looking for PBEM help
Date: Wed, 11 Jun 1997 12:58:08 +0000
Sorry if this came across already.

On 10 Jun 97 at 23:47, Loki wrote:

> Victor is GMing the PBEM game I'm in right now. I've really been
> impressed, so I'd hit him up for ideas if I were you. :o)

As a player in the same game, and someone who also has run PBEM's, I
would have to ditto those sentiments, not only because Victor is a
good story teller, but because he is juggling several different
threads in his game, players in several different places, and is
still keeping a good handle on his overall campaign. And everyone
seems to be having fun. I know I am.

So, I guess that's it in a nutshell. In PBEM, you have to keep the
story interesting. Not just the big picture, but each turn has to
keep the player's going. And it is imperative that you be organized,
especially if you have a large group (like he does). Keep all posts,
because you may have to refer to something that was said several
days, or even weeks ago. That may seem excessive, but remember, in
game time, all those posts may only reflect only a couple of days.
Some GM's have used a website to distribute game related information,
like maps, or logs of the game. This is a good resource if it is
available to you. I plan to try this in the next PBEM I run.

Hope that helps.

--

=DREKHEAD========================================================
drekhead@***.net --- http://users.aol.com/drekhead/home.html ---
=================================================================
=================================================================
If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot
stomping on a human face...forever. -George Orwell
Message no. 7
From: "Fisher, Victor" <Victor-Fisher@******.COM>
Subject: Re: Looking for PBEM help
Date: Wed, 11 Jun 1997 15:49:40 -0400
>I'm giving some consideration to running a PBEM game for a couple of my
>players. I'm hoping someone out there in list-land can give me some advice on
>doing this (like: how it's done, GMing tips and tricks, etc). I know there
>are at least two of you currently running PBEM games, so I expect to get at
>least a nominal response from this:) when the list comes back up;)

<Looks up from typing furiously, scratches head, knocking over cold
coffee with elbow, curses>

Well, I'm not an expert on how to run a PBEM (I'm literally 'making
this up as I go along' :-), but here's some of the things I've picked up
juggling my players (Oh, and thanks for the compliments, guys. That
extra karma point's going out via e-mail <wink, wink, nudge, nudge, say
no more, say no more!>)
First, TURN BACK! IT'S NOT TOO LATE! YOU CAN STILL GET AWAY!!! But,
seriously...
Pretty much what everyone's said before I've found to be very true.
Organization's very important. Invariably, the one correspondence you
throw away, is the one you end up having to refer to. <types this while
rooting in wastepaper basket>. I've got nearly everyone's correspondence
on electronic and paper file. I keep the most recent messages on paper
so's I can tote them around, making little notes on plotlines and
characters as I go along.
Try to be consistent in what you do. If you jump around with your
facts, etc. your players are going to feel cast adrift, and won't be
able to 'get into ' your game. Let them know how you do things, any
special house rules, weapons, etc., so everyone's on the same page.
Try to get a little feel for the type of storyline your player
would like to go thru, and match it up with things you like. This is
important; if the player doesn't care for the story, he's not going to
be interrested what happens in it, and if the GM's not interrested in
his own storyline, well ,brrrrr, things can get PRETTY ugly. [We could
always tell when one of my GM's got bored; those 1/2 Hit Die rats became
12 HD mutated rat shapeshifters!].
Never try to manage more players in a PBEM than you comfortably can
in a live game. [I'd suggest no more than 5; Iknow, Iknow. Do as I say,
NOT as I do!] It's vital your players feel their turns are coming on a
SLIGHTLY consistent basis. If they go for more than two weeks without
hearing a word from you, they'll probably feel left out [I know I
would]. Based on how you schedule your game turns going out, keep a look
out that you don't let a player go for too long, without either hearing
from him, or sending a turn or a reason why they haven't heard from you,
so they're not left dangling in the electronic breeze.
Put some thought into each person's turn. If it doesn't live for
you, it won't for them. They're pretty much in the dark about your
world; you have to sketch it out for them. You don't have to be a
literary genius [lord knows I'm not; I'm still having problems with my
spell checker!]. If they have a question, take a moment to explain it to
them.
The hardest part I've found is the body of the turn. Unless you're
going to be exchanging 20 messages back and forth a week, you'll
probably want to give them a little something more to think about than,
' The door opens, and a man looks at you funny. What do you do?'. Don't
feel you have to write a novelette, just give the player enough to make
two or three decisions on {or enough to hang themselves with :-} This
calls for getting a good feel of the player's character, and giving him
enough to advance the storyline, YET leaving him more than enough room
to interract, affect, or change those events. PBEM's are INTERACTIVE
novels: both the GM and the Player are co-authors, spinning out a story.
I won't lie, sometimes it's not easy. Luckily, I've got a good group of
players who've really gotten into the spirit of the thing. Makes it ALOT
easier to construct a story around. PLAYER PARTICIPATION IS VITAL!
As far as mechanics and stuff, that's up to each individual GM. A
character should be more than a set of stats, but stats important too.
They add a random variable to the whole story, that can keep everyone
guessing. Yes, I actually, with the aid of a friend's laptop, have a
prog that rolls the dice. (I've got too many players to do to the
'natural' way.)
DON'T describe your turns in GAME FORM (ex. 'You barely have time
to react as a thin garrote slips over your head. You bring up the barrel
of your pistol, blocking the deadly cord, but not before it's
monofilament edge draws a thin line of crimsom across your neck.'
Instead of 'You missed your Perception roll, and the guy behind you
drops a molywire garrote around your throat. You take a light wound from
where it's cuts into your neck'] You get the idea. At the insistence of
my players though, I do post the character's Health Status at the end of
every turn, so they can see how they're doing. [being an evil GM, I was
just going to let them sweat it out]. One way to relate to players
their turn in story form, is to sometimes have them talking first person
to NPCs.
That's all I can think of for now. Hope it helps a little. Have a
good one.



'It's a lobby. They have to submit two names to you, and they're anxious
you don't choose the wrong one.'
'How should I know which one to choose?'
'It's like any Civil Service option, Prime Minister; it'll be a
conjuring trick. You know, take a card. You always end up with the card
the magician forced you to take.'
'Suppose I don't take it?'
'You will. <grin>'

Bernard talking to Prime Minister Hacker
Yes, Prime Minister.
Message no. 8
From: "J. Keith Henry" <Ereskanti@***.COM>
Subject: Re: Looking for PBEM help
Date: Wed, 11 Jun 1997 21:52:29 -0400
In a message dated 97-06-10 22:21:36 EDT, lobo1@****.COM (John E Pederson)
writes:

<<
I'm giving some consideration to running a PBEM game for a couple of my
players. I'm hoping someone out there in list-land can give me some
advice on doing this (like: how it's done, GMing tips and tricks, etc). I
know there are at least two of you currently running PBEM games, so I
expect to get at least a nominal response from this:) when the list comes
back up;)
>>

Hey, I'll answer this one before I sign out...

First of all Lobo, the group I am currently running in PBEM (the Aztlan
Summerfest) functions in 'chapters', with a new topic introduced per chapter.
This can also help to denote what is happening when, by the inclusion of any
'email' with a given chapter title.

Create up-to-date email group buffers. Possibly select "group leaders" as a
particular email listing, as well as archetype groups, such as deckers or
magicians.

Give some time, say a chapter or two, to get a feel for how often the group
as a whole is capable of responding to a given chapter. This will help when
you get to combat situations, with each action phase (1-10,. 11-20, 21-30,
etcetera) being a given subchapter within a major chapter.

Try and archive stuff, either make inquiries of the other members to do so,
or try and do so yourself. Be AWARE!!! PBEM can easily overload a
harddrive, even the big ones. The Summerfest group has exceeded one-half a
gig of stuff in just about 3 weeks now, could be 4, I don't remember.

Be patient, if you have players that are from different gaming areas (aka,
varieties of GM styles), then you and everyone involved with have to learn to
deal with all the little idiosyncracies that will no doubt arise. At the
same time, be flexible with everyone so that no one is ignored or
overshadowed accidentally.

Surprise the PC's, you can do incredible things on PBEM that are simply not
that readily possible in a standard game session (such as private
conversations and "secret messages"). Don't create to much of a paranoid
environment, but enjoy it all. Information is power, and you'll really
figure it out this way.

Trust the Players...I have found that I like to try and trust PC's with their
own die rolls, that way you don't remove that much influence over the way
their character's actions' occur.

These are just a few.
-Keith (Binder-in-the-Dark)
Message no. 9
From: tom Cone <Brother-1@*****.NET>
Subject: Re: Looking for PBEM help
Date: Wed, 11 Jun 1997 18:24:02 -1000
>Save all the PBEM mail.
or, if you can't do that, take notes.
(Now knows at least one player in Victor's PBEM)
Message no. 10
From: Duncan McNeill-Burton <Dreadnaut1@***.COM>
Subject: Re: Looking for PBEM help
Date: Fri, 13 Jun 1997 00:04:44 -0400
In a message dated 97-06-12 21:41:59 EDT, you write:

> <<
> I'm giving some consideration to running a PBEM game for a couple of my
> players. I'm hoping someone out there in list-land can give me some
> advice on doing this (like: how it's done, GMing tips and tricks, etc). I
> know there are at least two of you currently running PBEM games, so I
> expect to get at least a nominal response from this:) when the list comes
> back up;)
> >>
>
> Hey, I'll answer this one before I sign out...

< sarcasm >
What, don't you like mail?
</sarcasm>
>
> First of all Lobo, the group I am currently running in PBEM (the Aztlan
> Summerfest) functions in 'chapters', with a new topic introduced per
chapter.
>
> This can also help to denote what is happening when, by the inclusion of
> any
> 'email' with a given chapter title.
>

As a player in Keith's game, I feel compelled to comment on this thread once
again.

The Chapters thing works quite well, since all of the PCs are in continuous
contact with each other, and thus we are always bouncing mail around.

> Create up-to-date email group buffers. Possibly select "group leaders" as
a
> particular email listing, as well as archetype groups, such as deckers or
> magicians.
>
> Give some time, say a chapter or two, to get a feel for how often the
group
> as a whole is capable of responding to a given chapter. This will help
when
> you get to combat situations, with each action phase (1-10,. 11-20, 21-30,
> etcetera) being a given subchapter within a major chapter.
>

Yup. We are always commenting on everything that anyone says. Generally, a
post will get a response from almost everyone, and I think this took quite a
few of us by surprise, but aside from filling one person''s mailbox one day,
we're having a blast ( at least the players I'm in contact with OOC ).

> Try and archive stuff, either make inquiries of the other members to do
so,
> or try and do so yourself. Be AWARE!!! PBEM can easily overload a
> harddrive, even the big ones. The Summerfest group has exceeded one-half
a
> gig of stuff in just about 3 weeks now, could be 4, I don't remember.
>

Wow. The archive of this thing is going to be huge. BTW, something Keith
didn't mention is that one of the players is compiling all of our email and
tentatively planning to burn CDs for us, covering the whole run.

> Be patient, if you have players that are from different gaming areas (aka,
> varieties of GM styles), then you and everyone involved with have to learn

> to
> deal with all the little idiosyncracies that will no doubt arise. At the
> same time, be flexible with everyone so that no one is ignored or
> overshadowed accidentally.
>

We had our share of these problems since most of the characters were played
under other GMs first, but tha's been smoothed over pretty well, mostly by
Keith.

> Surprise the PC's, you can do incredible things on PBEM that are simply
not
> that readily possible in a standard game session (such as private
> conversations and "secret messages"). Don't create to much of a paranoid
> environment, but enjoy it all. Information is power, and you'll really
> figure it out this way.
>

Paranoia sucks. It creates more work for the GM, and you'll be overworked to
begin with.

> Trust the Players...I have found that I like to try and trust PC's with
> their
> own die rolls, that way you don't remove that much influence over the way
> their character's actions' occur.
>
> These are just a few.
> -Keith (Binder-in-the-Dark)
>

This thing is turning out to be quite fun, mostly due to Keith, and I have to
give him credit for putting this whole deal together. In case you're
wondering just what's going on, you can check out our progress at:
http://www-personal.monash.edu.au/~wigs/srun/aztlan/

Keith has a very different style from Victor, and it fts the atmosphere of
his game. In Keith's game, we are a team working together to accomplish a
very difficult task. In Victor's game, we are ( mostly, AFAIK ) individuals
whose lives cross from time to time as the wheel of fate turns.

Later-

Duncan ( Mongoose, or Will, depending on the game )

Further Reading

If you enjoyed reading about Looking for PBEM help, you may also be interested in:

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Thwap!