Shalimar
I am not trying to say that everyone who is in a lot of games is doing this, some are very good at knowing their limits, like Garyh and Kitana, but others are not, and that is what the problem is.
*whistles inocently* I don't know what you're talking about....
Allright, I admit it.. I'm one of the 'bad' ones around here that joins every game on the forum and DMs multiple games. Fortunately all the games I DM (Intrigue in Candara, Beta, Starwars: Imps/Republic, and The Hellmouth) are keeping afloat more or less. I've also got 2 new games starting (The Arena and Strane New World) which hopefully will hold up, as well.
True, I do sometimes neglect posting to my games, but my lovely players will give me a little smack to get me going again. It's not being 'over my limit' that does it to me, it's the fact that I'm lazy and love to procrastinate.
Anyways I think the best way to keep it from happening is if you're Playing in a game that seems to be 'on the verge', just post a bump asking where everyone is, or restating a question your character asked that hasn't been answered, Etc. Or if you're the DM, post something like "You've got until this time to post, then I'm auto-piloting anyone that hasn't posted"
Remember that games go through loops.. People seem to all be on very similar schedules, they'll all have a lot of free time for a week or so, during which the posting is phenomenal, and then something will happen (Test week, Business crisis, etc) and you'll be lucking if they post 1/week during that time. Just have faith and try to pick up the slack.
Creamsteak
In Jemal's Intrigue in Candara game, I've taken it upon myself to just blast out with strange gibberings about unfamiliar evils and all that crazy stuff-but I always leave everything open to 'interpretation' on the DMs part. That way, they surprise me and I surprise them.
Actually, in that particular game the 'eldritter' has become a main part of the game... something I'ld never heard of until the pcs started getting posted, and now it's in control of an entire country, and the PCs are on their way to stop it before it destroys their country.
The thing is, you see.. I LOVE IT When PCs do things that actually have an affect on the world, other than just responding to what happens. I try to do that a bit when i'm playing, but unfortunately some DMs don't like it, and most (Myself included) have a line they don't want the players to cross.. the problem with that is that the line's imposible to see until after you've crossed it.
Creamsteak
Also note, there's never been a Total Party Kill to my knowledge, and trust me when I say that I've looked.
There's a very good reason for that - It would end the game, so if it WOULD happen the DMs likely fudge it to keep the game going.
I had it happen in my Starwars(Republic) game. Their ship was down to about 10 HP and got critically hit by 2 turbolasers (BOTH got crits, 1 for max damage!)
So it was either "Game Over" or "Fudge".
needless to say, I love chocolate and hate games ending like that, so the choice was easy.
I'ld also like to point out that most RPGs don't 'end'. That's why I like it so much, it's a game where you don't go "OK, that's the end of the game, tada!". I much prefer the playing of a game to the small amount of satisfaction you get from finishing it. Therefore unless specifically stated otherwise, all of my games are open-ended until the PCs die or retire.
Creamsteak
I think, like Intrigue in Candara (so long as everyone else is as interested in going to the next place, like me). It can be attributed a bit to the players motivation. Jemal has let Intrigue slip back a page on multiple instances, but one of them was seriously my fault (bad interpretation or writing on my part), and I think the game is still doing alright.
Yes, I unfortunately do that with most of my games every once in a while. I seriously try to keep up but sometimes I'm just strapped for ideas, and then there's my legendary procrastinating. Like I've said before, though.. A bump or a smack to the head is usually all I need to get something back.
And thanks for the vote of confidence, CS - I think Intrigue was the first one I started here, so if it keeps going for a fair while I'll see that as a major victory. (Actually my first game I ever DM'd IRL went for several years (Both for the characters and for the players... Good omen?)
I think some of the games I'm in/DMing that have the most potential to go the distance:
-CoC: Nocturnum (awesome char. development, good story, lotsa suspense.. Just hope we survive this werewolf thing.)
-Intrigue In Candara (As Gary said, the players are motivated, and It's one of the few things I actually did some thinknig for before posting it (Most of my games I just improvise, no planning more than the next few incidents...)
-Shades of Netheril (We've genuinely been going fairly strongly the whole time.. I don't think we've needed a bump yet, but I could be wrong. ALso, it's the first game I joined on PbP.. Hmm, again with my 'first' things.. Another good omen?)
-In Character (until we loose interest in ourselves we should be good... Now I just gotta figure out how to use that Wand on Hanh so we can see her in onea them outfits...
)
-Battle for the Four Islands (seems to be doing ok, but it's still fairly new.. only time will tell)
-Beta IC (I have the world detailed very well due to years of playing and developing it with my IRL group, and I'm dedicated to this one at least until epic lvl if the players wanna go there.)
I hope most of the games make it, but these are the ones I have the most faith in right now.
Well I guess that's my spiel... Wonder if any of you will read it all?
ah, no I don't gotta worry about that here.. half of you'll be so bored you'll read it just for something to do (That's how I ended up on this thread. *L*)
