Why Freeform?
"If life doesn't offer a game worth playing, then invent a new one."--Anthony J. D'Angelo, The College Blue Book
Introduction
Note: In what follows, I use both the male and female pronouns indiscriminately as gender-neutral pronouns.
Either your'e a prospective gamemaster (GM), experienced GM, a player past or present, or merely curious. Have I left anyone out?
My record with play-by-email (PBEM) roleplaying games on the players' end is mixed. I've been a player in a number of AD&D and freeform PBEMs that fizzled, such as the excellent Planescape: Wanderer (unfortunately, its website no longer exists), as well as one Amber Diceless campaign that fizzled. I participated in Alioqui's Shadows on the Sand before it died and in a sanctioned Pern-based freeform PBEM, Far Jordan Weyr (its website also no longer exists and I'm not sure where the archives are anymore), for a while.
Why do I talk aqbout playing in a PBEM when this is about GMing? The two are related. I feel GMs are better at their job if they understand the players' concerns, and players do better if they understand the h#!! that GMing can involve.
My GMing experience: I started two 2nd ed. AD&D campaigns on AD&D/RECFRP (Fidonet), Sunbreaker's Tears and Midnight Song, that fizzled after a month each. A freeform fantasy PBEM, The Black Wall, ran from Sept. 1999 until May 2000 before I quit. Alioqui and I ran a joint freeform fantasy PBEM campaign, Shazrad: City of Veils, which lasted for a year before various factors caused us to shut it down.
In short: I'm not the most experienced person, but I have some thoughts on the matter. Take everything with a grain of salt.
You can find other thoughts on GMing and roleplaying through Shazrad: City of Veils.
Playing in a PBEM Campaign
So you want to play in a PBEM? Well, there are a few things that will improve your chances.
Read every scrap of information the GM sends your way. At least read the important parts, even if you skim the rest. If your GM is running freeform, says so, and you submit AD&D stats, the GM won't take you seriously. The more detailed the setting is, the more work it is for you--but the better chance you have of creating a character who fits into the campaign world. In Shazrad, I can't tell you how many elven or vampiric characters we turned down because the rules specifically stated that we would only consider human characters. If you don't like the limitations, look for another game, or query the GM(s) ahead of time. Sometimes they're willing to negotiate or make exceptions.
Ask questions about things you can't find out from the website or informational messages. In my experience, GMs are happy to provide clarifications (and may even add the answers to your questions to a FAQ), provided you're not asking a dumb question (if the rules say no mages, "can i plz play a mage?" would be one). Also be aware that the GMs may not be able to answer every question in as much detail as you may wish for. Creating a gameworld, in particular, is hard work, and every GM has her weaknesses in areas of knowledge.
Related to the first point: make sure you're getting into a campaign you'll enjoy, to the best of your judgement. If you hate freeform, don't apply to a freeform campaign. If you love cyberpunk, don't expect a space opera campaign to change to accommodate you. If archives of past moves are available, read through some of them to get a sense of the social dynamics. Above all: be reasonable.
If the GM is running a particular system, whether homebrew, commercial, or even freeform with particular guidelines, be(come) familiar with the system. Possibly some system-based PBEM GMs are willing to teach players who don't know whatever system they're using, but this is something to ask about before you apply. Be aware of any requirements in terms of familiarity with the setting or system, or experience in roleplaying, or writing ability.
Be ready to firewall, especially if the GM provides comprehensive information that not every character has access to. Also firewall real-life knowledge: just because you know the composition of gunpowder doesn't mean a GM will let your character discover gunpowder in a premodern fantasy campaign. (Possibly she would, if you did in-character justification, but don't assume.)
Be flexible. I can't stress this enough. It's much harder to change preestablished world details than one character. Also, if you're willing to compromise (assuming the GM is, too), you'll win out over the person who refuses to adjust his character at all.
Take note of the posting rate and don't join if it doesn't suit your play preferences. Some people want a (hyper)active game that has posts every day, while others are more comfortable with once-a-week or even once-a-month moves.
If you do get in, notify the GM if you won't be able to make a move on time or if you need to drop out. GMs can be understanding, but not if you tell them what they need to know. I may not speak for all GMs, but I hate it when players just disappear; conversely, I appreciate advance warning of travel plans. Sometimes there are circumstances that don't allow you to fire off that last message, and that's life--but avoid it if possible.
Respect the GM's rulings. The point is to make the game run as smoothly as possible for everyone. While you may not agree with a particular ruling, it is usually not worth bickering over it. Life goes on. If the rulings are unbearable, you can always quit. But don't make the game miserable for others who may be okay with the rulings.
Be considerate of other players. If you don't like another character, fine. But keep your sentiments to yourself, and keep your PBEM interactions in-character. Your character, after all, may be making someone else clench her teeth. If you think there is a genuine problem with what's going on, drop the GM a discreet note with your concerns.
Be considerate of the GM. GMs are crazy people who are taking time from other pursuits to run a game for their pleasure and yours. It's always possible your GM is a genuine jerk, but in that case, politely withdraw from the game. She can't make you play, right? Besides, it might be the case that your GM is a hard-working, conscientious person who wants to hear your concerns. If you have suggestions for improvement, give feedback.
Above all, have fun and try not to get in the way of others having fun. If the game isn't fun anymore, you're in the wrong place. Tell your GM, give some constructive criticism if appropriate, and go elsewhere. The hard part is finding one that lasts longer than 3 months, but that's a hazard of the field.
Running a PBEM Campaign
First word of advice: Don't do it unless you ahve free time. Lots of free time. More free time than I've had, in fact (which isn't saying much). While running a PBEM may seem like a neat idea for a couple weeks, you're talking a major commitment. Have you ever written a novel? (Not published. Written.) That's at least 2 months of writing 2,000 words a day. A PBEM requires a comparable time commitment, but I've never heard of one finishing in less than a year because the move time is so slow compared to tabletop play. Shazrad ran for a year and a half and still had plenty of juice left in the potential plot.
So you've mulled this over and you still want to do it. I can't blame you. I've run several and I kept trying. There's more work ahead of you.
Make sure you understand hte system you're using (if any). You don't have to be a rules lawyer, but if you have trouble computing THAC0, either figure out how to avoid using it (a little difficult, in 2nd ed. AD&D!) or use another system. Just as importantly, if you make modifications, make sure they're not contradictory, and that your players know what they are before play or character applications begin. For one example of an adaptable bare-bones system, take a look at Over the Edge, or you can try freeform, which works well over email if there isn't too much heavy combat. That being said, if you have a specific playstyle in mind, a specifically tailored game system may work better for you.
Worldbuilding for an RPG can be easy or difficult, depending on how much time you put into it and how much material is your own. Some people find it easier to use a "canned" setting (one that's been published somewhere) with modifications. I find it easier to make up my own, because that way I know what's going on and how, rather than trying to memorize the details of someone else's. An advantage of the latter approach is that you won't have people familiar with the source material complaining about changes from the way things ought to be; a disadvantage is that you have to do the writeup for prospective players all by yourself.
If you're starting from scratch, I suggest creating as much as you think you'll need in advance, while leaving deliberate "blank spots" for future flexibility. Realize that you may never use large chunks of your hard work, but if questions do come up, the advance preparation will be a godsend. (This is a reversal of previous advice, based on experience with Shazrad. See my notes on worldbuilding for more thoughts.)
An approach I took with one potential PBEM was to solicit player input and creation of components of the gameworld. We used a couple preexisting RPG settings as the basis, which simplified some areas of worldbuilding and complicated others. I implemented a policy of open worldbuilding discussions on a mailing list except where it might touch on "private" character information, mainly because several people were unwittingly coming up with mutually contradictory ideas due to not knowing what others were doing. For individual ideas that I wasn't sure of, we tried a proposal-counterproposal approach: the player tells me what he wants, I tell him what revision of this I would consider more fitting, and we negotiate from there.
The process was exhilarating but time-consuming, and required compromises on the part of everyone involved. For that reason, I am hesitant to recommend trying this with a group of people you haven't worked with before, although I'm sure it could be done with sufficient mutual agreement on guideliens and hierarchy. If you think this will save you time in worldbuilding, you're only partly correct, as the need to moderate between conflicting good ideas (or bad ones) and sift through everything to create a consistent world will take at least as much, if not more, effort.
On the plus side, the diversity of expertises in areas including anthropology, astronomy, economics, physics, and other fields led to a richer world than if I were doing all the worldbuilding/extrapolation myself. I suspect this could lead to greater player investment in the whole endeavor. (I don't know what else to call 100+ messages on the setting and administrivia before the first move went out!)
Tone is up to you. Some worlds lend themselves better to heroic fantasy, others to dystopian futures. Take your pick. The types of players and plots will be influenced by this. If you're running a swashbuckling campaign, it probably isn't fair to spring a bout of dysentery on the characters. The level of realism or plausibility is something to determine beforehand.
Set the scene with the means at your disposal. Most certainly this will include some form of description, however brief. If you're able to set up a website for your game, however, you may wish to include some appropriate visual materials. Shazrad attempted to create its own atmosphere through the website design, art, and vignettes. For tabletop play, music can be a powerful mood-setter, but I refuse to inflict it on people over the internet.
Caveat: If graphical design is not your strong suit, take it easy on this one. I believe that a plain, just-the-facts website is infinitely more appealing than a poorly designed one that attempts to shoehorn in all the bells and whistles.
If possible, find a co-GM (or three) that you are willing to trust with the campaign. It cuts down the work for both of you and gives you another head to bounce ideas off of. Plus, if one person takes sick or has a killer workload, the others can temporarily take up the slack. In Shazrad, Alioqui and I had almost equal divison of labor over time (except she does website design, whereas I only know enough to do maintenance); we acted assafety nets for each other in times of hairy homework assignments. In The Black Wall, I had an apprentice GM, Andrew Toth, running one of the characters, which was a great help and a neat experience all around. For The Hidden General (a tabletop campaign, but same idea), I handled most lower-level plot- and character-based concerns, while co-GM Joe came up with the storyline premise and handled most mechanics. The division of labor proved satisfactory: the players didn't get frustrated with my lack of rules-knowledge, and I could keep the minute-by-minute plot moving.
Caveat: you and any co-GMs must trust each other and, in case of disagreement, have a procedure or hierarchy for deciding who has final say.
When you send out your call for players, by whatever means (posting to a newsgroup, mailing list, website, etc.), try to include enough information for players to decide whether or not they want to read further, or even to decide if they want to apply. It's one thing to withhold a plot twist and another to withhold whether the campaign is sf, fantasy, horror, or [insert genre here].
Don't be afraid to solicit players if you know people who are good and you want them for your game (and they are amenable to being solicited). Most GMs who post their games to the internet find they're deluged is what I hear, so this is a matter of choice. I happen to like having players that I know are good without having to agonize over a borderline character application.
Take your time getting through applications. Be polite when accepting or rejecting characters. But avoid accepting players and/or characters if you feel they'll cause you difficulty in running your campaign. There's no need for you to inconvenience yourself unduly to satisfy someone. Remember, they can look for another campaign, and you have your sanity to consider. Erring on the side of caution has worked best for me, as my instincts are generally better than I give them credit for; your mileage may vary.
How many players? That's up to you. If you have co-GMs or assistant GMs, you can handle more players. If you're a lone GM, avoid accepting more than 5 or 6 players unless you're the exceptional GM who has time and can do it well. The Black Wall had 9 and it killed me, but I did it to myself. Don't follow my example. On the other hand, the attrition rate for players is high, so you might gamble and accept a few more than you think you can handle. (My case was an exception. Nobody dropped out.)
Unless you're working with very few players or have oodles of time, don't start characters off separately. Groups are easier to manage and they allow inter-player interaction. If necessary, give the players an opening situation and require them to cfreate their characters to fit the scenario, or give you a "hook" into the preexisting storyline. A more extreme version is to pregenerate characters and audition them out to players. This will save you time figuring out how to work everyone in (or not working everyone in, so you end up writing 9 different plots).
Move frequency: that's between you and the players. Some people post every day. Others post long, detailed moves every month. Make sure that people know how frequent moves will be, and how regular they will be. For The Black Wall, I was an irregular GM due to classes and my players knew this. If you're always on time, great! If you're not, there are willing players, but they'll be more willing if they know ahead of time.
As an additional note, daily posting turned out to be more workable than I would have thought, if the GM is on top of things. Naturally, the posts tend to be hsorter, but it's great for maintaining momentum on the players' end. However, it probably requires additional preparation.
Let players know beforehand if lurkers will be allowed, and if information (archives, character sheets, etc.) will be posted to the internet or some other (public) forum. Keep archives and make these available to the players by whatever means are convenient; records do get lost. (I find a webpage is convenient so I don't have to carry around printouts. These days, a wiki might be one way to go.) Players occasionally want character details kept private between themselves and the GM, though, so it's wise to ask first.
Be flexible. (I said this to the players, too.) Sometimes things can't be changed without compromising the campaign (or your sanity), but sometimes accommodating a creative player isn't difficult. Where possible, try to explain to the players why you can't change a particular element, and they may be more understanding.
Plotting in a PBEM is like plotting for any campaign: no matter how directive your plot, some player will find a creative way out. That can be a good thing; what fun is a predictable campaign? At the same time, if a player tries to do something outrageous, you can find ways to penalize her. The RPG Over the Edge has an excellent section for GMs on "hosing" players who try to abuse you or the system. (The key point: player character actions have consequences. Novel, isn't it?) However, err on the side of generosity, especially with inexperienced players.
Be ready to improvise. Players are notorious for throwing curve balls. Having fixed plans is asking for disaster. Keep in mind that game time in a PBEM is slower than game time in a tabletop campaign, giving everyone more time to think. See where players go and find a way to twist that path. I use fixed events that will happen no matter what the players do, usually due to forces outside their control; and triggered events that only happen if the players perform certain actions. Triggers can be flexible: if you switch one from village X to village Y, who's to know? At the same time, if the players circumvent an event by their own cleverness, let them! They deserve a reward for their ingenuity, and it's bad form to sour the players by using a deux ex machina to save the villains (if any). There are always more events to come anyway...
Listen to feedback. I've solicited it and found it helpful. You're human, too (I presume). You can screw up. Be honest and straightforward, and when possible, consistent. Sometiems it's hard for us to see theo ther side, and players can be reticent about saying what they want unless you ask them point-blank.
Your sanity is more important than the game. If Life piles up events on you, email all your players, explain what's going on (if possible), and take a break. If things go poorly, resign the campaign politely. You can always start over. I botched two campaigns and still got 9 players in The Black Wall. If players like what you do, they may be willing to give you another chance--and there are always players out there who haven't seen your previous attempts, should things to badly. You're allowed to fail and try and learn. The same goes for players who are suffering Real Life. Be understanding. It's only fair.
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