r/pbp • u/trevarcslewis • 22h ago
Discussion Thinking about Starting up a PBP Server for Friends, tips and reccomendations appreciated
/r/vtm/comments/1x5tgkt/thinking_about_starting_up_a_pbp_server_for/
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u/LutterBrot 20h ago
We recently implemented a 48-Hour-Policy, wherein if the current contextual person who should continue the narrative, fails to do so for a full 48 hours, I as the GM shortly take over their character for a short reaction, to keep the plot rolling. Applies the other way too, if I miss my call, then the players are free to describe with more narrative power than the would normally have.
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u/LomeDM 22h ago
Okay So depending on how many, how active, or what you want everything to be, but it sounds like your world is more Living World Style than campaign. Here would be what I like and I have found works best for me. Not saying you have to but I find this helps a lot of people.
I always highly recommend keeping In character and out of character chats seperate. Especially if you have some people that are active more than others. The way I like to do is West End West End OOC Junkyard Junkyard OOC Farmer's Market Farmer's Market OOC OOC
That way they dont get lost and stay together. Dice rolls, questions like, have we met before. Things like that. Not having dice rolls keeps or stuff like that bugging down the channel helps keep immersion in and the RP flowing. This also works with forums as well. Which depending on how many people you have could work for you! OOCs (related to specific channels) I find are used not the frequent so its usually pretty easy to not get confused.
Just make sure you have a different channel for people to just talk. That way, things pertaining to scenes are in those OOCs and chatter has somewhere to happen. Not saying chatter cant happen in OOC chats of specific channels. It just helps point the chaos.
Secondly, be wary of burning yourself out. Once a GM (i think ST in VtM) is needed in more than one place at a time you can quickly become overwhelmed. say someone wants an NPC. Then someone else wants another NPC. And then another one wants a third. You will find yourself burning out quickly because you now have 3 scenes compared to the Players who each have one.
Tupper is always my go to. It helps so much with immersion. And make sure you have standard for text. Such as all Actions being bold or italic. Having spoilers for other languages in front of people who might not understand it. Having standards can help make sure no one gets confused.
I can probably answer a lot more questions but my last thing was make sure you guys have fun. If something isnt working. You dont like something. Or someone is being mean, just dont do it. Its a small group of friends. Who cares if the rules are correct if youre having fun