A long time ago, someone used to get on my case about leaving my character logged in. I didn't feel like this was a big deal, I liked to read the backscroll or answer pages, etc... but they felt like 'no one ever knows if you're really there or not' and made me feel like it was Not Cool.

So then I felt bad whenever I walked away and went idle.

So to avoid that I only ever logged in if I thought I was 'really' going to be there.

So then I was logging in less.

And eventually I wasn't logging in at all.

My take away, don't make people feel bad for logging in.

@kanye-qwest said in GMs and Players:

I'd find a different game to play.

This made me laugh. Also this is exactly what would happen. It would suck to get kicked off a game and I personally would be really sad because ahhhhhhhh. But also I think that I'd be taking a big step back from MUing and asking myself:

What behavior did I exhibit that led people to believe I was possibly another person who consistently stalks and harasses people?

Because I'd find that deeply concerning.

A shout out to Amari on Arx who ran a very emotionally charged scene with a lot of drama and heartache that will be one of the scenes I remember as a top ten scene in my MUing lifetime. And also a kudos to all the really lovely players that were there who were not only excellent IC but had a good sense of humor OOC.

We spent a not insignificant amount of time building up this barony action on Arx and the response to it from other players (reacting or getting involved), the guy we gave the barony to (an A+ kind of player) and staff (thank you for all the patience and amazing write ups <333):

Freaking fantastic. Worth all the hours of PRP running, resource gathering and networking.

Special shout out to Amanda in the Whispers for being our big Social PC and rocking it.

I've been feeling my brain power rapidly diminish the last couple of weeks as RL has just... been exhausting. I'm down to playing one character regularly and kind of watching the others crash and burn and just being O: and hoping no one is developing a grudge over my flakiness.

ANYWAY.

That's all to say that I seriously, seriously needed the stupid, lighthearted poetry/jousting event that Norwood@Arx threw tonight. It was funny and ridiculous and chilled out some of that negative energy I'd been building up.

It's been a rough few weeks RL. Thank you to all the people out there still fostering a sense of humor and managing cooperative RP. And to all the people checking in on all the other people.

Running a scene for some great writers who kept a nice clip and were engaged the whole way through. A+

MOAR CATS. @Crawfish did this one for a pair of Spirit Lake characters! And it is

Tonight was the culmination of a bunch of @investigations and @actions and RP that spanned I dunno how long. A year maybe? A hundred percent worth it and definitely an amazing experience to share with @Darinelle @Snackness @Sparks @Pyrephox

I raise you one Swedish Vallhund.

So for the record, baiting and engaging in conversations with a poster over controversial issues while they're upset and you're an admin? A-okay here.

Getting into one brief scuffle with another person one time and then both people going to their corners? Nuke an otherwise peaceful poster from orbit.

Got it.

@tinuviel said in Meshing Groups:

Smaller groups. If you want to encourage people to RP together, get two or three maximum together for something small and low-stakes. Five to seven is a large enough scene that some folks will be wary and/or uncomfortable, so will stick to who they know. Two or three and they've no option but to RP with someone new.

Yeah, I agree that in an ideal situation you're GMing consistently for smaller groups. Sometimes I find that if I'm not hitting at least five people then I'm "falling behind" or not giving everyone a chance to be involved. However, that's probably also some false pressure that I'm putting on myself to be everywhere all the time.

@imstillhere said in Meshing Groups:

I remind them at the start, "Sometimes it's easy to get tunnel vision in an event and just respond to the dice and GM poses. Don't forget to talk with and banter with one another so you have something to RP about together after the event!"

Great idea, I need to remember to do that more on occasion when the situation calls for it.

@kanye-qwest said in Meshing Groups:

Like if someone does a really good roll, and someone else botches, give the first player the opportunity to save the other if they like or take a blow for them. Everyone likes to feel like a hero! I think it's even more satisfying than getting the big damage, or the killshot, etc.

Yes very much agree. I like utilizing those kind of situations.

@herja said in Meshing Groups:

I think the biggest thing that helps me is to give PCs space to get to know each other. If you make every moment non-stop action, you lose a lot of opportunity to allow PCs to bond and get to know each other.

This is probably something I fail at. I get very caught up in going "Okay I started at 8 but I really need to be wrapping up what I'm doing by 11 or else I'll be too wound up to sleep!!!" and then I tend to push stuff along at my speed rather than a more natural pacing. It might help to just say "We're going for three hours and then pausing" than trying to hit a plot point in those three hours.

@mietze said in Meshing Groups:

Would maybe stating that as a specific goal for the scene be helpful? It might sound awkward doing it at first, because I know as a GM many of us want to be more hands off and not forcing any particular outcome.

Probably. I do like to stay hands off and not force their interactions because I already worry that I can be too hands on. But maybe sometimes that's just warranted and a good idea to lay out at the beginning.

Pulling this away from the peeve thread, because it's something I struggle with whenever I put together a mixed group of players and it's less of a peeve and more of a thing I let rattle in my brain a lot.

I find that it can be challenging sometimes to get a group of 5 to 7 players that aren't all familiar with each other to RP in a way that's engaging not just me, but the other players in the scene. Sometimes I notice they sort of just play alongside rather than with the other people.

So how do, fellow GMs? Tips? Tricks?!

THREATS?

@tinuviel said in GMs and Players:

Your PC is yours. Do whatever you want with it. NPCs are the game's, not yours.

If I spend hours and hours writing an NPC and using it in stories that I GM for a game? That NPC is not the game's. It's mine. It's my NPC, it's my tool to use to push story.

@kanye-qwest said in GMs and Players:

I'd find a different game to play.

This made me laugh. Also this is exactly what would happen. It would suck to get kicked off a game and I personally would be really sad because ahhhhhhhh. But also I think that I'd be taking a big step back from MUing and asking myself:

What behavior did I exhibit that led people to believe I was possibly another person who consistently stalks and harasses people?

Because I'd find that deeply concerning.

@saosmash ISN'T IT SO CUTE

MOAR CATS. @Crawfish did this one for a pair of Spirit Lake characters! And it is

Happy New Year's to this crazy hobby that I keep playing in year after year.

@krmbm said in Paying for a MU*?:

@smile said in Paying for a MU*?:

Pretty sure it'll just pave the way to players asking staff, "If I pay extra can you GM me becoming a mushroom mage, controlling all fungi" or something.

@thesuntsar said in Paying for a MU*?:

@smile thank you for outlining my next personal @action

I believe I am owed $5.00.

Or is it 4.75?

@smile thank you for outlining my next personal @action