Re: What slows down a game's start, for you?
For perspective.
In reply to Ameena (msg # 58):
Was going to edit, don't want to delete, but don't want to rehash, nor certainly open up another can. I'll make this germane and cover the two points. Three points, I was that GM. Then two points.
So to sum this up. 4e has players that like knowing classes. I know military veterans out of uniform in my county. I know users by system. If RL people have classes, I know most of those without needing ever be one of one, I know the fighters, the rogues, the monks, and wishful but impotent clerics. In D&D, way more than what what a (good) book would explain, or descriptuion would fit, avails most ambiguity. Yeah, maybe not a fighter, but paladins and barbarians, and all the other muscular characters have another mien. Maybe not a rogue, but then they must not be a well equipped fighter. Players felt this "class" was ostensible to character. All but one.
Most players want 4e to be about good group synergy. For 4e being most hated edition, I only rejected three RTJs. All but one, total, wanted to have group balance, and I should have done that as GM. Three of the five pushed for open group sharing, one outright expected it, and wanted to start having been a team.
I had a lot of PMs from two players that took my time away. Which is expected. Reading mostly, but also typing replies. However, these PMs grew to forty posts long. One lamenting OOC spillover, from another with more and more new ideas. It got old to say no, so I found new ways. Eventually I needed to divide and focus on two baskets. I didn't. Instead all but one egg broke in the basket. Being a Kenku, this hit you hardest. You were unique, but the cost was being outcast. Survival is about fitting in, not being in healthy fitness.
I moved platforms, since "Immediate" and "[No" Actions were easuier. Finally, after questions were player to player and not to me, I let the PCs start their own planning while I eavesdropped every once in a while, but finished my planning inn days, not weeks, being able to paint what I saw and not explain what I was painting.. We played in slow real time, but seconds not hours latency. Usually at least. ISP sometimes made that hard, but it would for RPoL ten times more.
The game did go on. Sacrifices were made. Lessons learned. Prime objective complete though.
As for playing with you Ameena, when I did (It's been two years since I played ANY game on RPoL) I enjoyed it. You posted in a IC thread, and when you were introduced, I knew it was you because you were a Kenku...and posted in the IC thread. You also were posting paraphrasing of expressions. You didn't read .every post, as you admitted, and just skimmed over what you deamed your character would know. That's all. I connected four degrees of qualities. The Bacon number is 1. Four degrees isn't that hard though. That's 2^3 or 8. With the turn out though, it might as well be 1 in a million. So if you avoid me, sorry to say, we've played well together. If you avoid me as a GM, yeah. I get that. That's a good thing. For you, but also for me. I don't avoid you though. I avoid some users, you're not one.
I hope that covers the germane mostly, but also the boastful attitude is toned, and exclusion shown to be selective, deductive and pragmatic, not creepy, dogmatic, nor obsessive.
If not, WE can refer to the lack of "necessity" citations following but predated. If so, however, I'm glad I had the chance correct my error. Even if not for all, then for some.
This message was last edited by the user at 11:10, Fri 21 July 2023.