Play-by-post gaming
Encyclopedia
A play-by-post game is an online text-based role-playing game
. This is a niche area of the online roleplaying community which caters to both gamers and creative writers
. PbP games are often based on other role-playing games, non-game fiction
, or original settings. This activity is closely related to both interactive fiction
and collaborative writing.
from the person playing the character (the typist), and it makes the game more readable. Sometimes online game terms such as OOC (Out of character) or OOG (Out of Game) are used to differentiate character vs. personal posting.
The first message posted onto a thread of that nature is usually one person laying down the scenario, starting a story about their character and inviting others. The thread then becomes an ongoing story in which players periodically advance the plot by reading the latest reply and then typing what their character does and how the environment changes in response. These replies are often open-ended so that other players can continue.
Depending on the rules established on the forum, roleplaying and story can be pushed forward through moderation by a gamemaster
, specific rules (often existing role-playing game system
s), or by mutual agreement between players.
Role-playing by mutual agreement does not rely on statistics or dice; any combat is usually written in entirety by one or more players. In some games, players will be allowed to include the actions of another player in their post, but this practice is commonly considered cheating in more established play-by-post games, where players are responsible for their own characters. Any form of this cheating (automatic hits and controlling another player's character) is commonly referred to as "power playing" or "God modding". However, one player may temporarily hand over control of their character to another player if they cannot play for a while, rather than dropping out entirely.
In certain play-by-post gaming circles larger-scale boards exist where the entire board is devoted to advancing a single storyline, rather than many different stories proceeding in separate threads. They vary in organization, but many include a full set of rules governing roleplaying and combat between players, threads detailing a set storyline (often contributed to by plot-advancing, staff-organized events, or player roleplays), character approval forums, and a full staff with admin(s) and moderators. These types of games then vary from that groundwork; some games go as far as to include a virtual "world" to roleplay in, by cutting up the entire game universe into separate forums, each based on locations within that universe. All games set in a particular setting are played in the corresponding forum.
Many message board based games establish a hierarchy of moderators to manage plot flow and continuity. To keep story threads organised the message board is often organised into forums based on geographical location within the game setting.
Websites such as Chatango http://Chatango.com, Gaia http://gaiaonline.com, and Coloholics http://coloholics.net/ are used in order to play such games.
s are the most common medium for Play-by-Post gaming. Some online forums provide benefits such as online dice rolling, Play by Post map (i.e. persistent hosted web based combat maps), character profiling and game history. Others emphasize the use of free-hand and the absence of dice and chance. Thanks to online forums, players can easily keep track of all aspects of the game, can see what is happening elsewhere and can re-read anything they have previously written. Many online services provide free game hosting for gamemaster
s.
In some message-board role-playing forums, dice rolls are made by the GMs either in real life or through a number generating program external to the role-playing message board. This relies heavily on trust from the players, and can potentially lead to problems such as favoritism.
Message-board role-playing is faster than play-by-email, but as all players can see all the posts there can possibly be problems on forums that do not support private messages. Sites like Proboards
, Invisionfree and others of that sort are used for this. There can also be issues where multiple players respond to a post at once and contradict each other, requiring posts to either be edited or deleted. Sometimes the GMs will need to sort out such a situation when it occurs if an agreement cannot be reached by the players.
Some message boards allow members of any level of writing to join. These are usually called free-for-all, or beginner RPGs. A member who does not write long posts or use proper grammar may be referred to as a "noob". Some sites are advanced, with a word minimum for every post. The word minimum usually falls between 200 to 800 words. Intermediate RPGs usually require three to five, sometimes more, paragraphs per post. In advanced roleplays it might be required to have in excess of eight paragraphs per post, but such forums are rare. Yet other websites cater to all levels of roleplaying, with specific sections for various difficulty levels.
In some cases, the GM is not present and dice rolling is not required. Combat and other measures are handled by a set of rules that prevent the likes of:
"Bob stabbed Joe, Joe died." From happening.
To make it "Bob flicked out his switchblade with a wicked grin, and lunged at Joe with it; intending to stab his stomach with the sudden motion."
The difference is that things don't automatically hit, but it requires a high level of player trust due to someone just being able to post "Dodges, avoids, etc." every single combat post.
It is typically suggested in this type of dice-less roleplaying that some form of roleplay "trust" is built between the players, because the players themselves determine how/if their character is injured. There are times when this can lead to arguments which are then typically settled by either a GM or (if there are no GM in the RP system) by a council of moderators and other board member. Though this is rare, it does sometimes happen.
games, using email
as the postal medium. Players email their actions to the gamemaster
or to each other using a mailing list. Play-by-email games are often slow, since the players must wait for each post before replying, but have the advantage that replies may be tailored to the players, allowing the gamemaster to keep information secret from the other players.
This should not be confused with simming
style of post or email games. Sims are more collaborative storytelling, where each player tells a portion of the story, usually utilizing other characters in the area as they wish in order to complete their portion of the story. PBeM games more closely resemble table-top role playing games
where players react to gamemaster
presented scenarios, and characters actions are controlled by individuals.
In free form P4P Role play gaming combat you are not allowed to call your hits and must give your opponent the opportunity to respond to your post in a "they post–you post" situation thus the Post for Post.
Free Form P4P Role Play Gaming rooms/forums are more interested in the development of your characters and the interactions you have with other characters then it is in many other on line RPGing forms. Some people have taken years to develop a character and not unlike actors upon a stage there is a certain rush when given the ability to think upon your own and use your imagination to get out of adverses situations. Good Free Form P4P players will always leave an out for their opponent and many long time Free Form P4P Role Players have likened this form of gaming to playing a game of chess with the mind.
software instead of a forum. Because players' previous posts are editable, plot holes can be avoided. For this reason, writing skills aren't as important for every writer. The gamemaster
takes responsibility as the overall editor
of the story.
Wiki space provides not only a means of communication, but also a permanent archive and a designated off-topic discussion area for each page. Players can edit information freely because change records are automatically maintained and changes can be easily undone. Sites such as
Wetpaint
are commonly used for this.
or weblog. Unlike play-by-post gaming or message board role-playing, a role-playing blog is generally restricted to one gaming group, and the blog contains static files such as maps, archives, and character sheet
s specific for that group. RPBs often incorporate mixed elements of play-by-post, play-by-chat, as well as play-by-email styles, allowing players to mix and match the style of play that works for them. Popular blog sites used to host these games are LiveJournal
and InsaneJournal.
Online text-based role-playing game
An online text-based role playing game is a role-playing game played online using a solely text-based interface. Online text-based role playing games date to 1978, with the creation of MUD1, which began the MUD heritage that culminates in today's MMORPGs...
. This is a niche area of the online roleplaying community which caters to both gamers and creative writers
Creative writing
Creative writing is considered to be any writing, fiction, poetry, or non-fiction, that goes outside the bounds of normal professional, journalistic, academic, and technical forms of literature. Works which fall into this category include novels, epics, short stories, and poems...
. PbP games are often based on other role-playing games, non-game fiction
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
, or original settings. This activity is closely related to both interactive fiction
Interactive fiction
Interactive fiction, often abbreviated IF, describes software simulating environments in which players use text commands to control characters and influence the environment. Works in this form can be understood as literary narratives and as video games. In common usage, the term refers to text...
and collaborative writing.
Format
Play-by-post games are usually written in the third person perspective. This allows the players (and gamemasters, if any) to write in the personas of their characters. This is the best way to separate the player characterPlayer character
A player character or playable character is a character in a video game or role playing game who is controlled or controllable by a player, and is typically a protagonist of the story told in the course of the game. A player character is a persona of the player who controls it. Player characters...
from the person playing the character (the typist), and it makes the game more readable. Sometimes online game terms such as OOC (Out of character) or OOG (Out of Game) are used to differentiate character vs. personal posting.
The first message posted onto a thread of that nature is usually one person laying down the scenario, starting a story about their character and inviting others. The thread then becomes an ongoing story in which players periodically advance the plot by reading the latest reply and then typing what their character does and how the environment changes in response. These replies are often open-ended so that other players can continue.
Depending on the rules established on the forum, roleplaying and story can be pushed forward through moderation by a gamemaster
Gamemaster
A gamemaster is a person who acts as an organizer, officiant for questions regarding rules, arbitrator, and moderator for a multiplayer game...
, specific rules (often existing role-playing game system
Role-playing game system
A role-playing game system is a set of game mechanics used in a role-playing game to determine the outcome of a character's in-game actions...
s), or by mutual agreement between players.
Role-playing by mutual agreement does not rely on statistics or dice; any combat is usually written in entirety by one or more players. In some games, players will be allowed to include the actions of another player in their post, but this practice is commonly considered cheating in more established play-by-post games, where players are responsible for their own characters. Any form of this cheating (automatic hits and controlling another player's character) is commonly referred to as "power playing" or "God modding". However, one player may temporarily hand over control of their character to another player if they cannot play for a while, rather than dropping out entirely.
In certain play-by-post gaming circles larger-scale boards exist where the entire board is devoted to advancing a single storyline, rather than many different stories proceeding in separate threads. They vary in organization, but many include a full set of rules governing roleplaying and combat between players, threads detailing a set storyline (often contributed to by plot-advancing, staff-organized events, or player roleplays), character approval forums, and a full staff with admin(s) and moderators. These types of games then vary from that groundwork; some games go as far as to include a virtual "world" to roleplay in, by cutting up the entire game universe into separate forums, each based on locations within that universe. All games set in a particular setting are played in the corresponding forum.
Many message board based games establish a hierarchy of moderators to manage plot flow and continuity. To keep story threads organised the message board is often organised into forums based on geographical location within the game setting.
Websites such as Chatango http://Chatango.com, Gaia http://gaiaonline.com, and Coloholics http://coloholics.net/ are used in order to play such games.
Message-board role-playing
Internet forumInternet forum
An Internet forum, or message board, is an online discussion site where people can hold conversations in the form of posted messages. They differ from chat rooms in that messages are at least temporarily archived...
s are the most common medium for Play-by-Post gaming. Some online forums provide benefits such as online dice rolling, Play by Post map (i.e. persistent hosted web based combat maps), character profiling and game history. Others emphasize the use of free-hand and the absence of dice and chance. Thanks to online forums, players can easily keep track of all aspects of the game, can see what is happening elsewhere and can re-read anything they have previously written. Many online services provide free game hosting for gamemaster
Gamemaster
A gamemaster is a person who acts as an organizer, officiant for questions regarding rules, arbitrator, and moderator for a multiplayer game...
s.
In some message-board role-playing forums, dice rolls are made by the GMs either in real life or through a number generating program external to the role-playing message board. This relies heavily on trust from the players, and can potentially lead to problems such as favoritism.
Message-board role-playing is faster than play-by-email, but as all players can see all the posts there can possibly be problems on forums that do not support private messages. Sites like Proboards
ProBoards
ProBoards is a free, remotely hosted message board service that facilitates online discussions by allowing people to create their own online communities.-Ownership and Service Statistics:...
, Invisionfree and others of that sort are used for this. There can also be issues where multiple players respond to a post at once and contradict each other, requiring posts to either be edited or deleted. Sometimes the GMs will need to sort out such a situation when it occurs if an agreement cannot be reached by the players.
Some message boards allow members of any level of writing to join. These are usually called free-for-all, or beginner RPGs. A member who does not write long posts or use proper grammar may be referred to as a "noob". Some sites are advanced, with a word minimum for every post. The word minimum usually falls between 200 to 800 words. Intermediate RPGs usually require three to five, sometimes more, paragraphs per post. In advanced roleplays it might be required to have in excess of eight paragraphs per post, but such forums are rare. Yet other websites cater to all levels of roleplaying, with specific sections for various difficulty levels.
In some cases, the GM is not present and dice rolling is not required. Combat and other measures are handled by a set of rules that prevent the likes of:
"Bob stabbed Joe, Joe died." From happening.
To make it "Bob flicked out his switchblade with a wicked grin, and lunged at Joe with it; intending to stab his stomach with the sudden motion."
The difference is that things don't automatically hit, but it requires a high level of player trust due to someone just being able to post "Dodges, avoids, etc." every single combat post.
It is typically suggested in this type of dice-less roleplaying that some form of roleplay "trust" is built between the players, because the players themselves determine how/if their character is injured. There are times when this can lead to arguments which are then typically settled by either a GM or (if there are no GM in the RP system) by a council of moderators and other board member. Though this is rare, it does sometimes happen.
Play-by-email
Play-by-email (PBeM) games are played as other play-by-mailPlay-by-mail game
Play-by-mail games, sometimes known as "Play-by-post", are games, of any type, played through postal mail or e-mail. One example, chess, has been played by mail for centuries . Another example, Diplomacy, has been played by mail since the 1960s, starting with a printed newsletter written by John...
games, using email
Email
Electronic mail, commonly known as email or e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages from an author to one or more recipients. Modern email operates across the Internet or other computer networks. Some early email systems required that the author and the recipient both be online at the...
as the postal medium. Players email their actions to the gamemaster
Gamemaster
A gamemaster is a person who acts as an organizer, officiant for questions regarding rules, arbitrator, and moderator for a multiplayer game...
or to each other using a mailing list. Play-by-email games are often slow, since the players must wait for each post before replying, but have the advantage that replies may be tailored to the players, allowing the gamemaster to keep information secret from the other players.
This should not be confused with simming
Simming
Simming is an online text-based role-playing game that takes place in a chat room, by e-mail or on an Internet forum. Individual games, known as sims, read like a story—albeit one written by several people....
style of post or email games. Sims are more collaborative storytelling, where each player tells a portion of the story, usually utilizing other characters in the area as they wish in order to complete their portion of the story. PBeM games more closely resemble table-top role playing games
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
where players react to gamemaster
Gamemaster
A gamemaster is a person who acts as an organizer, officiant for questions regarding rules, arbitrator, and moderator for a multiplayer game...
presented scenarios, and characters actions are controlled by individuals.
Free Form Post for Post (Play-by Chat/Forum)
Free Form Post for Post RPG is a common format for chat-based roleplaying. It is integrated in an on line chat room or forum that is designated for role play purposes. Individuals choose a character based upon the theme of the room or forum which could be based upon a novel, movie, song, etc. It is up the individual(s) on what character(s) they may wish to develop and play. Once development of their characters is complete they enter into the room, or forum and begin to interact with other characters/actors via chat in a post for post fashion not unlike a theatrical play you might see in real time upon a stage. All play is based upon actions and reactions of the players thus given the impromptu of the characters in certain situations.In free form P4P Role play gaming combat you are not allowed to call your hits and must give your opponent the opportunity to respond to your post in a "they post–you post" situation thus the Post for Post.
Free Form P4P Role Play Gaming rooms/forums are more interested in the development of your characters and the interactions you have with other characters then it is in many other on line RPGing forms. Some people have taken years to develop a character and not unlike actors upon a stage there is a certain rush when given the ability to think upon your own and use your imagination to get out of adverses situations. Good Free Form P4P players will always leave an out for their opponent and many long time Free Form P4P Role Players have likened this form of gaming to playing a game of chess with the mind.
Play-by-internet
Play-by-internet (PBI) refers to fully automated games which take place using server-based software. Play-by-internet games differ from other play-by-post games in that, for most computerized multiplayer games, the players have to be online at the same time, and players can make their moves independently of any other players in the game. The turn-time is usually fixed. A server updates the game after the turn-time has elapsed evaluating all the player's moves sent to the server. The turn-time duration can be hours, days, weeks or even months.Play-by-wiki
A play-by-wiki game is played using wikiWiki
A wiki is a website that allows the creation and editing of any number of interlinked web pages via a web browser using a simplified markup language or a WYSIWYG text editor. Wikis are typically powered by wiki software and are often used collaboratively by multiple users. Examples include...
software instead of a forum. Because players' previous posts are editable, plot holes can be avoided. For this reason, writing skills aren't as important for every writer. The gamemaster
Gamemaster
A gamemaster is a person who acts as an organizer, officiant for questions regarding rules, arbitrator, and moderator for a multiplayer game...
takes responsibility as the overall editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
of the story.
Wiki space provides not only a means of communication, but also a permanent archive and a designated off-topic discussion area for each page. Players can edit information freely because change records are automatically maintained and changes can be easily undone. Sites such as
Wetpaint
Wetpaint
Wetpaint is a Seattle, Washington-based company, founded in 2005, that hosts both user-generated and professionally created content. Wetpaint began as a wiki farm, hosting wikis using their own proprietary software. In 2010, the main site was rebranded as Wetpaint Entertainment, a website focused...
are commonly used for this.
Role-playing blog
The role-playing blog (RPB) is a game which is played out online using posts within a blogBlog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
or weblog. Unlike play-by-post gaming or message board role-playing, a role-playing blog is generally restricted to one gaming group, and the blog contains static files such as maps, archives, and character sheet
Character sheet
A character sheet is a record of a player character in a role-playing game, including whatever details, notes, game statistics, and background information a player would need during a play session. Character sheets can be found in use in both traditional and action role-playing games...
s specific for that group. RPBs often incorporate mixed elements of play-by-post, play-by-chat, as well as play-by-email styles, allowing players to mix and match the style of play that works for them. Popular blog sites used to host these games are LiveJournal
LiveJournal
LiveJournal is a virtual community where Internet users can keep a blog, journal or diary. LiveJournal is also the name of the free and open source server software that was designed to run the LiveJournal virtual community....
and InsaneJournal.
Role-playing resource sites
Role-playing resource sites are message boards that help facilitate the growth in talent of role-players. They also serve as a place for people to meet and "plot" their characters. Some notable resource sites are RPG-Directory, Caution to the Wind 2.0, A Thousand Fireflies, Shadowplay, Blank Pages, So Damn Shallow, and Red Carpet & Rebellion.External links
- FAQ: PbEM - Describes PbEM roleplaying and answers frequently asked questions