Alternative posting and PBeM Format (Lon
Excellent advice, Rath.
Being silent and non-interactive might work in a novel or movie, or to a limited degree in a face-to-face game. In a PBeM, the only interaction we have with a character is through the players' posts. We can't see what they're doing.
The conventions of role playing force us into certain patterns of behavior. Realistically, I doubt you could find nine people who would agree, after meeting in a tavern and buying a bunch of weapons, that walking down into that hole in the ground to fight monsters is a Good Idea.
The PBeM format imposes further restrictions. We have to alter the way we talk, compressing half an hour's debate into a few succinct posts. We have to communicate many options ahead of time, so that a person may respond to the most likely outcome. (ex. "If Character A is friendly, I will buy him a drink and say 'blah-blah-blah. If Character A is surly, I will ignore him and go talk to the barmaid and say "blah-blah-blah"')
I have really enjoyed the way combat runs on Hero Central, at least the way I run it. Though the time demands are considerable (running the numbers all by myself and then transcribing into an engaging narrative), it has led to more "color" than tabletop gaming. I can take the time to decide dramarically why a character missed or hit. I can describe pain, sounds, smells and detailed maneuvers and their consequences. Dialog reads much better than the "Die, Monster!" that so often appears a a table game, since I can take the time to chew over words. This has been one of the most unexpected discoveries since I started the game.
On the down side, I miss the ability to slip into character that comes so easily at the table. I have a talent for voices and assuming a persona (if I may sound self-praising here for a moment) that is totally lost on-line.
Another PBeM limitation is the timing of responses. If a high volume poster is waiting for the specific actions of a low volume poster, I must find a way to keep them occupied until the other player posts. Sometimes, I must commandeer a character's actions to keep the pacing alive, and I hate doing that.
I guess the final PBeM Limitation is pacing itself. It has taken us 5 months to cover three FTF sessions worth of material. Adventures must be written from an entirely different approach. High Fantasy Lord of the Rings-style plots are out. Conan enters the pits, slays the wizard, rescues the girl and steals the gem-plots are far more manageable. If this had been a FTF game, Ash would probably have been a bit smarter or better-prepared and would be a major villain who would have to be confronted at gradually increasing levels of power until a climactic war that would shake the very foundations of the city, and so forth.
Well, this has veered into strange territory, so I think I'll end here.