I am not sure if this is the right spot, but I am looking to join one of the online post based shadowrun games that are going on, I am very new to shadownrun and me and my friends are starting an offline game, I am going to be co-DMing most of the time so would like to find a game that I can actually play in. If any games are open or are willing to have someone else come on in, I'd love to!

Matt

Title Edit - F4.0

check out second stringers. I'll be making my decision on the concepts tomorrow so best jump on it quick.

Or just continue to bitch (ie. pump this thread) until it attracts enough attention that someone starts up another game. It's worked for me in the past.

Your thread title sucks though.

Maybe you can get one of the kind and decent Moderators to change it to something more catchy.

Or I could do it for him.

This would be the place to post it, and Fortune's right, that being the squeeky wheel/Johnny on the Spot is the best way to get into a game. Really the task in inthe would be players hands to watch for a GM who's starting a new game, but occassionally just chatting about new games can be enough to get someone to run one.

If I was in any position to bring in new players, I'd give you a shot, but not much really going on right now.

I would suggest that if you're getting into PbP games, understand that they take a long time, and make a commitment to play the game through no matter what. A lot of the games don't make it because one player or antoehr decides they're bored and just wander away without telling anyone. That makes it hard on everyone else. If you want to get into more PbPs, show that you're reliable in one game, and more will follow. Burn someone, and less people will be likely to take you on. Just a general rule of thumb. There aren't a lot of regular GMs on here, so those of us that do run games regualrly tend to communicate about who's a good player and who isn't. We love new blood, butwe're also hesitant, because we know nothing about the person.

I can def understand about the hesitant because people just up and leave. I've had people do that in offline games before and it just totally ruins the game, I could imagine it being a LOT worse online because you just don't know if you go on or ditch them, or what to do.

Well I can post at work and pretty much everyday I am on these boards and would love to get into a game. I have loved the SR universe since begining of 3rd ed, bought a ton of the books but could never convince my friends to really do it...this would be the perfect way for me to play it!

Finally found some friends to play the offline game but I am mainly gonna be DMing and would love to get some more experiance with how things work by playing on here

Lidralyn: I am hoping to start a new game sometime this week when I get my finals hammered out (2 more to go!!). However, I am in the same boat that fistandantilus4.0 is talking about. I have played in numerous games that fizzled out because one or two players just didn't stay engaged and some where the GM over extended himself and got too busy in RL to keep the game going. That is the real challenge to PbP games. Usually its safest to go with people you "know" or at least have seen around the boards regularly.

To be blunt, I really don't have the time to run a game at all, much less one that fails, so I'll be looking for people who are committed. Having said that, I would be willing to give you a shot if you are serious. Look for a recruiting post around the end of the week.

You could, and yet you didn't. Kind of speaks for itself, doesn't it?

Sounds like a plan Method, have anything specific as far as character wise? I'd love to start fleshing out a character, mage would be my favorite idea, what books and such? Or I will just wait for the recruitment post.

Just a little added faith, I will definately not just up and dissapear on ya, I dunno how best to prove that, but I'd give ya my email/Aim/info so you could reach me if something did happen to happen, but I do not forsee anything happening.

Nice. =D

And, welcome to the boards, Lidralyn.

In some respects, I think I like PbP shadowrun more than I do table-top Shadowrun... but what everyone has said about games fizzling, sometimes, is definitely true - and is probably the single most frustrating thing about this medium.

I probably wouldn't have made it sound so much like you're going to be judged from the get-go by the GMs around here ( Although, for all I know, its true)... but my advice would be to be prepared for a few games to fizzle out before their time, and not to get discouraged, if that happens.

Other advice:

I've seen some GMs who start games after already securing the players they want. I've seen others start games and screen potential players pretty thoroughly, and I've seen some who operate on a first-come-first serve basis. Recruitment threads fill up fast (because there are more people who are looking to play than people looking to run), but if you keep your eyes open, you can spot them early enough to join up (they usually have "recruitment" in the thread title). In fact, it sounds like you even got a head's up, in advance, this time.

Usually, within the first day, a half-dozen people have responded with interest, but even if you get to the thread a little late, join in - because a lot of those people who posted interest at first don't follow up with an actual character - and if your idea is good, and you show interest throughout the recruitment process, the GM will notice.

Thanks for the reply and the welcome. I'm really glad my friend pointed me to these boards, there is a TON of information on these boards that clear'd up a ton of questiosn I had.

I was waiting for him to suggest/request his new title. Damn you elves are pushy.

Edited title. Lidrayln, if you'd prefer something without my particular sense of humor, let me know and I can change it.

Sorry if my run down of recruiting was a bit rough. I've ran a number of games that have lasted for quite some time, and also a number that were tolling along very well until they got to a "planning" area and people just stopped posting. It's very frustrating. I'm in the "Invite/Pre-game Recruit" school of thought my self. I tend to keep to folks I know, or folks that are recommended to me, with second string placers (replacing the inevitable one or two PC drop) coming from the lurkers in the thread. I like doing Recruiting games, but I've had too many bad experiences.

Thanks for the title change, I like it

I definately understand the feeling about new players, all I can really say is give me a shot lol, In an old guild I was in in another game we actually required all players to give us a call on the phone or us call them to talk to them to sorta "feel" them out before we recruited them, not over skype/ventrillo, but actual phone numbers to show some dedication and faith.

It seemed to work very well

I'm not going to go to that extreme.

As for building a character for my game- A mage would be fine, but you may want to wait until the recruiting thread goes up. I want the group to start as an established team (because many PbP games crater early on because of too much "getting to know each other" type posting). As such your character might be influenced by the team dynamics, which cannot be predicted until I know who the other players will be.

Plus the location will be somewhat specific, but I don't want to let that cat out of the bag yet...

But don't worry- there should be plenty of time to develop your character before the game actually starts rolling.

Hey, if you're interested in another player (somewhat new), I'd be glad to join. I'm currently in Greenhorns (run by Imperialus, great GM ) but I can definitely run two at once. I know, wait for the recruiting thread, but I like to get my foot in early .

same here, I decided to create my own game after almost a month with no one opening up one.

I'd throw my name into that ring too, although that might depend on who Dakka chooses for his upcoming game. And Hi everyone I'm pretty new around here myself, but I've been into SR since the 2nd ed, but Lidralyn I feel your pain after my local game shop closed years ago it's been like pulling teeth to try and get people around here to play with me...that always sounds dirty.

Lol, has this inadvertently become Method's recruitment thread?
Consider me intrigued.

I remember what it was like to try and get started on the boards, and it can be a difficult task to build your reputation and get into games, so here's a few thoughts I put together for new players interested in looking for a game. I hope it is of some assistance to people.

1. First Impressions Matter

This should be obvious, but after running numerous recruitments over the years, it’s pretty apparent it is not.

The better you come across in conveying your initial interest in joining a game, the better received you will be by the GM.

Anyone can respond to a recruitment thread saying they want to play. It’s the well thought out, interesting concepts that stand out and communicate to the GM, ‘I am a quality player’.

Whenever I submit a character to a game, my goal is to make the GM say, ‘Wow, I can’t afford to NOT have this player in my game, because their character (and most likely by extension, the player) is just that freaking good.'

I’ve been allowed into several games that were already full or otherwise not accepting new players for whatever reason simply because I submitted a character that the GM was interested in/excited to GM for.

Basically, every time you try to get into a game your goal should be to impress the GM and your fellow players. Do that enough times and you’ll start building a reputation as a guy GMs want in their games. After that, getting into a game is usually as easy as asking to join.

2. Do your homework

Read what the GM posts regarding the basic information of their game. I’ve lost track of the number of times I explicitly stated something like, ‘I will not be taking any magical characters’, and what is the first submission I get? You guessed it. A magical character.

Following point one, if my first impression of a player is they are too lazy/stupid/incompetent/oblivious/<insert reason here> to do something as basic as read the information I’ve provided about the game before submitting a character, that negative attribute is probably going to carry over to how they actually play the game.

Similarly, I never mind answering questions. I realize there are plenty of potential questions and no GM can anticipate them all. I do mind answering a question I’ve already answered fourteen times at various points in the thread, and maybe even repeating myself to the same person. I especially mind when I actually anticipated the question and answered it in the opening post of the Recruitment thread.

If you can’t be bothered to get your act together when trying to get into a game, what makes me think you’ll have your act together once we start?

I'm not saying one mistake will totally derail you (especially if I can see from your post count you're new around here), but why dig yourself into a hole unnecessarily? Take the extra couple minutes to be thorough and think carefully before you post. Unlike real life, you have plenty of time to consider, draft, and review your responses before posting, so there's no reason you shouldn't be able to present yourself well.

3. Look for the amount of detail/work the GM and players put into the game

Most games fall apart because players and/or the GM aren’t invested in it. I’ve lost track of the number of games that start on the boards where someone basically starts a ‘niche’ game that revolves around a single gimmicky concept they thought of off the top of their heads. Inevitably, those games fall apart because they have no substance or solid foundation behind them. They're fine if you’re going for a one-shot casual game, but if you’re looking for a game that will actually finish (if it’s a one-shot) or continue for the foreseeable future (if it’s a campaign), then you want the GM and your fellow players to actually give a crap and have a reason to continue.

Look at all the long running games on the boards and you'll see one thing in common: they all have a solid foundation with respects to the GM, players involved, theme/concept of the game, and a quality game plan for how the game will operate.

The more work the players and GM put in, the more they care about the game and the more likely they are to fight to continue. After all, if you whip out a character in an hour, do you care about him/her as much as a character you spent 20 hours working on? Of course not. So the more people invest in the game, and the more this is evident, the more likely the game will continue as a going concern, since no one will want all that work to go to waste.

4. Be Professional

We play Shadowrun, so again, you’d think this concept would be fairly obvious, but after seeing all the games that collapse for the stupidest reasons, player/GM attrition, and lack of common courtesy that permates many games, it's obvious it is not.

Don’t just disappear from a game without some kind of notification, preferably with an explanation.

Don’t be unnecessarily confrontational. If you force the GM to waste their time fighting with you every five minutes and challenging all their rulings, forcing them to write detailed explanations to the simplest issues, they won’t like you very much.

Don’t be a flake. If you say you’re going to do something, do it, unless you have a good reason why and actually communicate that reason.

Don't metagame!

Use logical thought processes and presentation and try to make sense when you post. Clarify when you do not or if someone has a question.

Talk to people with respect and courtesy and it will be returned to you.

Try to use correct spelling and grammar, it makes everyone’s life a lot easier.

Follow the GM’s instructions, especially during recruitment.

Post consistently, and always seek clarification or ask questions to make sure you’re on the same page instead of making assumptions.

Be the kind of player you’d want to play with, but also be the kind of player your fellow players want to play with.

5. Try to find matching styles

Look for a GM and game that fits the gaming experience you’re looking for. If you want a deep, character-centered game with lots of background and story development, you want to find a GM and game that either is, or has the potential to be, consistent and long term. If you want a quick fix, action packed game, go to that type of game and GM and so on. GMs usually advertise what kind of game they're running and what they're looking for, so use that information accordingly.

Read the descriptions of the games and ask around. As has been mentioned earlier, people pick up reputations for the types of games they run and kinds of players they are, and as a community, word gets around. You might have to wait a while, but it’s better for all parties involved if you take the time to find a game you really want to play in and will be committed to.

Side Note: On Open Recruitment vs. Invitation/Pre-Game Recruit

There’s pros and cons to each side of the argument, but for the purposes of this discussion, the issue is the classic ‘chicken or the egg’ scenario.

You usually need a rep (or need to have some other kind of ‘in’) to get into the invitation/pre-game recruitment games, but how can you build a rep if you can’t get into the games in the first place?

In my opinion, the best way is by following the points above. I might have a full game, but if I someone new sends me character submission out of the blue that knocks my socks off, shows me they obviously did their homework, handles themselves professionally, and seems to be a great fit for my particular game, I will make room for them.

I don’t want to speak for the other GMs, but I think if a player shows they have potential to be a great addition to a game, we’ll at least consider them. If not for that game, then certainly for ones down the road.

Anyway, hope this helps you and other new players get started gaming on Dumpshock. Many of my best gaming experiences have been here, I’ve made a lot of friends and built a lot of memories while GMing and playing on the boards, and I hope you will eventually be able to say the same. Good luck!

P.S. I currently run 2 games, Living in the Shadows (LITS) and Down in the Gutter (DITG) that are technically perpetually open. We're not actively recruiting right now, which means we don't hold people's hands and walk them step by step through the character submission process, but if you follow the above advice...well you never know.

And no, this is not a plug for LITS or DITG, I'm just making people aware of common knowledge new players may or may not be aware of.

WinterRat1: A very good primer there. I seem to remember reading it somewhere before? At any rate that should be made sticky at the top of Welcome to the Shadows main page. <hint...hint>

Everyone else: as much as I'd like to indulge you all, I don't have time right now to start the recruiting process. I'll post a proper recruiting thread within a few days when I can actually respond to questions and read people's concepts. Thanks for the interest, but lets stop crapping on Lidralyn's thread.

Thanks Method. I've written something like that before on a thread somewhere, just not as formal or organized. Others have echoed those sentiments as well, so you've probably seen it multiple places around here, since there is lots of advice in there others told me too when I got started.

I'm no moderator, but one (if not more) is reading this thread too. Fistandantilus, feel free to use my post as a sticky if you think it would be helpful/valuable to other new players.

Wow WinterRat thanks for the info, most of that seems like common sense to me, but trust me I've worked in customer service for around 10 years...I know most of that isn't commong knowledge for most people lol. Thanks again for the writeup.

I will be thinking of some different ideas on characters, my hacker/mage I have been working on for offline has literally taken me days to make because I keep changing things like ammount of ware/grade of ware/what spells/agents and all kinds of stuff. I can't decide, so yes I really do get into and love my characters. Its the one thing I am afraid of in shadowrun.....I really get attached to my characters and hate that there is NO WAY To reincarnate because I get attached and really hate when I lost one because of the time I put in heh.

issue for me is I play sr3 (no intention of getting involved in sr4 really)... Little or fizzling sr3 PbP-games out there.

Winterrat's summary is basically right on spot. For example I have no clue why "Gainfull Employment" fizzled out. GM still posts, started out playing by pm, but never got around to getting the teammates together. Never heard anything from it and the GM doesn't respond to his pm's. Then again what can you do?