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Dredwulf60
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Joined: 07 Jan 2016
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 Posted: Thu Apr 07, 2016 7:36 pm Post subject: |
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I allow full CPs based on physical presence of the character, because the character is still in danger, but not for good roleplaying...because...obvious.  |
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garhkal
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Joined: 17 Jul 2005
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Location: Reynoldsburg, Columbus, Ohio.
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| Posted: Thu Apr 07, 2016 7:49 pm Post subject: |
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How do you split it up then??
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Dredwulf60
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Joined: 07 Jan 2016
Posts: 911
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| Posted: Thu Apr 07, 2016 8:25 pm Post subject: |
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I award everyone a base amount based on the danger or complexity of the session. Everyone gets that amount, even the characters of absent players if the characters participated.
Then, each character is awarded bonus CPs based on the fulfillment of personality traits, (see other thread in house rules).
Also, in my current game, each player is awarded resolnare points, which are gained for upholding the mando way of life. Those points go toward raising ijaat...their honour/ standing within the clan. |
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Cap'nCodskale
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Joined: 23 Oct 2011
Posts: 39
Location: Portland OR
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| Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2016 3:23 pm Post subject: Missing in action |
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| Dredwulf60 wrote: | | How do you guys handle the situation when players can't make a session? |
Player absence = character absence
In my current game, we knew that full attendance among a group of busy adult gamers was very unlikely. We've cultivated a large group of players to ensure that we always have a quorum. We also adopted a few creative constraints or rules that complement our drop-in approach:
- When session ends, so does story (episodic stories over serialized ones)
- Stories may be told out of sequence, to suit characters present or established facts
- Each story spotlights single character, whose player may establish session's "A" plot
- Characters have strong, flexible bonds among them, for effective mixing and matching
- Embrace metagame knowledge and use to enhance story (e.g., with dramatic irony)
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garhkal
Sovereign Protector
Joined: 17 Jul 2005
Posts: 14202
Location: Reynoldsburg, Columbus, Ohio.
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| Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2016 3:41 pm Post subject: Re: Missing in action |
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| Cap'nCodskale wrote: | | Dredwulf60 wrote: | | How do you guys handle the situation when players can't make a session? |
Player absence = character absence
In my current game, we knew that full attendance among a group of busy adult gamers was very unlikely. We've cultivated a large group of players to ensure that we always have a quorum. We also adopted a few creative constraints or rules that complement our drop-in approach:
- When session ends, so does story (episodic stories over serialized ones)
- Stories may be told out of sequence, to suit characters present or established facts
- Each story spotlights single character, whose player may establish session's "A" plot
- Characters have strong, flexible bonds among them, for effective mixing and matching
- Embrace metagame knowledge and use to enhance story (e.g., with dramatic irony)
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So what happens if you get into a big combat, and people have to leave (times running out??
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Cap'nCodskale
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Joined: 23 Oct 2011
Posts: 39
Location: Portland OR
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| Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2016 5:45 pm Post subject: Re: Missing in action |
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| garhkal wrote: | | So what happens if you get into a big combat, and people have to leave (time's running out)? |
Good question, garhkal!
Generally, if we find ourselves in middle of combat and less than 45 session mins remain, we narrow the scope of the scene to its essentials.
A straightforward example from a past session:
Rig (a Cathar pirate) is this session's spotlight character.
Rig, et al. are engaged with upstart Sedrik Undar (a Nagai pirate) and a band of mutineers who claimed Rig's pirate vessel at some point before the campaign began. As the heroes battle their foes in the vessel's main corridor, we note the session must soon end.
The essential question of this scene (and, further, this session): Can Rig can defeat his rival and reclaim his ship?
Had we all the time in the world, the struggle among all heroes and mutineers might significantly influence the answer to that question. Since we don't have the time, we narrow scope to Rig and Sedrik, who duel with ornamental cutlasses to determine the ship's fate.
This narrowed scope, focused on the two combatants, supports our story aims because 1) there's a greater chance a one-on-one fight will end quickly (esp. in 1E, when a single blow sends an opponent to the floor) and 2) Rig is the spotlight character, so he gets his moment of drama. |
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dph
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Joined: 17 Jul 2009
Posts: 95
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| Posted: Sun May 13, 2018 10:39 pm Post subject: |
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4 players is the perfect number for me, I find it gives the players more options in play and I can focus on their individual stories more intensely.
That being said, I've played with two (for a year) and running a game for three right now (for two years), though you need player's who are good at keeping the energy levels up and close enough in real life that they are comfortable working that closely and intensely together. Not good for shy or casual players!
I have occasionally ran for 5 (or more) but I find it only works for me if you have a couple of 'quiet' players.
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garhkal
Sovereign Protector
Joined: 17 Jul 2005
Posts: 14202
Location: Reynoldsburg, Columbus, Ohio.
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| Posted: Mon May 14, 2018 2:44 am Post subject: Re: Missing in action |
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| Cap'nCodskale wrote: | | garhkal wrote: | | So what happens if you get into a big combat, and people have to leave (time's running out)? |
Good question, garhkal!
Generally, if we find ourselves in middle of combat and less than 45 session mins remain, we narrow the scope of the scene to its essentials.
A straightforward example from a past session:
Rig (a Cathar pirate) is this session's spotlight character.
Rig, et al. are engaged with upstart Sedrik Undar (a Nagai pirate) and a band of mutineers who claimed Rig's pirate vessel at some point before the campaign began. As the heroes battle their foes in the vessel's main corridor, we note the session must soon end.
The essential question of this scene (and, further, this session): Can Rig can defeat his rival and reclaim his ship?
Had we all the time in the world, the struggle among all heroes and mutineers might significantly influence the answer to that question. Since we don't have the time, we narrow scope to Rig and Sedrik, who duel with ornamental cutlasses to determine the ship's fate.
This narrowed scope, focused on the two combatants, supports our story aims because 1) there's a greater chance a one-on-one fight will end quickly (esp. in 1E, when a single blow sends an opponent to the floor) and 2) Rig is the spotlight character, so he gets his moment of drama. |
"Spotlight" characters? Is that meaning you just focus on his (or her) PC?
What happens to the other pcs???
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FVBonura
Lieutenant Commander
Joined: 24 Nov 2005
Posts: 135
Location: Central PA
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| Posted: Sun Nov 24, 2024 2:33 pm Post subject: Re: What's your optimal PC group size? |
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| Dredwulf60 wrote: | | Pros and cons of large and small groups? Anyone prefer single PC games? |
You ask good but complex questions. The number of players will affect things, but the greater factor is the quality of the players. If you have two game masters acting as players, they will entertain the sitting game master and run a high speed super entertaining creative game. But if you have a pair of wallflowers, they will literally sit there and stare at you and say nothing and do nothing. As a game master, I can be a real nitpicker and if you don’t entertain me, you’re out.
You also need chemistry amongst the players which does not necessarily mean they all agree on everything. Sometimes two players who don’t get along well with each-other produce 10 times the entertainment.
Essentially on average smaller groups need more clues (training wheels) because they have fewer heads in the game to put all the pieces of a story together. Larger groups drive the GM crazy because he has to keep six or more juggling balls in the air. He also has to keep track of more paperwork and more preparation.
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raithyn
Lieutenant
Joined: 24 Jun 2023
Posts: 86
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| Posted: Sun Nov 24, 2024 5:43 pm Post subject: Re: What's your optimal PC group size? |
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| FVBonura wrote: | The number of players will affect things, but the greater factor is the quality of the players. If you have two game masters acting as players, they will entertain the sitting game master and run a high speed super entertaining creative game. /[.../]
Essentially on average smaller groups need more clues (training wheels) because they have fewer heads in the game to put all the pieces of a story together. Larger groups drive the GM crazy because he has to keep six or more juggling balls in the air. He also has to keep track of more paperwork and more preparation. |
I mostly agree with you with two points of contention.
1. Some GMs make terrible players.
2. A large group plays slower than a small group since everyone wants to be part of the conversation. It's much easier to prep for a group of 12 since you only need a fourth of the material to take up the same amount of time. (Context: I ran a weekly D&D campaign for 13 players for over a year. I'm very familiar with how different prepping for that is from my 1, 4, 6, or even 8 player games.) |
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FVBonura
Lieutenant Commander
Joined: 24 Nov 2005
Posts: 135
Location: Central PA
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| Posted: Sun Nov 24, 2024 11:23 pm Post subject: Re: What's your optimal PC group size? |
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| raithyn wrote: | I mostly agree with you with two points of contention.
1. Some GMs make terrible players.
2. A large group plays slower than a small group since everyone wants to be part of the conversation. It's much easier to prep for a group of 12 since you only need a fourth of the material to take up the same amount of time. (Context: I ran a weekly D&D campaign for 13 players for over a year. I'm very familiar with how different prepping for that is from my 1, 4, 6, or even 8 player games.) |
I agree there are some game masters that cannot function without all their superpowers. I would like to think I am very fortunate because I have three game masters in my player group and they are amazing.
My big concern with a large group is individual players get lost in the maelstrom. Also, it’s much easier for the stronger players to drown out the weaker players and then they start stacking dice or playing games on their phone. My present group that will be starting in January are six. I really don’t like to get any bigger than that. I wouldn’t even run a group that big if I didn’t have such outstanding players. There are a lot of things to consider in assembling the perfect party.
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garhkal
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Joined: 17 Jul 2005
Posts: 14202
Location: Reynoldsburg, Columbus, Ohio.
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| Posted: Mon Nov 25, 2024 12:18 am Post subject: Re: What's your optimal PC group size? |
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| FVBonura wrote: |
My big concern with a large group is individual players get lost in the maelstrom. Also, it’s much easier for the stronger players to drown out the weaker players and then they start stacking dice or playing games on their phone. My present group that will be starting in January are six. I really don’t like to get any bigger than that. I wouldn’t even run a group that big if I didn’t have such outstanding players. There are a lot of things to consider in assembling the perfect party. |
IN situations like that, its to the DM imo, to tell the 'stronger players' to back off, and LET the 'weaker' ones have a time to shine...
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FVBonura
Lieutenant Commander
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Posts: 135
Location: Central PA
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| Posted: Mon Nov 25, 2024 7:55 am Post subject: Re: What's your optimal PC group size? |
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| garhkal wrote: | | IN situations like that, its to the DM imo, to tell the 'stronger players' to back off, and LET the 'weaker' ones have a time to shine... |
Significantly easier to say than to execute. Instead of saying to dominant players to back off, I would rather say to them to step up and GM. The root problem is more people need to game master and party size would not be a problem. If you have one game master and 10 to 12 players, someone needs to step up and form two groups.
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jtanzer
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Joined: 01 Mar 2023
Posts: 108
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| Posted: Mon Nov 25, 2024 6:01 pm Post subject: Re: What's your optimal PC group size? |
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| FVBonura wrote: | | garhkal wrote: | | IN situations like that, its to the DM imo, to tell the 'stronger players' to back off, and LET the 'weaker' ones have a time to shine... |
Significantly easier to say than to execute. Instead of saying to dominant players to back off, I would rather say to them to step up and GM. The root problem is more people need to game master and party size would not be a problem. If you have one game master and 10 to 12 players, someone needs to step up and form two groups. |
Page 525 of So You want to be a Gamemaster suggests that you not only rotate the spotlight between PCs, but also encourage splitting the party. There's also different types of balance that can change how you approach a situation. Of course, there are ways to deal with large group sizes that don't involve spinning off an entirely new group. You could use the Open Table concept in order to control group sizes. You have a certain number of slots available at your table, and they're filled on a 'first come, first served' basis. You'll probably still end up with a 'core' of players who reliably come each session, however there should be enough players to keep things fresh and exciting.
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DougRed4
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Joined: 18 Jan 2013
Posts: 2279
Location: Seattle, WA
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| Posted: Thu Nov 28, 2024 3:03 pm Post subject: |
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In most of my groups, we tend to have about 4-6 players. Right now my SW group has five.
My long-running supers campaign currently has 13, so we do that 'Open Table' method you mentioned. We fill on a first-come, first-serve basis (sign-ups on Discord), with those who miss out getting first pick next game.
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