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The Lounge => Help Desk => Topic started by: SmokestackJones on March 09, 2006, 07:49:33 PM

Title: GMs Only Forum?
Post by: SmokestackJones on March 09, 2006, 07:49:33 PM
Pooks, any value to a DM/GM's Only forum?  Fer instance, I was hauling stuff to move to our new place and came across an outline I wrote for D&D that would make a fantastic short-term campaign.  I'd like to pass it along to the board but I don't wanna hang it out there for potential players to peruse.
 
Perhaps something like this combined with a kind of referee think-tank.  Whaddya think?
 
-SJ
Title: GMs Only Forum?
Post by: BillyBeanbag on March 09, 2006, 08:14:12 PM
Not to step on anyone's toes, but SJ, are you a Rat Bastard?
Title: GMs Only Forum?
Post by: SmokestackJones on March 09, 2006, 08:17:42 PM
Quote from: BillyBeanbagNot to step on anyone's toes, but SJ, are you a Rat Bastard?

Not sure. While I am registered at the Rat's Nest, I hardly ever go there. If this is a compliment, I'm flattered. If this is a recruitment, I'd be happy to join the legions. :D
 
-SJ
Title: GMs Only Forum?
Post by: BillyBeanbag on March 09, 2006, 08:20:18 PM
I'm not a Bastard myself, so I guess it's not a recruitment, however that forum came to mind when I read your question. FWIW.
Title: GMs Only Forum?
Post by: SmokestackJones on March 09, 2006, 08:26:14 PM
Quote from: BillyBeanbagI'm not a Bastard myself, so I guess it's not a recruitment, however that forum came to mind when I read your question. FWIW.

Ah, flattery wins the day then.
 
-SJ
Title: GMs Only Forum?
Post by: Reefer Madness on March 09, 2006, 08:56:31 PM
If not a forum, I would use like a GM tag or something...my first thought would be a whole tools area where people could ask for help and such on any type of system and such...the general rpg area has been used so far, but anyone can read it...
Title: GMs Only Forum?
Post by: eCK0 on March 10, 2006, 12:44:10 AM
The tools idea sounds like a great idea to me.  Could even set up a place for templates if you've created a really solid NPC, etc.
Title: GMs Only Forum?
Post by: Reefer Madness on March 10, 2006, 01:23:43 AM
Quote from: eCK0The tools idea sounds like a great idea to me.  Could even set up a place for templates if you've created a really solid NPC, etc.


DUDE!!! The GM BOX!!!!  several times this has come up.  As part time GM, one of the suggestions that I had to offer people was a GM box...over the years we (my group who trade off being gm's on several occasions) saved all the npc's dead characters and characters of finished game and put them in a folder box (you can sort them by level or what ever and give each system a a seperate folder) and then when needs be (Such as character ideas, random characters for new people, NPC's and so on) you have the box for a backup...

Hell if we did that here.......
Title: GMs Only Forum?
Post by: Aelfinn on March 10, 2006, 01:25:18 AM
I might just randomly add cool NPCs to a GMbox kind of deal, since I have a lot of fun just making them.
Title: GMs Only Forum?
Post by: Guest (Deleted) on March 10, 2006, 01:42:36 AM
There's no way of insuring players can't see such a forum. Aside from that I'm open to the idea as long as there are enough threads to support it. I just closed two forums for lack of traffic.

So for now use the forum appropriate to it - General in most cases I'd imagine - but label it somehow - GM or some such. If enough threads appear to warrant it's addition I'll do so.
Title: GMs Only Forum?
Post by: Aelfinn on March 10, 2006, 01:58:03 AM
not a bad idea. I'll probably create an "Aelfinn's random D&D mooks [GMs] kind of thread...
Title: GMs Only Forum?
Post by: Chacal on March 10, 2006, 08:39:12 AM
The GM tag seems a good way to handle it.

Chacal
Title: GMs Only Forum?
Post by: eCK0 on March 10, 2006, 08:45:32 AM
I really like the GM Box idea, but for now a GM tag should work.
Title: GMs Only Forum?
Post by: Gunhilda on March 10, 2006, 10:53:34 AM
We have found that RPG sites tend to attract more DMs (or people who would be DMs if they could get a group together) than players, so we find the idea of such a tag somewhat redundant.

However, we have no idea what the demographics of this board are yet, so tags (or even a forum, later) may prove useful.
Title: GMs Only Forum?
Post by: BillyBeanbag on March 10, 2006, 11:03:16 AM
Might I suggest a poll or a thread on the demographics of players vs. GMs?

I would ask both what the posters are now, and what they hope to be though.
Title: GMs Only Forum?
Post by: kryyst on March 10, 2006, 11:41:53 AM
I'm not sure if this is a case here.  But how do you seperate out the people that are players in one persons game from those that are GM's in another?  Or worse those shifty players that like to be all shifty and just claim they are GM's so they can get a one up on the rest of their players.
Title: GMs Only Forum?
Post by: Chacal on March 10, 2006, 12:17:52 PM
IME most GMs are also players in other games. I see the [GM] tag as a sort of specific spoiler tag.


Chacal
Title: GMs Only Forum?
Post by: Gunhilda on March 10, 2006, 12:19:56 PM
Many places, we have seen the request (My players stay out!) in the thread title -- including at least one here.
Title: GMs Only Forum?
Post by: BillyBeanbag on March 10, 2006, 12:24:34 PM
Quote from: RedcapMany places, we have seen the request (My players stay out!) in the thread title -- including at least one here.
Damn you, I didn't think your kind had logic! ;)
Title: GMs Only Forum?
Post by: Chacal on March 10, 2006, 12:26:39 PM
Quote from: RedcapMany places, we have seen the request (My players stay out!) in the thread title -- including at least one here.
I believe a GM tag would serve quite a similar purpose:
When a poster starts a thread on a setting element, one can wonder if the discussion will involve some secret elements of the metaplot of the setting or not. The thread can contain spoilers for more than just the players of the initial poster. A tag could help in such a case.


Chacal
Title: GMs Only Forum?
Post by: Gunhilda on March 10, 2006, 12:34:48 PM
Quote from: ChacalI believe a GM tag would serve quite a similar purpose:
When a poster starts a thread on a setting element, one can wonder if the discussion will involve some secret elements of the metaplot of the setting or not. The thread can contain spoilers for more than just the players of the initial poster. A tag could help in such a case.

Your reasoning is sound.  And the tag would be much shorter that way.

Billy, logic and reasoning are the very basis of the fey.  We are the very model of mathematical precision.
Title: GMs Only Forum?
Post by: Reefer Madness on March 12, 2006, 06:22:32 PM
A GM tag is good, though non-gms (pretty much people who know they are never running a game) shoud be careful cause who knows, it being  a gm resource, they might run into something they read and spoil the fun....so it would be an honor system thing. we need a good tagging system or something to make sure things are pigeon holled well...no use getting a shadowrun character in a fantasy setting and such...
Title: GMs Only Forum?
Post by: Knightcrawler on March 12, 2006, 09:11:42 PM
I'm thinking we can start an NPC thread and just fill it with stats.  Most likelt stat block since that seems to be the favored format.  And try and make them relatively generic, try to leave setting specific PrC and such out.  :D
Title: GMs Only Forum?
Post by: Thjalfi on March 12, 2006, 09:17:44 PM
We like having many characters for all kinds of stories, but we think there might be a better way to go about this. Now that we have access to gamer articles and collaborative works, we think that it might be much more suitable to use the collaborative works function for such a wonderful undertaking.
Title: GMs Only Forum?
Post by: Knightcrawler on March 12, 2006, 09:24:57 PM
Hmmmm....so like a netbook of NPC's.  I like.
Title: GMs Only Forum?
Post by: Ottomsoh the Elderly on March 13, 2006, 03:24:46 AM
I am an NPC, so my creator is a GM. But I know he also enjoy to play, and that in fact only one person in his gaming group isn't sometimes a GM (and this is because said person's attempts were all discomforting botches, sadly; but he tried).