What do you Consider the Essential Ingredients of a Successful RPG Campaign?

Dirk Remmecke · November 13, 2017, 05:00:15 AM

Quote from: RPGPundit;1007468Beyond committed players, I think the GM needs to have a broad vision of what he wants his campaign to be.

Can you give an example, perhaps using your Dark Albion campaign?
What was your vision, and how turned it out - did the players (in-game or out-of-game) actions change "what the campaign was to be"?

Shawn Driscoll · November 13, 2017, 06:15:10 AM

Quote from: RPGPundit;1006712What factors, in terms of in-game or outside the game itself, are the requisites for a Long-Term RPG game being successful? Can we define a list of things you MUST have for the campaign to work?

Players that role-play. Not act. Not story-tell. Not larp. Not voice-act. Just role-play. Anything less that that at the table means suck-ass game sessions.

RPGPundit · November 14, 2017, 02:32:08 AM

Quote from: Dirk Remmecke;1007496Can you give an example, perhaps using your Dark Albion campaign?
What was your vision, and how turned it out - did the players (in-game or out-of-game) actions change "what the campaign was to be"?

Sure. With the example of Dark Albion, I had an initial vision of playing out a fantasy version of the War of the Roses, that would start in 1454 and end in 1485. Adventures would vary between more standard adventuring and high-politics RP-centric (plus mass combat) events.

Bren · November 14, 2017, 09:54:55 PM

Quote from: RPGPundit;1006712Can we define a list of things you MUST have for the campaign to work?

I seriously doubt it.

Quote from: RPGPundit;1007142Commitment on the part of all involved is absolutely essential, yes.

Nope. That matters in a single group of heroes tried and true setting, but in a whoever shows up on Tuesday night is the group that goes into the dungeon (or whatever) setting, commitment for more than a session or three is not that important.

Tommy Brownell · November 14, 2017, 09:59:17 PM

Quote from: RPGPundit;1006712What factors, in terms of in-game or outside the game itself, are the requisites for a Long-Term RPG game being successful? Can we define a list of things you MUST have for the campaign to work?

Player buy-in and GM enthusiasm are the essential factors. Take those away and you have a STEEP hill to climb, regardless of anything else.

AsenRG · November 15, 2017, 07:41:03 AM

Quote from: Bren;1007879I seriously doubt it.

Nope. That matters in a single group of heroes tried and true setting, but in a whoever shows up on Tuesday night is the group that goes into the dungeon (or whatever) setting, commitment for more than a session or three is not that important.

Indeed. Out of 11 players in my Chinese campaign, only one of the original cast was with us at the end battle.

RPGPundit · November 17, 2017, 06:10:21 AM

Quote from: Bren;1007879I seriously doubt it.

Nope. That matters in a single group of heroes tried and true setting, but in a whoever shows up on Tuesday night is the group that goes into the dungeon (or whatever) setting, commitment for more than a session or three is not that important.

You have a certain point there. It is possible to have a casual campaign; my DCC game is like that, where it doesn't matter if people don't always show up. But even those need to have at least a small core of players who need to be consistent.

saskganesh · November 17, 2017, 10:49:55 AM

You need a reasonable number of people who are willing to put the game on their Entertainment "A" List. That way you have both the warm bodies and a general ethic of commitment. Lacking both, you're left doing willy-nilly one shots.

Gronan of Simmerya · November 17, 2017, 01:49:53 PM

Quote from: Tommy Brownell;1007883Player buy-in and GM enthusiasm are the essential factors. Take those away and you have a STEEP hill to climb, regardless of anything else.

Quoted for ever-lovin' truth.

AsenRG · November 18, 2017, 10:20:34 AM

Quote from: RPGPundit;1008221You have a certain point there. It is possible to have a casual campaign; my DCC game is like that, where it doesn't matter if people don't always show up. But even those need to have at least a small core of players who need to be consistent.

No, in my personal experience, there's no need for that, either, though it's nice;).

Monster Manuel · November 18, 2017, 02:29:33 PM

I'd agree with player buy-in being primary.

After that, I think that rewarding that buy in with meaningful (consequential) choices, in a setting that is bigger than the PCs, but that they can have an effect on, is the way to run a successful RPG.

That's why I don't like story games. They often lack meaningful choices because you're only allowed to choose between two axes on a theme like "Freedom vs. Duty", or something similar. Additionally, a setting that is too nailed down or specific means that you're stuck on a loose railroad or at least fenced in. That's an adventure, at best, not an RPG.

Voros · November 19, 2017, 03:27:55 AM

Uh huh. More broad generalizations about 'storygames' that never mention the actual game.

Chainsaw · November 19, 2017, 07:10:01 AM

Quote from: RPGPundit;1006712What factors, in terms of in-game or outside the game itself, are the requisites for a Long-Term RPG game being successful? Can we define a list of things you MUST have for the campaign to work?

- Desire to play
- Compatible availability
- Participants with compatible playstyles, system interests
- Participants compatible with each other in real life
- Referee comfortable doing the lion's share of the work for a long time

cranebump · November 19, 2017, 09:48:42 AM

Time, space, and people, same as requirements for theater.

Shemek hiTankolel · November 19, 2017, 09:59:50 AM

Quote from: Teodrik;1007192Motivated players + a system and campaign world I dont get bored by after 3 sessions. -snip-

This is it for me as well.

Shemek