Advice/Help Starting pbp tabletop RP

[grimmmy]

I'd love to try some tabletop or "dice" rp online but I have extremely limited experience. In the past, I've gotten bogged down by character creation to the point I just ghost, which is absolutely my L, but I also don't see the game I flaked on hanging around.

What are some suggestions to getting started- as in, how should I engage? How receptive is RPN for ttrp as a whole?

 

[Thanny]

Tabletop roleplay is not very commonly seen here, but it is employed! Custom, Exalt, Vampire The Masquerade, and D&D 3e/5e seem like the most common I have seen, all very good games if done right. Keep an eye out and you will see the occasional tabletop-style RP in the dice roleplay section. If you are new and starting out to a game, I highly recommend joining as a player first and a host afterward just so you can know some tricks of the trade by example.

Basics now over with (I am not sure how much you had checked the dice section so I wanted to voice that), character building can be quite time-consuming. I build the characters for the games, but there is no harm in having a prebuilt one, personality-wise or stat-wise.

That is all I can think up for now. Let me know if this does not answer your question well.

 

[Idea]

I think Thanny pretty much already covered the main things there were to say. Dice RP in general isn't that popular (I suspect this has to do with the barrier to entry that is learning a dice system, but it's just speculation on my part) but there is certainly an interested and passionate community of it here (myself included XD). It's generally best to start as a player, though of course that does come with the issue of having to wait for an actual DM / GM to appear to run a campaign and that is a role that not many are willing to take up without hesitance. Nonetheless, sooner or later the opportunity does and will come.

As for tips, well:
A) Lower your expectations, especially of yourself. You wouldn't be the first nor the last to get caught up in trying to do something impressive, or think you've not done things well enough, or anything along those lines that boils down to "I need to make this character better". If you really do need to make your character better, that's your DM's/GM's job to point out. As long as you are mindful of the needs of your fellow players and GM, even if the job wasn't that great it will be good enough, as a rule of thumb.

B) COMMUNICATE. This is always good and important, but that goes double for someone without experience or who needs more of an anchor to the RP. Do you not know how to do something? Do you not know what you could do? Perhaps you feel some part could use improving? All of this and way more can be dealt with by just talking with your fellow players and your GM and getting their feedback. People are quite friendly and willing to explain/walk you through how to do something, give you tips even if you want them. Also if you talk to them you might find people love to talk about their own work- including their characters. Give them the happiness of getting to share, while you scout for what niche you could fill or maybe you will find some inspiration there! That idea you think is really stupid might actually have some brilliant to it (and vice versa)... That thing you wanted to do with your character but you don't know how, maybe folks have tips to help you achieve it.... Etc...
And this goes without saying, but of course communication is no good if you're not honest. So, be honest.

C) Think hard and carefully about whether you are able to commit before engaging in something that requires commitment. While the community is definitely open for you, you should judge carefully what you are getting into before you bite. A level 10 D&D campaign might sound like a fine opportunity, but it's probably going to be overwhelming for anyone new to the system. A slow poster or very busy person will have trouble keeping up with a very fast-paced RP. Someone not taking active interest in taking notes and the like will fair far worse in a mystery. Playing a character that is a knowledge spellcaster when you can't figure out the spellcasting system yourself is probably not a good idea, playing in a game that starts on the same day you have a appointment will leave you a bit behind, etc... Think about the extend and allocation of your skills, time, interests and so on... then decide what game fit that mold well enough.


Hope this helps, best of luck and happy RPing!

 

[grimmmy]

Is this more of a situation where activity goes in and out, and it's more of a waiting game? Or: is there an active way that I can find tabletop games here?

 

[Idea]

Is this more of a situation where activity goes in and out, and it's more of a waiting game? Or: is there an active way that I can find tabletop games here?

Closest you can get is posting an interest check saying “I would like to join a group”. But for the most part, I’d call it a waiting game for those who don’t have the experience / the willingness to be a DM/GM of a dice system.

 

[Thanny]

I am in agreement. Learning a dice game as a DM/GM is challenging if not having experience watching or playing, though there are communities out there that are very helpful for each game excepting maybe the more obscure games. I would love to help out myself but have limited time due to work, commitments, and personal life, and am feeling taxed as-is, but if you would like samples of how to start out campaigns I recommend a few roleplays to look over to get a feel as a player, and to see how the DM strikes up the start of the game:

River's Campaign

As far as I know these are the members of this campaign; Gaelen Va'aren (Experienced Optimist), Orryna Atherly (Clarenetti), Therion (Shadeofshade), Swats-at-Light-a-Lot (Thanny), Andryn Xanatov (DreamingBlackBird), Thrag (Will). I'm sorry in advance for forgetting your characters lol Rules: -...

www.rpnation.com

The Lost Mine Of Phandelver (IC)

@D. Rex @Sherwood @Silanon @welian In the city of Neverwinter, a dwarf named Gundren Rockseeker asked you to bring a wagon load of provisions to the rough-and-tumble settlement of Phandalin, a couple of days’ travel southeast of the city. Gundren was clearly excited and more than a little...

www.rpnation.com

 

[Thanny]

Eh, forget it. There is more than enough of me to go around. =P I can strike up a group D&D 5e setting if desired, a good place for beginners and veterans, or if you want to make one I can be a player. I have a campaign that worked well in the past on tabletop and is still fresh in my mind. Let me know if you would like either option, to play or to host!

 

[grimmmy]

Eh, forget it. There is more than enough of me to go around. =P I can strike up a group D&D 5e setting if desired, a good place for beginners and veterans, or if you want to make one I can be a player. I have a campaign that worked well in the past on tabletop and is still fresh in my mind. Let me know if you would like either option, to play or to host!

Hey, no loss in trying. Honestly, I was just looking to play so if you're not too bogged down, I could join a 5e game.

 

[Thanny]

Nice! I'll see what I can get for a player base. I know of some people similar to yourself that were new-ish and looking for a game, so I'll give them first dibs along with yourself.

 

[Idea]

Hey, no loss in trying. Honestly, I was just looking to play so if you're not too bogged down, I could join a 5e game.

Nice! I'll see what I can get for a player base. I know of some people similar to yourself that were new-ish and looking for a game, so I'll give them first dibs along with yourself.

Best of luck to all of ya!