Advice/Help What makes a great group RP?

[Hiwa]

Hello! I’d like to try running a group RP, but I’ve never GM’ed before. Do you guys have any useful advice? What makes a successful group RP? Any things to consider? Should I look for a co-GM?

And if you’ve never run a group, what’s the best experience you’ve had in a group? What did the GM do to make it great?

 

[Idea]

What makes a successful group RP?

I assume your question is "how can I make an RP successful" as opposed to "what's your personal definition of a successful RP".

Luck. Lots of luck. A good chunk of a group RP being successful comes down to having the right melting pot of players, and IRL issues not happening that would shut down your roleplay out of the blue. And that is all assuming you even managed to get it off the ground with enough interest, which itself can require timing and for the right people to see your interest check. But I imagine that is not the kind of answer you're looking for.

What you can do to help the roleplay be successful though, is threefold:
A) Keep activity going. Posts ideally, but even if you can't or your RP is not the kind to expect frequent posts, then at least be active in the OOC and encourage people to interact and communicate. OOC activity is one of the biggest indicators of the RP's own health, with a dead OOC likely implying a dead IC and an active one implying a better chance of a surviving IC.

B) Show interest and passion, both in the project and in the players.

C) Act to prevent or have ready countermeasures to the many issues that might cause your RP to stall. IRL issues from at least some players are inevitable. People growing bored or feeling too constrained is common, as is feeling like they aren't getting enough attention, material to work with or direction. Slow moments in RPs are likewise part of the way things go. Sometimes even disputes or a really bad player happen. There isn't a manual on how to really deal with all of these matters and often experience can be the best teachers, though it can also be a bad one in certain cases. The point, however, is that a successful RP in structure and planning is built to withstand the inevitable coming of issues rather than presuming that things will continue to function at peak or even regular performance for most of its run.

Any things to consider?

You will fail. A lot. This is true for any kind of RP, but group RPs can at times be especially painful in this regard because they can be a lot more work and effort from someone running it who then ends up with a failed project anyway. Learning to accept that this failure will probably happen to almost any RP one tries to make and coping with that is important.

Likewise, know your presence and attention will be needed, a lot, and that's beyond even just the aspect of creating the world or story. If you plan to make the roleplay and just sit back or focus only on your character most of the time, it might not be good a idea to try to run a group RP.

Lastly, priorities. There is a balance of your needs and player needs to be had, as both need to be able to enjoy the experience, and both of these interests need to be balanced with the good of the roleplay. Stepping in and saying no will be needed at times, or the RP might break down. Conversely however, a difficult problem is not an unsolvable one, and generally speaking people are happier if you work with them to get what they wanted in a way that's better for you and the roleplay than if you deny them needlessly.

Should I look for a co-GM?

If you want. Though try not to look for one just to dump the technical work onto them. Look for one if you genuinely want someone who will be your equal in control over the RP and the development of the story and world.

 

[Hiwa]

Thanks for sharing your input! I really appreciate both the practical advice of keeping an RP going/trouble-shooting future problems that I could encounter as well as the personal advice of not taking failure to heart. I think I’ll keep to a small group to keep everything manageable and perhaps post for a wanted co-GM, in case I can’t be online. I think I have a better idea about the responsibilities of a GM because of your detailed post. I’ll refer back to it when I decide to start so I’m grateful! Thank you again!

 

[Idea]

Glad to be of service. I hope your RP goes well

 

[A Sparkling Zombie]

Establishing expectations upfront is also important. How long do you want posts to be? How often do you expect players to respond? Are there certain character or tonal aspects you are looking for? Will you use a Discord or an OOC thread? How should people apply, or are you okay with them just posting their sheet to the character thread? If your roleplay involves roles, will you let players reserve them or no? Is applying to the game first come, first serve? How long do players have to complete sheets before their spot is reopened? And because this can also break a game, do the players have to be adults or minors, or are you open to all?

You will run into players who do not read these details or skim over them, but it can at least improve your odds of finding like-minded players.

The negativity threads are filled with a lot of griping, but sometimes the posts there can give tips, however indirectly, on what expectations to establish or at least keep in mind internally.

Maybe consider checking the history of players who submit characters, if you do require them to go through an approval process. It's a valuable tool for gauging whether their writing ability/style aligns with what you want, if they have public IC posts. It can also reveal whether someone has certain behaviors that are prone to causing drama, or that might otherwise be a headache to deal with as a GM.

But Idea is right that it takes a lot of luck. I've had games last for months and those that fall flat before they can get off the ground. It's also a lot of work, but can still be a lot of fun bringing together a group of people.

A co-GM can be helpful. If you can, I would recommend asking a friend, one you know you can trust bearing the responsibilities and who will actually help. If you are going to recruit a stranger for the role, take some time getting to know them. See if you click and whether you share the same vision and philosophies before accepting them as your co-GM. More than the regular players, you need someone you can feel comfortable communicating with, or it won't work.

Hope that helps!

Edit: Just realized this thread has been quiet for a minute, but, uh, maybe this will help someone at some point.