What's the best way to start an RP?

[ShadTheWerepire]

When you've gathered all your characters and suddenly you realize everyone is from all over the little world you created how the hell do you get them all in one place?  


Is it the GM's responsibility to force everyone into one corner of the world, or the player's responsibility to find a reason to be in a place?  


Then, when it comes time for first posts, should the players be thrown straight into chaos or should they be given some down time to meet and greet?  


I'm a bit curious to see what everyone's opinions are!

 

[welian]

With an explosion!


That being said, as a GM, I usually set up a location and event first. Then I tell my players "The story starts here. For whatever reason, your character happens to be there when this happens". It usually works well enough.

 

[The Mechanist]

It Doesn't hurt if they're separate st first, everyone can meet up at some point

 

[Bone2pick]

When you've gathered all your characters and suddenly you realize everyone is from all over the little world you created how the hell do you get them all in one place?  

To answer that question it's usually best to consider your plot and the organizations operating inside your world.  Are their any organizations who might want to gather your players together to achieve something?  Is there a major event occurring in your world that could draw in your players—military invasion, natural disaster fallout, magical academy tryouts, ect? 

Is it the GM's responsibility to force everyone into one corner of the world, or the player's responsibility to find a reason to be in a place?  

It depends on what you and your players want.  Roleplaying should be fun, not a chore; If your players want to be grouped up from the post one then do that.  If most of the participants would like to establish a solo presence first, then do that.  Take the temperature of the RP and use your best judgement.

Then, when it comes time for first posts, should the players be thrown straight into chaos or should they be given some down time to meet and greet?  

Either is fine, as they both have their pros and cons.  It boils down to a pacing decision.  As the GM, which approach excites you more for your specific RP?  My motto is go in the direction of your greatest enthusiasm.

 

[Grey]

When you've gathered all your characters and suddenly you realize everyone is from all over the little world you created how the hell do you get them all in one place?

By not letting this happen.


If you need the players together, tell them that before they even start making characters.  Explain the area you think they should start in, or where you have a decent opening plot hook, or tell them to figure out among themselves how their characters know each other.


If you're okay with them being spread out, you should probably have planned to manage that before you started.


If it's too late, shit, I don't know - contrive a central plot hook and tell them they need to explain how their characters are in the same place to follow it?

Is it the GM's responsibility to force everyone into one corner of the world, or the player's responsibility to find a reason to be in a place?  

This is a case of mutual responsibility, but if the GM needs the players in a specific location for plot reasons, see above - tell the players and help them figure out why they're involved in the plot or location.

Then, when it comes time for first posts, should the players be thrown straight into chaos or should they be given some down time to meet and greet?  

Depends on your plot.  Either set the scene, let them meet and greet with the explicit understanding they should meet and greet or throw them into the action immediately with the explicit understanding they should come together, or have them organize relationships prior to the start of the story.

 

[kitphiroth]

When you've gathered all your characters and suddenly you realize everyone is from all over the little world you created how the hell do you get them all in one place?  


Is it the GM's responsibility to force everyone into one corner of the world, or the player's responsibility to find a reason to be in a place?  


Then, when it comes time for first posts, should the players be thrown straight into chaos or should they be given some down time to meet and greet?  


I'm a bit curious to see what everyone's opinions are!

In many RPs that I have been in, we have talked in detail about what kind of story arcs we want and what genres we want involved in it.  I usually take that and create something based off that with the other person, so each character can develop together.  If characters are very far apart, you need to either find a way to write a reason for them to be closer or cause a link event that links all of them together.  Outlines usually work(basic ones) for RP too.