MOD How to make and run a RPG (New Gamemasters START HERE!)

?For I am your God!? ? How to create and run an RPG on these boards.

Welcome, new gamemaster! Beneath you will find a good deal of very useful advice on how best to start and run your roleplaying games in these forums. It is the accumulated wisdom of nearly 10 years? worth of roleplaying and gamemastering on these forums, and guidance as to what works and what doesn?t. Read, be mindful, but above all, be inspired.

Also, regardless of anything else you read in these posts, you are required to read and abide by the RPF Rules.

If you're completely new to these forums, it is probably a good idea to go take a look over the New Player FAQ before proceeding further, since much of what follows assumes that you're aware of what's in that FAQ.

This post is divided up into the following sections:

CREATING THE RPG:

• Can?t I do it all my way?


• What to post in the first post


• How to make an idea into a RPG


• What type of RPG am I running?


• English as she is spoke


• Fleet and Infantry RPGs.

RUNNING THE RPG:

• Some advice from Dad


• Why we don't play in your RPGs


• Maturity - The Pot Calling the Kettle Black


• Points of etiquette for GMs


• When the Dreaded DRL attacks

THE MOST IMPORTANT RULE OF ALL

OTHER USEFUL RESOURCES

CREDITS

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[b][u]CREATING THE RPG:[/B][/U]

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[color=red][B][I]Can?t I do it all my way?[/I][/B][/color]
Some new game masters may believe they don?t really need to follow any guidelines for creating or running an RPG. Perhaps their experience on other roleplaying forums has taught them that, or even their experiences playing in other RPGs on this forum. And some GMs might ask: ?Why should I take any of your advice on how to set up [i]my[/i] game? Isn?t it all my choice??

There are two answers to that question: the moderators? policy, and practical considerations.

[u]The moderators? policy[/u]
The policy the moderating team enforces is as follows: unless your roleplaying game has a coherent story, an enforceable set of rules, and a half-decent Character Sheet for people to fill out, it will be stopped by a moderator locking the thread, and you?ll have to talk to that moderator to get it unlocked.

Neither Penguinator-176 or DarthXan318 make any apologies for this. The RPF has come to enjoy a fairly high standard of roleplaying games from its community, and hard experience has shown that a game which does not have these three elements is unlikely either to enjoy a large player base [i]or[/i] continue for a lengthy period of time, thus causing considerable frustration and wasted time for both its players [i]and[/i] its GM. As such the moderators will intervene to halt RPGs that don?t meet the minimum standards for a playable RPG. You don't need moderator approval to [i]start[/i] a RPG, though obviously the moderators are happy to cast an eye over a proposed RPG and give an opinion about whether it meets the standard, or indeed any other questions a new player or GM might have.

[u]Practical considerations[/u]
The minimum standard set by the moderators is actually relatively easy to meet. However, just because an RPG meets minimum requirements doesn?t mean it?s going to attract players or have a long, enjoyable life. Your game will have a [i]much[/i] higher chance of success if you follow the guidelines set out below in creating and running it.

The fact is good games on the RPF prosper because their GMs know how to start up, maintain, and update them. Because of this, these games either attract a large group of players, which is good, or a dedicated group of players, which is better. Bad games on the RPF do not prosper because their GMs either do not know how to start a game