InsaneJournal

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p bubs (gidiot) wrote in rp_tutorials,
@ 2010-12-13 13:44:00

Entry tags:

game related: activity

Okay, mods, what resources do you use to rally the troops? I've been in a few games where the mods do an amazing job at keeping people active with all sorts of OOC and IC activities, but sadly can't remember which communities I was in or what the hell the activities were. Are there any suggestions out there? A resource for RP team building activities? Are there any tips and tricks you use to keep your game active without major group IC plots?

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kuduk
2010-12-13 07:53 pm UTC (link)

I'm not a mod but I've been in plenty of games where the mods have excellent ways to keep activity going!

Sometimes it can create a bit more work for the mod but it has proved to work at a lot of games. At a current game I'm in, we have a Sunday Meme every Sunday! Sometimes it's Marry, Kiss, Cliff or sometimes it's veritaserum, (I play mostly at HP games) where each player comments with their character and other characters can ask a question where they have to tell the truth. Of course all answers are OOC but it's been really popular where I'm at!

They also have plot points every month that players can sign up their characters to participate in.

Hope that helps!

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	gidiot 2010-12-13 10:03 pm UTC (link)
	It does help! I've been struggling with ideas in general, but I think I can work those into mod posts to get some interaction rolling. (Reply to this) (Parent)

1034
2010-12-13 08:58 pm UTC (link)

I was in one game where we held OOC chats and played games of 20 questions. You'd name a character, and every one would ask from their character's POVs a bunch of questions. It'd be all meta knowledge of course but people often took ideas from it to then use in IC threads where said information could actually be posed in an IC way.

A game I just joined offers something called a plottery, where they mods ask the players for plot suggestions on a regular basis, and then picks one at random to play out. It keeps everyone involved (or that's the idea anyway. The game hasn't started yet).

Another game I'm in has something called a 'Happenings Blotter' where people can submit stuff that's going on in town. Gossip, developments. business news, supernatural happenings, you name it. It hasn't really picked up as much as it could in a more active game, but it's a great idea.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	gidiot 2010-12-13 10:06 pm UTC (link)
	These are all fantastic ideas! I've thought about coordinating an OOC chat, but it's a small game and we live all over the world with silly work schedules and it gets too hard to manage. But! I really do like those ideas. I haven't been introduced to the plottery idea yet so I am definitely going to try that one out. Thank you! (Reply to this) (Parent)

herstory
2010-12-13 09:24 pm UTC (link)

Something we do at the game I mod is a weekly memorable quotes post. We post a thread in the OOC every Sunday, and then players can go back and post quotes from threads/journal entries that made some kind of impression on them (made them laugh, could relate to, etc etc). The only rule is that you can't quote yourself. It helps build a sense of community and also lets players feel praised and good about what they write. Plus, it encourages the reading of threads that you might not be involved in.

Another thing we do, (and lately, it's been a bit more sporadic) is a weekly character building exercise. Very similar to the above posts, where we ask a few questions in the OOC and the players respond as their characters.

I would also suggest superlative awards (best thread, most developed character, etc...including fun ones that pertain specifically to your game) after a certain amount of time (6 months, is when we did ours).

We've also done something called a Love Meme (and it's been in a few games that I've been in actually) where you post one thread in the OOC and everyone comments with their journals in a single post, and everyone else responds to that person's comment with love. The catch is that it's done anonymously so you don't know who's commenting. It's fun. The only thing you'd have to do is make sure, as a mod, that everyone has about the same amount of comments, or people might feel left out.

Hope that helps!

(Reply to this) (Thread)

gidiot
2010-12-13 10:12 pm UTC (link)

I really, really love that memorable quotes idea. I remember being in a game a looong time ago (perhaps on GJ?) that did something similar to that and I remember loving the praise I got and how it seemed to really bond the whole group together. I think I'll have to give that one a try! Along with the character building exercises. I had thought about that one but the game got really slow and I wasn't sure if I should even bother, but now that things are picking up it sounds like a good idea.

I've done superlative awards before and the last time I did them they... didn't really pan out all that well, ahah. Maybe it's worth another shot! I'll think about it, definitely.

I miss love memes! I remember there was a whole IJ-RPer wide one a while ago and I loved getting positive feedback as well as dishing out the love to my fellow players. I can't believe I overlooked doing something like that.

Thank you for all your suggestions! They really did help! :3

(Reply to this) (Parent)

	wastintime 2010-12-13 09:34 pm UTC (link)
	Regular group chats work wonders. It's likely that people will be apprehensive at first, but once they get used to them and realize there's no expectations going into them, the plot just seems to happen. At least, that's my experience with them. (Reply to this) (Thread)

gidiot
2010-12-13 10:14 pm UTC (link)

I have such a hard time coordinating them that I feel it's more of a hassle to do, to be honest. My group has all different time zones and some don't use AIM so it gets sticky, but they suggested holding a chat and then posting a log and having the people who were absent to comment with their imput. I'm just hesitant about doing one and having the chat die within the first five minutes.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

cristina_lacosa
2010-12-14 12:59 am UTC (link)

*seconds this* the one game I'm in with

wastintime always has the same chat name and this has been going on for YEARS (like...started out MWPP 6th year and we just killed the Potters this past October ;__;) Sometimes the chats are dead but it's always a place to post funny quotes/pictures that can get a laugh for everyone!

Don't worry about chats dying, it happens! you could only get good stuff out of it, really :) Bring up stuff that's been happening in the game, or call out people on some good/funny/awesome stuff they've written and it makes them feel special XD Or like gifs of PBs are always fun to share because then you can go on tangents about OMG THAT'S SOOOO _____ or like LOL ___ WOULD NEVER---

/tangent XD But have fun with it!

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	gidiot 2010-12-14 03:42 am UTC (link)
	Thanks for the vote of confidence! I guess one of my fears is that it's too small of a group to get a lot of interaction happening, but I'll see what I can get thought up. :) And omg. I am wicked impressed that game has been going on as long as you say it has. Wow! (Reply to this) (Parent)

	hammertech 2010-12-17 10:59 am UTC (link)
	You could try tinychat.com. I find chats work best after 9PM, strangely enough. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	hammertech 2010-12-17 10:59 am UTC (link)
	^ 9PM Eastern time. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	hammertech 2010-12-17 10:59 am UTC (link)
	Ditto this! (Reply to this) (Parent)

	pemberley 2010-12-13 10:06 pm UTC (link)
	I second group chats, awards for the 1-3 most active players works well as well as memes and the like. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	gidiot 2010-12-13 10:15 pm UTC (link)
	Do you mean awards such as me making fancy banners for the most active players or do you mean some kind of incentive? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	pemberley 2010-12-15 05:27 am UTC (link)
	Banners. moderatus has what I'm talking about. I find its actually makes people post a lot of the time. (Reply to this) (Parent)