How To Make My Games More Attractive to Elliquiy

[deadmanshand]

Now I have a love of unusual ideas. Some of which veer to sensitive and potentially disturbing areas but never gratuitously. Always with an eye towards exploring interesting - to me - themes and concepts. The other site I play on has been less than receptive to any of my ideas more exotic than say a homebrewed Pathfinder world and I am hoping that Elliquiy will be more accepting of strange ideas. So I put up my group game ideas and get very little response. Not nearly enough to run the games.

So the questions becomes am I presenting them poorly, are they just a poor fit for Elliquiy, or are the ideas fatally flawed in some way I cannot see? If you'd be so kind as to check my game ideas and tell me what you think I would greatly appreciate it.

https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=214130.msg10522977#msg10522977

https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=213615.msg10497959#msg10497959

[Oniya]

It looks like both of your threads got a relatively quick response from interested parties, but relatively short responses in return from you.  The suggestions I would make are - 1) with the prison world idea, you might want to add in the writing sample that you have set on that world, either in a spoiler or in a link.  That would really put the reader 'in' the world and get them thinking about the other 'Toten'. 2) Engage people that have responded.  If you get conversation about the idea going back and forth, it not only fleshes out the idea for anyone else reading the thread, but has the added benefit of keeping the thread where it will be seen more.

[Beguile's Mistress]

Once you get a dialogue going it will help others form ideas and feel more comfortable about sharing them or about discussing what you have out there already.

[deadmanshand]

I am not sure why I didn't link the writing sample when I first put it up honestly.

But I am not sure I understand about engaging them. I asked questions. I answered questions. I talked about what inspired an idea. That's engaging. I may have not used long posts to do so but I don't like to waste words unless I'm angry. When I'm typing I am somewhat laconic.

[Cassandra LeMay]

I only took a swift glance at the two threads you linked to - which might well be what many people do, given how many ideas are floating around here.

What I am not sure about from your posts - and what I think people might need to know to decide if those ideas are worth a shot - is what you envision your role to be. You talk about being the GM, but that is a term most closely associated with system games. Are you going to run a system game? If so, what system? What will your role be? How do you see yourself in the interactions with the other players?

These things are important for people to judge how things will actually play out and to judge if you are just looking for people who will write your ideas with you so you can get your own ideas off your chest, or if you are going to be open-minded and do something collaborative (or maybe something inbetween).

[deadmanshand]

All of my games denote which system - if any - I will be using. I make sure to make such things plain. But the last question is odd. To me they are one and the same.

But it's all a moot point as people have suddenly started showing interest just fine. Maybe it was just a matter of timing.

[Chrystal]

One ofg the things I have learned about Elliquiy is that to set up a group game requires patience.

It is no good creating a thread and expecting to get a response within the hour, most people are busy, everyone has other games they are writing for, everyone has a life. And those people who are on line at the time you post may simply not find the idea attractive. So yes, most likely it was just a matter of timing.

Putting a colourful picture in the opening post is always a good way to get people interested (obviously, something relevant).

And, as ever, I recommend using the List of Topics to Cover in Intro Post for any Group Game. This is a very useful tool. Some folks like myself will simply use the checklist as is, filling it in. Other people will use it as a guide for their own benefit, to make sure they have all relevant things covered. Either way it can help people know quickly and easily what your game is about and what is expected of them as players.

Hope this helps?

[Oniya]

All of my games denote which system - if any - I will be using. I make sure to make such things plain. But the last question is odd. To me they are one and the same.

Just in case someone else is having this problem, I'm going to add some clarification to Cassandra's post.

There are some people that roleplay with a very 'fixed' idea of how the RP will proceed  - not only for themselves, but for their partner.  They have a particular vision, but want someone else to write that vision with them.  At the other end of the spectrum is the person who has no idea how the RP will proceed.  (A good example would be a 'pairing' request.)  This requires maximum input from their partner as far as negotiations go.

Both extremes can have their frustrating aspects, and most successful ads fall somewhere in the middle.  This isn't to say that the extremes can't be successful - good brainstorming sessions can turn a simple pairing idea into a plot that both writers can sink their teeth into, and throw an extra twist into a more scripted idea.