Group roleplays

[Sergeant]

Hello everybody

I've been thinking about joining a group roleplay (it would be my first time ever doing so), but everytime I try and check some out I get so overwhelmed.
It feels as if I don't grasp half of what one can do when roleplaying with more than 2 people and it feels like I won't be able to add to the experience/pleasure of the game.

If there's anybody out there that can give me some pointers, advice or just some nice features that I might not be able to see atm that would be really great!

(hopefully this question is in the right forum)

[Blythe]

I've participated in and also run some group games, and I understand that overwhelmed feeling you have. The nice thing is...group games are not as complicated as many think! Many individuals feel like they wouldn't do well, but in my experience, new people trying out groups is a great thing! They are pretty easy to adapt to once you jump in. Groups are, in a way, just an extension of 1x1 games. You can do a lot of what you can do in a 1x1 game, really, and your experiences in 1x1 games will help you! Groups simply give you more opportunity to interact with more people, and a Game Master will control and mediate the setting.

The first thing to do: find a group that really catches your imagination. 

Once you do that, look at what all they are asking you to read! If it is a system game, make sure you have access to the rules or books you need! If it is freeform, check to see if there only an interest check, or do they have a World Building thread you can peruse to get a good feel for the world they've made? One of the best ways to contribute in a positive way to a group game is to really understand the setting and story in the manner the GM wants you to understand it.

Secondly: The GM isn't just the person running the game. They are a resource, a guide if you need help or advice. Do not be afraid to ask a GM questions! If there's a lot of information to take in about their game but you are still really interested, ask the GM what the most important parts are to read for a new player and what can wait for later, if that's an option. That way, you can try to get all the information you need without getting overwhelmed by the amount, if there's a lot. Oftentimes, a GM running a group or recruiting for a group is typically happy to answer questions! So if you are unsure of a character concept, what posting speed they'd like, how to set up scenes for your character in their game, either PM them to run the concept by them or ask in their interest check. Another good idea, if you're very new to groups, is to wait to see how others are writing up their characters to get an idea of how to contribute in a way that meshes with others and adds to the setting.

So...how to "add to the experience/pleasure of the game"?

Interaction!

Group games have life breathed into them by players who plot and brainstorm interactions and scenes between their characters. If someone else's character looks interesting and you have an idea for a good scene between your characters, message that player (and include the GM in that message so they know what's up) to see if it would work. What groups bring is a more social, varied, and somewhat more energetic experience than 1x1s, although that's a personal experience of mine and not any sort of objective statement. 

....I've...uh...probably rambled on at you enough. ^^; I hope some of this was helpful in some way, although you have my apologies if it was not. 

[Sergeant]

You're the bomb Sherlock haha. Didn't think I'd get a reply (and such a nice long one at that) so quickly!

I hope you don't mind a few questions?

- What exactly are the biggest features when it comes to a system game? I imagine having something to do with 'rolling dices'? (do sense my level of n00b in this question)

- So if you think of a scene between you and another player does that mean most scenes in the end consist of only two players? Or are there scenes where everybody just sort of... Gets together and you eventually wait your turn to post?

- Is it not too far off when I imagine MC having various scenes at the same time in one game?

- What in the world is a 'pathfinder'?

Is there perhaps a site or whathaveyou that has the basics of a group roleplay down?

[Blythe]

You're the bomb Sherlock haha. Didn't think I'd get a reply (and such a nice long one at that) so quickly!

I hope you don't mind a few questions?

I don't mind at all! :)

- What exactly are the biggest features when it comes to a system game? I imagine having something to do with 'rolling dices'? (do sense my level of n00b in this question)

System games are games like Dungeons and Dragons, that come with rules about rolling dice to be able to successfully complete certain RP actions. It adds a very fun level of randomness to a game and can lead to some awesome improv scenes, but the downside is there are often more rules to system games than freeform ones.

- So if you think of a scene between you and another player does that mean most scenes in the end consist of only two players? Or are there scenes where everybody just sort of... Gets together and you eventually wait your turn to post?

Depends on the game. In some games, you'll see a lot of 'pairing off' and writing with one other person, and then swapping it up and writing with a different person when you finish a scene with someone else.

In other games, there is a posting order to help determine who posts and when, in which case you do wait for your turn to post. It's completely okay to ask a GM in their interest check if there will be a posting order.

- Is it not too far off when I imagine MC having various scenes at the same time in one game?

Completely possible depending on the game! Some games have more than one location and 'current IC time,' which can enable you to write for your character in multiple scenes. In games with erotic content, you may sometimes find a GM sometimes asks for erotic content to be placed in its own thread while the main game threads continue to progress.

- What in the world is a 'pathfinder'?

Pathfinder is a system game that borrowed heavily from the 3rd edition of another system game called Dungeons and Dragons. It is a popular system to use for system games because there are available SRD websites, making the content and rules easy to access without having to buy expensive books.

Is there perhaps a site or whathaveyou that has the basics of a group roleplay down?

Not that I can think of from the top of my head, alas. Possibly someone else may know of one. ^^;