GM Mentoring Spring Quarter 2021

So I brought it up as a side discussion for game pitches I was going to run so I'm figure we should split it out. There's games people want to play but not as many GMs for players as some might like. So if there was a demo game/workshop 'this is how to GM system X' that spanned a month to 3 months and it's done who would want to learn to GM a system then run a game? Looking for people who want to learn then start a game on GP. We can link them up with people to teach once we know. I guess we can do general GMing if that's something people want to learn as well. Thoughts on what people want to learn to GM with the intent to run a game in that system? I'll start a couple I can think of that I'd mentor and update as people say what they'd like to learn to GM or would offer to teach people.

I don't know about running a pre-game coourse but I'd definitely be up for helping someone who wants to get their GM feet wet out as a co-GM, advice-giver, ideas-bouncing-wall, proofreader and all that stuff that might help someone along who might otherwise struggle with GMing or be too nervous to take the leap.
Though that would of course also include some time pre-gamestart to look over rules and plan plots together.

One thing I'm personally not too interested in is getting bogged down in mechanics or combat so while I would not generally oppose helping someone run a more combat-heavy or mechanically dense game, those wouldn't be my specialty and I'd be less help in those areas than someone else might.
I'd be more available for all the fun stuff around that. NPCs, improv (in pbp speeds, not live game speeds), descriptions, dialogs...

I'd be down to do a "game workshop"-style mentor session (one or two months of just going through a system, from character creation to practical GMing, or whatever the person wants to focus on) for... any number of systems. Maybe particularly geared towards creating a homebrew campaign, even? All "through the lens" of pbp as the medium (which I approach differently then irl in some ways).

D&D or Pathfinder

Shadowrun 4 or 5

Vampire (and/or a few other World of Darkness lines)

Narrative Dice System (FFG Star Wars, or Genesys)

Deadlands (Classic)

Cortex RPG (Plus or Prime)

Blades in the Dark

Burning Wheel

I learn best by playing a system. I am currently wanting to learn the gensys sytem better as I want to use it for a couple games I am thinking about.

I started one of these a while back -- thread still exists and I have helped a few GMs on this site already. Can help with most game systems.

Ok have down Bowls as World Building/Setup Mentor, Em for a few systems, Viking wanting Genesys as a player, and DeJoker for several systems. Didn't know what to put down so I'll edit once you give some systems, don't want to stick you with Dread (odd to due online XD) or Dargonlance Saga System (Nice artwork cards btw for this slightly confusing head banging system).

Interesting. Is there a list of tips/tricks/warnings/advice for GMing online/PbP vs an in person game?

The biggest one is to prepare for players disappearing without warning and be able to adapt and adjust to adding new blood from time to time to an on going game. I have seen some GMs feel its not worth running an on going campaign but to run one shots in the same setting and while that is an answer it still has its issue of lost players. If you stick with a campaign long enough you will get steady players it is just a matter of perseverance. Much like finding a GM that will stick with a game long term as many GMs are no different than players when it comes to the here today gone tomorrow aspect of PbP.

As a GM it is even more important that you be consistently present in the game and be able to post at least twice as often as whatever you have request your players to post at. Some GMs post a once per day requirement but they themselves do not even adhere to this which makes it worse since if they request a once per day from their players they need to be able to post at least twice a day themselves to keep the game flowing at their requested pace.

The rest of the quality tips for GMs apply to both FtF and PbP as they involve running the game and those are true regardless of the medium. The most important being remember the game is about the players not about you. If you feel you are more important than the players this will show and eventually you will lose players. You are a providing a service as a GM and like any service oriented business the customer is king but within reason. Further your players will find different things to be fun, be prepared to cater to each and everyone. This means trying to figure out (and asking helps but is not fail proof) what those players enjoy and do not enjoy about the game and adjust accordingly. Finally no matter how good you are your style is not for everyone do not take it personal, just try to learn the play styles that do not fit yours and weed these out earlier rather than later by defining what your style is and what it is and is not compatible with in your game overview.

For me all parties involved needs to be having fun in the game IRL/pbp digital or face to face to me to have a game keep going. That's different things to different people. There's a lot of different things going on at the table with players/GMs. People are going to flake, they might just ghost or they might notify the group/groups they game with this isn't just on online play by post though. Pbp gives you the chance to be as descriptive or not as descriptive as you want.

On somethings I can understand the viewpoint and others I disagree with what's been stated above but I think this points out there's different GM styles and different players. Everyone needs to have fun. To me the story comes 2nd after real life issues that come up. Trying to roll for that moment in play by post a GM or player will remember years down the road about a game with internet friends is something I constantly look for.

To answer a previous question -- my strongest is DnD, Pathfinder 1e through 5e --- but I am also fairly good at World of Darkness, Call of Cthulhu, Most Superhero RPGs, Runequest, and more that I do not recall the names off the top of my head.

You can put me down for mentoring worldbuilding, going off script, and 13th Age.

You can also put me under off script as well, I'd say

Hmm well I guess you can put me down for off script because well I do not use a script to begin with. ;)

I think this thread loses value if ppl are just gonna start expositing on their GM theory-craft here.

Maybe we use this thread to make connections (I've reached out to Viking, and will start up a Genesys tutorial for them off they want, and anyone else who wants in up to maybe 6 ppl or so?), and we save the specific advice-giving for posts away from here after connections are made/mentoring has been solicited?

This is a great idea. In fact, I recommend that we make this a permanent feature of the site. I suggest the Moderators make a subforum in the Guides Forum (HERE) called "GM Mentoring."

There could be a Sticky Thread that gets updated once a season/quarter with a list of members who volunteer to be contacts about certain subjects/systems. For example:
emsquared
character creation
practical advice
homebrew campaigns
pbp-specific advice
D&D or Pathfinder
Shadowrun 4 or 5
Vampire (and/or a few other World of Darkness lines)
Narrative Dice System (FFG Star Wars, or Genesys)
Deadlands (Classic)
Cortex RPG (Plus or Prime)
Blades in the Dark
Burning Wheel

bowlofspinach
Guide as a co-GM
World Building and Setup
General Going Off Script situations you find yourself in
...


Or a list sorted by subject/system with names, for example:

World Building and Setup
bowlofspinach
Falconloft

D&D or Pathfinder
emsquared
DeJoker
...


Or both might be useful.


Perhaps a Moderator or member is responsible for checking in with those on the list once a season to confirm they are still available and updating the lists. Remnant, since you are organizing, you could be that person, but if not, then if no one else wants to do it I will volunteer. If the list updater isn't able to continue in the role, they can post in the subforum, so one of the Moderators or other volunteers can step up in their place.

I think this will encourage people to start a thread in the subforum to discuss a GM topic, which might be useful for others to read too, or privately contact one of the mentors to get advice for a specific game or situation.

I think this could make it easier to find for new users as well and won't get lost in the Games Tavern. Maybe it could be one of the recommended links in bowl's intro post.

I think that having a listing by a person (the first one) would be confusing for new people. As in new to the site. Regulars wouldn't be as confused I'd imagine. The second listing goes "straight to the point" and seems to be more useful for people looking for help.

Agreed. Sorting by user might be more helpful for older members but maybe less so for newer ones (on which the focus should be). How about, if we turn it into a subforum, every potential mentor makes a thread where they list their strengths and then in the list in the stickied, their names always link to their threads so that interested GMs can pick out the best suited mentor based on categories and then the individual thread.

And then interested GMs could also open a thread where potential mentors can apply, leaving it open both ways

I agree, I think the second list (which is basically the format Remnants created in the spoiler they edited into the original post) is more useful if you're looking for a specific topic. I thought the first list might also be useful for people looking for a mentor offering a set of advice as opposed to advice on one topic in particular.

I like the idea of the link to a thread or subforum that then goes into more detail about that mentor and maybe includes some general advice from that mentor.

So the Sticky Thread could look like this:

---

Welcome to the GM Mentoring Forum!

Here's a list of members who can be contacted for advice or mentoring. If you follow the links you can learn more about what they offer as a mentor and ask for help in their application thread or send them a Message.

Below that is a list divided into specific topics/systems that certain mentors specialize in if you are looking for something in particular.

Volunteer Mentors:
Remnant
bowlofspinach
Falconloft
emsquared
DeJoker
...


Topics/Systems:

World Building and Setup
bowlofspinach
Falconloft

D&D or Pathfinder
emsquared
DeJoker
...

---

Note: this is just an example. Right now the links just point to their post in this thread, but would actually point to a thread or subforum.

On the subject of Genesys, I was contemplating running a one shot for practice with the system, maybe using the Something Strange setting. Wouldn't be for a month or two as I'm a bit overcommitted at the moment. But I'd be interested in any Genesys help that's going. My main reservation is I'm not familiar with the GM tools on gamersplane which are a bit more complex looking than the basic play by forum I'm used to.

GM Tools?