Recruitment Threads!

I recently posted a short guide about how to write recruitment threads in the Gamers Tavern. If you'd like to give feedback about that guide, or you'd like to discuss recruitment threads in general, here is good a place to do it!

Thanks for the guide! I think it will be very helpful for both new and old GMs alike. I did have one question: A lot of the stuff you recommend for the recruitment thread I actually tend to put into the game's "Game Details" page (where people actually submit PCs and the like). Would you say that best practice is to repeat that material in the recruitment thread, as well? Or am I misusing the "Game Details" page?

Personally, I find that I almost never go look at the Game Details page. It seems pretty rare for anyone to even link it, and it's not always easy or convenient to go and find it since the game isn't always named after the system or module someone is running.

Perhaps if the thread is for recruitment, it would be best practice to put a link to your Game Details page, where similar/the same information is posted.

For a lot of tips on recruitment, I'm not afraid to steal from Mythweavers. They're a bigger site and I don't like how they do their recruitment, but some of their recruitment threads are polished to a seriously impressive degree. And I think part of their game thread form requires a link to a pre-made forum of some type, there's always one at the top.

I put things everywhere, so that nobody misses it. Any games I post are formated in this order.

Title: Name for game then system.
Link to game as well as any limitations of who can join.
Gane pitch.
Number of players.
Other
Character Creation Giudelines.

I miss posts per day which probably wouldn't be a bad thing to add somewhere near the start.
; )

Thank you for making this I tend to try to make them myself for everything but only get so far and always forget things

Not sure if this goes in recruiting or is more session zero stuff: Is a character backstory needed? Will the PCs know each other?
Is the campaign rolplay heavy/light/either?

Recruitment isn't much different than session zero, if you can keep people who aren't interested in your game from applying that's better than having people drop out

Seems pretty thorough. I'm not sure I have much to add except perhaps concerning the adult/controversial content. Perhaps if a GM is wishing to use tools such as lines and veils or the X-card (though I'm not entirely sure how that one could be implemented in pbp format...), or anything else (like my own "social contract" which has many elements in common with lines and veils), this should probably be the place to inform potential players of that.

You could just write a red X in your post probably.

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But that's a good idea. Could be added to the recruitment blueprint!

Very good, Len. Definitely not an overwhelming list of requirements best practices. I agree with the division of should haves and maybe haves.

I appreciate you putting the pitch in the first group. In particular, I see a number of recruitment checks where the GM lists many details about their world, but nothing about what the players will do in that world. A pitch on what the PCs will do, even just to start, will generate much more enthusiasm.

Up to you, but I would want to put that information as up-front and center as possible. Like Skeptical says, some users don't look at that.

Sometimes people first encounter your game through the game detail page (like if they see it on the 'Latest Games' section on the home page) so I think it is a smart idea to summarize the important details there too. I'd link to the recruitment thread inside of the game detail page and direct players to go there to apply or for more info.

This is a really helpful guide, thank you! Being new to this site, I will certainly be using this as a reference when I start my own games.

Backstory requirements is probably covered by character requirements and roleplay/combat balance is probably covered by playstyle, but perhaps playstyle could be put into its own category (currently it is under the heading "Pitch").

Mentioning safety tools is a good call. There could be a whole thread on how to do safety tools well in PbP.

Thanks for all the kind messages and advice! If anyone has more examples to share of great recruitment threads, I would appreciate your suggestions so i can add them to the guide.

maybe it's also worth suggesting people delete threads once they have found all their players?

It's generally a good idea to keep them up. If the game is long running you will be recruiting again down the road. Updating it to let people know it is closed is a good idea though.

It is helpful to have a post by the GM at the end of the thread saying. "The game has been filled, thank you."

YES some of time there is confusion around that

That's a good thing to add. Here's the addition:

Excellent addition, especially the warnings about invites.