Welcome

I can GM a random scene, but just to clarify: are we all deciding on a shared game first and then using that as the platform to try things out (presumably after creating characters first)? Or are you proposing some other method? I am happy to go away and read DW first if that's the best course of action.

I don't think so. This is (as I currently see it) for all types of PbtA, so the games/scenes will run the gamut of genres and styles. We can always spin off a game from scenes that look interesting here.

Just tell us enough to get us started in the scene.
Depending on the game we use, we might be able to get away with not creating characters. The characters (or character stubs) we use in one scene may not be applicable to another.

If we want to do full on character creation for one of them --as an exercise-- we can do that. If we need full characters for the GM to envision what is happening in the world, we can do that.

Not all players need participate in all scenes, of course.
Not necessary. That was a suggestion for another player.
If you have another system that you have read, and want try running a scene or scenario from that, go for it. If it is something the rest of us have not read we might not be able to give you specific advice, but most general PbtA advice should still apply.

If we have not read it and you have to teach it to us... believe me, teaching is the best way to learn. You may get it wrong the first few times, but having to go back and reread enough to understand enough to be able to explain it to someone else who is struggling to understand really gets the details in there.
The GM generally needs to know a lot more (about the rules and about the world) than the players ever do. It can, at first, feel disappointing to not get to tell the players half of what we had prepared, but having it ready for if it comes up can be reassuring.

I have created two scenarios in the vagueGM GMs sub-forum. Let me know if you can not see them, or can not post replies.

While not my preferred style, we can just post OOC directly in the RP threads this time. While learning it keeps things a little simpler if we don't have to worry about which thread to use and which post people are talking about.

For both, all I know about the world is what is in the posts, feel free to define what you like as you introduce your characters.

The mid-fight one possibly has a system for creating characters on the fly, engage with it if you like or introduce a fully-formed character, your call.

For those new to PbP, as a 'lesson' in how things work: Sometimes people will be unable to respond for a while and we all need to be patient. To demonstrate this, I will be quiet for some hours. :)

Thanks again for your generosity, and enjoy your quiet hours! :)

Thanks for the welcome! I'm looking to find more PbtA fans for play, but also to get PbtA GM practice. My GMing experience is mostly B/X and Original OD&D, but I've been gravitating toward less-prep / more free-form style of play as I find it to be quite fun and less time consuming -- leaving blanks that players can help fill-in as we play is still a new style for me. I also used to use a lot of minis and visual aids, so practice with theater-of-the-mind and letting players take the story way off rails is a change of pace from my typical dungeon crawl type games, but also exciting. I'm checking out your Resources section. Also, would I be able to jump into your GM section game to get more exposure? (what playbook should I use?) Thanks again.
EDIT: Forgot to mention, I like fantasy (Dungeon World, Fellowship), but some urban fantasy like Monster of the Week also looks fun. My experience with PbtA Is mostly small one-on-one duet with my wife and also a couple one-shots on Discord all of which good fun.

This may take me some time since I am doing all of this on my phone.

Quiet!!? It was nightmareish! Nah, I joke.

Terminology can be a problem... but that is not a problem. :)

So, just to be clear. Most PbtA games use the term 'playbook' in place of 'class' or 'profession' (well sotra, they are more complicated (and also simpler) than that). So, in DW, Fighter is a playbook.
Is that what you meant? If so, you can use whatever you feel like, whenever you feel like it. *

Some people use the term 'playbook' as a substitute for 'rulebook'. So, in the example above that would be Dungeon World vs Monster of the Week.
If that is what you meant, then, again, you can use whatever game you want for your practice. If it is something you need to teach us, then you will learn it even better. *

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Footnotes:
* This is not meant to be a game with a consistent story or anything (we can make a game for that if we want to) but is intended as a place to learn, practice, and chat about GM skills. We will use whatever random system suits our needs in any given scene.

You may notice that in Random Scenario 1 I did not even define the genre. Your 'vehicle' could be a wagon, or a station-wagon, or a AT-AT, or even a space ship if we can make 'bridge and blockade and hear' work in that context (but probably a ground vehicle:).

Let me know if I messed up the permissions and you can't see or post in these games.

Improv style, the first to post with the details of scene gets to define them.
This is generally not best practice in actual RPGs. I have issues with how often they are likened to Improv. In Improve, 'yes, and' is king, but in most RPGs the GM's job is mostly to say 'no' or 'not unless you are willing to risk a roll', the rules are all about stopping you from doing things. 'No' is of course a blunt instrument, much better is 'no... but...' and present alternatives or clearer explanations ('no, because').

I have created a place to ask Questions and get Answers (from anyone who thinks they can contribute).
If there are any other categories of questions I should add, list them here... or I think I will a make General category, list them there instead.
Q&A

Welcome WhtKnt.
What are you hoping to get from this?

Yes, that's what I meant. In that case, I'll probably just come up with an archetype as we go.
Sounds good to me.

Absolutely. With just an archetype we can define as much as we need for the scene on hand.
If we need a full character sheet --maybe we plan to do some extended play-- then we will pull out sheets for that on a case-by-case basis.

Often I (as the GM) will have new players express their character in terms of archetypes or tropes then we can work together to find the Playbook that fits their concept/desire. Even if I never get to be a player in a game, I still make sure I understand the character creation process (the GM will regularly need to teach this process) and also try to understand --though only roughly-- what makes each Playbook different/distinct and how they play, so we can see match them to what the player is looking for.

It is generally good advice that much of a GM's prep time should be indulging in genre-appropriate media (books, movies, TV, etc) right before a game. This helps get them in the mood, but also helps them interpret what the player means when they say what they want to play.

Mostly looking around to see what people are playing these days, maybe try a new systems, and generally sharpen my GM skills, as well as to share my knowledge with others.

Let us know if you have any questions, and feel free to chime in with helpful suggestions.

Welcome Jabes.plays.RPG.
What are you looking to get from this experience? And don't say more 'experience'. :)

Welcome Verrain.
Tell us a bit about yourself and what you wanting to get from this experience.

Good day:

Been a gamer for over 35 years now. Mostly play and GM D&D because that is what is easiest to find players for. I have backed so many of the Apocalypse Games over the years, Apocalypse World, Monsterhearts, Masks, etc. and I have been an off and on reader of the Barf forth Apocalyptica forums. I have a great deal of theoretical knowledge of how to run one of these games but all the games I have tried to join as player tend to die out before I can get a feel for how they work and I generally like to play for a bit before throwing my hat in the ring as a GM. So a space like this where I could see some examples and maybe try out a few scenes sounded great.

Is this PbP games? Yeah, they do tend to die out. :(

PbtA has a lot of front-loaded work before a game gets going. Most games forbid the GM from planning before they get to the table and insist that the only way to do things is to have the players create characters and only then think about the world.
That happens to be the way I always (for a given value of 'always') ran games already, but it can add a long lead-time at the start, and any delays during that process can derail a game.

With PbP it can sometimes help for the GM to first have a world and then recruit players that want to play in that world.
This is actually more a random player, 'pick up game' issue than a PbP problem, but, so often, a PbP game is also a PUG.

I can not promise that it will go the distance, but if you are wanting more player experience as well as GM practice, also take a look at my PbP games offered at Games for new players.