Greetings To All!

Hello, everyone!

My name is Nate aka Duke_of_Nothingburg and I am super excited to join GP! I have been aware of tabletop RPGs for a few years now, but I haven't had many opportunities to join a campaign. I discovered GP while searching on Reddit for recommendations on pbp sites. I think this format will allow me to scratch my role-playing itch and offer great flexibility in regard to time commitments.

I am a fan of DnD, Pathfinder, and Starfinder. However, I am open to discovering other fun role-playing games! I hope to be able to join a game soon to get more RP experience, get to know many of you in the community, and most of all -- have fun! If you have an open campaign and looking for a new player please let me know (my timezone is EST - North Carolina, USA)!

Questions for the community:

What was your first game experience like on this platform?
What has been your favorite character or story moment thus far?
Do you have any tips for me as a newbie on GP?

Thank you so much and happy gaming!

- Duke_of_Nothingburg

Welcome, Nate!

If you want to see how GP functions, here are links to the New GP Member Guide, the forum rules, this video introduction made by user Qralloq and a little helpful formatting guide made by user Adam. You might also be interested in looking through some public games as well to get a feel for the site.
If you have any questions about how to use the site, you can put them into our Questions and Help subforum.

To join a game, keep your eyes on the Games Tavern, where GMs advertise their games and look for players.

You're also invited to join us on the Discord server for some friendly conversation, about the site, RPGs in general or anything else!

If you have any concerns or questions, feel free to contact any of the following moderators:

bowlofspinach
CancerMan
Dramasailor
Len
Naatkinson
Qralloq
Keleth (site owner)

Happy gaming!

As for your questions...
1) My first game on here was a Pathfinder adventure. I think I managed to get in two in-character posts before the GM disappeared. My second game was a Call of Cthulhu game that lasted through a few scenes before the GM ended it because the other player left the site. After that, I ran a Lasers & Feelings game that was pretty fun for a good while. So, I guess, what I'm saying is, don't get discouraged if a game fades out. There will always be more, and some games will finish or last for years. And those make it definitely worth it!

2) Far too many to count at this point. Trying to come up with an example on the spot, a great moment was when in a legacy game, my character's children found a letter she had written as they were investigating her disappearance.

3) Just jump into a game. Learn by doing and don't be afraid to make mistakes. The community is really nice and open in my experience!

Welcome!

@bowlofspinach - Thanks for the resources and warm welcome!
This makes perfect sense and is a great heads-up! I could've definitely seen myself getting discouraged by games quickly fizzling out.
Oh wow! That sounds epic! I am going to have to check that post! (Love great stories developed during a game)
Great advice! I can't wait to jump into my first game! I have heard some good things about the community here and so far it seems to be true :)

@CancerMan - Thank you! Glad to be here!

Welcome Aboard!

My first game experience on GamersPlane was a World of Darkness game, Geist. The GM was good and the character creation collaboration was nice. Took a bit to get a handle on how the site operated but acclimated soon enough. The game lasted a couple of months before the GM left the site. That's an unfortunately common occurrence but it's not a constant threat.

Choosing a favorite character or story moment would be hard but I've had the luxury of playing in some fun games with a cast of fun characters.

As a newbie, I'd say don't hesitate to talk to anyone. GamersPlane has an amazingly diverse and openly welcoming community. Discord is really good for getting to know most everyone & I see you've already made your way over!

Welcome

Welcome to the community, Duke!

Keeping these short...
I had a false start... created an account in 2018 and created a Fate game with just me in it just to see what the platform looked like, to see how it worked. Then didn't come back until, I think, late 2020... first games I got rolling (ran Knave, played Delta Green) in early 2021. Once I actually played in earnest, I rapidly discovered what a great community GP has, and what a great set of tools it provides.
I don't know that there's a way to choose, as (like many here) I've played in and run a -lot- of games. Highlights are definitely some scenes in a Tales from the Loop game, a Dead Are Coming game, a Halloween-themed game, and I'm digging my current Warlock! game a ton. Oh, also when the Luchador I was playing killed a mutant monster shark with an outboard motor. Total highlight reel stuff. Plus many more.
Check out Qralloq's videos, and indeed -- join the Discord!

greeting m'lord

Welcome to GP

Greetings and Salutations!

Hello and welcome!

Questions for the community:

What was your first game experience like on this platform?
Pathfinder 1e. I had been playing with a group of people for a while and convinced some of them to try PbP, and so I set up forums to continue our in-person sessions.

What has been your favorite character or story moment thus far?
I made an evil NPC with extremely high bluff skills that lied their way through everything and conned the PCs into being their bodyguard.

Do you have any tips for me as a newbie on GP?
The pace of PbP is much different, and so the games will evolve in a completely different capacity than they would in a live session. It's normal, but it can take getting used to. GP has a solid community and most people have diverse gaming interests.

Welcome Nate! That's the exact reason I joined GP in 2016. Great questions, here's my answers:

What was your first game experience like on this platform?
I ran an all-dwarf D&D game about a stronghold in decline, deciding whether to dig deeper or abandon their stronghold and look elsewhere. The players were tasked with journeying to an oracle at the top of the mountain to seek advice. It failed spectacularly :D I probably should have played a little bit first before running a game, since I didn't exactly know what I was doing! But I met some good people and got in with a dependable crowd and have had many fun adventures since. I still want to revisit that adventure one day.

What has been your favorite character or story moment thus far?
Too hard to pick! I really enjoyed playing a barbarian named Baracus in a game that sort of started out as a D&D A-Team parody but caught fire and became something more. The Mr. T caricature turned into its own unique character, much to my surprise. The game eventually stopped when the GM had to take a break, but I have since imagined a whole storyline about where his character arc leads.

Do you have any tips for me as a newbie on GP?
* Games will fall apart regardless of GM skill and player awesomeness. Try to do some smaller-scale games and meet lots of people rather than tackle an ambitious, magnum opus kind of game right off the bat. A one-shot adventure designed to play in a single evening could take 3-6 months in PbP, depending on the posting rate, and if it falls apart it isn't so heartbreaking.
* Try to play with many different GMs. I have learned valuable lessons from every GM I've ever played with, and every player I've played beside.
* Keep a few irons in the fire but don't overdo it. It's okay to play in multiple games at once, as long as you aren't redlining it. If you are barely able to keep up, life will eventually shift on you and you won't be able to. But, playing in just one pbp game can be pretty stifling, because of the slow place. Everyone has a different balance depending on life situation.
* Don't feel bad if you need to leave a game for whatever reason. Just let people know. Unfortunately, it isn't uncommon to see players just disappear from a game because they don't want to hurt anyone's feelings. However, I find this is more hurtful. If a game isn't to your liking, or you find yourself burdened with unexpected duties IRL, people totally understand if you have to bow out and will appreciate the honesty. Sometimes you can even return to a game once things smooth out.
* Get to know the community. Join the Discord, ask questions in the public forums, whatever. Get to know people, and you'll eventually find a crew that shares your interests and will go the distance. Hey, just like you're doing now! I think you're a natural :D

Hi Nate. Welcome aboard. Just got here myself. {Steps aside to make room for Duke Nate}.

Wow. That was some incredible advice. Thanks for sharing that.