Better Late Than Never

I've searched for PbP games on several forums—Paizo, Roll20, rpgnet, Tavern-Keeper, et al... They are either forums built on early web design specs.... lots of columns, lists, links, ads, clutter. Or, if they look good, they just don't have the critical mass to be relevant to a variety of systems. I'm not interested in playing DnD or Pathfinder, per se... but Gamers Plane looks like it IS the ticket.

I played RPGs back in the day (80s) when I was in school. MERP, Recon, DC Heroes. Then, as an athlete, I spent less time in the library and more time running around playing physical games after school. I am an illustrator/artist/animator/storyteller and have always loved exploring novel worlds and ideas. Now, married with children, I look for ways to encourage my kids to think creatively; to value the art of storytelling; to use their imaginations.

When Kickstarter surfaced, and I started seeing RPG projects on there, the old flame was rekindled. I backed Numenera only to let it sit on the shelves for a couple years, having no one to play with. Then, the No Thank You Evil campaign appeared. I have my opinions on Monte Cook Games execution of No Thank You Evil, and their qualifications to make games relevant for kids and families, but the spirit of that game got me back in to "doing something" about RPGs. I've played Hero Kids and NTYE with my kids—they love it.

I don't have a local gaming community, and looked to see if there was anyone doing RPGs online (#naivete). That's when I stumbled on the term: play-by-post. Ever since (it's been about a year) I've been trying to find a community that:
1) Welcomes beginners (almost any system, while appealing, is still going to be 'new' to me).
2) Provides an alternative to the ever-popular, but crunchy and complicated, DnD/Pathfinder classics.
3) Values the user experience by following good design principles, and providing easy-to-use tools/interface.
4) Celebrates creativity through storytelling.

I have a handful of logins, campaign attempts, etc. Nothing has stuck yet. I hope GP is my last stop! My full intention is to eventually run games as GM. I love making maps, designing story plots/encounters/puzzles/worlds...

Glad to be here.
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Systems I own and/or am interested in:
• Numenera/Cypher
• Fate Core/ FAE
• FFG Star Wars
• Hunter//Seeker (cyberpunk 2020 derivative)

Systems I'd be happy to GM for others (especially parents curious about games to play with their kids):
• Hero Kids
• No Thank You Evil
(my 4 and 6 year old can easily burn an hour to an hour-and-a-half playing these two games)

Welcome!

Welcome! I don't think you'll have much trouble finding games to play in :)

Thanks both, I hope so!

Hey Godric! Welcome to Gamers' Plane. I built it by in large because of the problems you've faced. I wanted a site that wasn't just about a game, but about gaming in general. To me, RPGs are as much about the people playing as the game being played, and I'd like to think I've done well to capture it here. I won't lie; DnD 5e is still the most popular system here, but we have plenty of others that come up. I sincerely hope you find your place here, and if you don't, I'd love your feedback on how I can make it better.

Hello and welcome!

If you are looking for alternatives, might I suggest some?
• Dungeonslayers.
• Barebones Fantasy.
• Warrior, Rogue, and Mage.

All of them are rules-lite and two of them (Dungeonslayers and WRM) are available for free on the internet (I mean legally...).

Welcome :)

Welcome mate

Welcome! We are happy to have you.

Welcome aboard!

You've come to the right place! Glad to have you! :-)

Welcome Godric!

Welcome! This is a great community, I hope you GM here soon.

Welcome Godric :) The best way to find games here is in the Gamers Tavern forum. Just post that you are looking and people usually let you know about openings.

About the PbP experience: keep in mind that it is slow and that there is a certain amount of player attrition to many games. I have found the "subscribe to forum" button to be super helpful in staying in touch with the GP community. I get regular updates in my email inbox for introductions and new posts in the games I am in. Normally email interruptions are a pain but in the case of GP forum notificaitons it is always a thrill because it means a new player has joined the community or the story in the game I am playing is moving forward!