Question on GMing

[RedSun]

I understand the rules for GMing a game of Diplomacy on the forum. However are there any different rules for becoming a GM for Other Play by Forum Games? Regular GMing I understand you need to have experience with forum games, understand the rules, be approved by Morg etc. to make sure you are reliable with keeping constant with the game. In the case of a Other Play by Forum game are their any different requirements. Also 2nd question - I heard that to playtest you aren't required to be approved if it's limited to 4-5 years or so. Is that correct. If so would a short Other Play by Forum game with an expected deadlines (ex: whoever has the most points in x amount of time wins) be considered a test run and not require approval for running. If these questions were already answered sorry if I bothered you. (I couldn't find it.) Answers would be much appreciated

[condude1]

GMing really depends on the forum game. I GMed my first mafia game without needing to go through an approval process, but I'd already played a fair few mafia games on the site, so it wasn't a problem. other forum games normally have a much smaller player pool. Kind of an everyone knows everyone situation. This means that if you play a bit of whichever game it is that you want to GM, you'll probably be good to go as the GM. Of course, each individual game is going to be slightly different.

Which game in particular are you looking at GMing? If you're trying to start a new one, just post it in this section, listen to the advice, then try running a game of it.

[RedSun]

There was a game hosted earlier called American Politics Diplomacy. I was thinking of running a spinoff of that where it was simpler and easy to GM. It'd start in 1775 and end in 1800 thus allowing for an expected amount of turns and the political party with the most high ranking positions would win. This would mean it would be a small game and easy to handle and with an expected deadline. Would this be too ambitious to run without being approved?

[condude1]

So the reason you're posting here, not in the PbF section of the forums, is that you want to avoid the need for approval? It seems awkward at best, given that the subheading for this subforum begins with "Non-dip games...". Especially if you're using this to avoid the accreditation process. I'd recommend talking to a mod at the very least before trying something like this.

[Nanook]

There was a game hosted earlier called American Politics Diplomacy. I was thinking of running a spinoff of that where it was simpler and easy to GM. It'd start in 1775 and end in 1800 thus allowing for an expected amount of turns and the political party with the most high ranking positions would win. This would mean it would be a small game and easy to handle and with an expected deadline. Would this be too ambitious to run without being approved?

If this is a Diplomacy variant, which it sounds like from the name, this should really be in the PbF section, not other forum games. What I recommend is this (assuming it is a dip variant rather than misleadingly named):

Post the rules and map in the "Games in Development" section, found here: viewforum.php?f=413

See what feedback you get. Even if it doesn't lead to any changes, this is always a good first step, and it lets the mods know that you're serious about this and not just starting a playtest on a lark.

After it's been up in that section for a bit, say a week to a month or so (a week if there aren't any changes and people are interested, obviously more if you realize that it needs tweaks), then you post in the "Looking for Players section, advertising that it's a trial run that ends after 5 years. That section can be found here: viewforum.php?f=253

Then, when you have enough players signed up, you'll run it in the teatbed, found here: viewforum.php?f=444


The alternatives are to go through step 1 and see if someone volunteers to GM a full run of it, or to get accredited as a GM and run a full game of it yourself. Full accreditation isn't that difficult, but it does take a bit of time (you have to GM a full, straightforward game before you get free rein), probably 1-3 months depending on what game you choose. Getting someone else to run it for you or running it in the testbed are the quickest ways to do it.

Whichever route you go, if it's a diplomacy variant, it belongs in the PbF section, not the other forum games section.

[RedSun]

It's not a Diplomacy variant which is why I posted it here it's just the name involves Diplomacy as it does have the sense of creating political alliances to forward you positions. It was posted here on the finished other play by forum games but I want to make some tweaks to it. I took the name from there because it's heavily based on it. What would my steps be considering that it's not a Play-by-Forum Dip and rather Other Play-by-Forum

[Subotai45]

I looked at the game he was referring to and it absolutely isn't a dip variant. So in that case, just throw up a sign-up/interest thread and see who bites. You might have need to PM a mod to make you a folder but wait until it gets off the ground first.

[Nanook]

Wow, yeah, that is definitely not a dip variant, despite the misleading name.

So yeah, go with what subs said. Put up a signup post, get enough interested, and PM a mod to create a folder for you when you start.