[Announcement] The End (or "Caldaria going on hiatus")

[Thorsten]

Hey fellas,

As some of you may have noticed, my posting rate has dropped somewhat. This is because of several factors, but first and foremost of those is that I simply can't muster a lust to write presently. I have hit the PbP-DM wall, and I just can't seem to claw my way over it.

I'd hate to end the game, seeing as I really love some of the narrative writing done by you guys, but I am simply spent from work when I get home, and I find myself sitting and starring at an empty screen where words should be flowing to keep the story going. And that is neither fun for me, or for the players who may wait for an update from me.

Thus it is, that with heavy heart I must stop this, before it becomes ridiculous. It has been a relatively short journey compared to what I had thought up, but I still love you all for sticking with it. Some may have vanished, but others stayed and added to the game in ways I hadn't even dreamt of when I started out.

This has also been the first game I've dm'ed on a forum, and I've learned tons of things from it. It is demanding in ways I didn't imagine when I set out. Not on account of the players, oh no, but on account of the goals I set for myself which I have found that I could not keep. I have also learned that 10 players is too many for this kind of game - at least when I as a DM have to keep things interesting for everyone. Possibly there should be no more than 3 or 4, and they should be better connected from the start - this and much more is something I will ponder on, before I attempt anything as grandiose again.

As a way to end this I would like to hear your comments. What did you like, what was different than you had expected, and what do you think could have been done better.

Also, I am contemplating opening the hidden forums for the public - does anyone want that, or would you prefer if things where kept secret?

Cheers and thanks for the time and effort you put into my little dream,
Thorsten

[Ryoga]

Keep them secret in case you ever take back a few players.
Either way, best of luck and hopefully you open up another game in the near future, I liked the storyline a lot.

[Samulus]

I thought it was a well planned storyline, but as you said, probably too many players. But I kind of disagree with you. Characters can have no prior experience with each other and still mesh perfectly together with time. Besides, isn't the friction of being stuck with the unknown sort of the point?

[Casino Jack]

I believe that the problem was more that they're was nothing to mesh us together. It was a big enough ship, so to speak, that there was nothing to get us talking to one another.

I did enjoy the story though, it was very well written.

[Samulus]

I would've assumed that that would change once we hit land and were "in the trenches" together, so to speak.

[Thorsten]

Originally Posted by Samulus

I thought it was a well planned storyline, but as you said, probably too many players. But I kind of disagree with you. Characters can have no prior experience with each other and still mesh perfectly together with time. Besides, isn't the friction of being stuck with the unknown sort of the point?

Certainly, although it is easier in a culture that doesn't set up barriers between social classes. As it was, you was the only active footslogger left, and that (to me) made it hard to pull you into the same areas that should concern the others. My thought when I wrote about a better connection, is that the backgrounds should allow for more interaction, not hinder it as the social layers of society has done - and would be for the rest of the game too, most likely. But it's something I will keep in mind in the future.

Originally Posted by Casino Jack

I believe that the problem was more that they're was nothing to mesh us together. It was a big enough ship, so to speak, that there was nothing to get us talking to one another.

I did enjoy the story though, it was very well written.

I think that lack of mesh you describe is once again the social layers coming into effect. Hopefully, if I take on fewer players in the future, and dedicate a bit more time to discussing possible backgrounds with each player, that should eliminate some of the kinks.

Even though I've come to love the characters that stuck around and really did a damn good job of both narrating (Samulus *really* caught on to what I was hinting at with the whole 'shadowing randomn sailor-scene', and I loved that) and developing their persons, I can't help but think if there had been more reason to talk with each other and interact, if everyone had come from the same regiment (as I had originally intended).

I might have to try some minor scenarios to try that theory out though. I have almost come to the conclusion that the next thing I'll attempt to run will be a short intrigue-game with a clearly defined winner after a set amount of time (and in the same non-dice narrative style). Both in an attempt to try keeping people in the same social layer, but also to see if by setting a time limit on a game, it will prevent burn-out and keep people's interest for the duration of the scenario.

Thanks for you comments and thoughts. They really help.

Cheers,
Thorsten