Games with lots of people?

[DaGreatJL]

First, let me start out by stating the more or less obvious: I'm new to these forums, and I'm not nearly as verbose as some of those on here. I'm a hick from the sticks, so that's something y'all will have to deal with in your own way.
Now, on to business. When I first got into gaming about, oh,  eight years ago, I did a lot of my gaming online, on the RPG BB for Prodigy Internet (you know, the service that used to give you a month free with a new computer before AOL came onto the scene.) Anyways, the games I liked the most were of a type that I have been unable to find anywhere since then, and I have come to believe that I will need to recreate them myself in order to play them. Now, the content I have read on this site so far has twisted my head, I have to admit. Therfore, I have come to the conclusion that discussing it in these forums will help me.
Now, to describe what the hell I'm talking about. Of the games I'm talking about, I played in three: Arena, Blacknight, and Stormfront. Each of these games used a play-by-post format, and used at least slightly altered versions of AD&D2. What set the games apart where the number of people; each game had between fifty and a hundred players, and at least five GMs. All of the players interacted with each other in some format.
The method of play was simple. Each group had their own section of the BB to themselves. Within these sections were seperate topics that either applied to OOC issues (one for new characters, one for proposing new skills and such, etc), or IC locations (such as different bars, a church, the market district, etc.) Players would post things they would want to do, and then other characters would respond, or a GM would reply and run the person through a brief adventure, etc. Generally, if what the character was doing was difficult and wasn't contested by anybody (ex: combat, picking pockets, etc) then it would simply 'happen' without a GM officiating or rolling dice. Like, say, there's some music playing in a bar, and someone posts that their character gets up and dances. That's it.
Anyway, I feel that, if something like that were done again, it could be done with better rules that AD&D. So, comments?

[Andrew Martin]

Hi! Welcome to The Forge.

From what you've written so far, it seems similar to Play by Message Board. I believe there are games on the internet in this fashion; I came across one some time ago, but haven't got the link. Try using Google http://www.google.com and search for "Message Board RPG Roleplay", and it shouldn't take too long find some.

[Mike Holmes]

As for better rules to use, hellyeah, there are probably lots better ways to go than AD&D for this sort of play.

The question is, what was it that you'd like to improve? We could start popping out suggestions, but until we know what sort of play you are looking to produce, one system is as likely to be as good as the next.

What about AD&D didn't seem to fit right?

Mike

[xiombarg]

Well, to toot my own horn, I think what you're talking about could be done with Success, a game I wrote a while back:

http://ivanhoeunbound.com/success.html

[DaGreatJL]

It's a little hard for me to verbalize what I want, but I'll give it my best.
Okay, one big problem I saw in the games was that, basically, AD&D didn't cover the scope of what players wanted to do. The options for non-dungeon hack style skills in D&D are fairly limited. Also, the idea of everyone having to fit a particular class mold. The games were all in a restricted urban setting, which didn't gel well with the limits of D&D characters.
Beyond that... I'm not very familiar with game mechanics other that predominately Fortune-based systems; if someone could post some links to discussions regarding Drama and Karma systems, or recommend some games that use these, I would appreciate it.

[Matt Gwinn]

Try looking at http://www.playbyweb.com
There are a lot of different games being played there.

Have you looked into joining a mudd?  I know a lot of people that really enjoy it.

,Matt G.

[M. J. Young]

We've got a Multiverser forum game going on the--well, on the http://www.gamingoutpost.com/forums/index.cfm?Action=ShowForum&ccurrentforum=83">Multiverser forum, not to belabor the obvious. The game works pretty well in this format, because

[*]It generally does not require character interaction or party format, so players can move at their own pace;
[*]It has rules to cover any kind of skill you can imagine;
[*]There's no limit to the kind of worlds or settings you can use;
[*]It tends to tailor itself to player preferences to a significant degree.[/list:u]
You're welcome to stop by and take a look. I think you  have to register to post, but not to read, if I recall correctly.
--M. J. Young