Serious Questions: GM Availability and response turnaround

[Dave Baughman]

Hi everybody, as the title suggests this thread is about the issues some of you have noticed regarding GM turnaround time in this game.

Let me say first: this is totally my fault. When I designed Flashpoint, I designed it as a lower-impact game than FGC in terms of GM workload, but I didn't design it expecting to be running FGC 3062 at the same time. Clearly, this was a strategic miscalculation on my part.

However, its not healthy for the game for you guys to be constantly waiting for me to respond to your questions/projects/random events/etc. In the long run, I recognize that if I cannot meet your demands either something needs to change or the game is going to stall out.

There are a couple of ways we can address this. One is to bring in more staff (if there is interest and if people have the time to commit to it), the other is for us to spin off the idea of putting more of the administrative responsibilities into player hands - like we did very successfully recently with project rolls.

What are your thoughts, guys? Would you prefer to have more control over "traditional GM functions" collectively as a player base, or do you want me to start looking for one or more additional GMs? Or, for that matter, is there a third way that I'm not thinking of? Please consider this an open forum for any suggestions on how to streamline and improve the administrative side of Flashpoint.

[Pink_Knight]

I know that I'm new to the games, but I know DK has told me that it can take quite awhile to get responses from the GMs- he says you guys must be totally swamped with PMs, and calculations and whatnot.

I guess it depends on what functionality needs to be addressed: some things could most likly be done by the players, but some things most likly need to be done outside the view of the general playerbase. I'm not really sure whats being refered too, so I can't say for certin which I prefer, although I know that the more GMs there are, the more potential there is for there to be the "Well, this GM told me this was the way it worked" problem, which can lead to internal GM disagreements, and bad blood and whatnot- never fun!

[GraeGor]

In my opinion, a bit of both might be best

Find out if there is one or two that would be interested, but no more, otherwise we'll start getting into part of the problem that was had at the CBT Forums...to many GMs that weren't communicating with each other

Determine what normally controlled GM details can be handled by the players without impacting the game negatively

[NVA]

I am willing to be a non GM dice roller.

[Scarecrow]

Whatever works.

[LittleH13]

I do not know what you are all trying to say here....Almost all rolls in Flashpoint can be done in PMs to the GMs. There are only a few that Dave wants to roll secretly as they can give the player false information that sounds true. You don't have to worry about in fighting with the GMs as Dave and I talk on a daily basis and have been friends for over 20 years.

[GraeGor]

I do not know what you are all trying to say here....Almost all rolls in Flashpoint can be done in PMs to the GMs. There are only a few that Dave wants to roll secretly as they can give the player false information that sounds true. You don't have to worry about in fighting with the GMs as Dave and I talk on a daily basis and have been friends for over 20 years.

but there is only the two of you, and Dave mentioned, as a possibility, more Staff/GMs might be added if some could be found, which is what I mainly addressed

add to many GMs and the chances of miscommunication/lack of communication rises: for example, GM1 thinks GM3 is solving a problem, while GM3 got the same impression from GM2 after a conversation they had, meanwhile GMs 4 and 5 have no clue whatsoever as to what's going on...which was a common complaint at CBT; to many GMs who weren't keeping each other up to date/informed on issues

with just you and Dave, that isn't a problem, but being flooded with PMs regarding a variety of subjects is one...well, that's the impression I got form Dave's initial post anyways


also, if there are other things that the players can do, and would be willing of course, that would reduce the workload for you and Dave, then perhaps a poll of some sort can be taken of the player base to see if there is an interest

there are several players, including myself, who are waiting, some longer than other, on responses to PMs...granted the information I'm waiting on isn't critical, but still, I'm somewhat anxious about it as it will be a new experience for me

[Tan]

I think one or two more GMs to pick up the slack would be best. From what I can tell, we're probably near the limit of what players can do for themselves - we already roll militia forces, project rolls and combat rolls. Other GM stuff - like arbitrary extra forces on an independant world, random pirate or Blakist attacks, etc, can't really be done by players without a lack of bias coming into question. Edit - though I guess these could be made dice-roll driven, which players could roll.

Personally I'd like to see more GM-intitiated events per turn, like the Diamond Shark trade event. We're having quiet days right now, no factions are openly at war, so these would help keep things running along. With extra GMs that would be a lot easier to do.

[Mekorig]

I am ok with another GMa assisting Dave and LittleH13.

[Dave Baughman]

I have offered a GM position to an interested candidate. Hopefully a favorable response from him is in one of the 40+ PMs that are currently backed up in my inbox... if so, an announcement of his promotion will follow as soon as all the administrative tasks are taken care of.

[Fatebringer]

Howdy Folks!

Fatebringer here letting you know that as the New GM for the Flashpoint 3090 game, please include me on ALL GM related correspondense.

[Mekorig]

Howdy Folks!

Fatebringer here letting you know that as the New GM for the Flashpoint 3090 game, please include me on ALL GM related correspondense.

Congratulations!!!!