Delegation - A question on Co-GMs or Mods in roleplays

[call me rae]

So I am one of those people that I'm kind of terrible at GM'ing. I get frustrated with people's egos and I just have a hard time finding that line between micromanaging and just letting people do whatever.


So I try to get Co-GMs or Mods to help even the workload. They help me work out plot issues when I get stuck and also keep an eye on the roleplay while I'm away doing real life things.


It's not always a perfect balance of course which is one of the things I need to work on.


So I thought I'd ask how the rest of RPNation handles delegation and hiring on mods or co-GMS for their roleplays.

 

[White Masquerade]

So I try to utilize Co-GMs or Mods to help pick up the slack in the areas in which I am deficient.

^ This is the problem. A Co-GM/Mod should never be used as a crutch. They're supposed to be a partner. On some level, even if it takes a lot of time, you should be able to do what your Co-GM/Mod does.


How it's supposed to go, is your Co-GM/Mod helps for things you can do, but don't have the time to do. Somewhere down the line, it turned from that into getting a partner to do the things I can't. Which is not a bad idea; it can be very effective. Personally though, I like to have my butt covered, so I'd like to have a partner that matches my level or skillset, rather than someone who can do something I can't. That way you're not constantly looking over your shoulder checking if Partner A is doing something you do at an acceptable level; there's no time for that. Time is what you want to save, not spend more of.


So it goes like this:


Trading Partnership- Co-GM/Mod can do something you can't. Can be very effective and grow things really, really fast. More adaptable. Can also quickly fall apart once help is gone.


Equal Partnership- Co-Gm/Mod can do each other's job. Less burden on both sides. Time is spent much more efficiently. Can work in shifts. Slow growth. Less adaptable. More fail-proof.




At the end of the day, it's up to you, but I pick option #2. Get better in where you're deficient and find a partner to match you.

 

[call me rae]

[QUOTE="White Masquerade]^ This is the problem. A Co-GM/Mod should never be used as a crutch. They're supposed to be a partner. On some level, even if it takes a lot of time, you should be able to do what your Co-GM/Mod does.
How it's supposed to go, is your Co-GM/Mod helps for things you can do, but don't have the time to do. Somewhere down the line, it turned from that into getting a partner to do the things I can't. Which is not a bad idea; it can be very effective. Personally though, I like to have my butt covered, so I'd like to have a partner that matches my level or skillset, rather than someone who can do something I can't. That way you're not constantly looking over your shoulder checking if Partner A is doing something you do at an acceptable level; there's no time for that. Time is what you want to save, not spend more of.


So it goes like this:


Trading Partnership- Co-GM/Mod can do something you can't. Can be very effective and grow things really, really fast. More adaptable. Can also quickly fall apart once help is gone.


Equal Partnership- Co-Gm/Mod can do each other's job. Less burden on both sides. Time is spent much more efficiently. Can work in shifts. Slow growth. Less adaptable. More fail-proof.




At the end of the day, it's up to you, but I pick option #2. Get better in where you're deficient and find a partner to match you.

[/QUOTE]
Thanks for this as it showed me I had to clarify my phrase. What I was talking about was actually option #2. The biggest issue I have is with people being giant idiots that need to be babysat every moment of the day and since I GM'd while I was still in school that was obvious not possible.


So I would promote Co-Mods or Mods that would look over things while I was away and let me know if things were getting crazy.


Which now that I think about it was probably more of a - the people who roleplay on this site are idiots problem - than anything to do with GMs.

 

[White Masquerade]

Lol Raebow, you're so rude. With this new question, I'm not sure how to answer it, sorry =/. I've been fortunate enough to RP with people that can handle themselves.


Giving an outline might help? Like saying, -you players must go from Point A to point B, but can do whatever you want in-between-?

 

[call me rae]

[QUOTE="White Masquerade]Lol Raebow, you're so rude. With this new question, I'm not sure how to answer it, sorry =/. I've been fortunate enough to RP with people that can handle themselves.
Giving an outline might help? Like saying, -you players must go from Point A to point B, but can do whatever you want in-between-?

[/QUOTE]
There's an idea. To be honest the problem might have just been the site I was on. People here seem much less fond of causing meaningless drama.


Although I think the whole time issue might just be universal the more maturity your players show the less you have to worry about making sure to babysit them through everything.


Having clear outlines might also help. I know one of the more fun ideas I ever came across was breaking up a roleplay into "missions"or "chapters"


Depending on the nature of the plot your using. Since I do a lot of superhero roleplays I try to have set missions drawn up that give people something definitive to strive for.


Now obviously there's still an over-arching plot. But I liken it to a season long serial tv show. You know like Arrow or Flash. Where you have the overall plot that is say - Find the person who murdered your family. And then you have the shorter missions in between the keep things progressing. The whole Monster of The Week approach.


Mind that's a lot of work to pre-plan which I rarely have the time for.

 

[White Masquerade]

Definitely I agree with what you're saying. As how they do in TV shows, is the same way I approach role-plays. My background isn't RPing or writing for that matter and when I came to the site, it confused me that arcs, chapters, sagas, and the like were not the norm. I'm sure RPs were intended to be that way, but actually officially dividing things up under an over-arching plot was...not standard practice.


True, true, it is a whole lot of work to pre-plan and I've been thinking hard about ways around that. I did come up with something to fix that and I'll share it with you. The answer is to outsource your RP.


Say you need locations right? Post in the RP you are accepting locations. If a player created location is accepted, you retain all rights to it and can use it however you want. Same with villains. Same with NPCs. Same with plot points. Realized one day, why the heck do I have to come up with all this stuff? People here seem to love world & player-building very, very, much, so why not let them do what they like doing? Just be the approver. See what people come up with. Accept what you think would fit inside your RP, and then use their creations to write your story.


You're virtually doing no work. It's a win-win situation. I haven't tried this myself yet, but I am fairly certain it's entirely possible and a good way to bring GM & players together.

 

[call me rae]

[QUOTE="White Masquerade]Definitely I agree with what you're saying. As how they do in TV shows, is the same way I approach role-plays. My background isn't RPing or writing for that matter and when I came to the site, it confused me that arcs, chapters, sagas, and the like were not the norm. I'm sure RPs were intended to be that way, but actually officially dividing things up under an over-arching plot was...not standard practice.
True, true, it is a whole lot of work to pre-plan and I've been thinking hard about ways around that. I did come up with something to fix that and I'll share it with you. The answer is to outsource your RP.


Say you need locations right? Post in the RP you are accepting locations. If a player created location is accepted, you retain all rights to it and can use it however you want. Same with villains. Same with NPCs. Same with plot points. Realized one day, why the heck do I have to come up with all this stuff? People here seem to love world & player-building very, very, much, so why not let them do what they like doing? Just be the approver. See what people come up with. Accept what you think would fit inside your RP, and then use their creations to write your story.


You're virtually doing no work. It's a win-win situation. I haven't tried this myself yet, but I am fairly certain it's entirely possible and a good way to bring GM & players together.

[/QUOTE]
That's a brilliant idea.


When my schedule frees up I might try this. I got a few group plots I've been kicking about for while that I might finally get the chance to try.

 

[White Masquerade]

That's a brilliant idea.
When my schedule frees up I might try this. I got a few group plots I've been kicking about for while that I might finally get the chance to try.

Cool, let me know how it goes. (:3). I hope it goes well

 

[Reinhardt]

[QUOTE="White Masquerade]You're virtually doing no work. It's a win-win situation. I haven't tried this myself yet, but I am fairly certain it's entirely possible and a good way to bring GM & players together.

[/QUOTE]
Tried this once. It is possible, and players like it. They created different things, from beasts, and NPCs, up to cities and towns. Incorporating the views and ideas of one's fellow players results to a better relationship, which in turn, would allow you to easily create and develop a plot with them. Overall, it makes GM-ing a bit easier. However, you should look out for unlikely ideas, those which you think will not fit the theme of your rp, for they would mostly probably cause disorientation to your rp.

 

[White Masquerade]

^ Well there you go! :5/5: Cool guy. Even the most unlikely ideas can be tweaked to something that can fit, i believe, but I get what you're saying