Generally speaking, play-by-post is a method of playing role-playing games, in which players interact with each other through texts or posts. Although there are a multitude of mediums where one can enjoy play-by-post role-playing, for the sake of this article, I’m going to stick to discussing two of the more popular: message board/forum and chat based.
Play-by-Post Basics
The basics of play-by-post, regardless of medium, is pretty much the same. The DM/GM posts the scene. The players have a response period, typically 24 hours, then the DM/GM posts again, playing everything out and setting the scene once again. Rinse and repeat. Now, to be sure, this is a very simplified explanation. The exact way the game will run will ultimately depend on the DM/GM and the type of game they prefer to run. But this is the gist of it.
Play-by-Forum (PbF)
Arguably, the most popular option of playing play-by-post is on forum sites such as Tavern Keeper, Myth Weavers, Gamers Plane, RolePlay onLine, RPG Geek, and RPG Crossing, to name but a few. All of these sites allow you to run or participate in multiple games, have integrated dice roller systems, and offer ways of creating immersion in the PbP experience by allowing you to upload images, such as maps and character avatars. These sites also offer guides and tutorials for new and veteran players alike, and have active communities in the hundreds, or even the thousands, from which to interact with.
Play-by-Chat (PbC)
Another popular option for playing play-by-post is on chat sites such as Role Gate (my personal favorite), mRPG, and even Discord. These sites have all the bells and whistles as the forum sites, as mentioned above, and are worth giving a look at. The main difference between play-by-forum and play-by-chat is that unlike forums, chat posts are displayed in real-time, allowing for a somewhat faster pace game. Some play-by-chat games, though not all, even require all players to be present for the duration of a whole scene.
Featured Systems
Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, Spelljammer, Star Wars, GURPS, Conan, Call of Cthulhu, Fate, Shadowrun, fantasy, scifi, horror, whatever your game system of choice, you are bound to find it being played on a play-by-post site. If you can’t find it being played somewhere, nothing is preventing you from starting a game up. There are literally thousands of players online, in these play-by-post sites, just chomping at the bit to play your favorite RPG.
Hopefully this article has answered a question or two about what play-by-post role-playing is, or at the very least piqued your interest. We’ve barely scratched the surface here. More in-depth articles are to come as we begin our journey down the road of play-by-post role-playing. Until the next post, happy gaming and may you dice roll high!