Using GP for locational threading of games

We're all accustomed to the chronologic chapter format for play by post games. But I've thought of another way:

locational threads.

In the Dark Designs in Verdigris game that I'd like to run, I would do the following:

open in The Burly Q thread.

(with significant self discipline) when the players exit The Burly Q for a new destination, start a new location thread and LINK TO THE FIRST POST from last post of The Burly Q

if players return to the Burly Q, link from last post of whatever location thread they were in, to a NEW POST in the Burly Q thread (and backlink from there to where they were)

I think this might make it interesting to traverse the history of a game.

I've tried it in the past.

Didn't like how it played out.

It makes it harder to maintain continuity ("Oh someone posted in the old location after I moved, and posted in the new location. What do?"), and especially hard to follow what's going on if you have someone experience an absence. (Reading a series of posts for several minutes before realizing they're old action that just abutted to new because there's no way to divide them if they're linked only by location.) And bunches of variations of troubles that arise along those lines.

Could probably be made to work if you lock threads/locations when the scene moves locations, and you could add links to connect conversations coming and going, but that's a lot of work for... literally no gain except novelty.

It's a fun idea but not practical imo

YMMV ofc

I have done this in some of my games, see Shattered Lands. With a link at the start and end of each thread to bind them to the next it works quite well for keeping each region or setting distinct. The campaign was in a fixed region with a central turn and a primary adventure as well as several side adventures causing the party to visit some places repeatedly. This was especially useful in town or when visiting keep NPC as it made it easier to keep track of what was said and fine last time. I considered breaking this down further to <area> - <instance> so each time they pay went into an area it was a new thread but decided against it.

Very common method used in systemless RP 'games' as well, lots of games on rpol.net in the old days would set up location threads and just track them for the duration of the scene, with characters popping in and out as they moved around. I always found it harder to follow.

It is interesting to traverse the history of the game, but it's also difficult.

I prefer to base threads on the current party composition. If the party splits (I know, I know), you make two threads. When it reunites, you make a new thread for all of them. It's far easier to follow, and separated characters don't interfere with each other.

I prefer to keep my treads in chapters and if the party splits off I will use a header.
It keeps continuity. But if I have a chapter where its only one character, then I'll make a separate tread for this character to avoid clogging up the main chapter tread.

I have a similar approach to runekyndig above. But I keep everything in the same thread with character separator headers. I found it is the easiest way for all players to follow the story timeline and keep up to speed.

Mind you, this is made easier by the fact that I prefer smaller groups of players (3 being my personal sweet spot).

Then I divide the story into chapters (threads) at significant times in the story. But everyone is always in the same chapter. Chapter division is helpful to keep the threads' page count low, it facilitates finding past info.

Does it, though? I've always had much better luck trying to find the thing / NPC / event / place name when I run the whole game in a single thread. Just click to list all the pages together (vastly faster after the recent changes) and then CTRL or COMMAND-F to search. Bob's your Uncle.

Did not even know you could do that! Never occurred to me to try and click on that "n/n" near the page count. Thanks for the tip!

Upvote. LoL, so much faster than adding one page at a time with <previous page>. Glad to learn something and wishing I had figured that out earlier.

Aye, works great.

And now back to your regularly scheduled broadcast, location-based threads!

You can do that, of course. But I find it easier to remember when something happened in a story through divided chapters. Of course, you need to name your chapters sensibly, not just a number. Then I have them 'indexed' using the Threads menu at the bottom of each forum page:

Nice! Clearly you have your email in folders, whereas mine is just one big stewpot… ;)