I try to keep a good connection with all of my players. I get personal about you with your character. I want to know everything about them. Anytime a new detail of any changes in their lives you might want to have happen, run it by me. I can't/won't deny you your own personal experiences.
1. Correct form. When typing out your actions, I want you to do your best to display good grammar, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation. This is a story that is playing out. As it is read, I want it to be viewed as so...I also don't want myself or other players having to translate what you just said in order to continue. Obviously, there will be fumbles I won't smack down on you for slipping up, but if I feel you aren't TRYING, then I will approach you.
2. Complete attention. When we're having our scheduled sessions, I'd like you to try to remain active. Close other windows if you feel you aren't going to pay attention. We will be having mostly live sessions, but they will pan out throughout the week as well, probably.
3. Ideas. It is only my job as GM to make the frame of your adventure, and to be the referee of how it plays out. All-in-all, you as players control the story and what happens. So, I will every so often be demanding a quest idea or story arc from everybody. Also, any time you wish to SEE a certain story arc play out, LET...ME...KNOW. I will find a way to weave it in with other player's ideas as well. I also ask that you keep these ideas with me, and only me, unless it actually INVOLVES these other players. Try to use ideas from past experiences...maybe a rogue I had come after you once got away and you want him to come across a reason he tried to steal from you...things like that! And remember, the world is an abstract. I don't have preset things in preset places...When it comes up, it is put there, and that leaves you open to put new buildings or areas on the map as well, just so long as you don't try to foil my overall world. Don't like the way I'm taking a story? Think it's boring? TELL ME! I WANT TO KNOW! I'll find a way to make it more interesting, or I'll ask around with the other players to see what THEY think...
4. Stomp out metagaming and 4th walling. What is 'metagaming'? Metagaming is when a player tries to use out of game knowledge to better their own character. I.E. looking up the stats/weaknesses of monsters, trying to convey plans to players without saying it through your character, things like that. When it comes to the 4th wall, I more of ask that you do your best to not use "character-sheet" terms. Find different words to say as opposed to "I attack the goblin." say, "I whip my sword across the ground to take out the goblin's legs." or "I attempt to thrust my shortsword into the goblin's chest". Obviously, you aren't always going to have a creative way to say "hide"...but I don't want to see you saying. "I hide behind this, I hide behind that." I want to see more of..."I dip down under "this"." or..."I slide behind that." Just simple synonyms make me happy. And sure, occasionally throw a "hide" in there...I just don't want to only see the character sheet terms. Or you just plainly saying that you're doing that task. Be as descriptive as you feel the situation deserves. If you're in a forest trying to get behind tree after tree, I'm not going to demand a new word for each tree...or even demand you necessarily play out each individual tree. In fact, I don't really want/need to see a paragraph long post with each and every turn. However, a nice read for a daunting situation is always drool-worthy. Descriptions are nice, I want to be able to take everything posted in here, and collaborate it into a book without a person reading and knowing it was a d20 campaign.
I was considering throwing this stuff in with my pet peeves,for some reason, I felt this deserved it's own separate post.
