Hey everyone! Lately I've been intrigued by play by post games. Is there a place where I can read more about how it works, exactly? Are there a few SW pbp games that are considered the best on the block (either here or otherwise) that I could look to as some good examples of pbp done well?
I'm basically trying to figure out best practices, cadence, etc. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks!
There are a number of PbP games in the AoR section of these forums.
They generally have an “In-Character” or “IC” thread, where everything said or done is assumed to be in-character. They generally also have an “Out-of-character” or “OOC” thread, where the players and GM talk about things, but none of what goes on there is assumed to be in-character.
I would suggest checking them out to see what they do and how they do it. If you’ve got questions, you could send a private message to the GM and see if it would be okay to post those questions in the OOC thread, or at least send them to him/her privately. At the very least, you should be able to read the posts and try to get an idea of how things are done.
I know there are plenty of other places where PbP games are hosted, but I don’t know anything more about them than that. Maybe one of the others on this forum can help there.
Rpol.net is a pbp host site that has an Edge die roller, and quite a few FFG SW games running
The Force and Destiny forum also has several going currently. Honestly, there is no real wrong way to play a pbp. And there really isn't a single right way. Much like table top gaming it's more about the groove of the group. Some groups like big long post filled with back histories on the thought and action itself. Others like to keep it simple. It's going to vary based on player(s) and GM(s). So read some of the threads to get an idea of what goes on and then dive into a new game that is looking for players.
Bradknowles has the basics covered pretty well. There are several good examples of PbP Star Wars game on roleplayinggames.net, a board dedicated to online play.
A couple of good examples include the Tempest Feud and A Handful of Dust. A couple of recently started games on the site that are off to a good start include Friends Like These and The Clone Wars.
What all of those games have in common is that the GMs take the time to really describe any situation well, set the scene for encounters and resolve issues brought up in a speedy manner. The players then take the time to write detailed posts that are not just limited to describing the actions of the characters, but also giving details about what they see in a given scene as they take action. They also give the other players an insight into the personality of the character with the posts. Why is the character in a foul mood? What does he/she really think is happening? What is his state of mind? What is he/she planning to do and why?
This added detail is what really makes a good PbP game, in my opinion of course. Compare the following:
Theris runs towards his friends. Once he arrives, he surveys the situation and prepares to fire.
And:
Theris cocked his head at the blaster fire, taking barely a second to register it for what it was. He was off and running even before Amara called out. The sergeant had considered their job the dangerous one; the thought that Falos, Gabbera, and Anata - and, to an admittedly lesser degree, Lowwarr - were in some sort of firefight pushed Theris down the pavement at a breakneck speed.The going was tough: the streets were poorly kept, tangling his steps with refuse and rubble, and the smoke from the burning victims choked his lungs. By the time he'd rounded to corner to get eyes on the Fallen Warrior, his eyes were on fire and his breath was coming in ragged, painful rasps. Heedlessly, he almost tripped over his own feet as he forced his exhausted body past the corner, and had made it part way down the street to the cantina before he even took in the scene playing out across the way.Amara, who had overtaken him somewhere a few streets back, was huddled in cover, eyes worried. Further away, the corpse of some unknown Human was sprawled next to - No! - what looked like Anata, lying unmoving on the ground. The sight caught his breath in his throat; uneven and laborious as it already was, it draw a cough or two from the winded sergeant. But, eyes used to assessing and cataloging carnage, Theris only lingered on Anata and the pool of blood forming under her for a few moments before registering Falos kneeling next to the downed Togruta, medkit already on the ground.If the Mon Cal was taking the effort to treat her, Theris knew, Anata was alive. But that he was doing so now, while combat still raged meters away, meant that the damage was bad, the need for attention immediate. A second wave of adrenaline hit the Rebel, setting the nerves in his arms on fire as his instincts told him to bring his rifle to bear, to pull the trigger. Years of training helped him squash the urge, and he resumed his scan.A little ways away, Gabbera was struggling to his feet behind Lowwarr, who was standing - bloodied and angry - between the Klatooinian and another Human who looked somehow as angry as the Wookie. Disoriented and regrouping, two more Humans were but a few paces distant from the Wookie, and Theris knew they could break either way - towards Falos, the easier target, or Lowwarr, who presented a larger overall threat.Theris, Jarrick, and Amara had avoided the Fallen Warrior to escape any potential trouble for being Human, fearing backlash for anti-Alien sentiment. Looking at the scene before them, it seemed the opposite was the case. They needed to intervene, and fast.
The latter might be too much for some. It is certainly a detailed post. The point is, it keeps the story flowing and makes the game fun.
Was that perhaps a bit more detailed answer than what you had in mind Aurin? 
I've just stumbled over a relatively new PBP site - http://gamersplane.com
It's a site purpose built for PBP games, has built in character sheet support for a load of systems (FFG Star Wars included) and also built in dice rollers for posting (also for FFG's Star Wars) - one of the guys on the site compiled a new players guide which you can see here http://gamersplane.com/forums/thread/2656/
Thanks everyone. I've done some poking around - very impressive stuff! A few follow-up questions:
- How is the OOC thread used? Is it just for chatting along side the game? Or is it where does the rolling and typical mechanics questions happen?
- What is the normal rule for advancing a scene? Is the expectation that everyone posts in order and then repeat?
- What's the right number for posts / week?
- Any views on optimal # of players?
- How is the OOC thread used? Is it just for chatting along side the game? Or is it where does the rolling and typical mechanics questions happen?
What I’ve seen is that this thread is where players talk to each other and the GM about what they’re planning on doing or what they want to do, post rolls, etc…. Basically, most everything you would do at a gaming table, except the actual description of what your character is doing and saying.
But I think different groups do things a bit differently. Some might prefer to have the rolls in the IC thread and not the OOC thread. And there might be other differences, too.
- What is the normal rule for advancing a scene? Is the expectation that everyone posts in order and then repeat?
I think this varies with the group. Some PbP games tend to be more rigid, in that there is a scene change every week on the same day and at the same time, while others are much more fluid.
In a lot of ways, I think you can handle this much like you would a game that is played in person — if you’re the GM and you think there’s too much chatter going on and not enough action, then *BOOM* drop something into the middle of the group and force them to do something.
And if you’re a player and you want to try to move things along, a lot of the same things that you would do at the game table would probably also work in a PbP game — But instead of getting immediate feedback, it might take a day or two.
- What's the right number for posts / week?
Depends on the group.
- Any views on optimal # of players?
In my experience, for the Star Wars Roleplaying Game by FFG, the optimal group size is about four to five players. You can do fine with the right group and just three players or as many as six players, but things get considerably harder with each player you add over the sixth. Things also get much harder when you have less than three players.
However, I think you might be able to handle somewhat larger groups in a PbP format. But again, I think this would be highly dependent on the group of people involved.
Stuff
I was going to leave words here, but then kymrel hopped in and said all my words before I could. So, there's that. A+, kymrel. 
Also: hey, look, you used my character! I feel honored. 
Thanks! One other question I forgot to ask ->
What does the time commitment look like from a player's perspective and a GM's perspective? I understand that the frequency is different from group to group but would love to understand at least the guide posts...
Thanks! One other question I forgot to ask ->
What does the time commitment look like from a player's perspective and a GM's perspective? I understand that the frequency is different from group to group but would love to understand at least the guide posts...
Again, it depends on the group.
Some groups require that you be able to post at least once a week, others require that you be able to respond within a 24-hour or 48-hour period, etc….
Basically, the GM running the game decides what rules he wants to use, based on past experience with PbP games in general and how he wants this PbP game to go. Then, if the players want to make any suggestions as to changes that they think will enhance the game, it’s up to them to do so. Some GMs would welcome those kinds of suggestions, others less so.
So, basically the answer to most any of your questions in this space is “it depends”. 
Bradknowles is very much correct. It depends on the GM and the parameters he sets. I feel it is beneficial to highlight the expectations in the beginning, to tell the players how frequently the GM wants them to post. It could be one post per week for a slow game. Two posts per week is pretty common. Some want posts every 48 or even 24 hours. The key is to know what is expected at the onset.