Hello.
I'm new to this format. I'm really itching to do some dark souls inspired stuff, but I'm not really sure how to run something plot-driven. Possibly with some light TTRPG elements. Does anyone have any advice or tips for me on how to run my own game?

Like writing a book, the only way to get good at it is to acknowledge that your first is going to suck, but to write it (run it) anyway. It's "like jumping off a cliff and building your wings on the way down," as hbomberguy puts it. The only way to learn——to truly learn——is to do. No amount of advice you receive here will ever even remotely prepare you for the real thing.


That said, a few tidbits of woefully inadequate, disjointed, but not entirely unsound advice which come to mind:

• Per Warren Spector (Deus Ex): "Players do the cool stuff. NPCs watch players do the cool stuff." Don't give any epic, exciting moment to yourself which could go to a player instead. DMPCs are——without a very deft hand——a trap.
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• Sandbox stories seem like the best of both worlds: you lessen your own workload while also offering the players greater control over the shape of the plot. But this only works with a confident group, willing to take risks and seize their own agency...a familiar and trusting friend group, in other words. Whereas in my experience, roleplayers in general, but especially P.U.G.s, would rather wait for others to post first to see what happens, test the waters, and make absolutely certain they won't upset anyone or disrupt anything; they gripe that they "don't know what to post"; they second-guess, hesitate, and generally fret about ruining someone else's plans. Mount this atop the general stresses of writing, editing, and proofreading The Perfect Post and it leads to collapse more oft than not. Sandbox games are a first-time GMing death sentence. Please just create a real plot.
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• Constraint breeds creativity. A "you can be anyone and do anything" design ethos sounds nice, but results in characters built to be baseline-competent at most things, useful in most situations, pertinent to most plots; thus, milquetoast. Players sacrifice some real texture in their writing when they're tasked with making a character who won't be left behind or rendered redundant or outright useless no matter the direction in which the story travels.
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• If you're unsure about an application, the sooner you address it the better. Know when to say "no" to someone who didn't understand the assignment. If (say) you know you want a dark, sinister tone for a setting filled with very real threats, being willing to say "no" to the lovable rogue joke character is absolutely critical. Letting that character into the cast will only lead to resentment when he seems like he's purposely "sabotaging" the tone/mood/atmosphere you're aiming for. Boundaries are good. Knowing what your game is, and what it isn't, and communicating that sooner than late to filter out the bad fits, is even better.
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• Have a target audience narrower than "literally all rpers on RPGuild." You want to alienate some people. The product that tries to appeal to everyone is inoffensive but ultimately flavorless.
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• Nobody wants to do homework, study, and take an entrance exam to join an RP. Save the epic lore for optional OOC hiders, or better yet, sprinkle it into your posts through tasteful, naturalistic exposition.
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• If you don't already, start reading. Read, read, read. And watch, and play, and read some more. The wider your literary/artistic exposure the more original and unique your own stories will turn out.
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• Don't trust anyone who says they've been "craving" what your thread is offering. Cravings are fleeting and momentary. Cravings are outgrown and lead to ghosting.
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• You're allowed to copy Matt Mercer until you discover your own style.
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• If you have stage fright IRL, GMing triggers the exact same neural pathways. It's terrifying putting yourself out there like that, especially for the first time. It's also electrifying, validating, vindicating, and utterly addictive.
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• If it turns out you're pretty good at this whole GMing thing, expect to become the Forever GM in your friend group when no one else wants to step up. There is no escape from this. Welcome to hell.

If it turns out you're pretty good at this whole GMing thing, expect to become the Forever GM in your friend group when no one else wants to step up. There is no escape from this. Welcome to hell.

That last part is incredibly accurate.

Hello.
I'm new to this format. I'm really itching to do some dark souls inspired stuff, but I'm not really sure how to run something plot-driven. Possibly with some light TTRPG elements. Does anyone have any advice or tips for me on how to run my own game?

I will add to what Tokyo had said.

Want RP but soulslike? Then... high five! You would like to be a simulationist GM, where actions have consequences, and the world is a living, breathing thing.

But it is risky, and you need to communicate this aspect of your RP clearly. Heck, I am this kind of GM; I mentioned my rules, yet people still miss the memo. People in casual RP want quick protagonism.

Plot-driven? Then Linearity is your friend. Not saying it can't be done in sandbox, but I feel most would find plot driven and sandbox counterintuitive.

@JFK Being good at the whole writing thing helps, but it’s not the most important bit. There are plenty of RPs that have hooked me despite the GM not being the best writer, just as I am seldom the best writer in any of my successful RPs. You’ll wear many hats as a GM, but your most important attributes will be your “charisma” and ability to adapt. The better you are at handling people and navigating setbacks, the better.

Reputation is an important thing to work on. Participating in other RPs and being a swell player improves your reputation. Players will be more likely to sign up for an RP if they know the GM has a reputation for sticking it out or has a personality/style they like. A GM that frequently flakes out of other projects will be remembered by future players, and possibly avoided. If you join an RP, try to stick with it as long as you can. If it’s not for you or something comes up, let everyone know in that group. There will be no hard feelings that way (probably), and when you host your own RP later, players will remember your courtesy. As a new joiner of the forum, some may see you as a flight risk. But this does not take long to change. Inversely, do not become so focused on your reputation that you stick around players or projects that you don’t like. Reputation has some variance, and different people will look at you in different lights. One group’s “writer with fantastic prose” is another group's “Writer with purple prose.” The basic idea is to not be a jerk and bring your best.

You mustn’t be afraid to talk to the players. The glue that holds an RP group together isn’t just the IC but the OOC as well. Don’t be afraid to comment on posts. People like to know their posts are being read, and even a single sentence response can mean the world to them. It doesn’t have to be a complement, in fact, it would be better if you just focused on the content of the post itself. Wonder out loud if two characters are going to meet up, or comment on how underhanded one character’s dirty trick was.

Try not to rely on any one player too much. Regardless of how much you like their character or feel they are reliable, you should always have a plan B if the unthinkable happens. I have seen RPs grind to a halt and die because the GM thought they would have their favorite players around forever. Life can be unexpected sometimes, but the show must go on. It’s one thing to have a side plot that involves one character drying up, but the RP itself should never totally rely on one player. As the GM, you are allowed to take control of absent characters.

Don’t take things too seriously. Nobody else is. You may love the RP and put a lot of sweat into getting the systems and plot just right, but it’s rare your efforts will be fully appreciated. Your players care more about how you make them feel than how good your systems or plot twists are.

On the topic of systems, be aware of what you’re implementing. The more rules you add to a game the less literary that game becomes. The ronin on a revenge quest will pawn his fallen master’s sword for the new one with +2 DMG. Players become less interested in the story and more interested in acquiring power and making numbers grow.

Attention wanes quickly in this hobby. If you’re fortunate enough to get the interest of ten players, expect eight to make characters and six to participate in the RP, and only four to make it past the two month mark. Assuming you do everything right. Keep things moving. If your RP has a weekly posting rotation and one of the players has some setbacks, don’t keep your other players waiting. Everyone should know the rules. Find a way to keep the struggling player in things while keeping the post rate up. But play it by ear. I once had a group of college students that were all taking tests at the same time and called for a multi-month hiatus so that they could finish their studies and ace their test. They were all appreciative of the wait and all of them came back to resume posting at the required pace. But I’ve been doing this for a long time, and I’ve only done that once. Again, talk to your players. You’ll get a feel for what everyone wants and needs.

There’s more I could say, but I think that’s good for some “quick tips.”

If you want some more Gming advice, I strongly recommend Dervish's Guide to GMing. It’s something I like to recommend to every aspiring GM and has loads of great advice. Doing is really where you learn though.