For short arcs? It really depends. They've got a definitive start and end, and they just run their course. For longer arcs?
I've been playing around with doing RP arcs structured like TV series'. Das Loot has gone through three seasons so far: The first was a fairly straightforward "find the loot before the others do" arc. The second involved some outlaw mages and their enemies. This third arc is the aftermath of their destruction. The TV series' structure lets me tie them together if I want, but it also provides a structure that makes it pretty easy for people to drop in and out. Drop ins? They're involved in an episode, and their character (usually an NPC that I give them) doesn't have a scope beyond that. Are they interested in playing more regularly? Then their character can work into the season. Do they want to be central? Then they're central to the season. And at the end of the season, they can move on or come back as they wish.
I've been playing around with doing RP arcs structured like TV series'. Das Loot has gone through three seasons so far: The first was a fairly straightforward "find the loot before the others do" arc. The second involved some outlaw mages and their enemies. This third arc is the aftermath of their destruction. The TV series' structure lets me tie them together if I want, but it also provides a structure that makes it pretty easy for people to drop in and out. Drop ins? They're involved in an episode, and their character (usually an NPC that I give them) doesn't have a scope beyond that. Are they interested in playing more regularly? Then their character can work into the season. Do they want to be central? Then they're central to the season. And at the end of the season, they can move on or come back as they wish.
