Short question. I run a regular online game via IRC. I'm a slow DM as it is but it's even slower online thanks to time delay between typing and reading and the lack of nonverbal communication. On top of that, the players are all veterans of third edition and I think they've basically seen it all by now. They're also sort of loath to take direction themselves, but I don't want to railroad them because that's taking control away from the players; frequently, the game involves them stumbling around not knowing where to go next and finding my somewhat-forced cues to be suspicious.
Okay, maybe not so short. Question is, what can be done to make the game interesting, exciting and faster paced? What do you DMs do in your games that make it go?
I'd need to know more of the problem, but here's two things I'd suggest. First, condense anything that isn't something the players can interact with. Describing things room by room and hall by hall can be death. Just give sweeping description to get from point A to point B--and make sure that what's at point B gives them a serious decision to make.
Second I would say to involve the characters into the story, weave their personal storylines into the adventure so they have a stake in it. If these guys have done lots of D&D they are probably going to need a load more than another dungeon with yet more treasure chests in it. Make the stories meaningful to them by making their stories the focus.
As for how to get them to make decisions, it's one of two things I'd imagine. Either they're used to the DM driving the story along and are waiting for you to do so, or it's possible they're unmotivated to go out looking for things to do in the world and just want to be plunked into the action. Both ways it seems they're used to the story having a relatively linear plot and they're used to having it handed to them.
My advice would be to have action find them. Don't center games around them going someplace in particular, waylay them with story as they just sit there. Have a theif slam into them on the way through a crowd, an unusual and interesting magical item skittering out of his hands into the midst of the players.
That sort of thing. It keeps the action level up and requires less arm barring.
Anyhow, like I said, I really need to know more before my advice is really worth much, but here's what I have so far.
Well, if you were gonna write a story or read the story from your game; what would be the plot; who would be the antagonists and what devices and methods do they apply. If you cannot answer these questions, then that is probably why your game is suffering. I believe a game needs to have lots of npc players; not to join and walk around with the party, but various factions that provide tension and have goals that interact with the party in various ways; the infighting with your npc's to complete goals can lead to some very interesting situation with your players. Player can be bribed, fought for, conscripted, bought, rented, borrowed and missled into following and bringing about the goals of the various factions. Depending on your players, they might enjoy figuring all this out only to find out that some bigger antogonist has been pulling all of their strings. Manipulation is always a more interesting and good for a mature audience of players who are a bit tired of a hack and slash type adventure; just make sure you keep enough of that in for balance.
I have like a bazillion adventure ideas and thread I could share with you, sometimes I feel like the Naigra Falls of adventure ideas; they just keep pouring out and I cant stop em and wouldnt want to.
Several of us have put adventure ideas in some of these threads; some quite long and extensive ie useful, am not sure how you would search for them, but they are there. Other than that, I agree with Grim, we need to know a lot more about your game to make suggestions.
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Both of the previous posters have had some really good advice. Thanks guys, I'll be applying some of that to my own game.
My advice, to help speed up your gameplay and get the players more involved, would be to get hooked up with a voice chat program. There are tons out there you can use: ventrilo, teamspeak, even yahoo has voice chat. Building tension or suspense in a game is much easier by voice. Reading about a tense situation is just not as nerve-wracking as having your DM use his "someone is about to die" voice and describing a bad guy or location.
Also are you players more for the hack and slash, or are they roleplayers at heart, or are they a mix of both. This would be something I would "sit down" with my players and talk about. Find out why they are so lethargic when it comes to the game. Find out what they want to see more of, or less of. If they are long time players then they should have no problems telling you exactly what they would like to see more of when it comes to game time.
The greatest advantage we have as DMs of table-top D&D is that we can weave a story specifically for our players. We can include their wants and desires into our story to make their characters feel like they are part of the world. Find out what they want for their characters, and make it happen. Cause without players there is no game.
Just my 2 cp worth. Hope it helps.
-DedmeetDM
Director of Sales
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All of the above suggestions are great. One more you can think about, however...
Try having all of the descriptions of your locations (i.e. the flavor text from a published adventure) ready beforehand in a text document. Then, when the characters come to a new area, you just have to copy-paste the description and they don't have to wait while you type.
cos
Can't use voice chat; some of the players are on dialup, and I recall from back in the Yahoo Chat days that if you can't see each other it's hard to speak without interrupting each other.
My players say they prefer an even balance between roleplaying and combat. Unfortunately, this gives me little indication on how to run the game. I find that online lends itself well to roleplay, sometimes to the extent that nobody really feels any drive or responsibility to further the quest.
I'm developing a rudimentary web-based miniatures board, to enhance combat (otherwise it's often just a matter of everyone rolling dice at monsters and nobody really knowing what's going on).
My game can be described straightforwardly as "I am running Age of Worms". We have a kobold sorcerer, a hobgoblin fighter, a human cleric/monk, a dwarven rogue, and a human ranged-type ranger.
You did the best thing possible in asking them what sort of compaign they wanted, now do the next best thing and ask them for their previous favorite adventure (wether you were DM or not doesn't matter) - then read that adventure and try to work out what they enjoyed about it.
... but I don't want to railroad them because that's taking control away from the players; frequently, the game involves them stumbling around not knowing where to go next and finding my somewhat-forced cues to be suspicious.
If players are 'stumbling' around then you need to railroad them; this doesn't neccesarily mean you take away their choices.
If you need them to explore the thieves guild then have the local council ask the players to 'explore'; if they don't then have the local thieves steal their equipement; if that doesn't work then have the local thieves kidnap one of PC's mothers!If that doesn't work then have the thieves kidnap them!! Now, instead of having to go INTO the thieves guild they have to escape OUT of the guild.
James