I just started GM'ing my first real campaign and in my work preparing I made up a map of the country (city locations, mountains, rivers, ect.). I introduced the party as new recruits into a guild and explained their party being together as being done by the guild. After being tested by the guild (the first little mission/job of my campaign) the party proceeded to inquire about jobs the guild can offer, and I am predicting that this is the only way they are really going to do. Unfortunately I currently have no idea what the main goal for the campaign is and was planning to build to it based on the parties actions through their travels but I am beginning to think that unless I can get them to travel around on their own and not just for a job from the guild they won't really experience much.
So my question is:
How can I get the party to explore and travel the country without just relying on guild jobs?
~Aod43254
Well first of all, what kind of guild is this? Why did the players join it? What do they want? Understanding their motivations is really important to getting players to go out into the world. So if the wizard is really interested in learning new arcane secrets, he might overhear discussions about discovery of an ancient library. He could then go to the party with the idea of exploring it. At the same time, the fighter's childhood rival could also be setting out for the library. The rogue hears rumors of ancient treasure hidden deep in it's underground stacks. The cleric learns that there might be ancient holy texts written by the gods themselves.
Now the whole party is insterested in this place, and will likely set out for it. Understanding and using character motivations is probably the best tool any dm can have for getting players up and moving.
Not everyone creates characters with motivations. You may have to fall back on greed to encourage PCs off the sofa. Have them hear of rumors of great wealth guarded by evil monsters. This appeals to the kill things and take their stuff crowd.
Another thing to remember (and I am STILL trying to get a handle on this after way too many years playing games) is that the players only experience the world through your descriptions and the hooks and leads you throw out. If the players themselves have been relying on the guild to give them direction at the outset of your campaign, then they will probably default to that way of thinking.
If you have no end goal in mind for the party it may be a good idea to plumb the PC's individual back stories for some ideas on how you can weave them together and give them something shiney just over that next hill to explore. This still puts some of the work on you as you tailor the campaign to the stories of the party, but it'll get them invested. After a few sessions of this you can reduce your "carrot dangling" bit by bit until they are coming up with plans and crazy schemes all on their own.
If the players don't want to create backstories for their characters, or if it is counterproductive then you may need to be prepared to take the reigns a bit more. By that I mean that you may have to at least identify something woeful and bad in the offing that they can attempt to thwart. The way they get to that end goal is something you can rely on them for but even giving them a mile marke sign of "230 Miles to Dallas" can give them fuel enough to build your story with you. All of a sudden they'll be saying stuff like "230 miles in this day and age? Geeze anyone got a horse?" and "hey why are we going to Dallas?" and "is there a faster way?"
Not everyone creates characters with motivations. You may have to fall back on greed to encourage PCs off the sofa. Have them hear of rumors of great wealth guarded by evil monsters. This appeals to the kill things and take their stuff crowd.
If they didnt create them intially, ask them. Send out a few emails or make a few phone calls about what their characters want. Greed is indeed a great fallback, but I have always found that more personal hooks work better with most players.
First off let me thank you all for the suggestions.
what kind of guild is this? Why did the players join it? What do they want?
I don't really know how to describe the guild but a major insperation for the whole guild were the guilds of the manga/anime "Fairy Tail". I am leaving the players reason's for joining the guild up to them which they will hopefully cover in their back stories. What they want has also gone uncovered so far but I am hoping they will have something on that by the next time we meet and if not I plan to bring it up and ask them to try and come up with something.
You may have to fall back on greed to encourage PCs off the sofa. Have them hear of rumors of great wealth guarded by evil monsters. This appeals to the kill things and take their stuff crowd.
I know this is a possibility but it is a route that I would rather do my best to avoid falling back, tho I know it is probably the best way to compel the party's rogue to do stuff.
If you have no end goal in mind for the party it may be a good idea to plumb the PC's individual back stories for some ideas on how you can weave them together and give them something shiney just over that next hill to explore. This still puts some of the work on you as you tailor the campaign to the stories of the party, but it'll get them invested. After a few sessions of this you can reduce your "carrot dangling" bit by bit until they are coming up with plans and crazy schemes all on their own.
I was actually somewhat planning to make the experiences based off of the PC's back stories. But unfortunately as of yet the closes thing to a back story any of them has is whats mentioned in the traits they took. But I am hoping they will have one soon since my becoming GM for the group was a little sudden and I'm not sure if all of the characters had been prepared beforehand.
~Aod43254
First off let me thank you all for the suggestions.
what kind of guild is this? Why did the players join it? What do they want?I don't really know how to describe the guild but a major insperation for the whole guild were the guilds of the manga/anime "Fairy Tail". I am leaving the players reason's for joining the guild up to them which they will hopefully cover in their back stories. What they want has also gone uncovered so far but I am hoping they will have something on that by the next time we meet and if not I plan to bring it up and ask them to try and come up with something.
~Aod43254
It doesnt have to be a short story. A few sentances about what the character wants to acheive with their adventuring career can be a massive help. That shouldnt take too much effort on their part.