Hi, I was wondering if the thousands of people out there could give me a few tips. In my game, several of the players aren't focusing on the game, and when they do they don't take it seriously. In the end I wan't the game to be fun for everybody but I also wan't people to take the game seriously. Any and all advice is greatly appreciated. Thank you.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Without understanding why they aren't focusing, it is probably impossible to give a good answer. The reasons for it are integral to the solutions.
I will say though that some people (and I lean this way myself to some degree) view gaming as more a chance for a social gathering than an exercise in tactics or a chance to immerse themselves in a fantasy personal. For them the gaming is the excuse for the gathering more than an end in and of itself. They will be distracted, talk about other things, make jokes and generally focus on things outside of the game. If that is the problem you are facing, and you really want an immersive role-play and/or tactical combat game then probably you have a bad mix of players for what you want. The only solution that I have ever seen is for this is to not play with those that don't fit your play style, or relax and realize that even if it isn't perfect, you are still having fun and can enjoy the less focused game.
Sorry Calvin, but we're gonna need more of what is happening.
A: How are you running the game.
B: Personalities of your players.
C: Specifics on the Campaign.
D: Are you having fun? The Players?
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Also:
Mobile Devices: Y/N?
'War Stories': Y/N/Situational?
Table respect for GM: Y/N?
Everyone well rested: Y/N?
The above are the things I've noticed somewhat derailing a couple of home game sessions in my group. We've managed to crack down on all of them, in part by realizing that by remaining focused as a group we get through the adventure a lot faster...
Like the others before me, more information is required.
However, there are a few points for me to touch on:
*did you have a pre - campaign meeting? Some people call this "session 0." It's a good use of tine to verify the social contracts inherent in the following sessions.
It's important to outline what conduct is appropriate or expected, and what isn't.
* Everyone plays for different reasons. I've seen every possible reason for people to come to the table over my 20 years of playing. Some people come for the dice chucking. Some for the storytelling. Some for the social element. Some people come because their spouse comes; or to escape their spouse and kids for a while. I've seen people play because they were trying to hook up with the other players. I've even seen people who just come to mooch pizza & beer.
If you have a good handle on why people come to your table, it will help you build proper expectations. It's possible that someone with very different reasons for coming might be a detriment for the rest of your group. (Notice I didn't say *wrong* reasons; there are no right or wrong reasons to play, just incompatible ones.)
Sorry Calvin, but we're gonna need more of what is happening.
A: How are you running the game.
B: Personalities of your players.
C: Specifics on the Campaign.
D: Are you having fun? The Players?
I am currently running the game in a way where they should be able to have fun by diving into the narrative. They tend to be brash and always play general stereotypes. As for usual personalities, they are generally pretty brash and crash when it comes to these things. The players seem to enjoy themselves for the most part, but some of them really want the table to calm down. I was having fun but slowly the lackadaisical attitude toward the game has slowly worn me down.
I am currently running the game in a way where they should be able to have fun by diving into the narrative. They tend to be brash and always play general stereotypes. As for usual personalities, they are generally pretty brash and crash when it comes to these things. The players seem to enjoy themselves for the most part, but some of them really want the table to calm down. I was having fun but slowly the lackadaisical attitude toward the game has slowly worn me down.
So correct me if I'm wrong here but... you're trying to do a narrative story for a group of murderhobos? Of course they're being unfocused.
Sounds like a tonal mismatch. The players wan't to play a lighthearted romp, while you the GM wan't to play a serious gritty story. A silly campaign with a silly story can be every bit as engaging. Example, the BBEG could be a childhood TV character. It's humorous, but the players can easily recognize what is what. They notice it, have a laugh. Then they start dropping and then they get concerned. But since it is a silly campaign, they try to do creative things like try riding Thomas the Tank Engine, and disabling him by pulling his breaks. Let them do this. Laughs are had and everyone is engaged with the game.
I have in the past had 'problem' players who just get distracted easily and start extra-game conversations. This is easily rectified by telling the player to roll a perception check, addressing them directly. If they fail, tell them they don't see it. If the roll high, tell them, and them specifically, that they notice something interesting about the room or enemy. Either way, addressing the directly commands and regains their attention. This is a good solution when it's just one player, if it is the whole group then adjust to the group's speed.
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I have a private of group of players which are pranksters, jokers, brash occasionally and always choose poor to average decisions. A similar group as yours perhaps? Thankfully, they have a single player to guide them with good logical and deductive skills, otherwise it might be hard to GM for them.
Players have a high tendency (well, at least those that I have met thus far), to not use even 50% of their brainpower. A lot of people come at session tired from their personal or business lives and expect just to have fun. I am not saying that there is anything wrong about that, but it tends to put some dose of mental stress on GM occasionally. At that point, have a talk with them and explain them what you expect from them. Be polite, kind and nice. If necessary, remind them several or more times about and if that doesn't work...
In general, you have two options left. Change your mindset and gaming style or change your players gaming style to suit yours. Whichever option you choose, make sure to stick with it. If you loosen up too much, you'll be at the same situation again.
That's some general advice, but I am not sure how serious your situation is so perhaps there are even better ways to approach it.
Adam
I wake up at 130AM to play with an international group on given game nights (via online means)
We make sure we have proper levels of caffeine, something to nibble on, and much like the rest of the players and the GM we have regularly scheduled 'bio' break times and 'pauses' to let us remain on-task for the action and not 'burn out' trying to 'push through'.
We also do (for lack of a better term) 'wellness' checks if someone starts getting really quiet. Typically, someone getting quiet is someone not having fun. By addressing the 'not fun' and getting it out into the open, we can move forward as a group.
This is how our group works, and mileage WILL vary for other ones.... but mobility is kind of important, regular break periods as well, and making sure that life necessities are addressed.
In addition, let your players know you NEED their involvement and 'buy-in'.
Sometimes players take whatever is handed to them (almost akin to high school or college students in a classroom) and don't have any feedback or interaction with the material.
RPGs are a collaborative effort, not an antagonistic one. Tell the story, get your players to the story, and if it takes giving them some of the breadcrumbs so they look for the other ones to the BBEG's house... well, do it.
Hiding a story is neat sometimes for a GM, but if it is so well hidden that the players can't even fathom it, it's a net loss of creativity and energy...
To add to the great advice above, I will say that I have had similar situations in my 20 years as a DM/GM. Some tactics I employ are:
1: Have the group discuss and agree on certain table rules during Session 0, such as no social media, no texting, video games, etc.
2: Elect a "helper player" that will assist with keeping everyone on target, usually a veteran, or someone who is very into the game.
3: I use music. When out of game conversations spark up, I slowly turn up the volume little by little. After a bit, players will note the extra effort it takes to speak over me and my stereo and return focus to the game. I recommend Syrinscape for ambiance and the music of Two Steps from Hell for battles.
4: During battles, I stand and become louder and more animated. I encourage players to plan their next moves during other players' turns, and politely hurry them with kindly encouragement if I sense a player is wracked with choice paralysis.
There are many more tricks you can pull, these are only a few.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I mean this is the most constructive way possible but I must say that if your game is as descriptive, engaging and responsive as your participation in this thread has been, I can totally see why you are having difficulties. You need to be far more forthcoming when answering questions if you would like our assistance or to run a successful RPG. You've given us next to nothing to work with in response to fairly specific questions. I suspect your players are likely bored out their minds and/or have no idea what is going on in the narrative due to your reticence so they are acting silly and recklessly out of frustration. That is unless there is a language barrier or something restricting you in this medium...if you are much more verbose at the table, I apologize for jumping to conclusions.
I mean this is the most constructive way possible but I must say that if your game is as descriptive, engaging and responsive as your participation in this thread has been, I can totally see why you are having difficulties. You need to be far more forthcoming when answering questions if you would like our assistance or to run a successful RPG. You've given us next to nothing to work with in response to fairly specific questions. I suspect your players are likely bored out their minds and/or have no idea what is going on in the narrative due to your reticence so they are acting silly and recklessly out of frustration. That is unless there is a language barrier or something restricting you in this medium...if you are much more verbose at the table, I apologize for jumping to conclusions.
I am sorry I have not been able to check this in a bit, I have been extremely busy. If you have specific questions I will be happy to answer them when I can, but thank you for bringing this up. I want to thank everybody for the advice, and I am sorry for not being very active. I do try to be very verbal at the table, but sometimes I literally can't talk over them. I try to be specific and descriptive at the table, but maybe I can use work on that. Thank you for the feedback.
On a similar note, what do you do about the player who won't get out of her phone?
While effective, id also like to have her stay my friend afterwards too
I'd talk to the friend outside of game time and ask if they're actually interested in playing. "I've noticed that you spend a lot of time on your phone. Is there something we can do to make the game more engaging for you?"
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
A tactic I like to use is nominating a player to be the initiative tracker for the table, and who better than the cell phone addict? Giving them more to be responsible for may help direct their focus away from their electronic devices.
Second vote here for smash the cell phone!
A tactic I like to use is nominating a player to be the initiative tracker for the table, and who better than the cell phone addict? Giving them more to be responsible for may help direct their focus away from their electronic devices.While that may be an effective way to deal with childish behavior, I would think at a table of adults we can expect people to behave like adults. Rather than pandering to rude people, those rude people really need to understand what is and isn't acceptable behavior. If they can't at least have the courtesy to pay attention when playing a game at a table full of friends, I fail to see the point of bending over backwards to keep their interest. Tell them once and give them the chance to shape up. If they can't do that, let them go because clearly gaming is not their thing and constantly trying to pull their interest into something they aren't interested in will only end in frustration.
I often find Goat Lord's trick works in situations with adults. I don't see it as a solution for children - it's a diplomatic way of solving a problem that might actually increase the phone-user's enjoyment as well. It's pretty standard in work situations to shift responsibility around as a way of keeping people happy, challenged and involved. Why not apply it to games too?
Another consideration is how big the party is. I won't run more than four players in a group - any more tends to drag down combat (especially if there are NPC's), makes it harder to write for individual players and make sure everyone has something to do and makes it all the more likely that someone will be late, have to leave early, cancel last minute, etc.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
It's always a good idea to start each session with a quick reminder of the table rules and etiquette. I remind players to pay attention to their place in initiative, to keep the distractions and talking to a minimum and, since we play in our local shop, to keep the shouting and laughing to a dull roar to be courteous to the more staid group of 5e players that share the room with us.
If there were problems at the previous session or rules clarifications that needed to be discussed, I will go over those at that time. It's a good way to get everyone going in the right direction to keep the game moving and no one is singled out.
Honestly, if your group uses their phones during the game (for non-game activities) or constantly interrupts your descriptions with talking, then you need to find a better group. Don't be afraid to let them go and take some time to find another set of players locally or online.
On a similar note, what do you do about the player who won't get out of her phone?
Is she a poltergeist?!?!? :o
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
As a GM, I had reached a point where I wanted to hammer my players into the shape I desired...
Then I realized my role.
I was there to create a fun time for them. I adopted their outlook, and the game got silly.
Then totally off the wall insane. They got shrunk down to three inches tall (this was in a futuristic/cyberpunk game) by a platinum dragon/god they had met.
They spent the next two sessions planning a heist. To break into a convenience store and steal a single chocolate bar.
It was the most fun we had had in months, and was in NO WAY related to my original storyline.
Cater to your players. Over time, they will learn to respect you as a GM and will become more compliant.
Running the story THEY want isn't a sign of weakness, it shows how flexible YOU can be as a GM.
Talk to them honestly about your wishes at the start of the campaign, tell them you want to play a gritty/realistic/horror/whatever kind of game and ask them nicely to cooperate.
Just try to have fun. Maybe put your current ideas for the campaign on the backburner, develop them in your own time and use them in a later game.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
As a GM, I had reached a point where I wanted to hammer my players into the shape I desired...
Then I realized my role.
I was there to create a fun time for them. I adopted their outlook, and the game got silly.
Then totally off the wall insane. They got shrunk down to three inches tall (this was in a futuristic/cyberpunk game) by a platinum dragon/god they had met.
They spent the next two sessions planning a heist. To break into a convenience store and steal a single chocolate bar.
It was the most fun we had had in months, and was in NO WAY related to my original storyline.
Cater to your players. Over time, they will learn to respect you as a GM and will become more compliant.
Running the story THEY want isn't a sign of weakness, it shows how flexible YOU can be as a GM.
Talk to them honestly about your wishes at the start of the campaign, tell them you want to play a gritty/realistic/horror/whatever kind of game and ask them nicely to cooperate.
Just try to have fun. Maybe put your current ideas for the campaign on the backburner, develop them in your own time and use them in a later game.
Taking a slightly contrasting view, you do significantly more work on these campaigns than they do and you have every right to enjoy the game as well. When a player sits down at a table he is implicitly agreeing, at the very least, to respect your efforts and your vision for the game. If they don't like the kind of games you run, they are under no obligation to play at your table. Conversely, if the group as a whole seems to prefer a style of play that isn't to your liking or doesn't represent fun for you, you are under no obligation to toil away solely for their amusement. I don't want to suggest you (or they) should be in conflict with each other or should play the hard-ass, merely saying that if you and they aren't on the same page, someone isn't going to have fun and if someone isn't having fun eventually no one will be. I have learned that there are lots and lots of ways to have fun, that my way isn't the 'right' way, and as a result I have become very, very selective when it comes to whom I'll play with or run a game for. Why spend all your time trying to roll a boulder uphill?
In the spirit of what alexd1976 was saying, I agree that it is certainly a good idea to keep an open mind; you might discover aspects of role-play you hadn't realized you would enjoy. I just want to make the point that you don't work for them, that you have an equal right to enjoy yourself at the table, as much if not moreso considering the work you put in, and you are under no obligation to run a game for people who do not or will not respect those efforts.
Lots of great advice, and I'll have to maybe try sone of them. However, it's not just my campaign. Our group does 2-3 weeks where I DM skull and shackles, 3 weeks we do a more traditional dungeon crawl. She zones out in the other run too (and her husband is the DM). Normally I'd not interfere, but she tends to slow things down sometimes and sits next to me. So my question would be what do you so about a fellow player? The DM knitted she zones out. Should I talk to him first or her?
Though admittedly, it has lead to the fantastic moment of the party meeting an NPC ally (Pierce Jerrell) and ultimately attacking him. When the ninja turned down his advances, he made a move on the catfolk rogue. When the bar broke out into a fight, he hasted the party and jumped into the fray. By the time it gets to her, she says she's going to "swing on the chandelier and bull rush... that guy," and points to her new ally. Which led to the hilariousness of him grappling her, then taking her failed attempts to break it as foreplay. Was fantastic
Lots of great advice, and I'll have to maybe try sone of them. However, it's not just my campaign. Our group does 2-3 weeks where I DM skull and shackles, 3 weeks we do a more traditional dungeon crawl. She zones out in the other run too (and her husband is the DM). Normally I'd not interfere, but she tends to slow things down sometimes and sits next to me. So my question would be what do you so about a fellow player? The DM knitted she zones out. Should I talk to him first or her?
Though admittedly, it has lead to the fantastic moment of the party meeting an NPC ally (Pierce Jerrell) and ultimately attacking him. When the ninja turned down his advances, he made a move on the catfolk rogue. When the bar broke out into a fight, he hasted the party and jumped into the fray. By the time it gets to her, she says she's going to "swing on the chandelier and bull rush... that guy," and points to her new ally. Which led to the hilariousness of him grappling her, then taking her failed attempts to break it as foreplay. Was fantastic
There you go, roll with the punches.
Having a quick talk with the player obviously is a good idea, just keep it polite and friendly. Express your concerns, don't criticize her style.
It's about your reaction to a situation, not laying blame.
Taking a slightly contrasting view, you do significantly more work on these campaigns than they do and you have every right to enjoy the game as well. When a player sits down at a table he is implicitly agreeing, at the very least, to respect your efforts and your vision for the game. If they don't like the kind of games you run, they are under no obligation to play at your table. Conversely, if the group as a whole seems to prefer a style of play that isn't to your liking or doesn't represent fun for you, you are under no obligation to toil away solely for their amusement. I don't want to suggest you (or they) should be in conflict with each other or should play the hard-ass, merely saying that if you and they aren't on the same page, someone isn't going to have fun and if someone isn't having fun eventually no one will be. I have learned that there are...As a GM, I had reached a point where I wanted to hammer my players into the shape I desired...
Then I realized my role.
I was there to create a fun time for them. I adopted their outlook, and the game got silly.
Then totally off the wall insane. They got shrunk down to three inches tall (this was in a futuristic/cyberpunk game) by a platinum dragon/god they had met.
They spent the next two sessions planning a heist. To break into a convenience store and steal a single chocolate bar.
It was the most fun we had had in months, and was in NO WAY related to my original storyline.
Cater to your players. Over time, they will learn to respect you as a GM and will become more compliant.
Running the story THEY want isn't a sign of weakness, it shows how flexible YOU can be as a GM.
Talk to them honestly about your wishes at the start of the campaign, tell them you want to play a gritty/realistic/horror/whatever kind of game and ask them nicely to cooperate.
Just try to have fun. Maybe put your current ideas for the campaign on the backburner, develop them in your own time and use them in a later game.
Thank you for showing me the two different sides of this argument. Unfortunately, I kind of can't put any of my ideas on the back burner right now, but I will try to incorporate that type of thinking in the future. Also thank you for the other side where I have done alot of work on the campaign. I will try to use both sets of thinking in the future to try to appeal to my players while having fun myself.
One of my gaming groups is serious, my other gaming group cannot go more than a couple minutes (if that) without derailing everything by making a ribald joke. Both are fun.
Different people, different expectations. Make sure the people in your group have the same expectations and if not discuss the expectations and reach a consensus.