Forgive me please I have a hard time getting out what is in my skull on paper.
my main question is how do you keep a serious Atmosphere when you are gMing? fun is okay but there times I want my players to focus and feel the palpable danger int he air.
Background: I am running Iron gods after about 4 years away from TRPG. I want my characters to have fun and it is okay to be a little silly but I am having a hard time Balancing the "fun" factor with the Serious factor.
I spend a lot of time making custom sound effects Printing out giant maps and practicing what is going to happen. In my head it always seems so badsass and serious but within about 45 minutes in it turns to a bunch of good friends joking and being kind of silly, which I like to an extent...
there is no wrong or right to do this that is my motto for RPG
but maybe some advice on how to ton-down the " the sheriff is missing a testicle lets all focus on that for 20 minutes"
they asked me if the sheriff had any kids and why he was so grumpy I didn't expect it so I said he had a logging accident and couldn't have kids. it devolved into a in depth discussion of his particular injury that I was making up on the fly.
because my players are all new I ran the falcons hollow module as a tutorial
I don't want to limit the players in anyway shape or form. but I want to make sure the gravity of the situation is felt ie... you get to explore a sweet buried space ship!!!!!!
one of the best and most serious DM's I ever played with had me do the weight of all the gold and every item we carried I don't want to go to that length and bog down the game.
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Maybe channel your best Clint Eastwood, get in the face of the nearest offender, and gravel-voice, "Any particular reason we're talking about my nards?", with implied or rolled Intimidate check.
Essentially, try to establish that while the players might not take the NPCs seriously, the NPCs take themselves seriously, and the PCs either will, or the NPCs will take THAT seriously.
When that message has been delivered, consider trying to burn off the pressure... "Three minutes for nut jokes, GO!"
From my past experience at a table where something similar occurred, there are the main things that could contribute to it (I am not at your table, and I don't know the people, so I am making generalities).
1) The players don't want a serious game. The people making the jokes/acting up are having fun doing that, and they are playing the game the way they want to. There's also the possibility they are playing the game the way they *expect* others want them to play. My advice if you think either of these are the reason, before the game starts tell the players that you want this to be a more serious game, tone down on the silliness. If the players wanted the silliness, this could be an issue.
2) The setting/GM is playing things silly. I really don't think this is a factor in your game, but it was in the game I was part of.
From my past experience at a table where something similar occurred, there are the main things that could contribute to it (I am not at your table, and I don't know the people, so I am making generalities).
1) The players don't want a serious game. The people making the jokes/acting up are having fun doing that, and they are playing the game the way they want to. There's also the possibility they are playing the game the way they *expect* others want them to play. My advice if you think either of these are the reason, before the game starts tell the players that you want this to be a more serious game, tone down on the silliness. If the players wanted the silliness, this could be an issue.
2) The setting/GM is playing things silly. I really don't think this is a factor in your game, but it was in the game I was part of.
I am guilty of both probably I just need to have a serious time and joking time and be clear when we are doing either.
can you walk me through the Mechanics of being flippant to NPCS? ie Intimidate fails diplomacy fails ect..
ie what are the in game consequences? i have a few characters that try to smooth things over with his High Diplomacy.
I think the answer here is that your players seem to enjoy a lighthearted game, let them have it. Don't try to change it.
I think you're issues is you feel like you're putting in a lot of effort and not getting what you want (which is a more serious game).
The only advice I can offer is to change your expectations. If it will make you feel better, don't put in as much effort if you don't think it will make a difference to players.
I think the answer here is that your players seem to enjoy a lighthearted game, let them have it. Don't try to change it.
I think you're issues is you feel like you're putting in a lot of effort and not getting what you want (which is a more serious game).
The only advice I can offer is to change your expectations. If it will make you feel better, don't put in as much effort if you don't think it will make a difference to players.
Agreed I am flexible I just want every one to have fun and fight robots.
I would suggest you be serious when the mood calls for it, and enjoy the jovial atmosphere when it's merited. I will back up my serious NPC conversations/mannerisms (acting!) with an OOC "(s)he looks really upset/pissed/scared/whatever" if the players are being silly when the mood of the encounter clearly calls for something else. I have good players so they get it and typically change their characters' demeanor.
Sometimes I just let the jovial mood pass (let them get it out of their system so to speak) and then bring them back to the scenario at hand. If the silliness gets out of hand I have been known to step in and curtail it to get them back on task. That can be a mood killer, though, so I try not to use it. Generally just letting them goof off for 5-10 minutes will be enough, and then you step back into the game and go on about the adventure. Good luck!
No mention of PFS in OP.
For starters, you are trying to get players to get deeply involved in a module. You seem to be willing to put a lot of work into the game. Does this include serious rewriting? Have you killed off the writer's Darlings and replaced them with characters and situations that might actually resonate with your players? First Darling to go should have been Sheriff Honglow. Make him gone, or make him a villain, like the Sheriff in Unforgiven. Having him cripple and whip a rival adventurer out of town as an introduction might change the mood. At the very least, all your changes are your things. A prewritten NPC that doesn't resonate with you as a GM has no real chance with your players.
It's the people, and not being invested in the story. The easier it is to figure out what to do and the more exciting the story the more focus I've seen players give.
maybe try running a few PFS scenarios with them. Not as PFS, but just for fun. Those are more structured and might help the players realize how to play the game being focused on the game.
Now there are people that wont be focused ever.
can you walk me through the Mechanics of being flippant to NPCS? ie Intimidate fails diplomacy fails ect..ie what are the in game consequences? i have a few characters that try to smooth things over with his High Diplomacy.
I hope none of my players are reading this....
....when they are "joking" and I want to get things going again, and they are in presence of an NPC, I just play it straight. When they try to fix things (Intimidate/Diplomacy), I have a simple set of DCs in my head, in general:
Diplomacy
PCs did what? vs DC
Minor Misspeak DC 10
Major Misspeak DC 15
Minor insult DC 20
Major Insult DC 25 to 40, depending
Or I just do diplomacy Vs Sense Motive (does the NPC realize the PC realized they messed up and they have the advantage)....etc.
For intimidate it's similar, again VS sense motive ("You joked about my infertility and NOW you're trying to threaten me? Things aren't going to well for you...").
As for in-game consequences, I just imagine being the NPC, and it's the real world. Someone said/treated me the way the PCs did. What would I do?
Walk away and not talk to then again?
Insult them back?
Let them know they aren't welcome here?
No longer offer my services?
Offer my services at 10x the usual rate, and let everyone in the town know the party are full of jerks?
Be suspicious?
Make the person feel real. Think if you and three friends came to a small town, met the local sheriff, and insulted them to their face. What do you expect would happen?
Now there are people that wont be focused ever.
This too, 100x. In the one game I alluded to before there was one player whose every line had to be a joke, every act had to be funny, the more absurd and immature the better. No one else goaded him on, but that's what he did because that's what he liked doing *shrug*.
Interrupt.
Seriously. When I DM, I've had similar things happen. To a degree, as long as people are having fun, that's good. But I'm at the table too, and I've spent time prepping to run the adventure, so at some point it's time to back-burner the one-nut jokes and move the story on (to the next fun/funny thing).
So I interrupt.
Let some joking happen, but after a minute or so has gone by, just say "okay, good point, funny, but let's try and keep things moving... there's some good stuff coming up that we can get to..." Politely bring things back to the game. If the players resist and won't play ball (or indeed Pathfinder), just wait them out and eventually discuss that maybe you should all be playing cards or something.
Interrupt.
Seriously. When I DM, I've had similar things happen. To a degree, as long as people are having fun, that's good. But I'm at the table too, and I've spent time prepping to run the adventure, so at some point it's time to back-burner the one-nut jokes and move the story on (to the next fun/funny thing).
So I interrupt.
Let some joking happen, but after a minute or so has gone by, just say "okay, good point, funny, but let's try and keep things moving... there's some good stuff coming up that we can get to..." Politely bring things back to the game. If the players resist and won't play ball (or indeed Pathfinder), just wait them out and eventually discuss that maybe you should all be playing cards or something.
This helps thanks guys. looking Forward to tonight.
This is definitely a thing based on your players.
If you really want that to change you'd need to replace the least serious members.
Some people just don't get invested in the game the same as others do, or they get invested in different ways, and they're going to play how they're invested.
I've personally removed some people from the list of people I'd prefer to GM for and it has lead to a more focused experience. Generally it's the people with the least enthusiasm to play, and I replace them with people who try to make their own character's on their own time and will ask me about feats choices a few days before the campaign.
This is definitely a thing based on your players.
If you really want that to change you'd need to replace the least serious members.
Some people just don't get invested in the game the same as others do, or they get invested in different ways, and they're going to play how they're invested.
I've personally removed some people from the list of people I'd prefer to GM for and it has lead to a more focused experience. Generally it's the people with the least enthusiasm to play, and I replace them with people who try to make their own character's on their own time and will ask me about feats choices a few days before the campaign.
these are all Brand new players so I am workign really hard to get them interested in making characters and feats ahead of time.
I'd make personal backstory plugs, like if someone said they had a connection in X, actually give them a connection there. It makes players invest in their character's a bit more.
Forgive me please I have a hard time getting out what is in my skull on paper.
my main question is how do you keep a serious Atmosphere when you are gMing? fun is okay but there times I want my players to focus and feel the palpable danger int he air.
My Dad played with us sometimes. He was a WWII veteran who saw quite a bit of combat. Combat Infantry badge.
When a early DM complained about the joking and wanted us to be serious, my father explained that when things were the worst, when death was just around the corner, they were cracking the most jokes- usually very dark humor.
...
When a early DM complained about the joking and wanted us to be serious, my father explained that when things were the worst, when death was just around the corner, they were cracking the most jokes- usually very dark humor.
So in other words, eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow you may die?
I ran my game last night and it was a lot better,
I read a few blogs on how to be a good DM and I rolled with it and said yes alot instead of no.
there was a few times I said "serious time now" and it worked I think it is the most fun I have had as a DM and my new players had a great time.
thanks for all your advice.
So in other words, eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow you may die?...
When a early DM complained about the joking and wanted us to be serious, my father explained that when things were the worst, when death was just around the corner, they were cracking the most jokes- usually very dark humor.
That matches up with everything the combat vets I knew and know have said.