Open Ended Choices for Players

[applenerd]

In my last campaign I used a larger campaign sized goal which the pc's worked to accomplish in addition to the many adventures that they would take on. As time went on more of the mystery would unfold, but also new questions would arrise. This usually kept the pc's headed in the right direction and it was open ended enough that they didn't feel "forced" to do any particular thing.

 

[Altalazar]

You could use the Baldur's Gate method - leave so many plot hooks around that the player's can sort of take their pick of what to pursue and what not to pursue.

Where you can get them involved is make some of the plots based on their character backgrounds.

Then when they take care of one plot, they already know about others they could do too. And as they go, more plot hooks can pop up wherever you put them.

 

[green slime]

All these ideas are Great, but difficult to impliment when the game gets into meatgrinder mode, and PCs start dropping like flies on the window sill...

 

[Numion]

I guess this is the difference between designated DMs and players. If I ever got to play the game, I'd start to investigate my own ancestors deeds ("Hmm. My grandgrandgrandfathers childhood diary I found in the hidden compartment of his old bedroom recounts that his father did take the sword 'Dragonfang' to the Worlds End mountains from where he never returned. Off we go!"), start up an office for the adventuring group or just seek arcane knowledge to further my own ends.

But I never do get to play and my players go harass the bartender at most to get into some adventures.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Cloudgatherer:

It sounds like you've done everything right to me. You have a campaign-sized plot, as well as smaller plots, dangling for the players to grab.

Problem is, not all players, or all parties, have an aggressive style of play. Given too many choices, they may not be sure what to do. In my own campaign, the party recently entered into the capital of a major nation. That same week, one PC has been contacted by a mysterious "agent" about possibly being hired for work, the whole party has been set upon three times by halfling assassins, and one PC had half his money stolen (they lost the little thief when he busted out with a surprise Obscuring Mist spell.) In spite of all this, given free reign last session, they didn't take the initiative to follow up on any of these leads.

I expected them to maybe try and discover who is trying to kill them. Maybe locate the thief in the city and get the one PC's money back (it was a substantial sum, he'd just converted it into ruby-dust coins.) Or perhaps figure out what was going on with the "agent." Instead, they didn't seem to have any clear direction.

Why? Because I hadn't provided one, and that's what they want and expect. So next session, I plan to give them a bit more of a framework in which to operate.

Bottom Line: Give your players the opportunity to freely do what they want to, but don't hesitate to send adventures after them either. They may prefer it that way, even.

 

[Holy Bovine]

How about having the party hear about other adventuring companies that have just gained untold riches from clearing out dungeon X/slaying dragon y/or rescuing king z. They could either pursue said party (if they are of a slightly evil bent) or it could kick start them that not all adventure will come to their door. Have the other party boast of how they 'sought out adventure and tamed her like a lamb'or something similar.

Thieves Guilds are excellent for giving the PCs a hard time of it. Hmmm just typed up a bunch of stuff and realized it wouldn't really solve your problem - getting the PCs to act rather than react.

IME I guess that my PCs have not really responded to 'open - ended' campaigns and generally wait for opportunity to come knocking.

oh well I thought I had some good ideas

 

[Galfridus]

I expected them to maybe try and discover who is trying to kill them.

Ah, I was worrying that the Rat Bastard solution wasn't going to show up.

I've seen this problem (and am seeing it in my current game) with groups that don't have a lot of cohesion. If the PCs want to do different things, they have a hard time acting together as a group.

Putting them in a situation where they need to stay together in order to survive is a good way both to give them an adventure and to build party cohesion.