D&D 5E Player's Attention

Monayuris · Jul 8, 2019

BookBarbarian said:
I also found it helped my players get more equal spotlight which has been a huge bonus to me game too.

I found this blog post had an interesting idea... https://muleabides.wordpress.com/2012/03/12/roll-for-caller/

I haven't tried it yet, but it might be interesting. The basic idea is that if there is a lull in moving forward, you have the group roll for caller and for whomever wins you narrate how that person's character seizes the direction of the group and that player becomes the driver for the next few scenes.

iserith · Jul 8, 2019

Charlaquin said:
This is a great idea, I’m going to try it.

It works. My entire game is run like that, almost as a one-on-one between myself and one other player (when they're not talking among themselves) for a minute before switching to someone else. If a combat ends without finishing the round, I'll mentally stick to initiative order and call on the people who haven't gone that round to kick off whatever activity is next so that they aren't shorted on spotlight. In exploration and social challenges, I go around the table one by one for action declarations, then resolve in the order that makes the most sense.

Everyone gets more or less equal time. No wall flowers in my games.

Li Shenron · Jul 8, 2019

Before anything else, check with your distracted players whether they are seriously interested in the game.

It can happen at any age, but might be highest at yours, that some people are actually just dragged a game while all they really wanna do is just hang out with friends. They will first be easily distracted and next they can become disruptive.

jgsugden · Jul 8, 2019

Short term/Specific:
* Ask players not to browse, answer emails, etc... at the table when it is avoidable and not game related.
* Address PCs individually - and often - to keep them involved in the story.
* Put elements in play that interact individually with a PC. Players that are 'gang tackling a solo' monster tend to drift faster than when they are dealing with their 'own threat', such as a monster with which tey are going one on one.
* Be familiar with the flaws, traits, etc... of the PCs and drop hooks that allow them to interact with those elements.
* Use an NPC to interact with the PC individually. I often have an NPC travel with the party that is insignificant in combat, but provides some unique benefit to the group (it knows someone important and can make an introduction, it is paying the PCs to guard it, etc...) If a PC drifts, I'll have that NPC there to engage the PC/player. If you have a player that drifts often, consider giving them an intelligent magic item that can be there all the time to engage the player.

Long Term/Broad:
* There are no DMs in the world that would not benefit from learning a few new tricks. For most DMs, that includes learning how to be better storytellers. You could study this for decades and still have lot of new tricks to learn. As a DM, your job description includes writing and acting. There is a lot of advice out there on how to write dialogue (or improvise it) that gets attention, or to deliver it in such a way that it captures the imagination.
* Consider adding immersive elements to the environment. A soundtrack, lighting, miniatures or standees (even if you do theater of the mind), etc... can all make people feel like they're deeping in the story. I run games in a room with an HDTV behind me. It took me years to realize I should incorporate it into the game. Now, I put up artwork of monsters on the screen, reinforce enviornmental considerations (I show mist if they are in a misty room, etc....)
* Shape stories around PCs, rather than let PCs wander through your stories. When the player feels like they are living their story, rather than experiencing yours, they'll be more engaged.

aco175 · Jul 8, 2019

Several years ago there was a few articles by Gary Gygax about types of players and why they play. It was modified by a few others, so you may find other articles as well. Some players will be first to show up and always be ready and be in-game all the time. Some players show up most of the time and play, but only because they are your friends. Once you realize some players do not care as much as you do, you will be ok. Don't expect the same from the ones that are just showing up, grab the ones that care and tailor to them more.

I also remember playing with the TV on n the other room and my father needing to keep telling me and eventually my brother to stop looking at it repeatedly. This was before cell phones, so I can see the distraction being more.

ad_hoc · Jul 8, 2019

Talk to them about your concerns.

Let them know that they have a responsibility to be making the game as fun as possible for everyone else too.

It's not like they're paying you to DM right? Everyone has that responsibility.

If you need to, give them the example of you not paying attention to the game too. There really wouldn't be a game.

And finally, maybe D&D isn't their thing. Maybe just hanging out would be better if that is what people really want to do.

BookBarbarian · Jul 9, 2019

Monayuris said:
I found this blog post had an interesting idea... https://muleabides.wordpress.com/2012/03/12/roll-for-caller/

I haven't tried it yet, but it might be interesting. The basic idea is that if there is a lull in moving forward, you have the group roll for caller and for whomever wins you narrate how that person's character seizes the direction of the group and that player becomes the driver for the next few scenes.

Neat, though with the approach I have now taken I rarely have lulls.

It takes a lot of getting used to though.

pogre · Jul 9, 2019

I frequently run tables with 8 or sometimes more high school students. Now, I have an advantage as a teacher in keeping folks in line. However, I really push the pace in these games. Not just in combat, but in social interactions. I throw NPCs at them with lots of information. Every lead has some sort of roleplaying payoff.

IME the hardest thing for teen groups is when you have a disruptive player. Teens are very tentative in alienating friends or peers. However, your game will get better if you are willing to cut those players off, and boot repeat offenders.

Good luck!

alienux · Jul 10, 2019

Keep everyone involved. If a player is taking too long on something outside of combat, if possible, tell them you'll come back to them and let the other players take their turn and/or do things. If it's during combat, tell them to be ready with their action when it comes to their initiative, and while its good to let them do some role playing and playing on their turn, if it's getting too long, try to keep it focused and moving so you can get to the next player's initiative.

jgsugden · Jul 11, 2019

pogre said:
I frequently run tables with 8 or sometimes more high school students. Now, I have an advantage as a teacher in keeping folks in line. However, I really push the pace in these games. Not just in combat, but in social interactions. I throw NPCs at them with lots of information. Every lead has some sort of roleplaying payoff.

This is not consistent with my expriences. In my experience, information overload tends to draw attention away from the game, not draw people into it. Players glaze over once they hit to a certain 'capacity' of new information - nd for some players that can be just a couple sentences. Over the years, I've found the best options are to either weave the information into the game in small bits, or to send the players 'downloads' of information that they can reference later if the story calls for a data dump situation. Some will never read it, but others usually do.

IME the hardest thing for teen groups is when you have a disruptive player. Teens are very tentative in alienating friends or peers. However, your game will get better if you are willing to cut those players off, and boot repeat offenders.

Again, this doesn't match my experience, either. When you single out a player and cut them off, or boot them, it tends to go poorly - especially these days. I just watched a game disband - mid-session - at the FLGS when the DM came down hard on a 'jokester' in the group and the table thought the DM was out of line. Rather than cutting them off at the table, I'd suggest speaking to them when the other players are not present, expressing your concerns, and asking them privately to adjust.