Being a Good Audience

[Fauchard1520]

When it comes to "spotlight moments" for other players, the conversation usually boils down to "let them have their moment." I think that's a good start, but there's more to being a good audience than not upstaging your buddies. This applies to exploration and character interaction just as much as combat. I think it's the mark of a good player to find ways to become interested in what the other players are doing. Games are better when we remember to entertain one another, and it’s a hell of a lot easier to get into that mindset when your audience is properly appreciative. I'm talking hype for someone else's cool moments. I'm talking a little light applause during that big crit. Leaning forward and listening intently rather than stacking dice when someone confronts their long-lost-whatever in the dramatic climax.

So what do you think? Do you ever struggle with issues of audienceship at your tables? Do you find it tough to maintain excitement through the initiative pass? Have you ever been dispirited to see your buddies buried in their cell phones during your talky scenes? How do you deal with it?

(comic for illustrative purposes)

 

[JiffyPopTart]

As both a player and a GM the migration of phones and tablets onto the tabletop hasn't been a positive. I don't mind if the GM is using a laptop to do the adventure instead of written material...but I can't help but notice all the players who are using electronic character sheets and spellbooks also tend to check emails and send a few texts everytime they pick up and interact with their device. Then there is the guy with the memes always interjecting this funny thing they saw DURING the game rather than when we stop for a break.

But even before electronics invaded the table....there has always been the issue of small spotlight stealing. In the game world it makes sense for the cleric (or religious background character) to be the one to know the obscure holy symbol origin...and for the ranger to be the one to track an animal through the woods, etc.. In the real world what happens is players get bored and all want to roll for every skill check to see if they can out-cleric the cleric or out-sage the wizard. HAHA...my backwoods barbarian knew more about that book than your librarian!

My solution for small spotlight stealing is to just choose to not take part in any skill check or even in the story that doesn't make sense for my character to know or do. By not rolling at all I ensure that the cleric gets to make the cleric related rolls and succeed without having to hear from two other party members that they also knew the same info. This, to me, covers up a bit the strangeness that rolling a D20 can create when left to a single skill check and bad/good luck with the characters performing those checks.

 

[iserith]

One-shots with pick-up groups can sometimes be a mixed bag, but my regular group is excellent at being an audience to the rest of the group. They're paying attention, throwing in the odd funny quip, cheering (or booing) the results of the dice, and otherwise solidly contributing. If someone is not contributing as much, it gets noticed and the group works to correct it. These are traits I screened for via one-shots before the player ever got an invite to a regular game. I don't invite just anyone to play in a campaign, even if they are friends.

It also helps that the pace of my games is such that you really don't have time to focus on anything else but the game. Even if you're out of the spotlight, you'll be back in it pretty quickly, compared to many games I see. As well, when I describe the environment, I'm embedding clues and telegraphing dangers in what I say. This incentivizes players to pay attention so they can try to glean some advantages by engaging with what I described.

 

[jasper]

Yes be a good audience to fellow players and dm. And Dms need to be a good audience to players and occasionally let them monologue. But cell phones are just the current bug a boo for losing the audience. Back in 80s there was homework, necking, reading the latest dragon mag or fantasy book. ETC.

 

[Shiroiken]

I'm actually the jerk, not that I ever mean to be. Fortunately we play on a VTT, so when I find myself starting to be that guy, I simply mute myself so my comments go unheard.

 

[Fenris-77]

To the surprise of no one here, I'm sure, I have in the past had the tendency to steal the spotlight just by virtue of being quick with a quip and a constitutional inability to shut my mouth when it comes to playing the dozens. I am older and wiser though, and I've learned how to play the yes and game (um, most of the time anyway). Improv has actually helped me a lot. Being a fan is a skill.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

As both a player and a GM the migration of phones and tablets onto the tabletop hasn't been a positive. I don't mind if the GM is using a laptop to do the adventure instead of written material...but I can't help but notice all the players who are using electronic character sheets and spellbooks also tend to check emails and send a few texts everytime they pick up and interact with their device. Then there is the guy with the memes always interjecting this funny thing they saw DURING the game rather than when we stop for a break.

But even before electronics invaded the table....there has always been the issue of small spotlight stealing. In the game world it makes sense for the cleric (or religious background character) to be the one to know the obscure holy symbol origin...and for the ranger to be the one to track an animal through the woods, etc.. In the real world what happens is players get bored and all want to roll for every skill check to see if they can out-cleric the cleric or out-sage the wizard. HAHA...my backwoods barbarian knew more about that book than your librarian!

My solution for small spotlight stealing is to just choose to not take part in any skill check or even in the story that doesn't make sense for my character to know or do. By not rolling at all I ensure that the cleric gets to make the cleric related rolls and succeed without having to hear from two other party members that they also knew the same info. This, to me, covers up a bit the strangeness that rolling a D20 can create when left to a single skill check and bad/good luck with the characters performing those checks.

One of the great tools for the knowledge example, and many others, is for the DM to simply say, “Torman, as a cleric of The Garrion Church, you know a bit about this, give me a Religion check to see how much.” And say no when the PC with no possibly relevant skills asks to roll as well.

 

[Lanefan]

Cheering and groaning good or bad die rolls (particularly in combat) shows two things: you're into what's going on even if it's not your "turn", and you care about the outcome.

One of the great tools for the knowledge example, and many others, is for the DM to simply say, “Torman, as a cleric of The Garrion Church, you know a bit about this, give me a Religion check to see how much.” And say no when the PC with no possibly relevant skills asks to roll as well.

What I often do in a situation like this is get the Cleric (in this example) to roll normally, and get some other player to do a group roll - usually at much worse odds - for everyone else combined. This covers off the slim but not zero chance that someone other than the expert just happens to know some relevant bit of information, which IME happens in real life surprisingly often.

 

[Fenris-77]

Cheering and groaning good or bad die rolls (particularly in combat) shows two things: you're into what's going on even if it's not your "turn", and you care about the outcome.

This. So much this. Plus it's an easy in for people who find social interaction a bit sticky, so it's a good place to start. There are enough neuroatypical people playing RPGs that this is actually a pretty important topic. RPGs can be a great safe space to work on your people skills.

 

[billd91]

One of the great tools for the knowledge example, and many others, is for the DM to simply say, “Torman, as a cleric of The Garrion Church, you know a bit about this, give me a Religion check to see how much.” And say no when the PC with no possibly relevant skills asks to roll as well.

Personally, I don't like to block PCs out of skill checks - particularly when there's no specific reason that something should only be doable or known by someone with proficiency in the skill. What I do is try to deliver the information in a way that's relevant to their different backgrounds or classes. And if the cleric blows the check to recognize the obscure holy symbol, I'll still try to give them some info about it such as the portfolios implied by the imagery. If another character, like the rogue with a street urchin background, makes a luckier roll - I'll imply they learned the info in a way that would fit - perhaps seeing someone in an alleyway with the symbol and hearing scuttlebutt about what it's for. Or, if I'm the player and the DM isn't very detailed about that, then I will couch it in those terms. "Oh, yeah, I heard a story about that once..."

This way, I don't rely on rigid niche protection, but I don't blatantly overshadow the character who's supposed to be good at it but didn't roll as well.