Steverooo said:
I'm currently in a game which I would call character-driven. The GM throws us into a set-up situation, then waits to see what we do. It isn't working so well, as most of the players seem to be "Reactive", waiting until something happens to them, before they respond...
In my group, we are on the docks, hear a howl, then a scream and "slurping sound". The scream quickly ends, but the slurping continues. My PC moves in to investigate, apparently fumbles every roll possible, and gets attacked by seven (or more) opponents. One PC is sitting back, watching and listening. The other has drawn his swords, and is contemplating...
In the other group, in a non-threatening environment, one PC has gotten bored and started drumming on his chest, another two have looked at an NPC, and the fourth done absolutely nothing...
It seems to me that our group is pretty much entirely "Reactive", waiting for the GM to involve them, instead of involving themselves. What's your experience with groups like this? Is this more common than "Character-driven" storylines? I have seen several groups like this, where PCs tell the GM that "maybe some NPCs should wander by and drop us some hints", etc.
How do you deal with such a group (as a player)?
I've seen this go both ways. Sometimes it's the players fault. They are new to the game or had GM's that thought them to only wait for the story to come to them. The GM needs to realize that these players are going to need special care and feeding. As a GM, you get rid of this by rewarding the curious players that try to find the adventure. IE: GM: You run over to where you here the noise and find that a cute young lass/lad is under attack by the evil monster. You drive them off after a quick fight and afterward they lass/lad thanks the person that showed up by giving them a kiss on the cheek, a shiny new GEM, and an invitation to dinner the next night. Sounds stupid, but it's true. Reward the players that show initative and desire to solve the problems of the world, and soon all your players will be trying to participate in this.
Other times I've seen this problem be the GM's fault. This usually falls into two catagories of error. One the GM provides a setting or story that is so vague that the players don't know how to react. You know...
GM: Your in a town. There's some stuff and you here some noises. What do you do?
Player: How far away is the noise?
GM: It's over there.
Player: What does it sound like?
GM: It sounds GRRRR like, you know scary.
Player: I'll wait and see what happens then.
GM: Ok the mayor of the town dies because you didn't rescue them.
Player:....OK, I didn't understand that the noise was the sound of battle.
The other one is the railroad via open situation GM.
GM: You come to three doors, A,B, and C.
Player: I open C
GM: Wrong answer, take 100 points of damage.
Player: Ouch, ok, I open door B.
GM: Wrong answer, scratch off your best magic item.
Player: OK, that stinks, I open door A.
GM: Right answer, you open it and find three more doors.
Player: I wait for Bob the NPC to try the doors.
I've played "open" games where the players were supposed to "find" the plot where the GM treated the game like the above situation.
ME: We go down to ask the local guard if there is any trouble in town.
GM: They arrest you.
ME: Why?
GM: They hate being bothered by people off the street.
ME: OK, when I go out I go down the the underground tavern and see if I can gather in street knowledge.
GM: They try to kill you and turn you in for the massive ransom placed on your head for solving last weeks adventure.
ME: OK, I guess I wait in hiding until the adventure finds me...
GM, after game: Why didn't you go to the temple district and get the hook?
ME: I really couldn't deal with finding out how much god hated me today....
Down to what I'd advise for your situation. I'd let your comic relief character drop into the background for a bit. Bring in a big buff fighter type with a fairly good charisma. Make the character a little older than the group and give them a back ground where they had people follow them (millitary or religous orders work well). When you join the group make a big deal about how it's important to your character to know that the other characters "have your back" and that you've saved and been saved by the other guy in the fox hole many times. Then when you hear a strange noise, use your free action to proclaim, "Sounds like dopple gangers, we better stick together and go check it out!"
I did this once with a new player that didn't want to risk their character, so they would always stick at the back of the party. They were the fighter of the group, so this was a problem. I brought in a cleric to the group. I immediatly set it up that I liked the fighter and thought of him as a kindred spirit, brothers in platemail sort of thing. I promised I would never leave his side in battle. The very first battle I was in the game, I drew my flail and charged the bad guy, and guess what, he was right beside me, letting out a war cry all the way. After a couple games, he never ran again when it wasn't prudent...
Anyway good luck with all that. Just lead by example and work with your GM to show them how the game should be played.
