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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Janx" data-source="post: 4533442" data-attributes="member: 8835">It might be a factor in asking the right question at the right time.If you're getting "whatever" responses, then you haven't asked the right question.Sometimes it's really open questions that they won't have an answer to.  "What do you want from this game?" just might not help. Do you want more fighting?Do you want more intrigue?Do you want more social advancement?Those might get you some answers you can use.On the other side, in game, you might want to look at how you're running things.When the party is not moving (taking too long) making something happen to force them to REACT is a good strategy.If the party is always reacting, they won't feel like they have any Choice.Note: "Choice" vs. "choice".  Life is full of choices, not all of them are Choices (with a big C).  To make a Choice is to Act, not react.  Small c choices are insiginificant in the grand scheme, or are of such a nature that the logical selection is foregone.  Everyday, you have a choice to continue breathing.  It's a foregone conclusion that you will choose to breathe.  Therefore, it's not a real Choice.  Whereas, a situation forces a decision to sacrifce yourself to save others, that's a Choice.My point then, is to make sure your game offers situations where the players must choose things that matter.  To go left, or to go right, doesn't really matter.  Either way the party will find a room with a trap, monster or treasure.Here's some more tips:pre-campaign, reach an agreement on type of game you're going to run.  Either declare it, and see who comes and stays, or talk it out.  BUt everybody should know how you're going to run the game, and what style.post-game, ask some pointed questions:what is your PC planning to do next?what is your PCs immediate personal goal (besides more XP, and finishing the current plot)?what is your PCs larger personal goal?If your game had unresolved problems, the players should be telling you how they plan to solve them.  This allows you to write material addressing the solution, rather than trying to plan on every eventuallity.If you know your PCs' goals, each game should contribute to 1 or more PCs goals (try to balance it out).  Consider Star Trek: TNG, where there were always 2 plots, the threat to the ship/main chars, and a second plot (often mirroring the larger plot) that was about specific characters and their goals/problems.  This means, that while the party is trying to save the princess, PCs are also trying to run their business, raise in social rank, find their lost heirloom, etc.Asking these post-game questions should also provide fodder for the next week's game, and the fodder will come from the players, not you.  That's real player feedback.</blockquote>

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