Handling Private Encounters

[Grogg of the North]

How do you handle a private moment for the PCs? The thief wanders off and sees something slinking in the dark. A PC has been knocked out and sees something beyond the veil. Or maybe a PC hires a Woman of Negotiable Affection and gets mugged.

When I first started running games, I'd take players aside, into the hall or another room and discuss with them what they saw and ask what they were going to do. Now, I tend to keep it all at the table. I find it easier, less disruptive to the game's flow and the other players tend to get a great deal of enjoyment out of it. If the session is coming to a close or if it looks like it will take a large chunk of time to resolve, then I'll handle it via email.

How do you handle it at your table? Do you take the player aside? Lay it all out at the table? Do you handle it out of session via email?

 

[was]

we usually step out to the next room

 

[GMMichael]

How to handle private moments depends on the private moment. If a PC is receiving a bride from an elected official, the other players can witness it. If a PC is going to be possessed by Zool in the next scene, it might be best to pull that player out of the room for a minute.

 

[Ahnehnois]

I have physically separated the players before, but it was a pain practically and I haven't done anything that required that kind of intervention recently.

It's not entirely clear whether the topic refers generally to cases in which the characters are separate and doing things that each other are not aware of, or whether it is specific to things where there is some important/salacious event that perhaps should be kept secret. I run split parties at the time, and players often watch the other characters with interest, but I don't usually set things up so there are really secretive individual things happening.

 

[steenan]

In most cases, I play such scenes at the table. My players are good enough that I don't have to worry about disruptive metagaming. I also try to keep solo scenes short, intense and interesting to spectators, so that other players don't get bored and don't phase away.

During longer campaigns, we sometimes need longer solo scenes for in-depth character developement or things that are interesting only for a single player. In such cases, we meet between normal sessions, in person or online.

 

[Emirikol]

my players are good about not metagaming. Sometimes I pull a player to the side jus tto increase the tesnion, but that's about it.

jh

 

[pedr]

Last week's Ken and Robin Talks About Stuff discusses this, with much of the opinion being that trying to keep things from the players has more downsides than letting them know things that their characters wouldn't, except in rare cases. http://www.kenandrobintalkaboutstuff.com/index.php/episode-92-the-werepig-demographic/

 

[Jhaelen]

I've done it in all three ways in the past.

Basically, what method I use depends mostly on two things:
1) How long does it probably take to play out?
2) Does it involve something of potential interest to the other players?

If it would take long to play out, I prefer to do it outside of regular sessions.

If it can be done quickly, I'll do it in another room if it's something that either has no effect on other players or if it's about something they should not know about.

Otherwise, I'll just do it at the table. This can often affect the actions that other players are taking (e.g. they go looking for the 'solo' player).
An additional benefit is that it will be recorded in our 'adventure journal', so if the solo actions somehow involve or uncover information about plots, it won't get lost.

 

[Sword of Spirit]

All of the above.

If keeping it secret from other players enhances the game experience, that's what I want to do. If I can do it between sessions, that's ideal. If it is something that comes up during the session, then I'll talk to the relevant player privately. If the other players knowing it isn't going to detract from anyone's enjoyment, then I'll let them see it too.

But I do think it definitely is worth doing in situations where mysterious unknowns are important parts of the character or storyline.

 

[Elf Witch]

I do all of the above.

If it is something that will be more fun if the other players don't know about it yet I will take the player aside privately. Or send notes. My players usually are good at not metagaming info they don't have.

If it is something that I think the other players will enjoy then I will handle it out in the open. As a player I enjoy watching other characters stories and single encounters unfold.

If it is something complicated and will take to long at table I will handle it via email or on the phone.

I will say that I don't like DMs who run private encounters. I had a DM who did that for his wife and best friend who played with us they ended up with more XP, more loot, and had way more story control it was not really fair to the rest of us.