Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Sunseeker" data-source="post: 6986150">Tell them to suck it up and read it because it's important and there will be a quiz.  IE: ensure their in-game survival has some relation to knowing certain readily available information.  If every Tuesday the King expects everyone to be groveling at his feet buck naked, and anyone who doesn't is killed on sight, then there's good reason for them to know this information, and there's no reason for their character not to know.  If it is the law that everyone donate 10% of their income to the local church, and not doing so is punishable by jail time, when the tax-man comes around and the players refuse to pay up, don't give them any leeway on the punishment.  They're not criminals.  Maybe they can avoid the cops, maybe they can't, but if they aren't going to follow the law, they are going to be punished.Most players ignore the setting fluff because it largely doesn't matter so you need to make it matter.  Again, give them that info.  If they choose to ignore it, you may need to reassess DMing for those people.I don't do this.  If certain world-knowledge is important to the game, I give it to them.  But honestly, I don't try to go there.  I often stick to the tropes, elves are tree-huggers, dwarves love rocks, humans reproduce like bunnies, orcs are violent, etc...  When I don't, I create a print-out for my players with important information any sentient with a functioning brain would know.  If they choose to ignore it, I don't care.  I gave them the information and there will be a test (their in-game survival).  No.  In fact I'd advise against giving players little information combined with high restrictions.  It's going to make players unhappy fast.  I've run some very limited campaigns with some very specific important information (Ravenloft campaign setting).  Characters who don't lean die.  Players who don't learn are asked to leave.  If you're going to have boundaries, that's fine.  Just be ready to enforce them.  But laws with reasoning behind them are always better than laws because I said so.Then don't.  Set the guidelines for what you will accept.  Provide a reason for those guidelines.  Characters are often special snowflakes, but rarely are they so at level 1 and I have no problem making that clear with low survival rates, especially for the unprepared.  Special Snowflake Tier starts around level 16 in most of my settings. Don't be afraid to say "NO".  But your answers, yes or no, should always be backed up with some reason.  A little sugar to help the pill go down.</blockquote>

Verification