New Person coming into a Flavor Entrenched game?

[Rechan]

For my next game, one thing I really would like to do is a joint effort by all the players to root themselves in the setting, and in each other's characters.

By that I mean histories together. Additionally, I want players to help flesh out the campaign world - either creating things, or adding details. This way, the players feel more involved and attached to the setting itself; it's our game.

But it occurs to me that, in order to do this, I have to start with ALL the players at one time. If I bring in someone later, maybe even 2-3 weeks later, then they are going to be the fifth wheel, in terms of their character and their attachment to the setting. Not to mention that the player is going to get overwhelmed under all the details that the other players know because it was created together. This new player may not "buy into" it, because they weren't involved in the brainstorm session.

Any advice on how to ease a newer person into something established like this?

 

[Fallen Seraph]

Well, it is how I run my campaigns normally anyways but I think it could be helpful here as well. Both you and the Players (original ones) shouldn't fully map out the setting. Leave a large portion of it ambiguous, hidden perhaps with only vague themes and concepts as guides to use.

This way when the new player(s) come in they have room to build their own mark on the setting be it some new towns, cities, NPCs, their history, etc. Heck by leaving it vague the original players may be inspired by the new player and thus in mid-play you can generate that collective campaign building feel again.

In general I think it be best for the inital go through to concentrate on various concepts. Do theme, atmosphere, colour themes, and that sort. Specifics can be developed as you go along; you need a city together you think one up, etc. As such when a new player joins he/she can jump into this as well and get carried along with the flow.