Participation problem

[Zerakon]

I wonder what would happen if you give the girl a week or two off, and let the other players get some practice forging their own paths during the sessions without her. Her character could go train or something, and then when she comes back, she'll find that the other players have their own stories to tell (that aren't yet finished, and that may intertwine with hers).

Dunno, just a thought from a mostly-lurker.

 

[LrdApoc]

Got it - sorry, I didn't realize that the other players were complaining. That seems a little odd to me, though... they're complaining that the player who is putting in more time and effort is getting more attention than they are. The solution seems obvious - they should get more involved. I understand the time issue - our group consists of mostly married professionals, some of whom have kids, and very little free time.

I think there is a problem in the basic way this was stated. I personally, as one of the two - the one with 4 kids - am not jealous of the attention because she's involved.. more of an issue because she and Crothian know the world and have played in the setting forever. A lot of what is happening in the game world revolves around stories they told before we joined and not since.

DO I write journal entries regarding the character? No.. just not something I can devote time to.. sorry.

I have been involved since the beginning. I'm not sure where Crothian's perception comes from totally, I have a goal and an agenda for the character but I am not going to FORCE anyone to pursue that path is the story and the organic nature of the game do not lead us that way. When asked in character, Rock always speaks his mind, states his goal and intent.. Cyree has not forced her story on me either, I am just a part of the game that is telling her story. I understand that and have come to accept that really what has happened is that Mark and I were added into Crothian's single player game with Cyree's player.

 

[BSF]

Crothian, I sympathise entirely. As you said, it is better to have a solution to a problem when you bring it up. I've seen enough of your posts, so I know you also espouse the same theory of DM/Player communication that I do.

What I see here is that you have one player who is proactively involved. For her, that is fun and important and she makes time to do so. For the other players, they are feeling overshadowed. Perhaps rightly so. They might want to keep that stuff more isloated to "game night". It isn't right or wrong, but it is an issue.

Do you really want to bring them up to her level? To do that, you need to have them doing the same sorts of things she does. It is hard to change the behavior of others. Especially when they have other aspects of life that require time.

Do you just want to get them a little more involved? If so, then you might want to set aside a little table time before or after a session to hash some of these things out. Your currently involved player might be a little anxious during this time because she has already hashed out stuff for her PC. You may need to speak with her and explain the issues you have. You don't want her to grow discouraged. You may even be able to enlist her aid with including the other Players & PCs.

Approach this from the standpoint of trying to make sure the uninvolved players can maximize their fun. Don't approach it from the standpoint of them needing to be more involved. Be honest but open-minded. The involved player is enhancing your enjoyment of running the game. When that happens, you find the "path of least resistance" you have mentioned. What you need to do is find a way for everyone to easily offer input so you can easily run a game that spotlights each PC.

The key word is easy. This needs to be something the players can do, despite busy schedules. It also needs to be done in a manner that makes it easy for you to run the game. As a DM, I hate sending a player a couple of questions, then having them wait until 1 hour before game time to email me a reply, then to have the player wonder why I haven't done anything with their emailed reply yet. I tell my players that the more notice they can give me, the better. I also tell them that if they didn't get it to me a minimum of 24 hours in advance, it will not be an issue in the next session. As a DM, you need time to prep things. Set your player's expectations on what kind of prep time you need.

I hope that helps somewhat. I don't have any rock solid ideas for you. Maybe it is more just DM to DM support?

 

[Crothian]

I understand that and have come to accept that really what has happened is that Mark and I were added into Crothian's single player game with Cyree's player.

Ya, but that was never the intention though it is what happened. So, I'm trying to fix it though not sure how.

 

[Belen]

I understand that and have come to accept that really what has happened is that Mark and I were added into Crothian's single player game with Cyree's player.

Well, that would be an issue. I cannot imagine jumping into a game that focused on a single character. I try to start new campaigns whenever I add someone to the group.

In any event, I think that everyone needs to discuss this on game day. Yes, I know this might cut the game short, but somtimes things need to be settled in person.

It also might be a good idea to talk to "Cyree" and ask her to incorporate the other characters into her "vision." I once ran a game where one of the main characters was a "chosen one." Yet, the player did not choose to think of the other PCs as sidekicks. In fact, that player relied on the party members for sheer survival, and was grateful!

See...it's not my fault that a lot of people wanted chosen-boy dead. It just worked out that way.

 

[Samothdm]

Would it be possible, without screwing up the campaign too much, to move to a different part of the world (where your female player who knows a lot about the world wouldn't know as much?) and start everyone over with new characters. Kind of level the playing field, so to speak, and start with new character motivations and backgrounds that fit a little more organically into the setting?

As a player, I can understand the frustration when you make a background that is integral to your character but then the DM doesn't know what to do with it because it doesn't fit into his overall world-design.

As a DM, I can understand the frustration of thinking that the players haven't read up enough or learned enough about my world to make a character with an appropriate background that I can build off of.

At the end of the day, though - it's a game. If everyone is not having equal amounts of fun, then some tweaking may be in order to help smooth over the rough edges. Sounds like that's what you're trying to do, Crothian.

As a player, LrdApoc, what would be your ideal situation to remedy this?

 

[BSF]

Yeah, that will learn me to take over an hour to write a post.

LrdApoc,
It sounds like you are busy and I appreciate hearing a bit more of the player perspective. From what Crothian is saying, he also perceives a problem and wants to apply corrective action. Though it sounds like he has a slightly different perception of the issue.

OK, as a player I can understand a little frustration with backstory that only comes back to haunt you, or that never gets used. It sounds like Crothian is willing to find ways to better involve the other PCs. Maybe he just needs a little pointer in what you would find enjoyable? I have had players that write up backgrounds then promptly forget them. They never intended to have anything in the background be more than background and they get a little confused or upset when something from their background becomes part of the ongoing game. I have also had players write more open-ended hooks into a background than I could possibly have time to fill in a campaign. Those players might be upset that every single loose end was never tied off. Mind you, I am not saying you are in either camp (how would I know?), but it might be helpful to point out some of the dangling bits that you hope the DM might find a way to integrate into the game.

 

[LrdApoc]

Ya, but that was never the intention though it is what happened. So, I'm trying to fix it though not sure how.

One thing as a GM I do to shift focus has to do with taking elements common to one of the other characters and shifting the crisis or the crux of the story that way. Don't eliminate the other players, leave subtle plot threads related to their background in the main arc, then let the players discover the balance. If they don't and things go back to being dominated by one player then that may be the way the group wants it, despite the complaining.

Speaking to this specific case here's what I would do:

Shift the focus onto either Rock or the new character Mark is playing. Let the plots that were Cyree dominated rest for awhile. Don;t remove them because that arouses character suspicion and then they end up investigating it, just let the furvor die a bit and focus on a crisis involving the others. Give the other two characters some inportant role or information relating to the new crisis or quest and then let the players hash out the balance. Some will share some won't.

Honestly I think the focus needs to go to the new character. Rock (from my standpoint) will still be there when this tale is told if everything goes well, and his story has long reaching goals. You say that Cyree dominated the story.. I believe the main thrust of the group has been freeing gods.. which was done at Rocks urging.. it's just Cyree has a connection to a lot of the gods we encountered and the focus went toward that history rather than establishing new history or the other characters.

Rock is the champion of his goddess.. the sole champion for a long time. He is divinely infused and carries more than a little godstuff in him from multiple gods now. He is working his way toward ascending and creating a Halfling Pantheon to look over his people, building allies along the way.. The path of the pther character stories plays into his ultimate goal. He doesn't need to be the main figure, because in his mind this journey has an end that he will eventually reach.

 

[Henry]

LrdApoc, thanks for chiming in - it's given a huge perspective boost on the situation.

My strongest suggestion would be that Cyree's player needs to spend more time interacting with LrdApoc and Mark (the other guy). SHE can be their go-between, between the DM and themselves. LrdApoc, you say you and Mark just don't have time to dig deeply into the Campaign current events (4 kids - no need to explain ANY FURTHER ) then why not have Cyree's player, at the beginning of each session, give you both a run-down (in or out of character) on not only what SHE wants to do, but what EACH one of your characters would find beneficial. Make it a round-robin, where the whole group tackles one goal one week (or for a short arc), and then tackle a goal next that Mark's PC would want to, and Cyree gives full attention to helping him achieve that goal, WITHOUT dominating the scenes.

She still gets the immersion she wants (she's the lifeline between your group and the world), but the other two players get to shine a bit, from arc to arc. This solves having to send out e-mails between games, spending a lot of time character-developing outside of Game Day, etc. You all need to confine all out of game planning to game day only, and work with what that gives. Cyree's player can correspond with Crothian about her PC till they're exhausted, and she can compile ALL of the group goals (not just hers) and get ready for the debriefing each week.

The important thing is for her to find out what Mark's PC would want, and try to draw up all those goals so that in-game he can make a decision and the group sticks to it. Nobody should be telling Cyree's player to limit her involvement, but it's not unreasonable to ask her to help out two friends when she's got more time to devote than they can.

 

[Arnwyn]

Have you asked them what solutions they'd suggest?

Bingo! That's the ticket.

If the players are having a problem, I look to them for the solutions to their problem.