PCs who don't seem to want to meet

[SnowleopardVK]

Perhaps the title is a bit of an extreme assessment of the situation I've seen one too many times.

What I'm talking about is that first scene of the first session when the PCs haven't met yet. The DM expects them to meet, and generally they do.

But with several of the groups I've been in, and both as a player and as a DM it seems to me like more often than not the PCs are more interested in being sullen and mysterious in the corner of the tavern, or they don't like being indoors and want to leave the location the scene takes place in even before meeting the rest of the party.

Now I like roleplaying, but this just slows things down. When I'm a player in those situations I often end up being the one who strikes up conversation every time simply because for some reason nobody else will talk to, or even seem to notice any of the other PCs on their own initiative.

As a DM though I can't make my PC talk to the others simply because I don't have one (I suppose I could use an NPC but let's ignore that for now). I've told a few different groups now "In some situations I'm okay with a bit of metagaming in order to move the story along". Meeting the rest of your party is one of those situations, because even if your PC is antisocial or would have no reason to talk to those other strangers, I've arranged a game for a group, and so a group you must be.

My current group, and most of the groups I've been in before have enjoyed group interaction once we've gotten it going, so it confuses me that they never seem willing to start it in the first place. Is there some kind of reason behind it? Do they not even know how to start a conversation without the help of their DM or a more proactive player?

I'm less interested in hearing suggestions of solutions in this case than I am in simply finding out: Why?

 

[Michael Silverbane]

Anti-heroes and brooding loners are a popular trope?

 

[Janx]

I'm less interested in hearing suggestions of solutions in this case than I am in simply finding out: Why?

because players are stupid.

or they seem to think you've designed some sort of multi-player sandbox where everybody goes on solo adventures

or they are obstinate and refuse to go where the GM is making them (namely, to join the party so they can get the game going)

I've seen it, and it's annoying.

To me, it's the same mentality that drives a player to think "I'm going to make an evil PC that screws the party over" is somehow devious when in fact, it is ridiculously easy because the player got a free pass into the party that his PC would not have been granted had he been an NPC.

 

[Pentius]

Player: "I sit in the farthest corner from the fire, hood pulled up over my face. I eat in silence, a mysterious figure among the rest."

DM: "Okay, the rest of the party goes off and finds adventure. You owe the innkeeper 1sp for that ale you never finished, but cried into all night."

 

[pemerton]

I know you didn't particularly ask for solutions, but here are some anyway:

*Have the players build the relationships between their PCs into their backstory, so that they don't begin as strangers;

*If the PCs are strangers, have them begin not in a tavern but in some bustling area where they are swept together by some external event - in one game I ran, the external event was nothing more than an inn tout who saw the three PCs standing next to one another on the docks.

As to reasons why - I think the "brooding" thing is the main reason. I've only had the problem once, with introducing a PC into my current campaign - and the player's desire to play a brooding personality seemed to be the explanation.

 

[frankthedm]

It is VITAL to put the onus on the players for how the characters know each other, why they are willing to travel together and how come they won't kill each other. First session should start at the door to the dungeon or at least OUTSIDE the town gate, supplies already purchased from starting gold.

This is a game, not a novel. Hours should not be devoted to assembling the party.

 

[Dice4Hire]

Well, I have a few ideas.


... They like to see you get wound up.

... They have running bet to see when you blow your top.

... They like watching you bang your head on the wall.

You get the idea.


I think a lot of players want to be individual, and that is one way of showing it. In my games I try to give them some time to be alone, and set up their characters semi off stage. I do that in my Yahoogroup games, and it seems to help a lot.

 

[The Shaman]

I rarely include 'gettin' to know ya' - it's a time-sink with little benefit as far as I'm concerned. In most instances, when a new character is introduced, we all decide who knows the new character and how, and we go from there.

 

[Rechan]

This is one of those things that starting in media res is meant to address.

 

[Jacob Marley]

It can be awkward in real life to walk up to a complete stranger and strike up a conversation. Why would it be any different in an RPG?

I agree with The Shaman and Rechan, either start the campaign with PCs as acquaintances of each other or start the campaign in media res.