Player Engagement Outside of Session Time

[JAMUMU]

I think it's because RPGing is a hobby. I play squash, but I don't hammer a squash ball off a wall or stand about swinging a racket in my spare time, because although I enjoy playing squash I'm just not that invested in it.

I'm very invested in my bodywork, so I do that whenever I get a free moment in a clear space. It's a hobby I take more seriously.

Roleplaying games are generally taken most seriously by GMs, of which I am one, and we're the people who devote the largest amount of "out of session" time to the games we're running. We think about our game world, about plots and themes and NPCs and hooks and prepare adventures and handouts and maps and what have you. You get the odd player who does that too, but it certainly isn't an expectation of mine.

Turn up, bring dice, have a vague idea of where we left it last session (and only one player really needs to do that, as everyone else remembers when prompted). People live very busy lives; expecting them to devote time to a hobby outside of hobby-time places an unfair onus on them, imho.

 

[payn]

Maybe many players are interested in a No Myth, Story Now approach to gaming--even if they aren't familiar with the terminology and debates around such terms? Ie, they're more interested in driving play themselves with a relatively clean slate rather than largely serving as passive participants in a pre-crafted, GM-curated game?

Not my experience at all. Of course, many gamers say they want this style of play, but are not capable of being proactive.

 

[Reynard]

Maybe many players are interested in a No Myth, Story Now approach to gaming--even if they aren't familiar with the terminology and debates around such terms? Ie, they're more interested in driving play themselves with a relatively clean slate rather than largely serving as passive participants in a pre-crafted, GM-curated game?

That's possible, but you would think it might have come up during the "Hey, i want to run this Starfinder AP. Want to play?" portion of the discussion.

 

[werecorpse]

Yup you are not alone. When I am a player I’m the opposite. I want to know why my character is involved in the hijinks and some background as to what they know about the set up. I also hate missing the set up in the first 5 minutes of a movie. I suspect I am a bit annoying to some GM’s wanting to get some idea as to why my character might care about the adventure.

My advice is to link the background knowledge to a mechanical advantage like inspiration. I often start each session asking for a recap of last session and giving a reroll to those who participate in giving it. Do that maybe?

 

[JAMUMU]

My advice is to link the background knowledge to a mechanical advantage like inspiration. I often start each session asking for a recap of last session and giving a reroll to those who participate in giving it. Do that maybe?

This is very clever. I am de-authorising and revoking this trick and trademarking it for myself. If you wish to continue doing this at the start of your games, please contact my attorneys at HasbroHatchets.com...

 

[Longspeak]

Yup you are not alone. When I am a player I’m the opposite. I want to know why my character is involved in the hijinks and some background as to what they know about the set up. I also hate missing the set up in the first 5 minutes of a movie. I suspect I am a bit annoying to some GM’s wanting to get some idea as to why my character might care about the adventure.

I play rarely but my last series, I was the same. I made the group a Discord, but then gave ownership to the DM after is was set up. I often supply recaps via discord. I wrote out thoughts and notes about how I would handle situations that had come up. I asked for side sessions to resolve side issues. I wrote letters in character to leave for my character's "mother" and "father" and the young woman he developed feelings for...

My advice is to link the background knowledge to a mechanical advantage like inspiration. I often start each session asking for a recap of last session and giving a reroll to those who participate in giving it. Do that maybe?

Never thought of this. I love it.

 

[BrokenTwin]

I deal with this constantly, and it's honestly really frustrating. Especially since my players frequently expect me to put in hours of prep to make them a sandbox to play in, but can't be bothered to spend literally any of their own time between sessions. I shouldn't have to bribe my players with in-game rewards to get them to do a fraction of the work they expect me to do. Bare minimum, it would be nice if a year in they knew the basics of the rules system we were using...

 

[Xamnam]

For a one-shot I played on Saturday of Cyberpunk Red*, I read the entire rulebook, with an especial focus on any world-building and history sections. I've never met another player who does that sort of thing unprompted. The most I've seen is mechanically minded folk doing the research to make an at least somewhat optimized character, because that's key to their fun and not easy at the table.

For my tables, I know the reason. I'm the person who's excited to run the game, and put in the effort to learn and assemble it. The players are excited to play, but without me, they would never spend their free time building characters, reading forums/subreddits, or finding new systems of interest. The game play at the table is already an investment above and beyond what they would do on their own.

Now, I've had luck getting outside of session work and responses, but I know that I need to ask them repeatedly, usually once in person and twice in-between sessions to get what I'm looking for. But, in remembering that I am asking them spend time and energy in a way that is for my benefit (even if I think they will as well), I'm...well, it's not that I'm not frustrated, but I do understand that it is no personal slight against me. They've already gone out of their way for me, if they're showing up for the game and are present and focused at the table.

So, I really try and limit what I ask of folks. Doing their leveling up in-between sessions, communicating with me if they're finding something missing/unfun, and the basics of scheduling. If I need to communicate something about the world or lore that it's important, then to get the best result, I need to find the way to deliver that information, in a interesting way, at the table. Reading dry text is something only weirdos like me love to do.

*WHAT AN ABSOLUTELY ABYSMALLY ARRANGED TEXT

 

[billd91]

If they're not going to take a little time out of game to engage with the materials and build backgrounds or whatever, take up game time with it. Do as many Session Zeroes as you need to get the PCs squared away.

 

[Joshua Randall]

Part of the theory of some story games is to have the players co-create the world so they are invested in it, and know some of the details. You might try that approach instead of a canned setting.