Player Engagement

[Manbearcat]

I typically have 3-4 players in games I run.

For me, it is the perfect number in play. Is enough for interesting interactions between characters and for non-trivial tactics in combat, but it gives a lot of spotlight time to each player. I run very character-driven games, so it is crucial that players are able to engage their arcs.


I have ran and played fun 1-on-1 sessions, so I think that the minimum number of players for me is 1. But I definitely prefer having 2 or 3 players.

As for the maximum number, I wouldn't go above 5-6, but even that is a lot. I would run a game for 5 or more players only if we agreed to never split the group and to reduce interpersonal interactions. While I have ran such games, that is not my preferred playstyle.


My players typically engage with their characters, situation and setting more than with the system. It's not that we ignore mechanics - we usually play by the book and avoid games with "rule zero" - but we mostly play games where the rules help focus on the fiction, not games where mechanics are fun by themselves.

I think that in my group I am the person who enjoys playing with mechanics the most.

I'm just going to ditto pretty much everything that steenan has here as it fits me almost word for word. I don't know if this is a point where we might differ, but my 3 players very, very much enjoy the mechanical side of games and 2 of the 3 definitely have well-developed opinions on various systems.

We're all very much inclined toward the heated pacing that I focus on as GM. They enjoy play being relentlessly pushed toward conflicts that they care about and they'd definitely rather push the pedal to the floor and put themselves in a spot, instead of turtling, to see what comes out of it. They're all comfortable with having plenty of authority at the table and they're smart, considerate, game-savvy, creative, proactive, and genre-aware, so I'm quite happy to give it to them.

Personally, I've GMed 1 on 1 and run many games with as many as 7 PCs (with a few at 8). While I can certainly enjoy a 1 on 1 game, anything more than 5 players is just too much (and most systems, not to mention play etiquette and GM overhead, break down pretty badly at that point). I've definitely found that 3, engaged, players is the sweet spot that I enjoy.

 

[Hand of Evil]

Might be good to have that across the inside top of the GM's screen.

I see a lot of GMs that just move on after an adventure, not exploring the after-effects and I have never understood that. Players innate a change and yet the GM does not think of the impact it could have and will moan of railroading or not being able to come up with a plot.

Players generate plots from their adventures, you just have to remember to put them in the game.

 

[Grogg of the North]

GMs: Do your players have their heads more in the game or more on the game?


Sometimes just getting enough players to gather around a table is enough but two sorts of players always seem eager to play: those who love to get into the game through their character's role and those who love to come at the game through the mechanics of the rules. (Some players can be both!) Which sort of players do you mostly have? Share some of the positive results these players have engendered at the table, please.

I've had a mix of both players over the years and it tends to be split closer character focused. I have an easier time playing with people that are playing the game through their characters rather than focusing on mechanics. In my experience, mechanic based players tend to be a bit more bossy, telling other people at the table what to do and focusing on every last detail to make sure they get the most out of their turn. This is just my experience, YMMV.

In addition, how many players do you have at your RPG Tabletop games?

What is the ideal number for you to have?

What are the minimum and maximum number of players you can reasonably handle?

Currently there are four players and a GM in my group. I would say that we're more character focused than mechanics.

I don't have an ideal number of players for my groups. Just whatever it takes for us to have fun. I've run games for two players and as many as six. Six is my limit. I always felt like I wasn't giving people enough time in the spot light and that I could never focus on anything long enough to develop.
[MENTION=177]Umbran[/MENTION] I also met my wife through D&D. She was my first DM.