Players Don't Care About Your Setting

[MGibster]

It pains me to say this, but I don't think most players care about game settings all that much. It pains me to admit this because I'm someone who really loves settings, and who chooses what games to run primarily based on how much I like the setting (I'm not looking at you Shadowrun). Most players are primarily focused on the adventures or scenarios. What are the player characters going to be doing? Do the scenarios sound like fun? Tangently this is related to the setting of course, in Cyberpunk Red your character is an edgerunner, a class of criminal that exists because of social, political, and economic change and uncertainty. Obviously there are exceptions. There are some players who fall in the love with a game's setting and really, really want to play it. A lot of Vampire the Masquerade players in the 1990s were absolutely wild about the setting. Even some of my players are really enthusiastic about the setting for every game I run.

This isn't to say that settings are a waste of time. I think people who run games are more invested in the setting that most other participants. And a good setting provides plenty of fodder for scenario ideas. But if you want people to play a game you're going to have to sell it on the fun adventures you can have rather than the setting itself.

 

[jerryrice4949]

It pains me to agree. I know as the DM I am much more invested in my setting than my players who are often more focused on what’s next. I mean sure they appreciate some of the small touches that make it seem like a living breathing world but overall they soon forget that when compared to the next epic battle or heist.

Helps explain WoTC approach to settings. Probably only DMs really invest in the books.

 

[Jd Smith1]

Largely true. My group is great, but the only setting issues they really pay attention to are the points where setting and mechanics/challenges intersect.

 

[DrunkonDuty]

Some do, some don't.

It's very taste dependent.

re. homebrew, I've found that getting player input into the setting from the outset has really increased player buy-in to the setting.

 

[Fifth Element]

Some do, some don't.

It's very taste dependent.

Yeah, generalizing from one's own experience is rarely a good idea.

 

[overgeeked]

They care as long as it directly effects them and actually matters in the moment.

The complete history of a far-off kingdom they’ll never visit? Don’t care ever.

The limited and relevant history of a far-off kingdom they’ll definitely visit at some later date? Don’t care right now.

The reason this knight is swinging a sword at their face? Do care right now.

 

[BookTenTiger]

The last time I ran a game I had the players create the setting. I created a questionnaire inspired by Ironsworn. The players were super into it and had a real investment in the setting.

I highly recommend it!

 

[Necropolitan]

I am all about settings and I'll turn down campaigns I might have otherwise joined if the setting doesn't seem fun for me to play a character in.

For example: I only play Clerics if the setting I'm playing in has deities I could have fun playing as a Cleric as. In fact the first time I ever played a Cleric in 5E was when I thought it would be fun playing a Cleric of Umberlee in the Forgotten Realms setting for a campaign set in a city next to the ocean.

The last time I ran a game I had the players create the setting. I created a questionnaire inspired by Ironsworn. The players were super into it and had a real investment in the setting.

I highly recommend it!

That is incredibly useful, may I please have/use a copy of it?

 

[DrunkonDuty]

They care as long as it directly effects them and actually matters in the moment.

The complete history of a far-off kingdom they’ll never visit? Don’t care.

The complete history of a far-off kingdom they’ll definitely visit at some later date? Don’t care.

The reason this knight is swinging a sword at their face? Do care.

Very true.

I love doing up a setting and getting into obscure lore. I really enjoy it. But I understand that I do it for me. I don't expect my players to need or even want to know half of the crap I spend my time dreaming up. Because it just isn't relevant to their play experience.

I have found that when something does become relevant to the actual game players are usually into it. Caveat: some payers aren't into lore at all. They just want to hit the bad guys. That's cool.

 

[overgeeked]

Very true.

I love doing up a setting and getting into obscure lore. I really enjoy it. But I understand that I do it for me. I don't expect my players to need or even want to know half of the crap I spend my time dreaming up. Because it just isn't relevant to their play experience.

I have found that when something does become relevant to the actual game players are usually into it. Caveat: some payers aren't into lore at all. They just want to hit the bad guys. That's cool.

The weird one is the player who doesn’t care at all about the world and its lore but also gets mad if the referee doesn’t fawn over their PC’s backstory.