Players Don't Care About Your Setting


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overgeeked

B/X Known World
Thats because they dont care about your/our/my setting, the PC in this case is THEIR setting, and so we must care.

The hypocricy is always enjoyable.
The real noodler is when the referee cares about the setting and is mad that the players don't care. But then doesn't understand why the players are mad that the referee doesn't care about the PCs' backstories.

That hypocrisy is less enjoyable.
 

GrimCo

Hero
It kind of depends. If we are playing short adventure (1-4 sessions), no, they don't. Nor do I, for that matter. It's just "generic quasi medieval setting". If we are playing campaign, they do care. Setting has impact on style and themes of the game and gives players info on what kind of game they can expect and what kind of characters are viable. Dark Sun plays very different than Eberron which plays different than Ravenloft.
 

Distracted DM

Distracted DM
Supporter
I'm in the "some players do, most players don't" camp. That is, most players will probably care about the things that directly impact their character- it's not that it's a BAD thing, but I think GMs can feel let down that the players don't care about the effort that they put into what may ultimately only be the backdrop of the adventure... expecting them to care is setting yourself up for disappointment. Making the setting is something that's mostly going to be done for yourself as the GM- really, with a little improv skill you can just make a setting up as you go starting from the little stuff... in that case, worldbuilding isn't a NECESSITY to running a game.

It's a pleasant surprise when they DO care though... I think the thing that I do that leads to the most interest is to leave questions and unsolved mysteries in the setting. Some players will want questions answered because it's a mystery.
That, and make the players know/feel that they have an impact on the setting.
And make the setting stuff important to the adventure. Try to show, not tell.

I have half a dozen players scattered throughout five tables that ARE invested in the setting, and that's a nice feeling.
 


For longer and more roleplay:y fantasy campaigns, I usually place them in Forgotten Realms or Golarion, so the one lore nerd in my group can go wild without any extra burden for me.

For my upcoming Dungeon Crawl Classics campaign, I'll just make sh*t up as we go.

The only genres I actually put some work in the setting is sci fi and post-apoc, though not to the extent that I expect my players to be interested in the Second Imperiums demise twelve thousand years ago - that kind of details I just make up on the fly if it ever pops up.
 

reelo

Hero
Once my KS stuff has arrived (whenever that may be) I will try and run a Dolmenwood campaign, which means I will specifically look for players who want to become invested in the setting, as it is so dense with quirky lore, adventures practically write themselves if only the players bite the myriad of hooks.
 

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