Players, GMs, and "My character"...

[Hussar]

Now, a question. Does the Thief player know about this?

I sure hope not, as the Thief PC doesn't know either; and this is one case where player knowledge and character knowledge should be the same. With time and some luck the idea is that it eventually comes out through play even if words aren't involved much - he always leaps to her defense before defending anyone else in a battle, for example; or stands up for her interests in any disputes, etc.

But, what if the Thief player wants nothing to do with this? What if the Thief player has entirely different ideas and just has no interest in your entire background. Does the Thief player have to suck it up and deal with it or should the Thief player have some say in how the group is going to interact.

I've met more than a few players who have zero interest in romance in an RPG. Just not what they want out of the game. Makes them feel very uncomfortable. Heck, whatever the reason.

Isn't this blindsiding the Thief player? I could see it working, but, I could also see this going very, very badly.

 

[Lanefan]

But, what if the Thief player wants nothing to do with this? What if the Thief player has entirely different ideas and just has no interest in your entire background. Does the Thief player have to suck it up and deal with it or should the Thief player have some say in how the group is going to interact.

I've met more than a few players who have zero interest in romance in an RPG. Just not what they want out of the game. Makes them feel very uncomfortable. Heck, whatever the reason.

Isn't this blindsiding the Thief player? I could see it working, but, I could also see this going very, very badly.

If and when it ever becomes apparent that my guy is interested in the Thief, it then becomes up to the Thief's player to decide how said character would react. Perhaps she goes with it. Perhaps she tells me to get lost. Perhaps, being a Thief, she takes fearless advantage of the situation and lets me keep stopping bullets for her while pretending she's never noticed me; until I stop one too many and die. There are many options.

The only difference between this scenario and something developing within the game as it goes along is that I've brought it in with me. I could have a completely different background and have never heard of the Thief, yet 3 sessions in I could have fallen in love with her and be doing exactly the same thing. But here, I'm using it as the hook that actually gets me out adventuring in the field with this bunch of clowns...

Lanefan

 

[Hussar]

And what do you do when the Thief player turns to you and says, "Dude, this is really creepy. Don't do that. It's making me really uncomfortable and I am not interested in playing this out at all"?

 

[Raven Crowking]

The answer is obvious: Kill the thief and take his stuff.

 

[Hussar]

The answer is obvious: Kill the thief and take his stuff.

Heh. Made me giggle.

 

[Lanefan]

And what do you do when the Thief player turns to you and says, "Dude, this is really creepy. Don't do that. It's making me really uncomfortable and I am not interested in playing this out at all"?

What do I do? First, I ask myself why I'm hanging out with someone who is so uptight. Second, maybe then or most likely later, I give him a bad time and tell him (it's always 'him's who have these issues) to lighten up. And third, if I think in the least that I can get away with it I follow the advice of the mighty King Crow and find out what the Thief had in its pocketses.

Lanefan

 

[Hussar]

What do I do? First, I ask myself why I'm hanging out with someone who is so uptight. Second, maybe then or most likely later, I give him a bad time and tell him (it's always 'him's who have these issues) to lighten up. And third, if I think in the least that I can get away with it I follow the advice of the mighty King Crow and find out what the Thief had in its pocketses.

Lanefan

If that's an honest answer and not tongue in cheek, that would get you ejected from my table. A player tells you in no uncertain terms that he or she is completely not interested in what you're selling and you force the issue to the point of ganking his character?

Oh yeah, out the door. I got no time for this kind of thing anymore and pretty much zero tolerance for it either. You tried something (perfectly fine) and someone told you to stop and you didn't? That's totally not groovy.

It's not up to the player to "lighten up". It's up to you not to piss in someone else's cornflakes for your own amusement.

 

[MrMyth]

What do I do? First, I ask myself why I'm hanging out with someone who is so uptight. Second, maybe then or most likely later, I give him a bad time and tell him (it's always 'him's who have these issues) to lighten up. And third, if I think in the least that I can get away with it I follow the advice of the mighty King Crow and find out what the Thief had in its pocketses.

Seriously?

You genuinely feel that it is ok to harass another player, and when they ask you to stop, blame them for being uptight and proceed to give them a hard time (or take it out on their character?)

I think that is exactly the sort of behavior that this thread is about. In the end, when one person's attitude, or the desires of their character, are running rampant and ruining the game for someone else, that's the point at which an intervention is needed. And whether that consists of finding a way to get their character back on track, or ejecting the problem player from the game, it is far better to try and address the issue in some fashion rather than just leave the problem to fester.

 

[Raven Crowking]

On the other hand, welcome to my table!

 

[Lanefan]

If that's an honest answer and not tongue in cheek, that would get you ejected from my table. A player tells you in no uncertain terms that he or she is completely not interested in what you're selling and you force the issue to the point of ganking his character?

In this case, yes.

If someone is that disturbed by something as simple as an in-game romantic pursuit of one character by another, they've got deeper issues. And I'm more than willing to poke the bear if that's what it takes to bring those issues into at least enough light so the person who has 'em can see 'em.

Note, however, that if it's the character who's not interested that's an entirely different thing, and it then becomes up to me as to how my character would react...in character. (the kill-and-loot-it part of my previous response was tongue in cheek, playing along with RC's equally-gonzo suggestion)

Oh yeah, out the door. I got no time for this kind of thing anymore and pretty much zero tolerance for it either. You tried something (perfectly fine) and someone told you to stop and you didn't? That's totally not groovy.

It's not up to the player to "lighten up". It's up to you not to piss in someone else's cornflakes for your own amusement.

So...uh...the other player can tell me to tighten up but I can't tell him to lighten up?

I sense a double standard here...

Lanefan