Players: How do you take initiative in spurring plot/action, when DM does not?

[Desdichado]

Joshua, I am afraid my message did not come across as I intended it. I did not mean to put words in your mouth, to ignore your very insightful points, or to argue with you in any way. I think your ideas are quite good. I was just trying to express the difficulties I have had in accomplishing those things.

Hey man, no offense eh?

Hey, I'm not offended... that's just my "Internet Voice" coming out again, probably. I understand there can be difficulties with what I proposed, but if the players and DM decide that character motivations conflicting with both each other and the campaign in general is a problem, then probably they should all sit down together and work out a compatible set of characters for the group and the campaign all together at the beginning of the campaign. If it's a goal all the players can get behind, and the DM is willing to give a few "previews" so the players know what to expect, it should solve 90% of the problems you're describing, IMO.

Of course, there's curve balls lurking out there that could throw the whole thing for a loop. One in particular is the player that always wants to play something a little "different" that just really has trouble fitting into the campaign, or who doesn't really think it's important to do so. Also, if the DM can be flexible enough to allow players to play their PCs the way they want to -- but it really has to be a joint effort. As both a player it is very frustrating to spend time working out details for a character that are irrelevant to the campaign, and as a DM it's frustrating to try to put together a campaign that the PCs seem determined not to engage. In my experience, the crucial step of joint preparation to make sure the PCs are good matches as a group and for the campaign is crucial to a good campaign, though.

 

[Desdichado]

I'd go one step beyond Joshua on this and give the PCs a 'Purpose' - that is make the Players come up with a good reason why their Characters are 'here' (in the DMs setting) now working alongside the other PCs. Its the step that comes after the PC Background and Motivation and covers the Party Background and Motivation

Once this Purpose is clearly stated and understood the campaign should be built inorder to match the Partys Purpose. The PCs can still follow their individual traits and side adventures and diversions can take place but the whole will be motivated by achieving the Purpose whatever it might be...

I'd agree, actually, although this may be a matter of taste, so I'm hesitant to recommend it carte blanche. If I were to start running a campaign today (not yet, I'm not ready!) I'd have all the PCs be members of an agency of some kind: a fantasy version of the FBI where the PCs are the X-files branch.

That way, you've got built in motivation and association for the whole party.

 

[candidus_cogitens]

Yeah, but I'll tell you, [going solo is] a heck of a lot more fun than sitting there for 45 minutes while other players chase their own tails, waiting for the DM to spoon feed them what they should do next. I play in a game occasionally where the group has a bad habit of obsessing on one room, just sitting there, not doing anything. It drives me nuts. Last game, I finally decided to start booting open doors - and as a result, everyone focused and the game got fun again.

I think the secret is, pressing on when the game stalls is a good thing that most DMs appreciate. Pressing on just to annoy the DM when interesting things are already happening is a bad thing.

I agree, on all counts! I've done that on several occasions when my fellow players were thinking (excessively, in my view) about the right way to approach a door, who should go first, whether we should rest first . . . blah, blah, blah!

One time I just went up to the door and knocked on loudly on it. Unfortunately, there was a troll on the other side who knocked me unconscious in a single swipe. But, at least the game moved on!

 

[Deedlit]

Personally, I roll a d20, and then add my DEX mod, and if I have it, +4 from the improved initiave feat.

 

[pogre]

But, as a DM, this is one of my pet-peeves: "role-playing" performed in such a way as to preclude gaming. If you don't want to play D&D, go home. Otherwise, do your DM a solid and think of a reason for your character to want to be involved. It is a shared story, after all, and everyone has to share the burden of making it work.

Man, I agree with this one hundred percent.

I like to throw the characters into an active situation to get things rolling sometimes. Especially for groups that are constantly assessing whether they should even go on an adventure or not. Railroading? At some level sure, but it beats the alternative.

 

[howandwhy99]

<waves hands> "Resurrection"

I know in our group we have several people who drive the action forward. There is an enormous amount to remember though, so sometime we get caught up in the details and bookkeeping. I for one am actually against the kicking-in-doors method. It rapidly leads to our deaths.

To really get into the game though I think being mentally prepared is most important. Having the right attitude. Skimming previous notes. Preparing plans beforehand. Looking at where you left off with a handful of ideas on where you want to go. And generally focusing on having a good time.

Being spontaneous is great. But I find I need to be in shape/up and running when I arrive at the table. Otherwise I sit and tread water too.

 

[Gold Roger]

This never was a issue for me for a long time, both, my games and the only other DM's I ever played with, tended to be streightforward in terms of motivation and course of action (though in the earlier campaigns there often was only one course of action that was sometimes hard to figure out).
That changed drastically however with the two new campaigns we started, that are both rather open on terms of motivation and action.
In the D20modern/apokalypse campaign I play in we are stranded in a bunker in the middle of nowhere, over 300 years in the future, surounded by rednecks, agressive aliens and mutants. Speak of open course of action.
In my pirate campaign I basically told the two players "The start is rather railroay, one off your chars has to get you into some serious trouble, with your local regent, after that your free to do what you want." That went rather well and the first session became a buddy movie, with one char allways causing trouble and throwing caution out into the ocean and dragging the other, more responsible, along into the trouble he causes.
These few sessions have shown me that a active PC is needed for such games, that drags the others along. The d20 modern campaign has four PC's talking every action out. As a result we get much less done. I think it's time for my charakter to step out of his withdrawn isolation and attain that active role he should as cop.

 

[ThirdWizard]

Here's a tip: Set up various plot hooks at the end of a session.

Then, they choose what to do. Then you spend your time preparing for their plans. If they don't take the hook, who cares, so long as they're doing something. The DM's prep time is never wasted, and the PCs are always doing something that interests the Players and moves the story along. Win-win.

 

[Teflon Billy]

HOW TO TAKE ACTION IN FOUR EASY STEPS:

Boot the door.

Break the statues.

Whizz on the altars.

Kill any NPC that has a name in the module.

Whoa! You got the answer right on the second post !

Nicely done Wulf!