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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Harlock" data-source="post: 1063976" data-attributes="member: 4545">Hmm.  I can see both sides of this.  I wish one of your players were here to answer to this in order to determine where the breakdown is.  As a GM I often find that the game is about the players.  Versatilty is a key.  If they are trying to out think you then perhaps the solution isn't more options but rather fewer.  Give them simple choices.  Give them only two hooks.  Give them lots of background from which to make a choice.  Often times a GM has a clear cut picture of his campaign and storyline but by being mysterious and with holding information doesn't give out enough or enough of the right kind of clues.  If the players are wandering all over the map desperately seeking something to do, a hook, a plot, a contact, then let them find it.  Don't let a session go for a few hours with players getting frustrated and finally throwing their hands up and saying, "hook, please."  While you may have a destination in mind, again, you already know the plot.  Sometimes as a GM it's hard to take yourself out of the story and think like a player would with their limited information.  Drop hooks and reinforce important ones with supporting information.  I don't mean serapate pieces of the same clue, I mean the exact same clue re-worded.  While you know that some nation stockpiling food and a neighboring nation buying black market weapons because they are allies in a planned invasion in the future may be related, the players may never put that together and just think nation A is hungry and Nation B is paranoid.  Players have to have solid redundant hooks in order to act sometimes.  One more thing.  If you need to be direct in a game, how much more important is it to be direct in real life?  The players talked to your girlfriend, how about you talk to your players.  Ask them directly why they are frustrated.  Ask them what you can do to alleviate their frustrations and make the game fun.  As a GM the most fulfilling sessions are always the ones in which the players simply enjoy themselves.  Even if it doesn't advance your metaplot, even if it doesn't really fit your style there is nothing better than looking over the screen at smiling faces enjoying what you've done for them.</blockquote>

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