Playing Castle Ravenloft for laughs?

[Shawn_Kehoe]

Anyone done this? We're three sessions into Expedition to Castle Ravenloft, and every attempt I've made to establish atmosphere has been sabotaged by quips from two of my players. The quips range from actually funny to groaners. I could tell them to quit it ... but they've always been jokey roleplayers, so that might detract from their enjoyment.

The other option is to play up to their tomfoolery, letting Strahd misplace his dentures and similar nonsense in the House of Frightenstein vein. On the other hand, I have high regard for the Ravenloft modules and this feels a little like sacrilege.

Thoughts?

 

[Oni]

IMO comedy happens.

That is to say trying to be funny is risky, the players will bring the comedy if they want it without the DM intentionally trying to camp it up.

 

[Celebrim]

Don't think Mel Brooks.

Think Bob Newhart. Play the straight man. If they want to play it like 'The Mummy' or some other wise cracking low brow adventure, that's there decision. Keep a straight face. So straight that its funny, or at least a good surface to bounce jokes off of.

It doesn't sound like you are going to change the players at this point, but if it was me it wouldn't be the comedy that would bother me. Actually playing your character for laughs is extremely entertaining for me as a DM, especially if you are actually funny. What would bother me is if they couldn't stay in character. A funny in character quip is one thing, but continual out of character banter suggests either immaturity or boredom or both. I don't DM just to hear myself talk. If I'm not entertaining you, why should I waste my time? If you don't entertain me, I'm not going to stay interested in doing the work to produce fun sessions for you. Let's play something everyone can keep thier minds on, or watch a movie or something.

 

[Wik]

Don't think Mel Brooks.

Think Bob Newhart. Play the straight man. If they want to play it like 'The Mummy' or some other wise cracking low brow adventure, that's there decision. Keep a straight face. So straight that its funny, or at least a good surface to bounce jokes off of.

It doesn't sound like you are going to change the players at this point, but if it was me it wouldn't be the comedy that would bother me. Actually playing your character for laughs is extremely entertaining for me as a DM, especially if you are actually funny. What would bother me is if they couldn't stay in character. A funny in character quip is one thing, but continual out of character banter suggests either immaturity or boredom or both. I don't DM just to hear myself talk. If I'm not entertaining you, why should I waste my time? If you don't entertain me, I'm not going to stay interested in doing the work to produce fun sessions for you. Let's play something everyone can keep thier minds on, or watch a movie or something.

Ha. You'd hate my group - the ooc banter is a huge factor. We're laughing in character, out of character, and everywhere in between. Ravenloft wouldn't work with us, nine days out of ten.

I agree, though - Mel Brooks is not a way to go. Instead, you can simply try to set up jokes for your players to jump on, and have fun with that.

 

[FATDRAGONGAMES]

I've got two players like that and I pretty much gave up trying to reign them a long time ago. Usually it takes an hour to get it out of their system and then they're fine for a while.

 

[Celebrim]

Ha. You'd hate my group - the ooc banter is a huge factor. We're laughing in character, out of character, and everywhere in between.

I've been in alot of sessions like that.

But looking back over the years, I don't remember hardly anything that happened in them.

The really fun sessions that I look back fondly on, we were too engrossed in play to bother with occ jibes, banter, and weaving star wars/princess bride/monte python quotes into our play. Now, especially since finding time to play is harder than when I was younger, if I plan on RPing, I plan on RPing.

 

[Clueless]

It may also be worthwhile to consider that they're making jokes to keep the creepy of the atmosphere off their minds. There's a player in my group that I can always tell when something is getting to him - he starts punning.

 

[roguerouge]

If it is bothering you enough to post to an online forum about, I recommend playing with an additional group of players committed to immersive role playing, so that you can see which style you like better.

 

[frankthedm]

Ask them politely if one of them want to run a game. If they decline and continue state that you have put effort into running a serious game so the humor is unwelcome and if they want to keep it up, so are they.

 

[eyebeams]

The original modules did have a few jokes; one of Strahd's relatives was the mad admiral of a landlocked navy, for instance.