Pulling a player into character

[Thanee]

You could try to let the player think, that he is a part of a story and not a part of a computer game.

Draw comparisons to novels or movies (i.e. LotR), to give him examples.

Talk with him about background, that his character is a real person in a phantastic world, not just a tool to be used and thrown away after use.

Ask him, if he was ever in a situation, where is head told him to take one direction, but his heart told him to take another... and he chose the second. Sometimes you simply do not base decisions purely on logical thought. A roleplaying character has a personality, too, which directs him as much as a real person.

At the point where he has to make a decision for his character, stop and tell him that he should try to figure how his character would decide, if this was actually a real situation. Try this a few times (when it doesn't get too annoying).

And most of all, tell him it's fun and that he should try it.

Maybe he likes it, maybe not. If not, don't force him. If he does, support him.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Henry]

Here's a suggestion:

First of all, try addressing him in character when an NPC is speaking. If someone is taking a conversational tone with you, you reflexively adopt a conversational tone right back, rather than still speaking in the third person.

Second, ask him some questions about his character next time before game time. What's his favorite color? Who is his favorite family member and why? If he's an orphan, who was his favorite person he ran into? (To my knowledge, no one except the most violent sociopaths had NO ONE they liked come into their lives, even if it was the man in the Good Humor ice cream truck.) What was his favorite game growing up? Just some off-the-wall stuff to break the ice.

Finally, if I have players who don't want to provide me with background, I provide it for them. Well, what do you know? Your father/mother/old friend just showed up, and need a favor from you! You wouldn't deny a request from dear Mom, would you? That shifty guy in the corner? That's WALT, your old mercenary buddy from years back! Why is he so paranoid? Some people say they dislike having background "thrust" onto them, but I have found that they ones who dislike background being "dumped" on them are the ones perfectly capable of providing their own, and the ones who just can't come up with any, or who really don't care, will usually take what you give them and run with it.

 

[dren]

Players usually respond with what they are exposed to.
I ban meta-gaming when I'm present but will leave the gaming area to have the players plan things out. When I am there, I have everyone talk as their character. If they don't talk in character (no, I don't mean funny voices) then I give out small xp penalties. If they mention things like game stats, the npcs will look at them strangely, "Excuse me sir, what does a 19 strength mean? Explain a +4 bonus?" Likewise, if someone says, "I am down twenty hit points, cleric heal me!" I give them a penalty for OOC comments.

If players are given the proper encouragement, I have found very few who are not willing to get into character. They may not be able to give speeches, but give it a good try. Of course, I may have been lucky in the players I have found over the years.

 

[Berandor]

As I understand it, the "problem" lies mainly with his response to his character dying? Well, I am like your player then.
If my character dies, I make up a new one (I don't really like resurrection). Sometimes I make a new one even though my old character is dead. I don't mind, and my DMs don't mind anymore, either

 

[Umbran]

Any ideas how to get him more "in character"?
ie. be more concerned about dying, think about where he is and the consequences of his actions, etc.

Okay, as many have noted, if he's having fun and isn't getting in anyone else's way, things are not bad. There's something to be said for coaxing him into trying something a little different to see if he likes it, though.

I personally find that the best way to get players to worry about dying doesn't involve stats or the threat of death at all. The best way to get a player to care is to make his character part of a compelling story. If your game was a novel, you'd want it to be a real page-turner. A book that the reader cannot put down. If the player is eager and interested in advancing the plot or story, they won't want their character to die, because the next character isn't the same story.

I cannot tell you how to do this with the given player, though. What makes the story compelling for one person won't get attention from another. You need to know what this player likes and dislikes. You need to find what buttons he wants pushed. When you find the hooks he likes, use them.

 

[Driddle]

Every time the character is struck in combat or otherwise injured, kick the player under the table or poke his hand with a fork. He'll start to get into the role after a while and avoid damage to his character.

 

[Macbeth]

Okay, heres my method for having a player add depth to a character, soehting that I use myself: find a single word to describe the character. Ask the player to describe the character in a single word, and then have them play that word.

For example, my current character would be "honorable." He is a samurai, and tries to maintina his honor at all costs (even when it is at the possible cost of his life). He introduces himself as "Li Xian Gao, Honorable Warrior and Samurai." Whenever I need to make an in character decision, I think "honorable" (and maybe think back to The Seven Samurai). It actually works fairly well.

And ditto on the movie idea. It may create characters who are not the most original, but still very fun. I have a character in a game I run that is essentialy Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean. Creative? Kind of, he did make some nice depth with the character. Fun? Oh yeah. Easy to roleplay? Definately. The player almost never leaves character.

 

[Rel]

I'm in the "if he's having fun then you don't really have a problem" camp. But I do think you could subtly nudge him in the direction of some more roleplaying so long as you do so with the understanding that if he doesn't bite, that's ok too.

I'd say one good way, similar to Macbeth's suggestion would be along the lines of "So, when they make a big movie out of our game, what actor would play your character?" This is small but firm step toward establishing the character's personality.