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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Hussar" data-source="post: 5261675" data-attributes="member: 22779">Heh Bill91.  Here's an idea for pacing that you all might like.  This is not my idea - I ganked it years ago from Dragon.  I've tried it a few times and it's worked rather well.Take a fairly large social situation - such as a banquet or party.  Many groups will do one of two things.  Either all stick together and everyone talks to one NPC at a time, or the group will split up and each conversation will be played out to its conclusion before moving on to the next conversation.Try this instead.  Each player including the DM, at any point in time, can say, "Next" and the spotlight shifts to the next player in line.  The goal, from the player's perspective, is to keep the role play interesting enough for everyone at the table that he doesn't get "Next" called on him because then that player loses the spotlight until it comes around again.  Being a prat and calling a bunch of "Next"s won't work because another player will just do the same to him.  And, if you reach a point in the conversation where you would like a bit of time to think, you can always call next on yourself.  I've found that this really focuses the players.  Whoever is "on deck" is getting her ducks in a row so that when her turn comes up, she's got something to talk about.  A plan of engagement with the NPC, rather than just random blather.  And players can get pretty competitive about it too, which focuses attention even more.IME, you wind up with a series of five to ten minute "scenes" with NPC's, and you get a huge amount of very "in character" conversation and play.  This works as well if the party decides to split up in other situations.  Instead of resolving all the actions of one group then the other, bounce back and forth fairly rapidly.  The players focus on the other group and also on their own tasks because they don't want to lose the spotlight.It's worked well in the past for me.</blockquote>

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