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Message: <blockquote data-quote="The It's Man" data-source="post: 496774" data-attributes="member: 19">Well, the campaign I started playing a year or ten ago, started after the rolling of the dice for the abilities, with buying equipment. The DM's played the shopkeeper(s) and/or other customer(s) and I got together the things I needed for my PC. That kind of set the tone of the campaign. (No, we don't roleplay buying every loaf of bread, but sometimes we spend a lot of time at a shop if we want someting "special").Let them (in coorperation with you ofcourse) find out a way how their characters meet or how they know each other (the biggest hassle at the start of a new campaign IMX)Or play out a bit of the background of the player.Above scenarios involve ofcourse a period of time before the campaign actually starts. It's not much fun if you have six players and they all have to buy things. OTOH, if you do this with a player who you know is willing (and "able") to roleplay more, a not-so player can sit and watch, maybe overcome the 'shyness" (if that's a reason for not roleplaying). Maybe have the first two sessions with only half the players, so at the 3rd session there are two groups who have to get together. Also, "play out" for instance the information gathering skill; instead of "I hang around in the local bars, give me a d20"; the player can opt to tell the things he does, you can make (or improvise) some regulars in the bars. If they do it "right", you can give out the information you want them to have or give them a bonus on the Gather Information skill check.Also, play out the NPC's. Instead of "The Major of town X gives you this assignment", let them be approached by some underlings to set up a meeting (and play that meeting, let them wait in a waitingroom, maybe another person who wants to speak to the mayor is around, there can be a roleplaying opportunity there)If a couple of players are (role)playing along with this, the others might join in after a while. IMHO, don't penalize the ones who don't RP much, as they are being penalized for having less playtime themself as it is.As a bonus, you can give extra hints or whatever if a meeting/encounter with an NPC is roleplayed.The It's Man takes a deep breathAnother thing, is to have sometimes a ban of OOC talk. We have times at the table that whatever you're saying, your PC is saying or doing. Especially after we have made a plan to overcome something and we're supposed to know all the little details of what the PC is doing. Can be a hassle, but we're getting better at it every time <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />.Oh and have a ban on OOC knowledge, for instance if one PC's wants to check out what another person has (for instance a pick pocket), if the "target" gets oversuspicious, don't let him. His PC isn't aware of what the player of the rogue is saying to the DM.The It's Man takes another deep breathBut first, check with your players. Let them know you want to have some more role-playing. If they don't want to play like that, well...; if they do, they might have some good ideas too.</blockquote>

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