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Message: <blockquote data-quote="RenleyRenfield" data-source="post: 9578149" data-attributes="member: 7044197">Allo!  Pitfalls = Don't play D&D or OSR or any other such game.   They are all really just miniatures or excel bookeeping games that pretend to be RPGs...  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f61b.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":P" title="Stick out tongue    :P"  data-smilie="7"data-shortname=":P" />Ok, sassy advice aside, here is actually helpful advice =- Before any situation starts describe the area, and then ask each player to describe their character its self and where they are in the scene.  - Ask each player to note one aspect of the location they are at, what they are interacting with (even if only idle sitting on, running hands over, looking at, etc) - Once in a while, attempt to create a plot that gives each player character a slightly different benefit or goal based on different ways the situation could be resolved.   Then moderate the conversation of them discussing the reasons for resolving the situation these different ways, and why and who should get the benefit. - Stop using "bad" guys.   Have instead "opposition", some person or being that they players can interact with in a non-violent manner.  Give the being its own reasons for wanting to oppose the characters, and make sure the reasons sound like something the players understand too.  Let the players resolve the situation with bargains or wagers.  Which means the opposition should have alternate things they could want to bargain for. - hand out XP or other such bonuses for when players as a group chit chat downtime/campfires/personal ideals  conversations.  The more the players talk to each other in character, the less work you are doing trying to sing and dance and keep their attention on camera.  - Move the spotlight around.  Even though someone has more stuff they want to do or say with their character in that moment, make them pause that thought - move on to someone else, let them interact for a bit, pause, move one - repeat.  Eventually you will find both a rhythm and dramatic pause points to heighten player interest in knowing what happens next.   (101 Arabian nights but in one scene...)</blockquote>

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