Reply to thread

Message

<blockquote data-quote="fireinthedust" data-source="post: 5387466" data-attributes="member: 51930">Clarifications:Firstly (Editing here):&nbsp; This isn't intended as a jab at my current players on these boards.&nbsp; Hopefully they know I'd love input on how to make games more interesting, and how I prefer sandbox-style campaigns with active players to just feeding them information.[/edit]1)&nbsp; This was an on-the-spot scenario I've never used, intended to illustrate the issues with players rather than a particular episode with my home group.2)&nbsp;&nbsp; Most of my issues are with PBP players who don't post for weeks while other players are doing all the work.&nbsp; By all the work I mean any actions, even during round-by-round combat when everyone should be acting.3)&nbsp; My home group is usually fairly good, though I do have to be somewhat straightforward in describing &quot;the game within the game&quot;, ie: you'll need to make three of this kind of check;&nbsp; or &quot;you need to find all three keys before you can reach the Dragon's Lair&quot;.4)&nbsp; There are failure players, especially ones who can't make up their minds about which goblin to attack.&nbsp; I had one who couldn't choose which character to wake up for the next watch; when he was asked if he wanted, with a point blank shot to the head of the bad guy, to take the shot and save his friends, he said he'd &quot;wait and see&quot; and continue to hide behind an overturned table.&nbsp; His reason: he didn't want the bad guy to be angry with him.&nbsp; Not kidding here, loads of issues, let his friends die because of them.Mal:&nbsp; giving people what they want is easy enough.&nbsp; a) I advertise the plot I'm going to run, they apply to play pbp with me.&nbsp; b) I ask &quot;what do you want to do?&quot; and they can at this point tell me.&nbsp; My issue is that players don't do either of these things, lie to me that everything is fantastic, and just sit there soaking things in.&nbsp; That's great, and good for my ego, but I'd like them to do stuff.It's more than just puzzles.&nbsp; In fact, it's situations like &quot;you're in a Tavern that looks like this.&nbsp; There are three areas (by the bar, by the fireplace, at a table or booth), which do you go to?&quot; and they can't answer.&nbsp; In fact, we get through a plot and they get a pile of money.&nbsp; Now what?&nbsp; They have no idea, including players in my home game.&nbsp; They could build a fortress, build an army, design a dungeon, travel the planes, look for dragons, whatever.&nbsp; Their response?&nbsp; &quot;I dunno.&quot;I have a setting that I've detailed.&nbsp; I give them options for places to go (ie: pirate islands, borderland forests, knightly realms, or bustling anything-goes cities).&nbsp; Which would they like to try?&nbsp;&nbsp; &quot;I dunno, whatever&quot;.The exceptions I run into usually are evil overlords who want to build armies of the undead.&nbsp; Which is great, but they're never heroes and try siding with bad guys and betraying party members.&nbsp; arrgh!</blockquote>

[QUOTE="fireinthedust, post: 5387466, member: 51930"] Clarifications: Firstly (Editing here): This isn't intended as a jab at my current players on these boards. Hopefully they know I'd love input on how to make games more interesting, and how I prefer sandbox-style campaigns with active players to just feeding them information. [/edit] 1) This was an on-the-spot scenario I've never used, intended to illustrate the issues with players rather than a particular episode with my home group. 2) Most of my issues are with PBP players who don't post for weeks while other players are doing all the work. By all the work I mean any actions, even during round-by-round combat when everyone should be acting. 3) My home group is usually fairly good, though I do have to be somewhat straightforward in describing "the game within the game", ie: you'll need to make three of this kind of check; or "you need to find all three keys before you can reach the Dragon's Lair". 4) There are failure players, especially ones who can't make up their minds about which goblin to attack. I had one who couldn't choose which character to wake up for the next watch; when he was asked if he wanted, with a point blank shot to the head of the bad guy, to take the shot and save his friends, he said he'd "wait and see" and continue to hide behind an overturned table. His reason: he didn't want the bad guy to be angry with him. Not kidding here, loads of issues, let his friends die because of them. Mal: giving people what they want is easy enough. a) I advertise the plot I'm going to run, they apply to play pbp with me. b) I ask "what do you want to do?" and they can at this point tell me. My issue is that players don't do either of these things, lie to me that everything is fantastic, and just sit there soaking things in. That's great, and good for my ego, but I'd like them to do stuff. It's more than just puzzles. In fact, it's situations like "you're in a Tavern that looks like this. There are three areas (by the bar, by the fireplace, at a table or booth), which do you go to?" and they can't answer. In fact, we get through a plot and they get a pile of money. Now what? They have no idea, including players in my home game. They could build a fortress, build an army, design a dungeon, travel the planes, look for dragons, whatever. Their response? "I dunno." I have a setting that I've detailed. I give them options for places to go (ie: pirate islands, borderland forests, knightly realms, or bustling anything-goes cities). Which would they like to try? "I dunno, whatever". The exceptions I run into usually are evil overlords who want to build armies of the undead. Which is great, but they're never heroes and try siding with bad guys and betraying party members. arrgh! [/QUOTE]

Verification