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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Hussar" data-source="post: 6121478" data-attributes="member: 22779">Let me try this example.  We'll keep Bob, because we like Bob.In your group, Bob makes his character with a secret.  He's on the run from some cult.  The specifics aren't really important.  During play, every so often, NPC's show up and attack the group, trying to capture Bob.  Bob remains silent and doesn't reveal his secret.  The other players don't have any idea what's going on, just that, from time to time, these NPC's that are completely unrelated to anything they are doing, show up and attack them.  Now, the other players have no investment in this.  They have no idea why this is happening.  They try to find out, but, because Bob isn't telling, and because they aren't willing to hold Bob's toes over the coals, the rest of the group has to contend with these attacks.  Why would any of the other players possibly care here?  What's in it for them?Now, in my group, this is how this works.  When we sit down to make our characters, Bob announces to the group that he wants his character to be on the run from some cult.  At least two of the other characters, by the end of character generation, will have some connection either directly to Bob or to the cult.  If you've ever looked at the FATE chargen rules, you'll see how that works.  I use a somewhat different mini-game, but, the end result is largely the same.  At least two other players will have direct connections to Bob and/or Bob's problem.So, when the cultists show up to capture Bob, the entire group is already engaged.  Three of the players (at least) at the table are invested in this plot.  And, the other players will be tangentially invested because the other players will be connected to at least two of the three directly engaged characters.  ((It might only be one of the three, but, typically it will be two))  So, there is no disconnect.  When the cultists show up, everyone gets their game face on because the cultists are important to the table.  Everyone is already invested in this.  Which speaks to your point about Bob being engaged while I'm not.  It won't happen at my table.  Well, it won't happen unless I, the DM, have seriously screwed up and totally botched the scenario.  But, barring catastrophe, everyone will be invested in the action before the action shows up.</blockquote>

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