How to encourage RP?

[nelson2208]

I recently started a new campaign with four players and three of them have limited experience in roleplaying. My only issue so far is how to encourage interaction between the players. They talk to me all night but mostly act as individuals. How can I get them to talk to each other? They all know each other and are not strangers. Maybe my expectations are too high. Typically I setup a scene, there is maybe 5minutes of conversation, then a battle starts. The battle may last between 30min and 2 hours. If any conversation happens during the battle, it is typically a one-liner before landing a blow. The only team interaction is once another player moves from cover, they all think it's a good idea.

 

This paragrpah got out of control a little. My questions are, "How can I get players to talk to each other and not only the GM?" and "Are most gaming sessions combat heavy compared to roleplaying?"

 

Thanks

[jtelson]

Re: How to encourage RP?

 

As the GM you have at least some control over when Combat happens; If you present a session where the challenges are more puzzle and/or character driven you may be able to nudge them in a more interactiony direction.

 

You could also provide each player with different clues and/or information between sessions; This would encourage them to talk to each other about what to do next and give you the opportunity to encourage them to do so in character.

[bigbywolfe]

Re: How to encourage RP?

 

If you want your players to talk to each other I would suggest more than “5 minutes of conversation” before a single battle that may take hours.

[Poison]

Re: How to encourage RP?

 

At the end of every session, offer more XP for role-playing, than fighting....

 

Always worked for us in our D&D 3.5 sessions (which to me was just a max/min hack and slash version of AD&D). Of course, now in Champions we do not have that problem, it is usually the opposite. Too much role-playing not enough tactics...

[Balabanto]

Re: How to encourage RP?

 

Well, actually, that may be a subset of another problem.

 

What if your players would rather eat glass than sit in the same room with each other?

 

Have you considered that they may not like each other as much as you think?

[AmadanNaBriona]

Re: How to encourage RP?

 

just because every time I see the thread title the same though crosses my mind...

 

remote control Puppy-training shock collars should do the trick.

[jtelson]

Re: How to encourage RP?

 

just because every time I see the thread title the same though crosses my mind...

 

remote control Puppy-training shock collars should do the trick.

 

Fundamentally flawed; Punishment only really works to discourage behavior - So if they were roleplaying badly - Shock Collars all the way. Encouraging behavior is a little more tricky - Positive Reinforcement maybe. Have you tried Reeses pieces?

[Trebuchet]

Re: How to encourage RP?

 

Try throwing a villain at them that takes Coordinated Attacks to bring down. If they don't communicate, they won't win. Repeat as necessary. It can be a real eye-opener when Dinosaur Man, who stomped them into the ground on their first encounter, gets his butt kicked because the characters work together as a team. Ideally, a team should become greater than the sum of its parts.

[nelson2208]

Re: How to encourage RP?

 

Thanks for the responses. The players seem resistant to discussing tactics between the players. I have offered numerous suggestions on how best to coordinate their attacks but they show no tactics.

 

Here is where our game left off from last session. They learned that Terror Inc is trying to steal a satellite processor that Primus tried to keep hidden in a warehouse. The heroes and their Primus contact will go to the warehouse (that I have elaborately created with Dunjinni). How do you suggest I begin this scene/encounter? I thought someone like Bulldozer (working with Muerte) might confront them in the parking lot to further the story but then what? Without my prodding, they will probably walk through the front door. Then I will defeat one hero, lose a villain, defeat a hero, lose a villain, etc. Is the problem more my setup than hero reaction? Thanks.

[Trebuchet]

Re: How to encourage RP?

 

Thanks for the responses. The players seem resistant to discussing tactics between the players. I have offered numerous suggestions on how best to coordinate their attacks but they show no tactics.

 

Here is where our game left off from last session. They learned that Terror Inc is trying to steal a satellite processor that Primus tried to keep hidden in a warehouse. The heroes and their Primus contact will go to the warehouse (that I have elaborately created with Dunjinni). How do you suggest I begin this scene/encounter? I thought someone like Bulldozer (working with Muerte) might confront them in the parking lot to further the story but then what? Without my prodding, they will probably walk through the front door. Then I will defeat one hero, lose a villain, defeat a hero, lose a villain, etc. Is the problem more my setup than hero reaction? Thanks.

Well, a little demonstration of coordination between the villains can be a real eye-opener. Don't have the heroes equal in number; have more of them. Have Villainous Martial Artist throw Hero #1 to the ground with a Martial Throw and then have Villainous Brick pound the 1/2 DCV Hero #1 (because he's prone) into the ground and Villainous Energy Projector blast him to knock him unconscious. Repeat as necessary. Let the villains be clearly less powerful individually but their teamwork lets them stomp the heroes. To be really annoying, use a horde of mere agents with fairly small attacks but excellent teamwork. Work their tactics up in advance. Have them use codewords and/or radios to coordinate.

 

It may take a few beatings, but sooner or later the players will get the idea.

[nelson2208]

Re: How to encourage RP?

 

I guess I just have to plan more story to get them into it. When their Primus contact says Terror Inc wants the processor, they just say okay and let's go get it. No questions asked expect how far can I move this phase. I guess I'll take Trebuchet's advice and beat some cooperation into them.

[ghost-angel]

Re: How to encourage RP?

 

Lead 'em on a goose chase. As was suggested above, piecemeal out the info to various members of the team.

 

Drag one or two into a different room if needed.

 

Give them two or three locations to investigate, but give them a time frame that makes it clear that they must split up to check them all. This let's one or two of them work together - you can hopefully get some communication between a subset of the group this way.

 

Then as they get back together they have to discuss what they found, creating a larger dialogue.

 

One thing that can happen with a group of people is they're waiting for someone to step forward with the idea, if there is no natural 'leader' amongst the Players sometimes they fall into this mode where they don't interact as much.

 

Splitting them off can make each one a little more comfortable with the idea of "OK, you can talk now."

 

Offer little to no physical resistance in this split encounters, maybe a thug to intimidate, but make the encounters mostly Talk Type encounters - from schmoozing to interrogation. Make it clear just beating up people won't get them anywhere.

[Pattern Ghost]

Re: How to encourage RP?

 

A few observations:

 

1. Yell "ROLEPLAY OR ELSE!" It won't do any good, but at least you get it out of your system.

 

2. I see several questions about getting the players to work together tactically, and several answers in that vein, all good questions and advice, but... is that the extent of roleplaying you're looking for?

 

3. How about sessions designed around roleplay, to encourage the characters to get to know each other. Sure, the players know each other, but do they all know the personalities and backgrounds of the other players' characters? Have they roleplayed the initial group formation? Have they roleplayed Thanksgiving dinner at the base? Have you done smaller sessions with just a couple players that are pure roleplaying, such as social situations? Have you had "investigations" that turn out to be something less innocuous than supervillainy? A good comedy of errors can be a fun session.

 

4. A couple scenarios where our old F2F group had a blast with roleplaying, the first one of which totally got sidetracked away from whatever the actual threat was supposed to be:

 

a) A really colorful metror shower, followed by the sky being lit from the ground on the outskirts of town leads our heroes to investigate the strange occurrence. When they arrive, they find an intergalactic carnival has set up shop. They're invited in by the proprietor and given reign to enjoy themselves. Populate the carnival with whatever kind of creepy/bizarre/otherworldly denizens and displays you can think of. Go from wacky to whimsy as you wish, but make everything a mystery. Let the characters walk around in character, and react to things.

 

The team awakens in individual holding cells. Sitting across from them on another bunk is their double. The doubles are thoroughly convinced that they are the original characters. Any enhanced senses are inconclusive on the matter. These are very good copies. The players each play someone else's double with them. Will they attack each other? Try to figure out what happened? Convince the player that they're the original? (This happened to my robot, The Amazing Bill... he wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed.) Collaborate on an escape attempt?

 

Basically, if you want them to interact, give them situations outside of the normal super action to react to every once in a while.

[nelson2208]

Re: How to encourage RP?

 

The type of RP I desire is player communication. I want them to perform tactically but also talk to each other about what is happening in the game. Mostly the players rip on each other after another loses in combat much like you would when playing Madden. I think I will try part of GhostAngel's suggestion. I will make sure they see multiple ways to attack the warehouse. Creative ways will meet with stunning villain defeat while noncooperative measures will be dispatched by the villains. Pattern's post also made me think that I drive the conversation too much towards my next goal. I spend lots of time making maps and planning battles that I want the players to arrive there. I have to do a better job of letting them get there on their own. Invite other ideas. Also instead of jumping from battle scene to battle scene, I must create more in-between scenes where the the only purpose is talking. Thanks for the inspiration and I will totally ripoff that space carnival idea! Great idea!!!!

[bigbywolfe]

Re: How to encourage RP?

 

If they rip on each other you can always ban out-of-character talk to anyone but you. It's heavy handed but may force some character interaction.

 

One option some GMs use is writing things down. If you have info for only one character then slip it to them on a piece of paper. If they want to say something to the character with them when the teams are split up then write it down so everyone can’t act on it without transferring the knowledge in game. Going hand in hand with banning out-of-character chatter you can give them all different pieces to the puzzle which they are not allowed to share unless it’s by way of telling the other characters, who all must be “present”, while in character.

[Narratio]

Re: How to encourage RP?

 

When I was GM'ing I never detailed out the nights too much. Instead I created story arcs, 3 to 5, each supposed to run of 5 or 6 gaming sessions. Each game night I passed out a sheet of paper purporting to be the front page of the "Lincoln Gazatte" There were cribs from News of the Wierd stuff and a paragraph concerning each of the arcs I had roughed out as well as a few red herrings.

 

This was before PC's people, luckily I had access to an entire print department and an admin clerk who was an avid RPG'er.

 

The players spotted references to previous gaming sessions and to stuff that took thier interest. They'd talk about what the group was going to do that night. Sometimes they'd ignore some story arcs completely, sometimes they'd get episode 3 and 4 but miss the intro and the ending.

 

It was as close as we could get to "real life" activity in an RPG. But it created interst especially when they could look back over past sessions and start a round of serious head slapping and "Duuuuh!" comments. The set up for this is hard, but once it's going, you'll see your players talikng and interecting more, especially with pictures (clip art, love it!) of thier characters in action on the hand out sheets.

 

If you want to spend the effort, try this.

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: How to encourage RP?

 

A few observations:

 

1. Yell "ROLEPLAY OR ELSE!" It won't do any good, but at least you get it out of your system.

 

2. I see several questions about getting the players to work together tactically, and several answers in that vein, all good questions and advice, but... is that the extent of roleplaying you're looking for?

 

3. How about sessions designed around roleplay, to encourage the characters to get to know each other. Sure, the players know each other, but do they all know the personalities and backgrounds of the other players' characters? Have they roleplayed the initial group formation? Have they roleplayed Thanksgiving dinner at the base? Have you done smaller sessions with just a couple players that are pure roleplaying, such as social situations? Have you had "investigations" that turn out to be something less innocuous than supervillainy? A good comedy of errors can be a fun session.

 

4. A couple scenarios where our old F2F group had a blast with roleplaying, the first one of which totally got sidetracked away from whatever the actual threat was supposed to be:

 

a) A really colorful metror shower, followed by the sky being lit from the ground on the outskirts of town leads our heroes to investigate the strange occurrence. When they arrive, they find an intergalactic carnival has set up shop. They're invited in by the proprietor and given reign to enjoy themselves. Populate the carnival with whatever kind of creepy/bizarre/otherworldly denizens and displays you can think of. Go from wacky to whimsy as you wish, but make everything a mystery. Let the characters walk around in character, and react to things.

 

The team awakens in individual holding cells. Sitting across from them on another bunk is their double. The doubles are thoroughly convinced that they are the original characters. Any enhanced senses are inconclusive on the matter. These are very good copies. The players each play someone else's double with them. Will they attack each other? Try to figure out what happened? Convince the player that they're the original? (This happened to my robot, The Amazing Bill... he wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed.) Collaborate on an escape attempt?

 

Basically, if you want them to interact, give them situations outside of the normal super action to react to every once in a while.

 

For more entertainment value on that last one, the players don't get to know who's playing the imposter and who's playing the real deal until afterwards.

 

If they rip on each other you can always ban out-of-character talk to anyone but you. It's heavy handed but may force some character interaction.

 

One option some GMs use is writing things down. If you have info for only one character then slip it to them on a piece of paper. If they want to say something to the character with them when the teams are split up then write it down so everyone can’t act on it without transferring the knowledge in game. Going hand in hand with banning out-of-character chatter you can give them all different pieces to the puzzle which they are not allowed to share unless it’s by way of telling the other characters, who all must be “present”, while in character.

 

Similarly, all comments to be taken in game and in character can bring more focus to the game. One of the players considered that a challenge, and started discussing some movie. The GM rolled some dice, followed by:

 

"While Character 1 is distracted by Character 2 ranting about last week's gradiatorial bout, a stealthy group of Troglodytes has snuck up on you" [C1 and C2 happened to be in the back rank of the group, supposedly guarding the rear]

 

Before moving to heavy handed tactics, have you actually TALKED to the players? I don't mean hinted what they could do. I mean directly stated "This is what I expect you guys to do, and I'm puzzled and confused that you aren't doing it. Why not?"

 

Maybe what you want and expect from the game aren't what they want and expect from the game. Or maybe they just haven't thought of it the same way you have.

[Cygnia]

Re: How to encourage RP?

 

Echoing Hugh's last point there. Definitely find out what sort of game you want from them and what sort of game they want from you.

[nelson2208]

Re: How to encourage RP?

 

This thread has really helped to force me to rethink my presentation. I will talk to the players again to better demonstrate the fun they can have in real RP. The first few nights were combat heavy so the newer players could learn the rules. I will accelerate several plot threads to give more non-combat interaction. Thanks again!

[KA.]

Re: How to encourage RP?

 

I don't know if players ever roleplay as much as we want them to, but here are a few suggestions.

 

1) Do talk it out first if possible.

Don't be heavy handed, but find a way to let them know that you are trying to run a campaign, not create a video game for them to stomp through.

Part of playing an RPG is interaction between the characters.

If possible, maybe even before the talk, see if you can have an 'inspirational' movie night.

You may not want to tell the players the point of this exercise.

(You could tell them that it is background for the game if they won't do it any other way.)

Try to find a couple of contrasting movies, one with okay action but no real dialog, and one with both great action and great dialog between the main characters.

Then do a little bit of compare and contrast.

Why is the second movie so much better? Because the characters actually talk to each other, they don't just move from Point A to Point B.

Let the players know that this is what you are trying to create.

 

2) Give the players problems that they have to figure out.

Not obscure mysteries with clues that only Sherlock Holmes could comprehend.

Things like a base they have to invade that is covered by some sort of force dome.

It is too strong for them to just blast through with their powers.

It is hardened against Desolid and Teleportation.

After they have blasted it a few thousand times to no effect, they will eventually be forced into talking to each other about a way to get inside.

Have there be some method that requires a combination of their Skills and Abilities.

You may or may not have to come up with the method yourself, you can probably just let them do it.

 

Example:

After blasting the dome the first evening, they see a horde of agents come out from inside the dome and take up protective positions around the base.

(Make sure you don't set up the scenario to be "do or die" on the first attempt. They need to get in there for some compelling reason, but it doesn't have to be tonight.)

When they come back later, have the same actions produce the same result.

Blasting the dome just brings out a bunch of agents.

Hopefully someone on the team will have some sort of Enhanced Senses, or have some Scientific Skills to whip something up to take a closer look at the Force Dome.

Again, have a backup plan of your own, but let the players take the lead.

If one of them suggests looking for the Force Dome Generator, have them find something. If one of them wants to try to analyse the frequency of the Force Dome, have that work. The point is to have them working together and to have that produce positive results.

Anything like:

"I'm going to fly as fast as I can and ram the dome with all my might!" should not work out well.

It should however provide a chance for the other characters to work together to rescue the now unconscious character who is bouncing toward the edge of the atmosphere at escape velocity.

 

Let the players put together a solution on their own if possible, based on what they can do as a group.

"Well, if Phazor can analyse the frequency and watch for a break in the pattern, he can tell Silver Shadow the exact right moment to teleport.

Silver Shadow can teleport Bruticus and Hammerfist inside the dome with him, then they can coordinate attacks to take out all three of the Force Generators at the exact same time.

Then the dome will come down, and we can all take on the squad of Agents.

They won't be expecting some of us to already be inside, so we should be able to mop them up pretty quickly."

 

KA.

[nelson2208]

Re: How to encourage RP?

 

I have several mysteries planned but a few of the players are too new to expect anything and the veterans are too distracted by group hijinks. Hopefully in the next few sessions, they will put together the pieces.

[The Main Man]

Re: How to encourage RP?

 

Is this a supers game?

 

Why not slap some problems onto their alternate identities, many of which would not really involve their superpowers?

 

You can always segue that to the "super" part of the story.

 

This can at least get individual players to roleplay.

 

If you manage that, try to give them situations where their own abilities can't quite get the job done, and so they need another PC to help them (but not without deducing so of course).

[Korren]

Re: How to encourage RP?

 

Here's my 2 cents:

 

1) Someone's already mentioned this, but what if what they're doing is exactly what they're looking for? My current Hero game is pretty much like this. The GM gives us a couple of possibilities and we choose one and go. Not too much on role-play.... If the players are happy, don't try to force them into something else they might not like.

 

2) Another situation encouraging RP is the old switch-body scenario..... put player 1's personality into player 2's body, etc.... then they have to talk to each other to find out how their powers work.....

 

3) take their powers AWAY... then they have to use their skills.....

 

4) Make some secret from their Disads (soon to be Complications(6e)) come up. Then they have to explain that "dark part of their life" to the other characters..... or an old flame or relative..... again, as someone suggested, write up some background and hand it to JUST the character that has the info.... if, instead of role-playing the discussion, they just hand the sheet off to the other PC's, then you know that they're NOT looking for RP opportunities....

 

Make that 4 cents.....

 

Korren

[BNakagawa]

Re: How to encourage RP?

 

I recently started a new campaign with four players and three of them have limited experience in roleplaying. My only issue so far is how to encourage interaction between the players. They talk to me all night but mostly act as individuals. How can I get them to talk to each other? They all know each other and are not strangers. Maybe my expectations are too high. Typically I setup a scene, there is maybe 5minutes of conversation, then a battle starts. The battle may last between 30min and 2 hours. If any conversation happens during the battle, it is typically a one-liner before landing a blow. The only team interaction is once another player moves from cover, they all think it's a good idea.

 

This paragrpah got out of control a little. My questions are, "How can I get players to talk to each other and not only the GM?" and "Are most gaming sessions combat heavy compared to roleplaying?"

 

Thanks

 

The short answer is find players who like role playing. Not always applicable, of course.

 

If three of your players don't like it, then trying to get them to like it is bound to irritate them.

 

If they are new to gaming and don't know if they like it or not, try to find a player that the fourth (hopefully a role player) player likes so they can play off eachother. If the other three like what they see, then hopefully they can pick it up by osmosis.

 

Show, don't tell.

[nelson2208]

Re: How to encourage RP?

 

Thanks for all the suggestions. I will post after the next session.