Running the Game: Just Talk to Your Players
Running the Game: Talk to Your Players
In this article we are going to tackle a bunch of common problems, or perceived common problems, that if the internet is to be believed are pandemic. Now the problems are quite different, but they are getting one article because they all have the same solution. That solution is for the group to talk about the game. The first list is things that are problems that need to be addressed, the second list are things that are simply communication problems that have crept in from the beginning. These aren’t actual problems in and of themselves, but rather a communication about what you expect out of the game
Problems
Offensive DM/GM or Player
Expectation Inconsistencies
Power Gamers
Evil Characters
Not Enough Role Playing
Tonal Inconsistencies
Murder Hobos
Players not following the Story
Railroading
Spotlight Hogging
Bad DM/GM or Player
The first answer to all of these problems is the same. Sit down and have a conversation with your players or GM and explain why it is that what is happening is a problem. How it impacts your enjoyment of the game. If it is because the person is being offensive, than make sure they understand that it is a problem for you and it needs to change. If it doesn’t then it’s fair to ask them to leave (in some cases if there are several offending parties it may be you has to bow out, not fair, but it’s not your job to straighten people out on these issues, you are there to have fun).
Anything in the expectation inconsistencies isn’t an actual problem. None of these things make your game bad, unless the expectations are different at the table. We’ve played with a group that just want’s to kill stuff. Their RP was simply them describing how they killed things or saying tag lines to one another after they did something. It was a fun group. We all knew those were the expectations for that group. It’s great. Power gaming is not a problem unless you have a broken system. In most games to be really good at one things means you lack in other departments. Many players enjoy making their character the best that they can be. It’s normal for players to want to be successful. If some players want to play characters that aren’t optimized or min/max or whatever you want to call it, have that discussion. Make sure everyone at the table is okay with those decisions and they won’t be upset when the other persons character is competent. Communicate.
The way you fix these problems are by setting the expectations of the game before you start. This is why session zero is so important. You all want to be on the same page about the tone, themes and ideas in your game. You want to make sure that the game you are playing fits those. Here comes the part that tends to ruffle feathers. D&D is not everything. It can do everything with heavy modification, but it is made for high fantasy where the heroes are highly competent. It does this job amazingly well. We love 5E! Our longest running (and first ever) game is a 5E game. However, if you want a fantasy game that is dangerous and difficult, play Dungeon Crawl Classic. Characters are easier to make and one bad roll or wrong choice means death. You want a game that doesn’t use grids, makes combat more abstract and quicker, and is more narrative driven? Play Dungeon World. These are all awesome games that give you a different feel. Don’t make one system be your every system. Use the session zero to help decide how you want the game to feel, then find the system that fits that feel. It will solve a lot of your tone (but not all) issues.
One way that is often suggested is to deal with some of these problems, murder hobos for example, is to deal with it in game. Let the players do what they want then respond with the way you think the world would respond. Here is the problem with this. Generally when players start ignoring everything you put in front of them or trying to burn the world it’s because they are a) not happy with the current story threads/setting or b) have very different expectations about how the world will react. So when you as the GM respond with punishment in game, what happens is the player/players often end up confused because this does not fit with their view of the world you have created. So now the player is more agitated by the way the world is working and will probably act out even more. So the GM responds with harsher consequences. Don’t allow this to be your game. Make sure your players understand they are making what seems like it should be an obviously dumb choice. Assume that you did not communicate it well enough and clarify. If they really made the dumb choice they will stick with it.
Remember that RPGs are about a shared experience of a world you have all made up. No matter how clear you think you are there will always be different understandings or interpretations of the world, but make sure you communicate the important stuff clearly and that everyone at the table understands. When there is a problem, stop the game and address it. It can be difficult to do for sure, but it’s possible and everyone will have a more enjoyable experience because of it.
Have any other problems that should go on this list? Disagree with any of our points? Let us know in the comments below or send us an email at tabletoprpgencounters@gmail.com. Happy Gaming!
