What can i do to interest a player? [Archive] - Wizards Community

What can i do to interest a player? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
FrozenInHell
06-25-04, 07:58 PM He's kinda dumb and doesn't like to read stuff but he's an old friend of mine. When my friends are playing D&D, he plays with us but he don't understand the meaning of stuff and after 2 years of playing D&D he doesn't know how to create a character. I would like to know how to convince him of reading stuff or making character.
belegrond
06-26-04, 03:12 AM yeah, i know what you are dealing with, i play with two friends who are the same way. one does not play as much as the rest of us and i can understand why he is not up to code with the rest of us. the other plays every weekend with us, but just has the rest of us take care of his characters.
scrawl281
06-30-04, 02:32 PM I feel both of you on this. I have a couple of players out of our group that talk about reading the material but can never pry themselves away from those damned videogames long enough to.

They are always the ones disrupting when I'm reading descriptive fluff and always the ones with absolutely no concept of role-playing.

However, they are old friends of everyone in the group and the rest of us keep wanting to give them more chances.

The few times I've gotten them to show any interest in reading or getting more involved with their character were done by bringing up their previous (or current) characters in conversation. Reminicing and exaggerating about things their characters did or said somehow got them motivated. Remeber that time Verrick did that? Remember when he said this? That was awesome/hilarious. ETC

Granted, these guys have extremely short attention spans (thank you videogames) so it doesn't last long, but it might help with your friend.
Trydan
07-02-04, 11:17 AM Originally posted by scrawl281
They are always the ones disrupting when I'm reading descriptive fluff and always the ones with absolutely no concept of role-playing. The first problem can be addressed with the following tactics. Put the "clues" at the end. Imagine you have a passage like this...The forest is quiet and peaceful, and the gloom, although dark, is green and soothing to the eyes. Shafts of dappled sunlight filter through the tree-tops illuminating a narrow path that winds its way gently amongst the tightly packed tree trunks and think ivy that covers the forest floor. Movement will be hampered by such undergrowth, but the path looks clear enough. However, you suddenly notice an old timber chest, half-buried next to the path.
Of course, you start to read it, and get as far as "The forest is quiet and peaceful, and the..." before one of your disruptive players starts talking over you. Make a point of stopping mid-sentence, so they have a chance to notice that they cut you off (they won't, but that's not the point). So you finish with: "... you talk amongst yourself, ignoring the interesting scenery and get on with the mission."

Two hours of endless wandering, and they still haven't found the "lost treasure". So they go back to start and say they make a search check. You make a roll for them, ignore the result, and tell them "Nothing specific, although you do see some nice scenery. Let me describe it to you. The forest is quiet and peaceful, and the..." You may get a bit further, you may not. Although at some point they will realise (as you return again and again to the same description, that they need to listen to it to its completion. Don't let them disrupt you, and then make you continue. If they cut you off, stop. Then, after a while, offer them the same sentences again. Start again from the beginning every time, until you can read it through uninterrupted.

Eventually some of the group will get the hint, and will rouse on the offenders to "silence thyselves" (or words to that effect).

However... make a point of interspersing crucial descriptions with non-important ones too.

Another tactic is to start reading, and when the interruption comes, turn to a player who is listening carefully, and say: "You are the only one paying attention to the surroundings... read this (hand over the description) ... but keep the details to yourself".

This has worked in the past for me. Hopefully it will for you too.
FrozenInHell
07-06-04, 11:04 PM i know whats the problem. Videogames are eating people brains...The guy is always talking about videogames cuz its easy for him to understand and play(he's dumb).
Unleash
07-10-04, 05:01 PM I play vide-O-games.

I'm studying to become a modeler , animator, rigger, texture artist or all the above, to ultimately work for Ubisoft, Microids, or EA in Montreal.

I read a book a week of Forgotten Lore (reading about the Sembian Family, the Uskevren).

I enjoy hearing about further developments of science in Nanotechnologies (a tube as small as 10 hyrdogen atoms as been manufactured) and long walks on the beach.
dirtymc11
07-15-04, 11:41 PM I have a player who has been playing in my games for near on 10 years now and she loves the game. The problem is tht she has a difficult time getting into a new character. To 'Help' her along I just start ****ing with her character. You would be amazed how quickly she gets into the char after it gets pregnant w/ a dragon's baby and then watches it die, or loses a limb and has to find ways to get around it until she can get another one. One time I infected her with lycanthropy forcing her to spend several nights a month locked in a steel cage so as not to hurt her companions. She gets out once attacks the party one guy she hates gets infected and they have to spend time together as wild animals for a couple nights bam she gets pregnant and off she goes with this char that she now loves and would seriously do whatever it took to preserve.
She always brings this blank slate to the table and then has trouble doing anything more than use its stats, skills and feats, until I give her a reason to care.
This is where the whole know your players rule really is important. Anyone else would probably leave my game if I did that to them all the time. She undeerstands that I do it to help her and am not picking on her. I am merely helping her enjoy the char.
cmas3117
07-16-04, 02:32 PM I can sum up how to solve these problems in one word.

IMMEDIACY

Make the situation immediate and personal. I'll give you an example.

Had a player in my game once many years ago who was really really new. One night they stop at a particular tavern in Waterdeep. (This particular inn is one of my own creations.)

She decides very late at night in game time to go down and take a bath. As I'm going on with something else she's sitting over there looking thoroughly bored, so I made a muted dripping noise and went on with what I was doing with someone else.

A few minutes later I did it again. She asked me what that sound was (I knew right then that I had her) I handed her a note saying that she was being watched.

Mind you while this is going on I'm still working with the others on something else I did almost all of this with notes.

She gives me a note asking who's watching her. I respond with a note that says she can't see anyone but that she's certain she's being watched. Periodically making mysterious dripping noises, and describing the bath chamber as being very foggy and such.

She's starting to get very very tense, and the other players have no idea what's going on at all deeply entrenched in what they're doing.

She finally got so worked up that she dove naked down a garbage chute into the sewers to escape.... a dripping water faucet.

From that moment I had her. She was completely into the game and into character. Of course her commrades had a huge laugh at her expense, but that's part of life.

Anyhow, that's how I solve these problems. A couple of simple rules.

1) Don't do anything permanent to them. The point is to get them into the game, not drive them away by persecuting them.

2) An ounce of spice at this point is worth mountains of diamonds. It's all in the story telling and atmosphere.
StrahdVonZarovich
08-03-04, 09:02 PM If hs THAT dumb, then take him off your team of regulars D&D players. I got no pity toward only playing to get powerful players, no pity at all.
Kingside_Bishop
08-11-04, 12:42 AM I've had a few players like that. Alot of people have a hard time getting into character becasue it's embarrassing. At the beginning of each session, I like to have a little one-on-one time with each player, to develop their personas. This usually occurs when they're out in town, buying or selling stuff. When they start interacting with NPCs, make sure they use lots of charisma based skills. Forcing players to use their charisma can change their whole outlook on the game.

One of my players liked to hit on bar wenches. When the wench called him an ugly, reeking dog, he realized charisma might be useful after all. Then, having given his next character a better charisma score, he started to look around for things to do with it. Pretty soon, he was chatting up the local pub goers and forming lasting friendships with shopkeeps across town. His first character was a half orc barbarian, his third was an elven bard.
Son of Khoron
08-13-04, 06:52 AM I used to know a guy that would not purchase one D&D book at all, claims he has played since intermediate school...talking of over ten years!
Supposedly says he created every character he ever had.
3E came out, he stated he was going to play a character that was always evil, class or concept or motivations mattered not, since he would play them w/ the same personality (his own personality, no RP).
Could not create one from the books if the books slapped him in the face. Had to ask me on how to do everything except dice roll, which he fudged and tweaked incessantly.
I dealt with him, asking that he wanted to play he had to roll one himself. Books will be leant to him if he needs it. The group expected all players to know the rules and to have their own unassisted and untweaked characters ready by next session.
Up to him to get serious if he wishes to play...all is fair.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
FrozenInHell 06-25-04, 07:58 PM	He's kinda dumb and doesn't like to read stuff but he's an old friend of mine. When my friends are playing D&D, he plays with us but he don't understand the meaning of stuff and after 2 years of playing D&D he doesn't know how to create a character. I would like to know how to convince him of reading stuff or making character.
belegrond 06-26-04, 03:12 AM	yeah, i know what you are dealing with, i play with two friends who are the same way. one does not play as much as the rest of us and i can understand why he is not up to code with the rest of us. the other plays every weekend with us, but just has the rest of us take care of his characters.
scrawl281 06-30-04, 02:32 PM	I feel both of you on this. I have a couple of players out of our group that talk about reading the material but can never pry themselves away from those damned videogames long enough to. They are always the ones disrupting when I'm reading descriptive fluff and always the ones with absolutely no concept of role-playing. However, they are old friends of everyone in the group and the rest of us keep wanting to give them more chances. The few times I've gotten them to show any interest in reading or getting more involved with their character were done by bringing up their previous (or current) characters in conversation. Reminicing and exaggerating about things their characters did or said somehow got them motivated. Remeber that time Verrick did that? Remember when he said this? That was awesome/hilarious. ETC Granted, these guys have extremely short attention spans (thank you videogames) so it doesn't last long, but it might help with your friend.
Trydan 07-02-04, 11:17 AM	Originally posted by scrawl281 They are always the ones disrupting when I'm reading descriptive fluff and always the ones with absolutely no concept of role-playing. The first problem can be addressed with the following tactics. Put the "clues" at the end. Imagine you have a passage like this...The forest is quiet and peaceful, and the gloom, although dark, is green and soothing to the eyes. Shafts of dappled sunlight filter through the tree-tops illuminating a narrow path that winds its way gently amongst the tightly packed tree trunks and think ivy that covers the forest floor. Movement will be hampered by such undergrowth, but the path looks clear enough. However, you suddenly notice an old timber chest, half-buried next to the path. Of course, you start to read it, and get as far as "The forest is quiet and peaceful, and the..." before one of your disruptive players starts talking over you. Make a point of stopping mid-sentence, so they have a chance to notice that they cut you off (they won't, but that's not the point). So you finish with: "... you talk amongst yourself, ignoring the interesting scenery and get on with the mission." Two hours of endless wandering, and they still haven't found the "lost treasure". So they go back to start and say they make a search check. You make a roll for them, ignore the result, and tell them "Nothing specific, although you do see some nice scenery. Let me describe it to you. The forest is quiet and peaceful, and the..." You may get a bit further, you may not. Although at some point they will realise (as you return again and again to the same description, that they need to listen to it to its completion. Don't let them disrupt you, and then make you continue. If they cut you off, stop. Then, after a while, offer them the same sentences again. Start again from the beginning every time, until you can read it through uninterrupted. Eventually some of the group will get the hint, and will rouse on the offenders to "silence thyselves" (or words to that effect). However... make a point of interspersing crucial descriptions with non-important ones too. Another tactic is to start reading, and when the interruption comes, turn to a player who is listening carefully, and say: "You are the only one paying attention to the surroundings... read this (hand over the description) ... but keep the details to yourself". This has worked in the past for me. Hopefully it will for you too.
FrozenInHell 07-06-04, 11:04 PM	i know whats the problem. Videogames are eating people brains...The guy is always talking about videogames cuz its easy for him to understand and play(he's dumb).
Unleash 07-10-04, 05:01 PM	I play vide-O-games. I'm studying to become a modeler , animator, rigger, texture artist or all the above, to ultimately work for Ubisoft, Microids, or EA in Montreal. I read a book a week of Forgotten Lore (reading about the Sembian Family, the Uskevren). I enjoy hearing about further developments of science in Nanotechnologies (a tube as small as 10 hyrdogen atoms as been manufactured) and long walks on the beach.
dirtymc11 07-15-04, 11:41 PM	I have a player who has been playing in my games for near on 10 years now and she loves the game. The problem is tht she has a difficult time getting into a new character. To 'Help' her along I just start ****ing with her character. You would be amazed how quickly she gets into the char after it gets pregnant w/ a dragon's baby and then watches it die, or loses a limb and has to find ways to get around it until she can get another one. One time I infected her with lycanthropy forcing her to spend several nights a month locked in a steel cage so as not to hurt her companions. She gets out once attacks the party one guy she hates gets infected and they have to spend time together as wild animals for a couple nights bam she gets pregnant and off she goes with this char that she now loves and would seriously do whatever it took to preserve. She always brings this blank slate to the table and then has trouble doing anything more than use its stats, skills and feats, until I give her a reason to care. This is where the whole know your players rule really is important. Anyone else would probably leave my game if I did that to them all the time. She undeerstands that I do it to help her and am not picking on her. I am merely helping her enjoy the char.
cmas3117 07-16-04, 02:32 PM	I can sum up how to solve these problems in one word. IMMEDIACY Make the situation immediate and personal. I'll give you an example. Had a player in my game once many years ago who was really really new. One night they stop at a particular tavern in Waterdeep. (This particular inn is one of my own creations.) She decides very late at night in game time to go down and take a bath. As I'm going on with something else she's sitting over there looking thoroughly bored, so I made a muted dripping noise and went on with what I was doing with someone else. A few minutes later I did it again. She asked me what that sound was (I knew right then that I had her) I handed her a note saying that she was being watched. Mind you while this is going on I'm still working with the others on something else I did almost all of this with notes. She gives me a note asking who's watching her. I respond with a note that says she can't see anyone but that she's certain she's being watched. Periodically making mysterious dripping noises, and describing the bath chamber as being very foggy and such. She's starting to get very very tense, and the other players have no idea what's going on at all deeply entrenched in what they're doing. She finally got so worked up that she dove naked down a garbage chute into the sewers to escape.... a dripping water faucet. From that moment I had her. She was completely into the game and into character. Of course her commrades had a huge laugh at her expense, but that's part of life. Anyhow, that's how I solve these problems. A couple of simple rules. 1) Don't do anything permanent to them. The point is to get them into the game, not drive them away by persecuting them. 2) An ounce of spice at this point is worth mountains of diamonds. It's all in the story telling and atmosphere.
StrahdVonZarovich 08-03-04, 09:02 PM	If hs THAT dumb, then take him off your team of regulars D&D players. I got no pity toward only playing to get powerful players, no pity at all.
Kingside_Bishop 08-11-04, 12:42 AM	I've had a few players like that. Alot of people have a hard time getting into character becasue it's embarrassing. At the beginning of each session, I like to have a little one-on-one time with each player, to develop their personas. This usually occurs when they're out in town, buying or selling stuff. When they start interacting with NPCs, make sure they use lots of charisma based skills. Forcing players to use their charisma can change their whole outlook on the game. One of my players liked to hit on bar wenches. When the wench called him an ugly, reeking dog, he realized charisma might be useful after all. Then, having given his next character a better charisma score, he started to look around for things to do with it. Pretty soon, he was chatting up the local pub goers and forming lasting friendships with shopkeeps across town. His first character was a half orc barbarian, his third was an elven bard.
Son of Khoron 08-13-04, 06:52 AM	I used to know a guy that would not purchase one D&D book at all, claims he has played since intermediate school...talking of over ten years! Supposedly says he created every character he ever had. 3E came out, he stated he was going to play a character that was always evil, class or concept or motivations mattered not, since he would play them w/ the same personality (his own personality, no RP). Could not create one from the books if the books slapped him in the face. Had to ask me on how to do everything except dice roll, which he fudged and tweaked incessantly. I dealt with him, asking that he wanted to play he had to roll one himself. Books will be leant to him if he needs it. The group expected all players to know the rules and to have their own unassisted and untweaked characters ready by next session. Up to him to get serious if he wishes to play...all is fair.