How I made my campaign a lot more fun [Archive] - Wizards Community

How I made my campaign a lot more fun [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
BullyBoy
11-27-04, 02:55 AM Hi All,

I just thought that I would share some success that I've had. If you want your campaign to be more fun and character focused, then try what I have done...
When I act as a DM, I've often found the players don't get into their characters much, often forget the other characters' names, and are pretty much a faceless page of statistics. So I came up with a plan to hopefully force them to get into their characters more. (When I say force, I really mean encourage.)
The first thing I did was ask every player to write a background, so that they have really thought about their characters and I have some potential plot hooks. I also asked them to include their character's motivation for becoming an adventurer. Well, about half the players did what I asked, so then I declared that I would be handing out a bonus feat, chosen by me based on their character backgound, for everyone that has written their history. Now every player has written a history! I've also got some nice plot hooks that I have tied in to the campaign.
I also started writing up each adventure session in story format. Everybody loves this! It is a good laugh, and a good reminder of what has just happened in the game (some players have bad memories and when the next session starts they asked "what just happened again?" etc.). This made me remember what used to be done in some old on-line Amber roleplaying games that I've played in - a lot of the players gave regular input into the campaign. This is usually in the form of a diary entry (from their character), a poem, a drawing, a short story about their character in an out-of-game situation (either before they started adventuring, or during an adventuring lull), etc. As incentive, I said that I would give out a bonus action point, for every submission of substance...
Several submissions later (mostly in the form of character diary entries) and everyone is having a blast! The players are putting in a lot of effort writing about the same sequence of events, but from their own character's perspective. It is really filling out the characters and the game is definitely taking on more of a roleplaying feel than a rollplaying one. I believe that even if I stop handing out freeby action points, the players would continue with their diary entries now, because they enjoy it so much (but I'm not going to risk stopping the creative flow by stopping the freebies).
Also, I allow characters to do any flashy maneuvers that they want, without penalty, just as long as the end result is something that they could have done normally. e.g. the character might be able to run down a staircase, but if the character would rather ride (skateboard-style) their sword down the stair railing, then I'll let them do that without any penalties or even rolling for it! The end result is the same (they get to the bottom of the staircase), but the latter is much more vivid and enjoyable for the players. If the maneuver is something that I love, or makes all the players say "COOL!", or makes them all laugh, then it might be worthy of free action point (for that round only) - a good incentive to try cinematic maneuvers!
Now if the character does a flashy/daring maneuver that they would normally take a penalty for, or are risking their life doing, they have even more chance of getting a freeby action point from me, either for that round or to add to their action point pool if it is really good.
So, if your campaign needs more character focus, roleplaying vice rollplaying, and a lot more fun, then try any of the above! The character diaries are probably the major success of my campaign so far, so why not give them a try by offering your players some freeby action points? :)
If any other DM already does this, or is going to take my advice and give it a try, then let us know how it went!

Bull.
GrayS
11-27-04, 04:47 AM I'm several months away from starting my Eberron campaign yet (our group is currently playing through a big Freeport campaign with me as a player), but when I do get back in the DMs chair, I will blatantly steal the "free-DM-chosen-feat as reward for a good character background" idea if I may. I think it's a brilliant idea.

Our group has been doing the "DM write-ups" after each session for a few years now, so that's nothing new to us. But I agree that it does keep the involvement going between sesions.

Personally, I think DM granted XP bonuses are as good an in-game reward to players for good ROLE-playing as are free action points, so I'm not sold on that one. Sorry.

But the first idea is so extremely simple, yet also one that will work with most groups, that I am surprised I didn't think of it myself.

Nice one! :cheer:
Beleriphon
11-27-04, 07:38 AM I think that action point bit is great, particularly in lieu of journal entries. For any substansive amount of effort an action point a great rewards, its even better if you go with per a submission basis. Plus action points are always worth something, as opposed to 50 XP. At 1st level this is great, by 19th level its not so hot.
Gurv
11-27-04, 09:18 AM I agree. In the past, we've always tried to reward players for coming up with information, background etc. But XP rewards, while nice, don't have much incentive unless they come in large amounts.

Giving a free feat is pretty major, something I would only do for hugely good roleplaying contributions. I think I might do Traits though: they're less unbalancing and build right into the roleplaying. Maybe I'll have the players vote for who they think created the best background.

Action points as a reward are a great idea. They're one-shot, so they won't make one character better than another. And placing stipulations on how long they last or what they can do kicks :censored:.
SPQR Anarchy
11-27-04, 02:37 PM I have long been granting bonus XP for the player who does the chronicaling each session. We have an actual book that each player takes a turn at writting in from session to session. The Chronicle idea was something that came from an Earthdawn game requirement.
In the event of a player doing something really big to save the day or putting themselves way out there to do something heroic I give out a hero point which can be redeemed anytime one has to roll a die. Instead of rolling they simple cash it in and declare the result of a single die they would have to have rolled. Its good for saves and ensuring a critical. They love them and they are rare so it doesn't unbalance the game.

SPQR

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
BullyBoy 11-27-04, 02:55 AM	Hi All, I just thought that I would share some success that I've had. If you want your campaign to be more fun and character focused, then try what I have done... When I act as a DM, I've often found the players don't get into their characters much, often forget the other characters' names, and are pretty much a faceless page of statistics. So I came up with a plan to hopefully force them to get into their characters more. (When I say force, I really mean encourage.) The first thing I did was ask every player to write a background, so that they have really thought about their characters and I have some potential plot hooks. I also asked them to include their character's motivation for becoming an adventurer. Well, about half the players did what I asked, so then I declared that I would be handing out a bonus feat, chosen by me based on their character backgound, for everyone that has written their history. Now every player has written a history! I've also got some nice plot hooks that I have tied in to the campaign. I also started writing up each adventure session in story format. Everybody loves this! It is a good laugh, and a good reminder of what has just happened in the game (some players have bad memories and when the next session starts they asked "what just happened again?" etc.). This made me remember what used to be done in some old on-line Amber roleplaying games that I've played in - a lot of the players gave regular input into the campaign. This is usually in the form of a diary entry (from their character), a poem, a drawing, a short story about their character in an out-of-game situation (either before they started adventuring, or during an adventuring lull), etc. As incentive, I said that I would give out a bonus action point, for every submission of substance... Several submissions later (mostly in the form of character diary entries) and everyone is having a blast! The players are putting in a lot of effort writing about the same sequence of events, but from their own character's perspective. It is really filling out the characters and the game is definitely taking on more of a roleplaying feel than a rollplaying one. I believe that even if I stop handing out freeby action points, the players would continue with their diary entries now, because they enjoy it so much (but I'm not going to risk stopping the creative flow by stopping the freebies). Also, I allow characters to do any flashy maneuvers that they want, without penalty, just as long as the end result is something that they could have done normally. e.g. the character might be able to run down a staircase, but if the character would rather ride (skateboard-style) their sword down the stair railing, then I'll let them do that without any penalties or even rolling for it! The end result is the same (they get to the bottom of the staircase), but the latter is much more vivid and enjoyable for the players. If the maneuver is something that I love, or makes all the players say "COOL!", or makes them all laugh, then it might be worthy of free action point (for that round only) - a good incentive to try cinematic maneuvers! Now if the character does a flashy/daring maneuver that they would normally take a penalty for, or are risking their life doing, they have even more chance of getting a freeby action point from me, either for that round or to add to their action point pool if it is really good. So, if your campaign needs more character focus, roleplaying vice rollplaying, and a lot more fun, then try any of the above! The character diaries are probably the major success of my campaign so far, so why not give them a try by offering your players some freeby action points? :) If any other DM already does this, or is going to take my advice and give it a try, then let us know how it went! Bull.
GrayS 11-27-04, 04:47 AM	I'm several months away from starting my Eberron campaign yet (our group is currently playing through a big Freeport campaign with me as a player), but when I do get back in the DMs chair, I will blatantly steal the "free-DM-chosen-feat as reward for a good character background" idea if I may. I think it's a brilliant idea. Our group has been doing the "DM write-ups" after each session for a few years now, so that's nothing new to us. But I agree that it does keep the involvement going between sesions. Personally, I think DM granted XP bonuses are as good an in-game reward to players for good ROLE-playing as are free action points, so I'm not sold on that one. Sorry. But the first idea is so extremely simple, yet also one that will work with most groups, that I am surprised I didn't think of it myself. Nice one! :cheer:
Beleriphon 11-27-04, 07:38 AM	I think that action point bit is great, particularly in lieu of journal entries. For any substansive amount of effort an action point a great rewards, its even better if you go with per a submission basis. Plus action points are always worth something, as opposed to 50 XP. At 1st level this is great, by 19th level its not so hot.
Gurv 11-27-04, 09:18 AM	I agree. In the past, we've always tried to reward players for coming up with information, background etc. But XP rewards, while nice, don't have much incentive unless they come in large amounts. Giving a free feat is pretty major, something I would only do for hugely good roleplaying contributions. I think I might do Traits though: they're less unbalancing and build right into the roleplaying. Maybe I'll have the players vote for who they think created the best background. Action points as a reward are a great idea. They're one-shot, so they won't make one character better than another. And placing stipulations on how long they last or what they can do kicks :censored:.
SPQR Anarchy 11-27-04, 02:37 PM	I have long been granting bonus XP for the player who does the chronicaling each session. We have an actual book that each player takes a turn at writting in from session to session. The Chronicle idea was something that came from an Earthdawn game requirement. In the event of a player doing something really big to save the day or putting themselves way out there to do something heroic I give out a hero point which can be redeemed anytime one has to roll a die. Instead of rolling they simple cash it in and declare the result of a single die they would have to have rolled. Its good for saves and ensuring a critical. They love them and they are rare so it doesn't unbalance the game. SPQR