Breaks...shudder [Archive] - Wizards Community

Breaks...shudder [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
CTHUHLU_THE_GROOVY
01-28-06, 05:36 PM I have a group that is really quite good in most respects save one , namely wanting to break after every single fight. I've been telling my players (really just one) not to bring distractions ( namely that loathsome ds) however one session we ONLY GOT THROUGH THREE ENCOUNTERS! Yes three encounters. I can't take it anymore. The majority of players are fine but some just can't stay focused. I can't think of anyway to keep interest. Can you help?
Vileneeds of Q
01-28-06, 05:40 PM hate to say it, but are you sure they are the problem. i got a guy in my current groupd with add and he sits through about four hours of my game before i have to let him get up and shake it off. It might be your game... Think about what happens when they want the breaks and adjust accordingly. And ditch the video games :embarrass
cdrop
01-28-06, 07:01 PM hate to say it, but are you sure they are the problem. i got a guy in my current groupd with add and he sits through about four hours of my game before i have to let him get up and shake it off. It might be your game... Think about what happens when they want the breaks and adjust accordingly. And ditch the video games :embarrass

Like he said, get rid of those video games, there is no way anyone can play DnD and Mario at the same time. And also look at the gameplay, some players love fight, after fight, after fight; but many would like to have a little more mystery or thought process go on. Me for example will probably roll above 15 once every 4 game sessions, so if there are nothing but fights going on, I usually get board pretty quick, and start to doodle. When fights are mixed with something else, I can usually get into the game. When my thoughts and actions play more into my character than just the dice, I feel that it is more interesting.
So test your players out, see what they like best, and try to work adventures around that. I once had a DM that would literally roll about 30 times for one round, with 5 monsters... To say the least, it was boring. Thats like getting right up to the big climax, then taking a bathroom break. Plus it really felt like:
"Go fight some orcs."
"Why?"
"Cause the DM said so..."
Motivation lacking, it wasn't a very fun DM. So step back and see if your encounters are more than just a dungeon crawl for the players, have a reason, if nothing more than treasure hunting.
I hope any of this helps, if nothing else works, you can always make one of the other players DM :P
Farmer_Tom_Cotton
01-28-06, 10:07 PM If people show up to play D&D they should play D&D. Tell them so, but be nice. You might be suprised what players backs you up.
If you want something to do about it "in game". Make things happen when they are not paying attention. A fighter who is not paying attention to the game and gets his SWORD stolen will pay more attention. :D
bholdr_mage
01-28-06, 11:08 PM to look at different types of players, check out the first chapter of DMG2. (I think that's it...the one that describes different types of players.)

Anyway, these guys are right. Ask them why they want to take breaks often and what you can do to prevent that. Reasonable talking solves problems.

Or is that...brute force solves everything. If it doesn't, you aren't using enough of it. (joke there; absolutely do not take the line above seriously!)
green_yawgmoth
01-29-06, 02:48 AM If you want something to do about it "in game". Make things happen when they are not paying attention. A fighter who is not paying attention to the game and gets his SWORD stolen will pay more attention. :D
This is a REALLY bad idea. If you have a player who isn't paying attention, then just tell him he's not invited and his player decides to retire and build a bar, like every other adventurer.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v91/yawgmoth/kittyjig.gif
Hodo
01-29-06, 03:11 AM Hmmm the couple of groups I've played with have always taken somewhat frequent breaks; usually once after any major encounter.

Usually it's for a smoke break though.

Although I don't smoke myself, and don't feel any need to take breaks, I do spend much of my time thumbing through a book or fiddling with something when it's not my turn. I do pay attention though, and try my hardest not to waste anyone's time going over rules. I especially dislike it when it's someone's turn and they spend 10 minutes or so trying to explain this bizzare action with non-standard effects or something that requires the DM himself to start looking up obscure rules or begins a debate about how to govern it.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
CTHUHLU_THE_GROOVY 01-28-06, 05:36 PM	I have a group that is really quite good in most respects save one , namely wanting to break after every single fight. I've been telling my players (really just one) not to bring distractions ( namely that loathsome ds) however one session we ONLY GOT THROUGH THREE ENCOUNTERS! Yes three encounters. I can't take it anymore. The majority of players are fine but some just can't stay focused. I can't think of anyway to keep interest. Can you help?
Vileneeds of Q 01-28-06, 05:40 PM	hate to say it, but are you sure they are the problem. i got a guy in my current groupd with add and he sits through about four hours of my game before i have to let him get up and shake it off. It might be your game... Think about what happens when they want the breaks and adjust accordingly. And ditch the video games :embarrass
cdrop 01-28-06, 07:01 PM	hate to say it, but are you sure they are the problem. i got a guy in my current groupd with add and he sits through about four hours of my game before i have to let him get up and shake it off. It might be your game... Think about what happens when they want the breaks and adjust accordingly. And ditch the video games :embarrass Like he said, get rid of those video games, there is no way anyone can play DnD and Mario at the same time. And also look at the gameplay, some players love fight, after fight, after fight; but many would like to have a little more mystery or thought process go on. Me for example will probably roll above 15 once every 4 game sessions, so if there are nothing but fights going on, I usually get board pretty quick, and start to doodle. When fights are mixed with something else, I can usually get into the game. When my thoughts and actions play more into my character than just the dice, I feel that it is more interesting. So test your players out, see what they like best, and try to work adventures around that. I once had a DM that would literally roll about 30 times for one round, with 5 monsters... To say the least, it was boring. Thats like getting right up to the big climax, then taking a bathroom break. Plus it really felt like: "Go fight some orcs." "Why?" "Cause the DM said so..." Motivation lacking, it wasn't a very fun DM. So step back and see if your encounters are more than just a dungeon crawl for the players, have a reason, if nothing more than treasure hunting. I hope any of this helps, if nothing else works, you can always make one of the other players DM :P
Farmer_Tom_Cotton 01-28-06, 10:07 PM	If people show up to play D&D they should play D&D. Tell them so, but be nice. You might be suprised what players backs you up. If you want something to do about it "in game". Make things happen when they are not paying attention. A fighter who is not paying attention to the game and gets his SWORD stolen will pay more attention. :D
bholdr_mage 01-28-06, 11:08 PM	to look at different types of players, check out the first chapter of DMG2. (I think that's it...the one that describes different types of players.) Anyway, these guys are right. Ask them why they want to take breaks often and what you can do to prevent that. Reasonable talking solves problems. Or is that...brute force solves everything. If it doesn't, you aren't using enough of it. (joke there; absolutely do not take the line above seriously!)
green_yawgmoth 01-29-06, 02:48 AM	If you want something to do about it "in game". Make things happen when they are not paying attention. A fighter who is not paying attention to the game and gets his SWORD stolen will pay more attention. :D This is a REALLY bad idea. If you have a player who isn't paying attention, then just tell him he's not invited and his player decides to retire and build a bar, like every other adventurer. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v91/yawgmoth/kittyjig.gif
Hodo 01-29-06, 03:11 AM	Hmmm the couple of groups I've played with have always taken somewhat frequent breaks; usually once after any major encounter. Usually it's for a smoke break though. Although I don't smoke myself, and don't feel any need to take breaks, I do spend much of my time thumbing through a book or fiddling with something when it's not my turn. I do pay attention though, and try my hardest not to waste anyone's time going over rules. I especially dislike it when it's someone's turn and they spend 10 minutes or so trying to explain this bizzare action with non-standard effects or something that requires the DM himself to start looking up obscure rules or begins a debate about how to govern it.