The Role Playing Public Radio Forums
General Category => RPGs => : Tadanori Oyama May 12, 2009, 06:30:57 PM
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When a player or DM is turning on you, there's usually signs.
If the adventure is spiraling into bullshit land, there where probably indications of that along the way.
Should your group shatter between sessions, maybe you should've seen something going on.
This thread is deticated to the warning signs that spring up to alert you of approaching danger. Some signs are widely known while others are lesser or even unique to an individual group or gamer.
Knowledge of these signs can help you get ahead of danger and prevent disaster, or at least make sure your not at the session when everything explodes.
Important notes:
1) These red flags don't always come before a total and complete melt down of gaming, they might just be a good warning sign that your about to waste time.
2) Not all red flags apply to all groups. Some people will have these flags present but have worked around them to the point that they aren't in real danger of harming the game.
Some examples include:
The environment- No table; unproductive music selection; distractions abound (like shinny objects).
The players- Didn't bring essental supplies; one of them is that guy you hated in high school because he was a dick (and probably hasn't changed); two or more players are involved in romantic relationships with each other.
Or the GM- Is a Grognard; not focused on players and game; is a relative.
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More than two absences without a good excuse. That player either is bored with the game or can't stand the players / GM.
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miscommunication is the biggest deal. I actually ran and recorded a game with some of the bear swarm guys that fell apart and I'm sure it was full of red flags. I might post it some day.
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Had the first brain storm meeting of the eveing Hunter the Vigil game. One of the players, after being continually pressed for information about their character's goals, basically said she didn't want to hunt monsters.
Red flag for a Hunter game.
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Had the first brain storm meeting of the eveing Hunter the Vigil game. One of the players, after being continually pressed for information about their character's goals, basically said she didn't want to hunt monsters.
Red flag for a Hunter game.
The player didn't want to, or the character didn't want to? I could see a character who didn't really want to fight monsters but did anyway because of some sort of compulsion, oath, duty, etc. If it's the player who doesn't want to then yeah ... big red flag.
Note: I'm currently jotting down notes for a possible Hunter campaign -- I'd be interested in hearing what you're planning to do with yours, if you're interested in talking about it in another thread.
CR
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The player and first her character concept. We managed to work around it in the end.
I'll start another thread for Vigil talk.
Another red flag, at least in some games: when the first thing a player looks for is the best ways to kill.
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Okay, here's a few Flags I know from personal experience:
1. When a game has over seven PC's.
2. When one of the PC's rape a NPC, within the first 30 minutes of the first session.
3. When the GM does not want to work with you at all.
4. When some of the PC's start playing cards when its not there turn.
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A bottle of wine and an asshole named "Jared."
Physical assault between two players.
When players begin to significantly bend the rules.
When a player and the DM get into a heated argument that turns into one of those really long and awkward arguments.
When a player just wants the story to focus on himself.
The last one happened today as I played D&D with my students.
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Physical assault between two players.
Too bad you couldn't have been their for the EPIC imperialism/anti-imperialism debate between Juard, Tim, and me during one of the games Ross ran that I was sure was going to come to blows.
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When the players develop a consistant, unflattering nick name for the GM. And for the record, mine is apparently "Dungeon Dweeb".
One or more players has the Monster Manuel open or ready.
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When one or more players brings you bowl of chips/cheetos with grounded glass in it or adds paint thinner to your cola.
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Physical assault between two players.
Too bad you couldn't have been their for the EPIC imperialism/anti-imperialism debate between Juard, Tim, and me during one of the games Ross ran that I was sure was going to come to blows.
And too bad you weren't there last night for the epic debate over parliamentary procedure between Bill and Mike. I thought Mike was gonna choke somebody.
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complaining complaining complaining
players working against eachother
8 hours of game time 2 hours of play time
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players start using parliamentary procedure to debate what direction they should go in the dungeon.
This happened in last night's new world game.
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When the GM doesn't even try to pretend that the NPCs he makes for the game are characters that he wishes he was playing.
When players are blatantly working on backup or alternate characters for the game at the table.
When players are working on characters for another game entirely.
When players start making Tomb of Horrors references and they're not joking around with them.
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The players are having to crack open their books to recheck information more than once or twice a round. Goes hand-in-hand with players (and the DM) not knowing the rules.
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The players are having to crack open their books to recheck information more than once or twice a round. Goes hand-in-hand with players (and the DM) not knowing the rules.
I think an exception to that is when both players and DM are trying a new system/game.
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The players are having to crack open their books to recheck information more than once or twice a round. Goes hand-in-hand with players (and the DM) not knowing the rules.
I think an exception to that is when both players and DM are trying a new system/game.
Oh, indeed. Not all red flags apply to all situations. I bring it up because I have players who've been playing 4E D&D with me for some months now and still operate almost entirely out of source books rather than off their sheet.
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Oh, indeed. Not all red flags apply to all situations. I bring it up because I have players who've been playing 4E D&D with me for some months now and still operate almost entirely out of source books rather than off their sheet.
That's one of my biggest pet peeves -- specifically players who play spell casters, but don't actually read up on what their spells do ...
CR
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Oh, indeed. Not all red flags apply to all situations. I bring it up because I have players who've been playing 4E D&D with me for some months now and still operate almost entirely out of source books rather than off their sheet.
That's one of my biggest pet peeves -- specifically players who play spell casters, but don't actually read up on what their spells do ...
CR
I Haaate when they don't read their spells.
They'll tell me
"I cast Icy Terrain!"
"Ok, what's it do?"
"Uhh...damage, and enemies slip around on ice."
"...I hate you... (jk)"
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I Haaate when they don't read their spells.
They'll tell me
"I cast Icy Terrain!"
"Ok, what's it do?"
"Uhh...damage, and enemies slip around on ice."
"...I hate you... (jk)"
Yup -- I've actually been playing in a group where a bard/druid burst into a fight, and cast Daze on an ogre. The ogre fails their saving throw, and the character gleefully runs up to it on their next turn and swings at it. Of course, the effects of the Daze wear off at the end of the bard/druid's turn. The ogre then crushes the bard/druid with one hit (who knew that a bard 2/druid 1 with only 12 hit points shouldn't go toe-to-toe with an ogre?). Anyway, the ensuing exchange between the player and GM stuck in my mind ...
Player: That's not fair! I cast daze on the ogre! It's dazed!!!
GM: That spell only lasts for one round.
Player: Well, how the hell was I supposed to know that???
I kid you not, the player actually stormed out of the game session over this, after stating that it was the "GM's job" to let her know that charging into melee with the ogre might get her character killed, and since he hadn't done that, her character should be miraculously brought back to life. This is the same player who referred to herself as a 15 year RPG veteran, and constantly tried to tell other players what they should be doing with their characters during combat ...
Anyway, I'm seeing that I've sown an entire field of red flags with that anecdote ...
CR