In thinking back over my gaming career, I came to think about the types of players that annoyed me over the years. Of course there's the Rules Lawyer. We've all encountered that particular beast, haven't we? Then there's the player type I call the "Anywhere but Where the GM Believes" player.
Have you ever had a player who, when you checked in with them, they would tell you they weren't actually in that location? This is more than splitting the party. It's the situation where a player keeps correcting you as to their character's location. The player never seems to be specific enough about their character's movements, no matter how many times you ask them to be more specific.
Example #1:
GM: "Okay, the party enters the cavern-"
Bruno the Dwarf's Player: "No, I'm not in the cavern."
GM: "But I asked the whole party if you were all going into the cavern and you didn't say you weren't going in with everyone else, so..."
Bruno the Dwarf's Player: "No, I'm not in there. I stayed in the tunnel."
GM: "Ooookay..." [followed by annoying situation where you have to jump between the rest of the party and whatever Bruno's player wants to do]
Example #2:
GM: "Your group has been in the tavern for about a half hour, when-"
Bruno's Player: "I never entered the tavern."
GM: "You never told me you didn't enter the tavern with the rest of the party..."
Bruno's Player: "Well, I'm outside..."
You get the idea.
Have you ever had a player like this? If so, do you think they were purposely trying to mess with you, or just not paying attention, or some other reason they did this sort of thing?
I have often enough over the years run games for players that seem to be wherever they think the action is, or NOT where they think the danger is... like, they say their by the door, but as soon as something interesting appears to be happening by the window, they've chipping it as if they're there. And they expect to get the benefit of that, too, it's not just them chipping in as a player addressing the other players. AND if something then is happening by the door, they are right back there!
ReplyDeleteThis is why I will use minis at times (or other sorts of improvised tokens). It doesn't have to be to scale, it doesn't have to turn tactical -- it just "locks down" where folks are (by the window, by the door, center of the room, in the hall, etc.). It seems to get the message across to these folks that things in different locations are happening *simultaneously* when words aren't working for them, and makes it clear that they've made their choice and have to stick with it.
Some folks need visual aids, and there's nothing wrong with that.
Ah, indeed, I agree, minis would solve the problem by forcing the players to show their physical location at all times. But I'm into the old school "theater of the mind" and a style of play that is more loose than that. I guess that style gives some players some sort of license to "jump" all over the place. The thought of making players move minis continuously so as to mark their location at all times makes roleplaying seem too much like a board game, though. But that's just me, I guess!
DeleteI really appreciate you taking the time and you comment is awesome, by the way. Thanks, and Happy New Year!
I'm certain it's not just you. : )
DeleteBut let me be clear, and see if I can debunk anything along the way:
• I'm 49 years old.
• I started playing D&D and other games in the late 70s.
• There were minis back then.
• People used those minis without getting complicated about it.
It's equally as "old school" to have a hall, a room, and the idol in the room scribbled on a sheet of paper and have people put something on that paper to show where their character is, broadly. Might only need to move those markers/tokens/minis/dice/etc. if they leave the room to enter the hall, or go from being in the room to climbing the idol, etc.
Minis *are* old school. A case could probably be made that they are more "old school" than theater-style is, because I doubt the wargamers just dropped the minis altogether when they diverted into D&D...
I've just finished the third session of a "winter break" game where it's been done in 'theatre of ye mind' style... It works very well where it works very well. But why throw tools out of the toolbox?
http://www.holmeswest.com/john-eric-holmes.html
[J.E.H. circa 1980, running D&D using miniatures on his chalkboard table]
Sorry, I should probably just write my own blogpost about this... : \
Touche, all great points! Yes, considering D&D arose from wargaming, which requires minis, you are totally right! And if I've inspired a blog post on your end, I can't wait to read it!
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