Facilitating Coherent Play and the Shared Agenda
Leilond:
Quote from: Erudite on December 22, 2008, 07:36:37 AM
Quote from: Rustin on December 09, 2008, 10:19:07 AM
My group recently ended its fourth 4e campaign within the last year or so.
I suspect incoherent play caused each attempt to fail. (E.g., People "checking-out" when not spotlighted, lots of talk about WOW, computer use etc..)
This is a tough problem to combat.
One of my most successful techniques I have employed is having players write game recaps and rewarding experience points for doing so. The exp rewarded for the recaps is based on the quality of the recap. This alone has helped keep some players paying attention as there is a tangible reward. And, just pulling one or two players back into the game can disable the others who were not paying attention.
I would recommend finding ways to draw each player back in individually. Typically from what I’ve seen as long as you can keep most of the players focused, the other will follow suit.
I instead use the "player roll everything" tecnique. If a monster attack a PC, I do not roll "Monster Attack vs Character AC", the player rolls "Character AC vs Monster Attack"
Add 10 to the monster attrack bonus, subtract 10 to the Characters AC, and you'll have the same math results
If the monster has +8 to attack, and the Character has 22 AC, the monster usually need a 14 to hit (30%)
With my rules the character will have +12 AC (22-10) and the monster will have 18 attack. The player will need a 6 to avoid being hit (70%)
This help a lot taking player into the game during combat.
You can apply on every roll. If you need a result of X to hit, you need a result of 20-X to avoid being hit.
Erudite:
Quote from: Leilond on December 22, 2008, 08:21:05 AM
I instead use the "player roll everything" tecnique. If a monster attack a PC, I do not roll "Monster Attack vs Character AC", the player rolls "Character AC vs Monster Attack"
I have occasionally had players roll for me instead of me rolling things. This can also help get the players pulled into what is going on. Also, on this note. Often during combat or when players are involved in tense action, the other players pay attention anyway.
Thinking about it, a lot of the time when the focus is on only part of the group, I don’t mind the rest of the group not paying attention. It makes it easier for them to RP when the group is back together and they have to fill each other in.
I think the only time I mind players slacking off is when they don’t readily get back into the game when it is time or if their side action distracts the active players. I’ve seen this as more of a problem with some than others. I think that comes down to group dynamics.
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