That said, last night I happened to go back to some old reddit posts and came across this one from the old "Ask Me Anything!" thread I did on /rpg when Yoon-Suin was Game of the Month.
In it, somebody asked me for "general Dungeon Master tips" and I said the following:
Hmm. In all honesty I increasingly think that the best DMing advice is to give everybody a shot at the limelight. Make sure you roughly devote the same amount of time to everybody's goals/desires/activities/in-character conversations, and if somebody seems to be left out, ask them "What's your character doing?" or something like that to involve them. It really helps when everybody at the table feels like they are "in the game".
I had completely forgotten typing that, and was surprised that I had actually said something which, looking back, I agreed with. That is good DMing advice.
I would now nuance it slightly to make clear that "having a shot at the limelight" does not mean a chance to "be awesome" or to show off. It just means having a chance to actually be the centre of everybody else's attention for a minute. Even if it's just switching the focus to somebody by asking them "What does your PC think about this?", it works wonders. Suddenly somebody who was a passive observer is part of things (even if they are just offering a view).
Judging when to do it, and balancing attention between the players, is something that has to be learned. But the principle derived from practice is sound. Perhaps I was wrong after all here.
This, I reckon, is one area where miniatures and floorplans can augment gameplay considerably. While theatre of the mind is probably my preference for the platonic game involving a smallish number of experienced players, the wargamey/boardgamey aspect can really help with ensuring that everyone does something. I've noticed this a lot in running games for both kids and new adult players: you get much more "Well, I'm going over *here*" or "I'm ducking behind the statue" when there are visuals - and especially when there are three-dimensional aspects to the terrain.
ReplyDeleteThe chap who runs the Runehammer YouTube channel has an interesting take on "conversation in rounds": that by treating all non-combat counters like a strictly sequenced combat sequence, you get much greater participation - and more opportunities for each player to craft spectacular bons mots or outlandish ploys as they wait for their turn. I think there's something in that, despite its artificiality.
Not sure I am a huge fan of the "conversation in rounds" thing but rules about social interaction at the table fascinate me - such as having a "caller". Some DMs I have read have a rule that there is no OOC chat at the table.
DeleteWhen we play face-to-face, usually with 5-7 players, we do have a designated caller. It's usually the same player, mind you, the one with the least tolerance for inaction and deliberation. In a way, his position as a "caller" is his veto button on time-consuming shenanigans ("No, dudes, you've been playing around with the statue long enough. We take the north exit.").
DeleteIt's amusing when one says something off the cuff, forgets it, hears it again, and finds it to ring true. "Oh! I wasn't completely talking out of my ass!"
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if you were wrong back then, because, as someone said in the comments under that other post, theorycrafting will only get you so far, but to get really good at it (aka "integrating theory into unconscious, reactive 'natural practice') needs practising.
ReplyDeleteIt's basically like in sports. You can have all the talent in the world, but if you don't practise (as in "a lot"), chances are that someone will take the place you could have taken just by putting in the hard work.
That's why I tend to read GM advice a lot. Because it gives me something to work with that other people already found useful. Doesn't necessarily mean that it will work for me as well, but at least I don't have to make all discoveries by myself and can concentrate on applicating what other people already discovered.
I agree with this. If I notice I haven't heard from someone at the table for a while, then I'll do things to give them a chance to interact; ask them what they're up to, have them be the one the NPC initiates conversation with, sometimes pick them as the target for a monster in the next encounter.
ReplyDeleteIt's up to them to do something with the opening, but it can draw people out of their shell when one of the orcs decides to yell at them specifically before charging into combat.