Try harder to show that you'll actually allow players to move the plot forward into something other than 'failure is the only option' or 'make it worse'.
If that fails, give them tools to move the plot with rather than move the plot itself.
this. mods are the GMs and hold all the cards when it comes to plot. players can do plenty of things but if the mods don't give them results that mean something nothing will actually happen. if your game is a spooky mystery, leave clues that players can pick up on. if it's action, give them monsters to beat or a dungeon to explore. etc. or watch what players ARE doing and give them results based on that.
if they adopt a kitten send some zombies to try and eat it.
I've watched mods dangle plot fodder in front of players like a parent desperately trying to get a child to eat their mashed potatos and in all but a few cases, the players just shuffled their feet and whined about how haaaaaard and cooooooomplicated the plot was.
It doesn't matter how many "results" the mods give if the players literally won't do anything to GET those results. Clues, monsters, it all adds up to zilch if the players won't pursue any of the options they've been given.
I even saw an event where the mods took time to tailor personal options for each character involved in the plot in question and it was met with a good 30% of those players either dropping off the face of the earth or whining about not having anything to do (despite having personalized choices laid out in front of them). The people who actually participated and played off of the clues they'd been given all seemed to have a pretty good time.
Yeah, there's shitty mods out there who can't run plots to save their lives, but it takes two to tango. Even the best-planned plot can fall through horrendously if the players don't hold up their end.
well, i've seen these mods and i've seen players behave exactly the way being described here.
ia that it might come off a sense of feeling like the players can't do anything without mod approval, but then i think that impression comes off the assumption that mods are only going to steamroll their plot in and players have no control/say/power.
obviously considering opinions on mods in this thread,
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-1
(Anonymous) 2013-04-10 10:26 pm (UTC)(link)If that fails, give them tools to move the plot with rather than move the plot itself.
+ -1?
(Anonymous) 2013-04-10 11:27 pm (UTC)(link)if they adopt a kitten send some zombies to try and eat it.
-1 to your -1
(Anonymous) 2013-04-11 06:04 am (UTC)(link)It doesn't matter how many "results" the mods give if the players literally won't do anything to GET those results. Clues, monsters, it all adds up to zilch if the players won't pursue any of the options they've been given.
I even saw an event where the mods took time to tailor personal options for each character involved in the plot in question and it was met with a good 30% of those players either dropping off the face of the earth or whining about not having anything to do (despite having personalized choices laid out in front of them). The people who actually participated and played off of the clues they'd been given all seemed to have a pretty good time.
Yeah, there's shitty mods out there who can't run plots to save their lives, but it takes two to tango. Even the best-planned plot can fall through horrendously if the players don't hold up their end.
DA
(Anonymous) 2013-04-11 07:37 am (UTC)(link)Re: DA
(Anonymous) 2013-04-11 07:47 am (UTC)(link)da
(Anonymous) 2013-04-13 05:37 am (UTC)(link)+1
(Anonymous) 2013-04-12 06:48 am (UTC)(link)Re: -1 to your -1
(Anonymous) 2013-04-13 06:17 am (UTC)(link)ia that it might come off a sense of feeling like the players can't do anything without mod approval, but then i think that impression comes off the assumption that mods are only going to steamroll their plot in and players have no control/say/power.
obviously considering opinions on mods in this thread,