How to encourage role playing

[phydaux]

One of the things that's always bugged me about Champs as a role playing game is just how little ROLE PLAYING ever seemed to happen.

 

It always seemed that the players would gather, the GM would say something like "Your character happens to notice a TV/radio/telepathic broadcast indicating that Grond is rampaging across the downtown area..."

 

Then we'd roll out the battle map and 'roll play' for the rest of the evening (as in dice).

 

I think I've figured out what the major problem has been:

 

I've always played in (and run) Avengers-style games where, for the most part, the heros only knew each other in their hero IDs. Even if the characters knew each other's secret IDs, they never hung around together in their secret IDs.

 

So, since they were never together during non-combat situations, there was never a reason or even an opertunity for role playing or character development.

 

So that raises the question "How do I get the role playing back in my role playing game?"

 

As far as I can tell, there are only three campaign types that allow for role playing: X-Men, Fantastic Four and villians.

 

In an X-Men game the players will all be young heros coming to grips with their powers under the tutalage of a mentor. The players will spend most of their time together in their regular IDs and only rarely play out their superpowers. This might also be called a Teen Titans game, although there really isn't any reason the Titans are all together in that "T" shaped building is there?

 

A Fantastic Four game will have all the players together before they get powers, and all the powers will come from a common origin.

 

In a villians game, the players will spend most of their time together "laying low" between heists. As most GM's know, it's when PC are "laying low" that the NPC body count REALLY starts to climb.

 

I've been DIEING to run a villians game for some time now. I'm glad for the role playing opertunities.

[nexus]

Re: How to encourage role playing

 

One of the things that's always bugged me about Champs as a role playing game is just how little ROLE PLAYING ever seemed to happen.

 

It always seemed that the players would gather, the GM would say something like "Your character happens to notice a TV/radio/telepathic broadcast indicating that Grond is rampaging across the downtown area..."

 

To me, this actually sounds more like a problem with the GM more so than than the system/setting. You can do D and D the same way where your characters are teleported to the dungeon entrance at the start of the game. You can have msyteries, personal conflicts and even soap opera drama in a Champions game. Have the PCs invited to attend a civic event, have a serious of strange (but not violent) incident occur and see if they look into them. Have DNPC of one of the character have a personal problem that has nothing to do with combat (even if only initally) and see how the character(s) react to it. Its up to the game to move beyond "You're all sitting around the Hall of Justice when the Trouble Alert goes off" scenario.

 

Then we'd roll out the battle map and 'roll play' for the rest of the evening (as in dice).

 

This is something I don't like personally. I mean the "Role playing vs Roll Playing" thing. For one it makes combat seems like "bad fun" (or at least a "lesser" activity) or secondly combat/action and role playing are not mutually exclusive. IMO, you should be at your best role playing in combat. Lives are on the line, generally important things are happening. Its a situation when Psych lims like Code Against Killing, Impulsive, Secretly insecure and others should be tested and demonstrated. In a more four color Romantic game, its time for speechs, taunts and soliquies. In darker games perhaps some soul searching is in order when you meet the "villian" you're secretly attracted/admire/hate intensely. Play it up! It doesn't have to become a minatures wargame where you just control figure.

 

I think I've figured out what the major problem has been:

 

I've always played in (and run) Avengers-style games where, for the most part, the heros only knew each other in their hero IDs. Even if the characters knew each other's secret IDs, they never hung around together in their secret IDs.

 

So, since they were never together during non-combat situations, there was never a reason or even an opertunity for role playing or character development.

 

I don't think its a problem. Most (I'm sure some of the trivia inclined can think of many exceptions but go with me here) are "Avengers" style. The characters still grow and develop. These are people you regularly face life and death with. You've seen them and they have seen you, at your best and worst. Eventually, unless the character is designed as total recluse and loner, there's going to be some growing together and trust. As I mentioned above, combat can be a trying time. Its also up to the gm and players to be proactive in their role playing. Mention plothooks to the gm, and gms should use them. I've never run into a problem getting characters in "Avengers" style games to play. Some of my best sessions were just the heroes hanging at the base. Look at it this way, you know the people you work with every day, right? And unless you are a fire fighter, policeman or some other dangerous profession you probably don't go threw nearly as much stress as a typical Superhero team does together.

 

So that raises the question "How do I get the role playing back in my role playing game?"

 

As far as I can tell, there are only three campaign types that allow for role playing: X-Men, Fantastic Four and villians.

 

Given the source material, I think that is a little too over arching. I've run pretty much everything but a straight out villain campaign. There has been plenty of role playing. Its all in how you handle it. Villains, for example, can just as easily be run as "We assemble, plan the heist/job, do it and split the loot" Fantastic Four and X men style games are really the "Avengers" types you mentioned with slightly different trappings, IMO.

[BcAugust]

Re: How to encourage role playing

 

Well, considering I'm in a "JLA" type game at the moment, rp is pretty much all we do. I haven't even seen a conflict with my character in over 12 sessions.

 

First suggestion, if you want to rp, is make sure you have the character for it. Sit down, and really think about your character. What are his/her interests? What do they do for a hobby? How do they really feel about their teammates? Sit down and make sure you have connections to the rest of the team. Know how other people see you. What would a police officer, a man off the street, an NPC hero or villian say about your character?

 

Second, sit down with your teammates and find connections that you have with them. There should be no one on the team you're neutral towards. Think about the Avengers. Each of them have a view on the other characters that ranges from flat out hero worship to loathing barely contained by common goals.

 

(To be continued)

[assault]

Re: How to encourage role playing

 

This might also be called a Teen Titans game, although there really isn't any reason the Titans are all together in that "T" shaped building is there?

 

Actually the Titans originally had the best of all reasons to hang around together - they met and became friends while hanging around with various members of the JLA.

 

The New Teen Titans (the ones in the T-shaped building) were a bit different, since they were assembled to save the world from Trigon the Terrible. (It wasn't made clear why the JLA couldn't do the job, IIRC, but there ya go.) At least some of them were members of the old network, so they had a reason to hang around, and Raven insinuated herself into it by mind controlling Wally West.

 

So, really, they had quite strong ties of friendship, aside from the professional relationship.

 

Infinity Inc had similar characteristics, being composed of the kids and proteges of the (original) JSA. I guess the current JSA is a bit like that too.

 

Then again, once a team has been up and running for a while, it might well take on a life of its own with its members developing friendships and so on.

 

So I guess any team that has been together for a while is fine. The new ones are a bit more of a problem. Then again, they are also more likely to be the ones where the characters clash with each other, making for potentially more interesting roleplaying.

 

As a general point: scenarios don't just have to be about combat. Personally, I find combat rather dull, for a bunch of reasons that includes my aversion to excessively heavy minmaxing of character designs.

 

A bit of mystery and problem solving can go a long way towards allowing the PCs personalities to develop. And then, of course, there are always subplots involving those pesky DNPCs...

[Yogzilla]

Re: How to encourage role playing

 

For a group of very different types of heroes, you can also use the old "natural disaster" chestnut... Either the heroes can try and stop it from happening, or perhaps just save as many people as possible while it's happening, or even rescue those affected by it after it's happened. Or a combo of all 3!! And if it's big enough, you can even throw in some of those tortuous decisions - - "Even with your great speed, you can't save both of them. So which is it, hero?"

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: How to encourage role playing

 

The New Teen Titans (the ones in the T-shaped building) were a bit different' date=' since they were assembled to save the world from Trigon the Terrible. (It wasn't made clear why the JLA couldn't do the job, IIRC, but there ya go.) At least some of them were members of the old network, so they had a reason to hang around, and Raven insinuated herself into it by mind controlling Wally West.[/quote']

 

[fanboymode] The JLA could have done the jopb - Raven approached them first. Zatanna sensed evil within her (due to her heritage) and as such they didn't trust her and drove her of, leading to the Titans formation

[MitchellS]

Re: How to encourage role playing

 

I have to agree pretty-much with everyone else. If your players are not role-playing it's not because of the system. It's because the GM has not really made it an important part of the campaign. Our characters have not done anything but role-play for the last 3 sessions, and it has been a blast. But that does come after a heavy 2 session adventure and combat against the Justice Avengers.

[JakSpade]

Re: How to encourage role playing

 

It's always the small things that start the roleplaying...

 

Disadvantage, Disadvantage, Disadvantage: Players may only take disadvantages and limitations to get points, but that's a cruxical point for the GM. The hero has a hunted, they show up, challenge the hero, or just give a long speech. The hero has a DNPC, well, that DNPC has a life, and sometimes, life can get ugly. The hero has a fear of water, he can't just ignore that battle where Dr. Infernus is trying to steal the USS Nimitz....

 

Mystery, Mystery, Mystery: Sure, Grond is chewing up downtown... but when all the combat is over, who cleans up the mess? Throw in a small clue of something bigger. One of the heroes finds a small transmitter behind Grond's ear... who's sending secret messages to Grond?

 

Greed, Lust, Wanting: The player characters want something for their character... a new power, a gadget, world peace. At some point, they're going to have to go after that thing... make them earn it... their new power works, but not perfectly. Maybe they'll have to see a doctor. Maybe the gadget they want is sanctioned by the government. They may want to talk to their local Congressman to try to get a bill passed. Maybe they want to stand up in front of the UN and tell them they're wimps...

 

Hope some of these ideas help...

Jak

[RDU Neil]

Re: How to encourage role playing

 

I have to agree pretty-much with everyone else. If your players are not role-playing it's not because of the system. It's because the GM has not really made it an important part of the campaign. Our characters have not done anything but role-play for the last 3 sessions' date=' and it has been a blast. But that does come after a heavy 2 session adventure and combat against the Justice Avengers.[/quote']

 

While I agree the GM may not be offering as many opportunities, I hate the "just blame the GM" mentality. Players themselves have a responsibility to step up and "do something" without waiting for the GM to stick an event in front of them. I've seen plenty of games where the GM purposefully gives the PCs a chance to socialize, talk, plan, discuss, whatever... and the players just sit there, staring... or act all "I'm a loner, I don't talk with people" kind of Wolverine crap... and nothing happens.

 

The GM needs to present opportunity to role play, but the players also need to take that opportunity and run with it. They need to come up with NPCs and give them voices... they need to give neat descriptions of how their charcter looks and acts. Even a silent type can be described as, "I stand to the side. Thought quiet, anyone looking at me will notice my eyes wide and glancing about as if always looking for an enemy!" Good role playing does require facility with language, descriptive narrative, understanding of dramatic pacing, etc.

[JeffreyWKramer]

Re: How to encourage role playing

 

While I agree the GM may not be offering as many opportunities, I hate the "just blame the GM" mentality. Players themselves have a responsibility to step up and "do something" without waiting for the GM to stick an event in front of them. I've seen plenty of games where the GM purposefully gives the PCs a chance to socialize, talk, plan, discuss, whatever... and the players just sit there, staring... or act all "I'm a loner, I don't talk with people" kind of Wolverine crap... and nothing happens.

 

The GM needs to present opportunity to role play, but the players also need to take that opportunity and run with it. They need to come up with NPCs and give them voices... they need to give neat descriptions of how their charcter looks and acts. Even a silent type can be described as, "I stand to the side. Thought quiet, anyone looking at me will notice my eyes wide and glancing about as if always looking for an enemy!" Good role playing does require facility with language, descriptive narrative, understanding of dramatic pacing, etc.

 

Absolutely. Some GMs don't encourage RP, but some players don't either. Especially those who play narrow-personality, grim-loner characters. As a GM, you can encourage RP by creating opportunities that involve character downtime, DNPC interactions and meeting/interacting with significant NPCs. As a player, you can avoid making characters with limitations like "catatonic outside combat," "asocial jerk" and "Psych Lim - Avoids Communication (VC/Strong)." Instead, make characters who value teamwork, like other people, want friends, and are not so alienated or socially retarded that they can't functionally interact with others outside combat.

 

"Shy" and "poor understanding of modern world" are much better choices for a monster or time-displaced character than "Dependence: Pressure Chamber Hourly or 3d6 Damage" and "elective mute." Marvel's Man-Thing is an interesting concept, but even in the comics, it acts more as a catalyst for stories than as a character, and it is a really crappy inspiration for a PC team member.

 

For those who like moody characters, just remember, please - even Batman and Elric have a few friends or people they genuinely care about.

[MitchellS]

Re: How to encourage role playing

 

I agree that not everything is the GM's fault but if the GM wants players to role-play more then he needs to give them situations that don't require combat, and then don't give the players combat the minute the role-playing seems to slow down. Whether you have good or bad players the GM is still the voice of the campaign and directs 90% of the action and encounters, whether they're role-playing or combat. If the GM takes the time to make interesting role-playing encounters then poor role-players will improve. If the GM immediately runs to the safe harbor of combat when the role-playing seems to decrease or stop the players have no reason to expand their role-playing abilities, IMO.

[phydaux]

Re: How to encourage role playing

 

Absolutely. Some GMs don't encourage RP' date=' but some players don't either. Especially those who play narrow-personality, grim-loner characters. [/quote']

 

LOL! My gaming group has outlawed all Wolverine-clone characters.

 

(Not because of the grim-loner thing, but because the characters requior NO imagination.)

[JeffreyWKramer]

Re: How to encourage role playing

 

LOL! My gaming group has outlawed all Wolverine-clone characters.

 

(Not because of the grim-loner thing, but because the characters requior NO imagination.)

 

That's a good start. Wolverine and Batman-clone characters are the worst offenders, often as not. Punisher clones are even worse, of course, but hopefully most GMs simply disallow them as team characters, recognizing that they don't fit the hero-team motif at all.

[Ghost Archer]

Re: How to encourage role playing

 

I have had wonderful roleplaying sessions with a wide variety of people and characters. I have to admit that as a GM, it is often my fault I cannot engage some players in ab RP but I also have to say this is generally because of a lack of character developement on the player's part. Some of my players can come up with a great background and design a great, rounded character, the trouble is, they don't know what to do with them. For about five years, I have had a player that I have tried over and over again to engage in a true RP session but all he really wants is a fight. You sort of lose interest in a character if they never develop past the character sheet and stop trying.

One of the way I have fostered more RP is placing the team headquarters in a very isolated location where the only contacts they have is each other. Recently, however, this has been alienating some characters. Note that is 'characters' and not players. They want more interaction with people other then the team. Hmm...maybe the isolation did work after all. They want more RP outside of the HQ.

I have also found many players respond better to RPing when alone. I use NPC's or my own characters to bring out the hidden actor in them. Most of the time it works but also many times I find players that can only RP one on one. I don't know really if they are shy or just attention junkies. While my solo games generally work out to be the best RP experiences I have, I end up neglecting other players and that leads to discontent. Its a fine balancing act.

Over the last year or so, combat for my players has become an extremly rare thing and even then it generally is more cinimatic combat then actual nuts and bolts HERO System combat. HERO defines the character for us but HERO combat does not rule the story.

[BcAugust]

Re: How to encourage role playing

 

Wow, a lot of good advice. I'll just add one last piece. Description is key. React to the world around you. Prompt people to describe what's going on. If you have unusual senses, describe how they work. Don't treat your abilities as plain vanilla. Even if your character isn't saying anything, react with body language. Ask questions to liven up the room, though obviously, you'll have to pick the right time for this.