How do GMs out there handle late arrivals

[Thia Halmades]

Re: How do GMs out there handle late arrivals

 

Shoot zem.

 

Shoot zem both.

 

Wait, what?

[Killer Shrike]

Re: How do GMs out there handle late arrivals

 

By "trips" I assume you mean "adventures" or "sessions", but...semantics aside.

 

I start new characters off at the same point level as the PC with current lowest XP.

[Erkenfresh]

Re: How do GMs out there handle late arrivals

 

You guys have made some pretty reasonable suggestions thus far. I mean lopping off body parts is definitely within the realm of HERO after all. How many disad points for "no legs" (ooo and sell off running for more!)

 

I like to really punish the newcomers though. I mean, why should they be at the same power level as the players who have been loyal and faithful the whole time? Highest player may have around 500 points so the new guy gets to make a normal. 25 + 25 AND they have to pay for equipment with points. Sounds about right.

[Sean Waters]

Re: How do GMs out there handle late arrivals

 

Thing is, in Hero, you can have two characters built on the same number of points and they are nothing like each other, with, quite possibly, few useful points of comparison: yes one is better at hand to hand combat, but the other moves quicker and is a genius at decoding ancient texts whilst the first is better with fixing cars.

 

Even when there is an arena of comparison - for example 'combat', most games have some sort of guidelines as to maximum damage/CV/defence anyway, and most characters will be knocking on that particular barrier anyway: you can make a 300 point character as combat efficient - or moreso - that a 400 point character (so long as you take a different approach to build).

 

The point I am struggling to make is that it probably makes little real difference if the characters are on the same point level or not - it is all about what you do with the points you have. To that extent I think it makes no difference whatsoever if there is a difference in character points or not.

 

If you use XP as a reward, three probably should be. If you treat the whole thing as a cooperative social evening, there probably shouldn't. It is not so much a rule question as a style of play question. Whatever works best for you.

 

The issue though is how you treat late arrivals. That is a bit different from XP distribution because we have actual people to deal with.

 

Again though, down to playstyle - only real life playstyle this time. If the player is just being tardy for no good reason and that tardiness is affecting other people's enjoyment of the game, well, I'd start with a friendly chat and end up with telling them they are not wanted any more: there was this play group who had a problem with late pick-ups and so they started charging an extra hour's worth for every 15 minutes the parent was late - result MORE late parents. What was happening psychologically is that they were thinking 'It is OK to turn up late as I'm paying for it'. To that extent punishment of any sort is not going to work - convincing the player that getting there a bit earlier will help everyone else out is far more effective.

 

Of course if there is a good reason why they are constantly late, well, it would be downright unfriendly to punish them for that. If you are only giving them 20 minutes to get home from work, get something to eat and get over to you, that is hardly fair. Perhaps offer to keep a change of clothes for them at your place so they can come straight there, and maybe everyone could eat during the game - order a pizza or something.

 

You may, of course, disagree over what constitutes a good reason...but it seems like this is a real life problem and you are probably best off with a real life solution.

[BhelliomRahl]

Re: How do GMs out there handle late arrivals

 

Sean Waters makes some interesting points.

I have several players who are late or miss sessions of games but I do not penalize them because this is due to changing work hours, something beyond their control. I keep copies of all my players characters sheets and I play them as I would their players. Usually if I know inadvance that a player is going to be late or miss a game I will alter the game to focus on different characters if possible and correspond with the player by e-mail to discuss what their character is doing.

To date I have not had a player who has been late or missing games on a regular basis without what I feel to be a valid reason.

 

My main method of awarding Exp is based upon accomplishing goals. At the start of a Scenario I have players write a list of Long and Short Term Goals for their character and the group as a whole. I award a base exp for each session and bonuses based on working towards or accomplishing goals.

If a new player joins the game or an existing player starts a new character I will start them off with Starting Character points. After I have checked the character and discussed the background history and goals I will give base exp and a bonus based on the characters background and goals which the character might have completed or worked towards.

So their is often a little difference between character builds. However as Sean pointed out, how those points are used determines the effectiveness of the character.