Lunchtime Poll #22: We’re Engaged!

Li’s got a new Lunchtime Poll:

I dropped into the local gaming store the other day and heard a GM complaining to the long-suffering clerk that he had a player who just wouldn’t react to anything that happened in the game, up to and including major injury or plot twist. Another bystander suggested that perhaps the situation stemmed from the fact that the character was three hundred years old and simply had a chronic case of been-there/done that. This week’s Lunchtime Poll is going to assume that a) the disengagement is on the part of the player, not the character, and b) the GM is running a reasonably interesting game and fairly distributing the plot cookies. That said,

How to you re-engage the enthusiasm of a bored or jaded player?

The main trick is to hook the player by making the game about his desires– not the GM’s cool plots. Too many players make a complex character with an intricate backstory that’s never used. You come to resent making complex backgrounds.

I suggest making the next plot arc character centered (re-read those backgrounds, or ask questions to establish a background), then threaten the issues that are brought up. If the character talks up his loyalty, but also his love, make sure the two come into conflict. Making a choice about what’s important is essential for a character who is going to mature.

Alternately, if the problem is widespread (not just one player), run a short game [three or four sessions] in a different style to shake things up. Or have someone else GM for a bit– you’ll probably find parts of the system frustrating as a player that you’ll never think about as a GM.

A final solution would be to co-opt the player. Let him know that you’ve noticed that he’s not interested. If they’re a good roleplayer, you can either ask them to co-GM (roleplay NPCs, etc.), or let them in on the backstory (finally someone to confide in) and let them concentrate on the roleplay, rather than the mystery.