Anyone Else Have This Problem?

Hypnos · #1 (**permalink**) 03-06-2005, 04:53 PM

Evening folks.

This is my first post on these boards here, since I only found them an hour or so ago, so I thought perhaps I would post amongst the group here to see what some other thoughts are. I seem to seldom find places in which mature individuals (who also DM) happen to come around and post on the boards. Most of them I've found are filled with people trying to best each other with 'I'm Better Than You' contests.

Anyways though, I'm digressing.

I've been playing a great deal online lately because I haven't been able to get a real life group together in a long while now. I don't really live in a place where Tabletop is all that prevalent, to I have been DMing online. One of the biggest problems with this was that I always seem to need one or two extra players beyond my friends, so I always seem to get a player I don't know.

Alas, this almost always leads to the individual having something that seems to be wrong. I'm cursed, I'm sure, because I have never seen so many people who can hit so many stereotypical classes, ignore any semblance of RP, and also tries to maximize the sheer destructive power of their character with little regard to RP aspects of it. I try to explain, they ignore. I explain more forcefully, they make a lame excuse (When trying to have his 9 intellect character learn a level in Wizard: "Uh...my father was really a mage." "...you said before he was a commoner blacksmith that raised your character to be a fighter." "Uh...no I didn't?).

And this seems to happen on just about every player I recruit, no matter how intelligent they seem when I've seen them play before. Am I cursed, or is it just that people are more interested in power than in RP aspects anymore? I'd love to find a good RP player now, but it seems almost impossible. Any tips on finding one? If so, I'd love to hear them.

Thanks much and have a good day.
-Hypnos

Mr.Waesel · #2 (**permalink**) 03-07-2005, 01:34 AM

I don't have this problem, no.

Rob-hin · #3 (**permalink**) 03-07-2005, 02:25 AM

You need to know where to look.
People get together with other similar types.

Gamebanshee has many true RPG'ers in my opinion and I'm very glad with the people we have here in the roleplaying forums. It's a creative and mature group. Perhaps you can find a player here, you can look here in the RPG forums or perhaps in Speak Your Mind.

In the Fan Fiction forum, we have a couple of stories going, but they are more about writing stories together then online tabletop games.

Grimar · #4 (**permalink**) 03-07-2005, 11:23 AM

i will give my common advice to this! XP panalty... it always work. give the players who RP much more XP for actual RP'ing their character. this solves a lot of troubles in D&D...

Rob-hin · #5 (**permalink**) 03-07-2005, 11:32 AM

But will that work online?
I'd think that such a player would simply quit as he can much more easily do so then a RL game where he has to deal with his friends.

Grimar · #6 (**permalink**) 03-07-2005, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob-hin

But will that work online?
I'd think that such a player would simply quit as he can much more easily do so then a RL game where he has to deal with his friends.

i can see your point, but again. Players who powergame in a group of RP's dont work, so give them XP penalty so they start RP. if they dont they dont belong in the group.

This is just what i would have done.

jopperm2 · #7 (**permalink**) 03-07-2005, 11:55 AM

XP penalty does work wonders for people who don't RP. they are usually after power, and with the minimal XP they are getting, they won't gain any power. They usually start to RP, or leave.

On a side note. I've been wanting to play DnD online for some time. How do you accomplish it?

melancolly · #8 (**permalink**) 03-16-2005, 04:57 PM

i have never RP or DM online before , but im guessing its just bad luck i agree tho XP penalty works wonder in real life

Mr.Waesel · #9 (**permalink**) 03-17-2005, 03:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jopperm2

On a side note. I've been wanting to play DnD online for some time. How do you accomplish it?

www.rpol.net

AarronIkarus · #10 (**permalink**) 03-31-2005, 06:54 PM

I have had this problem before, mostly with guest DM's, though. Dosing them with a bit of severe and brutal sarcasm usually chased them away. Wether this will cure the same problem involving players I don't know.

I would welcome a good table top game, but I think the travel distance is a bit far. The only groups around here are too heavily weighted with the younger crowd. Any ideas where to look for more mature players?