As a GM, how do you handle it when players in a party are interested in different things?

For instance, suppose some players want to poke around town, while the others are impatient to get back on the road to adventure. Inevitably the latter group gets impatient, or the former feels that they weren't able to investigate as they wished.

How do you finesse this? Just announce that it's time to move on to the next stage of the game? Or assign the role of party leader to somebody so they can move things on when the time is right? Etc.

Or do you just sit back and let them meander around until everybody is ready to move on?

Quote from: mAcular Chaotic;777214Or do you just sit back and let them meander around until everybody is ready to move on?

Mostly this, with some gentle nudges, but usually some characters will get ready and herd the rest onwards.

I generally prefer to keep enough tension going on that sitting around forever isn't an option.

How much you crank that up is, of course, a matter of taste and what's going on, but my games are definitely organized such that the Bad Guys are moving, and the world isn't just static and waiting for you to get off your butt.

Quote from: robiswrong;777219I generally prefer to keep enough tension going on that sitting around forever isn't an option.

How much you crank that up is, of course, a matter of taste and what's going on, but my games are definitely organized such that the Bad Guys are moving, and the world isn't just static and waiting for you to get off your butt.

But what if they're somewhere relatively safe, like an inn or something?

Quote from: dragoner;777218Mostly this, with some gentle nudges, but usually some characters will get ready and herd the rest onwards.

This

Or just talk to the group about it,

"Hey it seems like Marcia and Steve are happy just talking to NPCs and wandering around town, but Elizabeth and Paul seem a little restless. Am I reading this right? How should we handle that? What do you want your characters to do next?"

I bounce between players. I am cool with everybody splitting up occasionally, but the players have to be cool that I give you 2 minutes, then the next guy, etc.

Also, I learned a GREAT technique from another GM. When a couple PCs are out of the scene, I assign them NPCs with a quick description - I will play the Tavern Owner and one PC can be the Weird Dude in the Corner, another can be the Town Drunk, etc. It keeps everyone engaged.

Most importantly, I know the all important rule of pacing - when there is a lull, have somebody kick in the door and start shooting. Nothing gets the story moving like some random violence.

I once had the PCs bitching too long with a haggle with a merchant so I had the building hit with rocket propelled grenade. Yeah baby, THAT got their attention.

Quote from: mAcular Chaotic;777221But what if they're somewhere relatively safe, like an inn or something?

The Bad Guys aren't in an inn, are they?  They're pursuing whatever nefarious goals they're pursuing, right?

The Good Guys may be in an inn, but that doesn't mean that Princess Perky isn't awaiting execution, or that the Dread Army of Dreadarm isn't on the march.

Quote from: robiswrong;777226The Bad Guys aren't in an inn, are they?  They're pursuing whatever nefarious goals they're pursuing, right?

The Good Guys may be in an inn, but that doesn't mean that Princess Perky isn't awaiting execution, or that the Dread Army of Dreadarm isn't on the march.

Exactly. So there's nothing forcing a player from deciding to just stand around and inspect some doors for three weeks while the other half of the party wants to get a move on. On the other hand, exploring a vibrant setting is half of the fun.

Quote from: mAcular Chaotic;777221But what if they're somewhere relatively safe, like an inn or something?

the Inn only seems safe.

If you need to increase table tension, you stir the pot. news and rumours. strange travelers. A theft of a horse from the stables. food poisoning. A fire. Failing all that, ninjas suddenly attack.

Of course, nothing is stopping you the DM from handwaving a downperiod. Sometimes ... nothing happens, which is fine, but there's no need to play it out. In the end it's all about pacing.

In an inn, if they're there for no stated purpose, they get one rumor or hook per solipistic hour.

Sometimes we whip out the drinking minigame too.

Quote from: mAcular Chaotic;777227Exactly. So there's nothing forcing a player from deciding to just stand around and inspect some doors for three weeks while the other half of the party wants to get a move on. On the other hand, exploring a vibrant setting is half of the fun.

So, if there's nothing that the players are aware of that's impending, then this is true.

At this point you have two options:

1) Put time pressure on the players ("If you don't stop them the DreadArmy will destroy Happytown!")

2) If you don't want to do that, have a discussion with the players about what type of game it is everybody wants to play.

There's always this advice:

QuoteWhen in doubt, have a man come through a door with a gun in his hand.

-Raymond Chandler in the introduction to Trouble is My Business

In a sandbox game I try and let the players decide the pace they want. When it comes to splitting up, each individual gets equal table time. If one character wants to head off alone and the other five want to do something else then the guy alone gets 10 minutes and the groups gets 50 of each hour.

I also try and keep an extra large pile of rumors & adventure hooks just in case the PC's want to spend a lot of time just talking to people. Might as well make it entertaining and worth the effort.

I also try and keep a few playable NPCs around in case someone just dies. They have someone to play until their new PC gets rolled up.

My group has a tendency to spend a whole lot of time arguing about dumb shit so if they spend too long I turn up the heat a bit. Hang out at the Inn too long? A fight breaks out. Taking too long to decide which lead to follow? Some dramatic shit goes down near by. Dickering around about how to get through a particular section of dungeon? Well what do you know some monsters had the same problem.

Other than that I leave them to their own devices. With my main group any decision making process is usually resolved with a little bit of drunken shouting on their part and some patience on mine.

I seldom try to herd players. Generally they'll work out that they need to get going... or not.
That said, the world around them does not stop and wait for their actions... and sometimes men with guns do kick down the door.