Modern gamers hurt my brain

Exploderwizard · March 29, 2024, 10:20:59 PM

Quote from: Brad on March 29, 2024, 08:33:51 PM
Quote from: ForgottenF on March 28, 2024, 11:19:13 AM
Play a straight-laced, well-meaning, mature character, and play that character as intelligent and capable. The irony brigade can't deal with a Dudley Doright character who isn't being played as a joke. They'll try to make fun of you for a bit, but it won't work because your character exposes all their childish insecurities. You'll end up having to play the party's dad initially, but you'll also end up being the de facto leader, and after a while they'll start falling in line.

This is gonna be a hot take, but that Chris Pine D&D movie (which I thought was pretty good, honestly...it was literally a D&D campaign) had an unironic Paladin who they tried to make the butt of jokes, but he just kept up his sincere desire to destroy evil and eventually all the other characters just sort of fell in line, even becoming the de facto leader, as you stated. It was pretty interesting because, in real life, that's exactly what happens. REAL leaders lead. They don't succumb to outside influences, and they don't let monkeys or jesters or class clowns derail their goals. And if they never break and keep on their grind, people will legitimately respect them.

Main problem I had with that movie is throughout most of it, the paladin did most of the fighting alone until the last boss fight when the whole party FINALLY fought as a team.

ForgottenF · March 30, 2024, 12:39:03 AM

Quote from: Brad on March 29, 2024, 08:33:51 PM
Quote from: ForgottenF on March 28, 2024, 11:19:13 AM
Play a straight-laced, well-meaning, mature character, and play that character as intelligent and capable. The irony brigade can't deal with a Dudley Doright character who isn't being played as a joke. They'll try to make fun of you for a bit, but it won't work because your character exposes all their childish insecurities. You'll end up having to play the party's dad initially, but you'll also end up being the de facto leader, and after a while they'll start falling in line.

This is gonna be a hot take, but that Chris Pine D&D movie (which I thought was pretty good, honestly...it was literally a D&D campaign) had an unironic Paladin who they tried to make the butt of jokes, but he just kept up his sincere desire to destroy evil and eventually all the other characters just sort of fell in line, even becoming the de facto leader, as you stated. It was pretty interesting because, in real life, that's exactly what happens. REAL leaders lead. They don't succumb to outside influences, and they don't let monkeys or jesters or class clowns derail their goals. And if they never break and keep on their grind, people will legitimately respect them.

I fully agree. Thought the movie was about as good as D&D movie could reasonably be expected. As soon as that Paladin character turned up I mentally started counting down to what I assumed was an inevitable heel-turn in the second act. Was hugely (and pleasantly) surprised that didn't happen. They let him just be a good guy.

Hzilong · March 31, 2024, 07:42:48 AM

Well, for better or worse, I've agreed to run a game for three of the people who were present at the call. I don't recall if they were the annoying ones. I'll see if they behave different in a longer game compared to a one shot.

King Tyranno · March 31, 2024, 08:47:16 AM

Quote from: Hzilong on March 31, 2024, 07:42:48 AM
Well, for better or worse, I've agreed to run a game for three of the people who were present at the call. I don't recall if they were the annoying ones. I'll see if they behave different in a longer game compared to a one shot.

Thinking positively, maybe you'll be able to convince them to play a little better. But thinking realistically. They're going to be surrounded by people who play like them and only you who plays like you do. Peer influence is a heck of a thing. I wish you good luck, and if all goes well, get them into other games. I always recommend Savage World Pathfinder for DnD cultists as it has a lot of the DnD trappings and terminology converted to Savage World. Making it way easier to explain to people who are only familiar with DnD.

Trond · March 31, 2024, 09:27:05 AM

I wonder what happens if we spring a "cliche" campaign on a group like this (cliches that are now so rare that they are anything but).

"You're all working for a lord of paladins, there's an evil knight who's holding a damsel hostage in a tower. She needs to be rescued. Shoo!"

yosemitemike · April 01, 2024, 01:24:13 AM

I remember an entry for someone looking for a DM on Roll20. Her requirements were

1 - It had to be an entirely original campaign. No published materials.
2 - It had to be written around her character and backstory.
3 - You had to allow her to use whatever homebrew she wanted to use. No specifics.
4 - Must use safety tools
5 - It had to have a soundtrack.

Of course, she wanted someone to do all this for free. Oddly, she didn't seem to have any takers.

Edit - I just checked and she is still looking.

Kyle Aaron · April 01, 2024, 02:46:48 AM

Quote from: yosemitemike on March 28, 2024, 09:32:02 AMSome players don't make backgrounds like this because there's a certain sort of GM that will punish them for it. They will immediately kill off the family or have them kidnapped or something.

That's my cue as a player to go John Wick or Ellie/Abby in The Last of Us and torture and murder everyone in my way until I avenge or rescue them. Like that lunatic in Sicario. Once I start murdering and torturing everyone I meet the GM gets the message and doesn't do that again.

You'll find that the sort of GM who does this doesn't have the bottle to have your character arrested or sniped from 500 yards or whatever, so you can just hack your way through to a satisfying conclusion. The GM chooses an adversarial approach? Cool, I can be adversarial.

Source: I had a GM do that once. He learned.

Hzilong · April 01, 2024, 07:59:15 AM

Quote from: King Tyranno on March 31, 2024, 08:47:16 AM
Quote from: Hzilong on March 31, 2024, 07:42:48 AM
Well, for better or worse, I've agreed to run a game for three of the people who were present at the call. I don't recall if they were the annoying ones. I'll see if they behave different in a longer game compared to a one shot.

Thinking positively, maybe you'll be able to convince them to play a little better. But thinking realistically. They're going to be surrounded by people who play like them and only you who plays like you do. Peer influence is a heck of a thing. I wish you good luck, and if all goes well, get them into other games. I always recommend Savage World Pathfinder for DnD cultists as it has a lot of the DnD trappings and terminology converted to Savage World. Making it way easier to explain to people who are only familiar with DnD.

Funny you mention Svage worlds because there is a high likelihood that it will be system I run with for this group.

Opaopajr · April 01, 2024, 10:30:00 AM

Quote from: yosemitemike on April 01, 2024, 01:24:13 AM
I remember an entry for someone looking for a DM on Roll20. Her requirements were

1 - It had to be an entirely original campaign. No published materials.
2 - It had to be written around her character and backstory.
3 - You had to allow her to use whatever homebrew she wanted to use. No specifics.
4 - Must use safety tools
5 - It had to have a soundtrack.

Of course, she wanted someone to do all this for free. Oddly, she didn't seem to have any takers.

Edit - I just checked and she is still looking.

Well that read like: "

Service Me, slave!"

Yeah, that's some crazy expectations, like the GM is a CPU or automaton to cater to whims without consideration.

It's almost like a sociable game requires being sociable.

Heresy, I know!

orbitalair · April 01, 2024, 12:40:12 PM

Quote from: yosemitemike on April 01, 2024, 01:24:13 AM
I remember an entry for someone looking for a DM on Roll20. Her requirements were

1 - It had to be an entirely original campaign. No published materials.
2 - It had to be written around her character and backstory.
3 - You had to allow her to use whatever homebrew she wanted to use. No specifics.
4 - Must use safety tools
5 - It had to have a soundtrack.

Of course, she wanted someone to do all this for free. Oddly, she didn't seem to have any takers.

Edit - I just checked and she is still looking.

[Snort]......thats funny, she must be a hoot to play rpgs with.....

Steven Mitchell · April 01, 2024, 01:27:11 PM

Quote from: yosemitemike on April 01, 2024, 01:24:13 AM
I remember an entry for someone looking for a DM on Roll20. Her requirements were

1 - It had to be an entirely original campaign. No published materials.
2 - It had to be written around her character and backstory.
3 - You had to allow her to use whatever homebrew she wanted to use. No specifics.
4 - Must use safety tools
5 - It had to have a soundtrack.

Of course, she wanted someone to do all this for free. Oddly, she didn't seem to have any takers.

Edit - I just checked and she is still looking.

I'm usually against any kind of bait-and-switch by the GM when it comes to pitch versus how it is envisioned playing out. Virulently against. However, if a GM wanted to completely waste some time and go for the ultimate bait-and-switch on this one, I wouldn't say a word against it.

Brad · April 01, 2024, 02:07:12 PM

Quote from: Steven Mitchell on April 01, 2024, 01:27:11 PM
I'm usually against any kind of bait-and-switch by the GM when it comes to pitch versus how it is envisioned playing out. Virulently against. However, if a GM wanted to completely waste some time and go for the ultimate bait-and-switch on this one, I wouldn't say a word against it.

If I had more free time, I would probably enjoy fucking with her. People like this are what give gamers a bad name.

Habitual Gamer · April 02, 2024, 11:25:12 AM

Quote from: Brad on April 01, 2024, 02:07:12 PM
Quote from: Steven Mitchell on April 01, 2024, 01:27:11 PM
I'm usually against any kind of bait-and-switch by the GM when it comes to pitch versus how it is envisioned playing out. Virulently against. However, if a GM wanted to completely waste some time and go for the ultimate bait-and-switch on this one, I wouldn't say a word against it.

If I had more free time, I would probably enjoy fucking with her. People like this are what give gamers a bad name.

Seems like the sort of game where the GM abuses the safety card system:

"I try to seduce the orc and get him to leave his evil warlord and serve me."
"Sorry, I can't."
"Why?"
"My parents separated over a woman who managed to convince my dad to leave my mom."
"Uh... okay. Well, can I bribe the orc then?"
"Sorry. X card."
"Why?!?!"
"I... I don't want to talk about it anymore."
"Well, can you at least stop playing Cab Calloway songs when I explore the dungeon?"
"That's my emotional support music, and I think it's -very- appropriate for dungeon crawling."
"How?!?!"
(GM pushes X card towards her.)

zircher · April 03, 2024, 12:34:02 PM

LMAO, flipping the X still makes it an X. So, using it against the players is fair. Real world politics X, woke agendas X, wheelchairs X, coffee shops... I'll have to think about, back in the 1650's they were the focal point for news, politics, social commentary, and even the exchange of scientific ideas. That might be fun in a non-Starbucks kind of way and an alternative to 'you meet in a tavern'.

yosemitemike · April 14, 2024, 09:27:12 AM

I had another player who left in the middle of a 4 hour one-shot based on 80s slasher movies because I wasn't incorporating her backstory enough. That she wrote a 3 page backstory for a character for a one-shot based on 80s slasher movies should have been a warning.