I am running a game for my two sons, one of which is 21 and the other is 12. The older one's girlfriend is also playing. What I'm experiencing is the younger son getting bored and losing focus. He isn't interested in his character's backstory, he doesn't care for social interactions, and lore doesn't interest him at all. I've read that when DMing for younger kids it's a good idea to keep sessions short, but I don't know how to do that and keep the game immersive and fun for the older members of the party. Someone suggested wild and goofy NPC characters could be a good way to draw his attention and keep him engaged, but I would like to get a few more ideas if anyone has some.
I think it is really nice for these two siblings to be doing something together. They are so far apart in age that they didn't do much together while the older son was still living at home. I really hate to split up the group, even if I think the younger son needs a different kind of game.
Just remember: a 12 year old has to sit still and listen for hours at school, they generally don't want to do that in their recreation time. Kids want to do stuff in the game, that can be solving puzzles, investigating weird stuff, engaging in whacky hyjinx, or killing enemies. You are not going to be able to keep the game "immersive" and realistic, kids want to experiment and try whacky stuff and fiction is a great way for them to do so, constraining their imagination game to be just like the real world is a bad idea. Make it a whacky and silly campaign, young adults can still have fun and enjoy whackiness, I mean look at all the university students who marathon Star Wars or Monty Python.
I’d have a 1-on-1 talk with the older son. See if he’s willing to take one for the team and maybe and bend the game in the direction that the younger one will appreciate. Let him be the mature big brother looking out for a kid.
Mind you, not completely in the younger one’s direction, because he needs to learn not to be catered to. So probably a talk with him, too. But maybe just let the older ones know you might have more random encounters, and the kinds of NPCs agilemind mentioned.
There was a rule in Spirit of the Century RPG (1920's pulp action adventure): If the game stops action for more than 15 minutes- Ninjas attack.
Not a lot of ninja's, but enough to keep the party moving. It creates instant tension because there's combat but it also can break RP deadlocks. If you need the party to move and go somewhere else in the adventure, then it's just the first wave of Ninja's. If the party is stuck on a clue, then the ninja's have some kind of item on them that explains some aspect of the clue to get them going again. If the party is just futtering around in town and being all 'meh... I don't know" it at least gets action and reminds them that this is a game of deeds.
Bring the action closer to your 12 year old's character: "Trying to gain only your attention, the small shy creature beckons you further into the woods."
Seems to me many younger folk love the feel of that hero's rush, but they want to be Batman, not Robin. . . and certainly not Alfred. It helps when the enemies are well defined. Young players want their decisions to matter, and maybe add a touch of glory and recognition to their character's names. You could take a stab at putting young son in a lead role, and have elder son and his girlfriend run support roles, if they're willing. This may give young son a chance to connect with his character, so he may begin to think of it as more than an avatar crossing a video screen.
Something to consider.
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I am running a game for my two sons, one of which is 21 and the other is 12. The older one's girlfriend is also playing. What I'm experiencing is the younger son getting bored and losing focus. He isn't interested in his character's backstory, he doesn't care for social interactions, and lore doesn't interest him at all. I've read that when DMing for younger kids it's a good idea to keep sessions short, but I don't know how to do that and keep the game immersive and fun for the older members of the party. Someone suggested wild and goofy NPC characters could be a good way to draw his attention and keep him engaged, but I would like to get a few more ideas if anyone has some.
I think it is really nice for these two siblings to be doing something together. They are so far apart in age that they didn't do much together while the older son was still living at home. I really hate to split up the group, even if I think the younger son needs a different kind of game.
Thanks in advance!
Just remember: a 12 year old has to sit still and listen for hours at school, they generally don't want to do that in their recreation time. Kids want to do stuff in the game, that can be solving puzzles, investigating weird stuff, engaging in whacky hyjinx, or killing enemies. You are not going to be able to keep the game "immersive" and realistic, kids want to experiment and try whacky stuff and fiction is a great way for them to do so, constraining their imagination game to be just like the real world is a bad idea. Make it a whacky and silly campaign, young adults can still have fun and enjoy whackiness, I mean look at all the university students who marathon Star Wars or Monty Python.
I’d have a 1-on-1 talk with the older son. See if he’s willing to take one for the team and maybe and bend the game in the direction that the younger one will appreciate. Let him be the mature big brother looking out for a kid.
Mind you, not completely in the younger one’s direction, because he needs to learn not to be catered to. So probably a talk with him, too.
But maybe just let the older ones know you might have more random encounters, and the kinds of NPCs agilemind mentioned.
There was a rule in Spirit of the Century RPG (1920's pulp action adventure): If the game stops action for more than 15 minutes- Ninjas attack.
Not a lot of ninja's, but enough to keep the party moving. It creates instant tension because there's combat but it also can break RP deadlocks. If you need the party to move and go somewhere else in the adventure, then it's just the first wave of Ninja's. If the party is stuck on a clue, then the ninja's have some kind of item on them that explains some aspect of the clue to get them going again. If the party is just futtering around in town and being all 'meh... I don't know" it at least gets action and reminds them that this is a game of deeds.
Use that as you will.
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Bring the action closer to your 12 year old's character: "Trying to gain only your attention, the small shy creature beckons you further into the woods."
Seems to me many younger folk love the feel of that hero's rush, but they want to be Batman, not Robin. . . and certainly not Alfred. It helps when the enemies are well defined. Young players want their decisions to matter, and maybe add a touch of glory and recognition to their character's names. You could take a stab at putting young son in a lead role, and have elder son and his girlfriend run support roles, if they're willing. This may give young son a chance to connect with his character, so he may begin to think of it as more than an avatar crossing a video screen.
Something to consider.