Got a new group together. 2 newbies and 2 seasoned players. Made a dark sun-esque world for them. The characters were transported there and don't know why or how.
Instead of interacting with this world and trying to figure out what is going on, I feel like the players keep trying to find and follow the storyline. The players seem to enjoy the occasional dungeon crawl, like the flavor of the city they are in, but it's not clicking. They need to level up to follow the big story arc, but aren't following any of the smaller plot hooks to do so. "My character is too squishy, so she won't go anywhere without her meat shield," " you describe too much of the city when I just want to explore the local night life," "I keep trying to get more information, but I feel like you keep shooting me down when I talk to people" (character is dirty and has rotten dead stinky birds in her bag and only tries to talk with aristocrats), "I thought we'd level up at each session, that's what I am used to" are some of the comments I am getting.
I feel like they want more of a linear progression instead of a sandbox.
It does seem like they want more of a linear progression, and there's nothing wrong with that. They may well be used to old school 'questgiver NPC' style stuff.
Sounds like you should just get together with your players and have a discussion about what everybody expects from, and wants from, the game. Were they informed prior to making characters that you were doing a sandbox (Dark Sun, sandbox, I get it) game? On their side, did they actually make PCs who are *adventurers*?
As far as pacing goes, you're in charge of that. XP does nothing on its own, it's just a pacing mechanism ('you should do this many things before levelling up'), it can be comfortably ignored. If you really need a carrot to dangle in front of them, arrange the pacing to be done on story beats or those kinds of milestones, encouraging them to snag onto the plot hooks.
And you should definitely make it clear to 'dirty rotten bird bag guy' that the reason nobody will talk to him is that he's dirty and carrying around a bag full of rotten birds, though how he hasn't realized this on his own baffles me beyond words.
They are all gamers, and I bet they are looking for quests similar to Bioshock and fallout, with clear lines and completion. Thank you! You just helped me SO much! I just couldn't figure out how to give them what they wanted to really love our sessions.
To answer your questions: 3 of my 4 players really want to be adventurers. The 4th just wants to play with her husband. They were informed ahead of time that I was making them a sandbox.
For dead bird guy: he's new. I explained. He doesn't get it. I've advised him to try socializing with dice rolls instead of role-play it. The dead bird isn't the worst thing that's happened 😂
When discussing the kind of game everyone expects, I also don't think it would be giving away too much on your part to explain to them that you designed a storyline for them to follow that intentionally has room floor them to pick up sidequests and interact with the world so they can level up and better prepare themselves for the main story.
If you explain that that's what you're doing, you may find your players more OK with it, knowing that there IS a direction to be going in, but at their own pace. Because what might be going through their heads now could just be: "oooh, big important Main Quest thing just happened! We must follow up on this RIGHT NOW lest the world face peril at our lack of urgency! "
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Been playing for 20 years, and finally DMing.
Got a new group together. 2 newbies and 2 seasoned players. Made a dark sun-esque world for them. The characters were transported there and don't know why or how.
Instead of interacting with this world and trying to figure out what is going on, I feel like the players keep trying to find and follow the storyline. The players seem to enjoy the occasional dungeon crawl, like the flavor of the city they are in, but it's not clicking. They need to level up to follow the big story arc, but aren't following any of the smaller plot hooks to do so. "My character is too squishy, so she won't go anywhere without her meat shield," " you describe too much of the city when I just want to explore the local night life," "I keep trying to get more information, but I feel like you keep shooting me down when I talk to people" (character is dirty and has rotten dead stinky birds in her bag and only tries to talk with aristocrats), "I thought we'd level up at each session, that's what I am used to" are some of the comments I am getting.
I feel like they want more of a linear progression instead of a sandbox.
Advice? Suggestions?
Thanks!
It does seem like they want more of a linear progression, and there's nothing wrong with that. They may well be used to old school 'questgiver NPC' style stuff.
Sounds like you should just get together with your players and have a discussion about what everybody expects from, and wants from, the game. Were they informed prior to making characters that you were doing a sandbox (Dark Sun, sandbox, I get it) game? On their side, did they actually make PCs who are *adventurers*?
As far as pacing goes, you're in charge of that. XP does nothing on its own, it's just a pacing mechanism ('you should do this many things before levelling up'), it can be comfortably ignored. If you really need a carrot to dangle in front of them, arrange the pacing to be done on story beats or those kinds of milestones, encouraging them to snag onto the plot hooks.
And you should definitely make it clear to 'dirty rotten bird bag guy' that the reason nobody will talk to him is that he's dirty and carrying around a bag full of rotten birds, though how he hasn't realized this on his own baffles me beyond words.
They are all gamers, and I bet they are looking for quests similar to Bioshock and fallout, with clear lines and completion. Thank you! You just helped me SO much! I just couldn't figure out how to give them what they wanted to really love our sessions.
To answer your questions: 3 of my 4 players really want to be adventurers. The 4th just wants to play with her husband. They were informed ahead of time that I was making them a sandbox.
For dead bird guy: he's new. I explained. He doesn't get it. I've advised him to try socializing with dice rolls instead of role-play it. The dead bird isn't the worst thing that's happened 😂
When discussing the kind of game everyone expects, I also don't think it would be giving away too much on your part to explain to them that you designed a storyline for them to follow that intentionally has room floor them to pick up sidequests and interact with the world so they can level up and better prepare themselves for the main story.
If you explain that that's what you're doing, you may find your players more OK with it, knowing that there IS a direction to be going in, but at their own pace. Because what might be going through their heads now could just be: "oooh, big important Main Quest thing just happened! We must follow up on this RIGHT NOW lest the world face peril at our lack of urgency! "