In a lot of games I've been in, I've had to deal with the exact same problem. Players constantly wanting to do something. It doesn't matter what the situation is or what is happening, they feel the need to take some kind of action.
In one instance, we got hinted that the dragon we were speaking to was actually an illusion. However, it had aided us multiple times before so I was opting to ease into it. However, rest of the group started doing everything they could to break the illusion, in turn chasing away the Fae Dragon ally we almost made.
In another case, we were cleaning out a trap filled Kobold cave system. I had to stand up out of my chair and shout to get them to all stop clamoring to rush out of the safe room we were into to chase after a few Kobolds through their trap infested caves. Instead, telling them to stop and wait. Eventually, the Kobolds came to us and we killed them easily.
I need to know if there is a way as a Player or a DM to get players to stop wanting to do stuff every second. To be ok with sitting back and waiting.
It’s hard. It takes self discipline. It’s easy to do something. It’s hard to sit and wait. And some players find it impossible to step back and let another player have 5 minutes of the DM’s attention where they’re not doing anything too!
The first is - you can't. Players are here to PLAY, to DO things - nobody ever wants to just passively sit around and wait for things to happen.
The second is - you have to frame "do nothing" or "wait" in a way that involves action instead of being passive. For example, when the kobolds run out of the room, instead of "wait, let's do nothing!" you have to suggest "let's set a trap for them".
The first is - you can't. Players are here to PLAY, to DO things - nobody ever wants to just passively sit around and wait for things to happen.
Maybe I framed it wrong.
I didn't mean to imply that they are doing completely nothing like bumps on a log. But more like dealing with a meal that has to simmer or boil for a time. No amount of fussing or poking or prodding will make it go faster or could completely ruin it. So you have to simply wait for it to finish.
Though with that analogy you could argue that they could busy themselves with other minor tasks, noted and gonna ponder that later.
In another way, constantly interrupting two people talking or one person while they are working tends to hinder the progress of both a conversation or a job. More so when someone is trying to give exposition, instructions, descriptions or other key features of information. When it comes to those, it seems like it would be paramount to make it clear to the players that now is the time to sit back, relax, and let things be unfolded before action can actually take place.
Take for instance:
DM: "You enter a large square room with a pedistle in the middle. On it is an amulet glowing with dark energy-" Player: "I grab the amulet!" DM: "-and adorned with the iconography of the God of Death. *Rolls 6d12 necrodic damage and for skeletons suddenly appearing.*
These are the kind of situations that I want to avoid. Besides just not having them in which case I just make a world where they can rampage through without issue.
DM: "You enter a large square room with a pedistle in the middle. On it is an amulet glowing with dark energy-" Player: "I grab the amulet!" DM: "-and adorned with the iconography of the God of Death. *Rolls 6d12 necrodic damage and for skeletons suddenly appearing.*
These are the kind of situations that I want to avoid. Besides just not having them in which case I just make a world where they can rampage through without issue.
As a counter point, I've heard DMs narrate several minutes worth of actions that the PCs should have been able to interrupt, but no one wanted to interrupt the DM.
DM: "You enter a large square room with a pedistle in the middle. On it is an amulet glowing with dark energy-" Player: "I grab the amulet!" DM: "-and adorned with the iconography of the God of Death. *Rolls 6d12 necrodic damage and for skeletons suddenly appearing.*
These are the kind of situations that I want to avoid. Besides just not having them in which case I just make a world where they can rampage through without issue.
As a counter point, I've heard DMs narrate several minutes worth of actions that the PCs should have been able to interrupt, but no one wanted to interrupt the DM.
In that situation, I would try to convey somehow that it is not a Cut scene but a QTE they are in at that moment. Drawing out an action, having them do a "reaction" roll of some kind or things like that.
But yes, that can easily be an issue from taking this completely too far.
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In a lot of games I've been in, I've had to deal with the exact same problem. Players constantly wanting to do something. It doesn't matter what the situation is or what is happening, they feel the need to take some kind of action.
In one instance, we got hinted that the dragon we were speaking to was actually an illusion. However, it had aided us multiple times before so I was opting to ease into it. However, rest of the group started doing everything they could to break the illusion, in turn chasing away the Fae Dragon ally we almost made.
In another case, we were cleaning out a trap filled Kobold cave system. I had to stand up out of my chair and shout to get them to all stop clamoring to rush out of the safe room we were into to chase after a few Kobolds through their trap infested caves. Instead, telling them to stop and wait. Eventually, the Kobolds came to us and we killed them easily.
I need to know if there is a way as a Player or a DM to get players to stop wanting to do stuff every second. To be ok with sitting back and waiting.
Also, more stories like this would be nice.
It’s hard. It takes self discipline. It’s easy to do something. It’s hard to sit and wait. And some players find it impossible to step back and let another player have 5 minutes of the DM’s attention where they’re not doing anything too!
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There's two answers that I would give here.
The first is - you can't. Players are here to PLAY, to DO things - nobody ever wants to just passively sit around and wait for things to happen.
The second is - you have to frame "do nothing" or "wait" in a way that involves action instead of being passive. For example, when the kobolds run out of the room, instead of "wait, let's do nothing!" you have to suggest "let's set a trap for them".
Maybe I framed it wrong.
I didn't mean to imply that they are doing completely nothing like bumps on a log. But more like dealing with a meal that has to simmer or boil for a time. No amount of fussing or poking or prodding will make it go faster or could completely ruin it. So you have to simply wait for it to finish.
Though with that analogy you could argue that they could busy themselves with other minor tasks, noted and gonna ponder that later.
In another way, constantly interrupting two people talking or one person while they are working tends to hinder the progress of both a conversation or a job. More so when someone is trying to give exposition, instructions, descriptions or other key features of information. When it comes to those, it seems like it would be paramount to make it clear to the players that now is the time to sit back, relax, and let things be unfolded before action can actually take place.
Take for instance:
DM: "You enter a large square room with a pedistle in the middle. On it is an amulet glowing with dark energy-"
Player: "I grab the amulet!"
DM: "-and adorned with the iconography of the God of Death. *Rolls 6d12 necrodic damage and for skeletons suddenly appearing.*
These are the kind of situations that I want to avoid. Besides just not having them in which case I just make a world where they can rampage through without issue.
As a counter point, I've heard DMs narrate several minutes worth of actions that the PCs should have been able to interrupt, but no one wanted to interrupt the DM.
In that situation, I would try to convey somehow that it is not a Cut scene but a QTE they are in at that moment. Drawing out an action, having them do a "reaction" roll of some kind or things like that.
But yes, that can easily be an issue from taking this completely too far.