“Involving Others”

solarfall

Got me thinking after a discussion on Discord..

What does “involving others” mean to you, and what are some examples of interesting stuff?

I always struggle with the day to day stuff with concepts, so for me at least it’ll be helpful to see what people find fun!

Is it getting taken on a trip into the Hullack looking for something?

Is it scouring the Bulletin Board posts and looking for something to reply to / latch on to (I do this a fair bit)

So, what does it mean to you?

Puffy

Hang out with people and get invested with them on a deeper level, not just tagging along like a shadow which to me isn't involving at all. I think there needs to be a general interest shown even when the other person isnt there, discussions IG but forums is also good, partaking in meetings/events/patrols/talks and swapping ideas with each other.

Basically collaborating! :) Bit like a school project really

SmilingDog

I take people on quests, that has always been the best way to make friends in my experience.

I do browse the bulletin board and current events, but I don't stress myself over plots and drama; if they fall into my lap or within arms reach I will go for them but I am more concerned with everyone having fun than 'winning X'.

O-louth

I have always been of the belief, that you need to do concepts that do not depend on DMs every step of the way. Hence, gathering resources IG, helping others with their plots, and trying whatever you can to get people doing stuff.

When you play in the EU time zones, you wont see much DM activity, and thus few DM quests or events you can drag people with you on. You can then either get bummed out (I reckon most movers and shakers in the EU time zone feel the struggle), or try and find ways to still tell a story. To me, if I can get others to help me do ANYTHING, I feel I am doing something. It is not the route to High levels or glowing weapons, but I see CoA as a prop stage acting;
You look around the stage, see what stuff is there, and do your best with what is not nailed down. It takes more imagination to "Image a full crowd of NPCs" for a clerical sermon with none there, but a bit of spell work (for visual effects) can mimmick a dm pitching in.

Long story short, use what is there, and have a mindset of "The more, the merrier" and "One is better than none", and you are involving others.

CrystalRL

If you want to get people invested in your plot, you need to talk to them about said plot. If it's against their interests, hint that it might be so. If they don't have a spy on you, let a little more information drop over time.

O-louth

You have a point Crystal. Getting others to OPPOSE you is just as important. I always try and open myself up to being opposed and better yet, to being betrayed. Sure, it sucks big time that your success rate for plots drop, but Id rather be outwon by someone abusing my weaknesses for something, than I want to "secret" my way to the win.

Zool

Appearing in front of a group in a scary looking outfit, explaining to them why their entire plan (which you know) is foolish in the grand scheme of things, and then dissapearing around a corner, one shotting a greater bullette with a beholder eye stalk, which was along their path.

Later, standing on the top of a hill just within visual range, watching, quietly, as the group fights a bunch of monsters, then leaving, after having placed down a "MYSTERIOUS CLUE" to your grand plan somewhere nearby.

Never even being known, but having lots of people talking about "INSERT MYSTERIOUS NAME OF UNKNOWN ENTITY HERE" while you engage, interestedly, in the conversation about all the strange things, notes, gruesome/grandiose scenes they have come across (while sporting skill focus bluff, a ring of +3 bluff, and having quaffed a charisma potion)

Stuff like that.

Minus the one shotting a greater bullette... I've done all of the above in the past with various characters. It's ace fun. (Though, admittedly, while attempting this, I did get my ass kicked a few times, which... was kinda embarrasing for my character, but funny for me afterwards!)

Mr.Moloch

1). Take a group on a quest to harvest the egg sac of the rare 'tarantala beetle' that you need for an experiment. So what if its Nada's quest, you just took a group questing and added some flavor to the world.

2). Host an event, contest, sermon, bonus points for making people trek somewhere cool in the module to have it happen.

3). Hire players to do things, gather resources, go on a quest and bring you back some trophy/item that you want for whatever McGuffin reason.

4). Sit down and just roleplay, talking to people in the spire/market/taverns (and people, not the same two people you always interact with, but different ones).

I kept at Arabel despite the stupid bears that slaughtered everyone on the road to East Way back 15 years ago because Gino Cain hired my PC to deliver a box to someone, he told me not to open that box, to this day, I don't know what was in it. Then he bought me a tunic and said that was his uniform and I worked for him now, he'd take me on quests where I was totally useless and pay me more gold than I earned because he was so rich he didn't need it, and I got hooked on the world. I almost logged out on my first day due to being ignored by players because I was a level 1 halfling beggar until Motoko stopped and gave me some gold, chatted with me for a few minutes in character, and then invited me to go do Kanthea (back when you could as a level 1 PC, I left that quest at level 4 and then died to bears on the damned road to East Way and that's when Gino kept me logging in).

That's all "involving people" means from my perspective. You keep people logged in and playing by just being active and friendly (or not so friendly in a way that's so awesome I keep logging in to enjoy it).

solarfall

I want to know what was in the box!

Zool

@solarfall

Obviously a head. Duh

Moloch nailed it, honestly.

I've had so many people tell me I was the reason they keep/kept playing; just taking a few minutes to say hi and hang out with someone. Not that I'm patting myself on the back, but you'd be amazed what a few minutes and a friendly (or mocking) character can do to bolster someone's engagement in the world and in their own character.

I don't have anything special to add since most of what I do has been covered-- there's always something to learn, even for those familiar with the server and we'll never see it with fresh eyes, so extending oneself and inviting those new eyes to something you're involved with already can be a really good way to get new perspective while inviting people to engage in different ways.

Mr.Moloch

@thetwistingwind +1 This is one of the reasons the DM team made sure Tilverton got resolved, its the biggest way to make a lasting impact on the module. Sure the villain of the week gets attention, but keeping players logged in gets remembered.

solarfall

@zool Nope, that's too easy.

CrystalRL

omg
Moloch

That's so touching

khammy

@puffy said in “Involving Others”:

Hang out with people and get invested with them on a deeper level, not just tagging along like a shadow which to me isn't involving at all. I think there needs to be a general interest shown even when the other person isnt there, discussions IG but forums is also good, partaking in meetings/events/patrols/talks and swapping ideas with each other.

Basically collaborating! :) Bit like a school project really

I struggle with this. I am usually the shadow tagging along, without ever really being involved in someone's plot (not for lack of trying, talking to someone about their plot is like pulling teeth). I put in effort to help people's plots (Tilverton, Gond stuff, Bhaliir stuff etc) but rarely get the favor returned.

Cadiz

involving others doesnt always mean being the chief, being an indian is also a way to involve other players ;)

turn up to sendings when people make them for stuff that isnt quest related, they get to move their plot forwards you get owed a favour or find some conflict, either way there is more interaction.

so long as the person making the sending actually gives you an ic reason for their actions you learn about the greater things that might be going on behind the scenes enough to actually have an opinion rather than just being present you start to inhabit the world.

Knowing more means that you can spread information and plots more so talking whilst doing those quests. saying why you want the greater staff of whatever and how its use will influence the city is better than "cos plotz"

Mr.Moloch

@cadiz_stoker said in “Involving Others”:

involving others doesnt always mean being the chief, being an indian is also a way to involve other players ;)

turn up to sendings when people make them for stuff that isnt quest related, they get to move their plot forwards you get owed a favour or find some conflict, either way there is more interaction.

so long as the person making the sending actually gives you an ic reason for their actions you learn about the greater things that might be going on behind the scenes enough to actually have an opinion rather than just being present you start to inhabit the world.

Knowing more means that you can spread information and plots more so talking whilst doing those quests. saying why you want the greater staff of whatever and how its use will influence the city is better than "cos plotz"

Yes, Cadiz is another player who is pretty good at doing this in a very different way. His ideas are pretty damn good!

khammy

This post is deleted!

people

A little hello. A little slap and tickle. A little this and a little that. A little goes a long way. I love to play henchmen. My leading characters are too heady and philosophical. So I mske henchman to help other people have fun, which in turn creates enjoyment for me.

Lyarie

@people said in “Involving Others”:

A little hello. A little slap and tickle. A little this and a little that. A little goes a long way. I love to play henchmen. My leading characters are too heady and philosophical. So I mske henchman to help other people have fun, which in turn creates enjoyment for me.

Henching for the win! Take interest in what others do. Run errands to help their plots along. Talk up other people's plots to spread the word and get others involved so that the central figure doesn't have to soapbox it alone.