Help with PCs needed!

[J T]

I have a question for experienced narrators/GMs

I currently have two players in my ST Intelligence RPG campaign. For privacy sake I’ll use their character’s names.

Volf: I’ve known since I was born (his dad and my dad have been friends since they were in highschool). We’ve been gaming sci-fi for 9 years. Within the last year his interest in gaming has waned somewhat and about the only things that holds his attention now is solving complex problems (without tech babble) and combat.

Jura: I’ve known for 5 years but only got to be friends within the last 5 months (when she joined our ST game). She obsessed with gaming and especially enjoys character interaction especially romantic plots.

Then there’s me-
JT: Been the GM/narrator for various Sci-Fi campaigns for 10 years and still going strong. I love the GM chair. I specialize in long odd ball stories that deal with weird (but well thought out) science. My NPCs always come off slightly nutz.

So here’s the problem:
Volf finds character interaction (especially when it’s not plot related) rather boring and HATES romance plots. Jura finds combat to be rather boring and often get stressed out by intellectual problems. Add to that the Jura rushes through and avoids scenes that she might enjoy just to keep Volf happy (I’m not sure if Volf realizes this). So she doesn’t even enjoy the scenes that she normally would like.

I can probably fulfill my most of my needs as a GM (and believe me I NEED to GM) with either style of gaming (plot/conflict or character/story) but trying to find a balance is driving me (and my players) nutz!

Are there stories that can make both of my players happy? Yes. But not many (at least not many that I want to run). After 10 years I tend be rather experimental with my games and use lots of subtext, symbolism, and double meanings.

Both players are VERY good friends; both have no other game groups to turn to. I don’t have time to run two campaigns and since every “story” lasts 2-3 sessions (aka 2-3 weeks) I end up leaving boring one player (sometimes both) for a quite a while if the story is out of balance.

Lately I’ve tried ignoring both players’ desires and just running stories that I want to run, but impartiality doesn’t seem to be doing it. If I lean in either direction the other player will probably stop showing up.

I should add that living in Fairbanks Alaska means that it’s unlikely (but not impossible) that any new players are going to fall into my lap. If I lose one of these players I could be stuck with one player for quite some time.

The Question:
What do I do to make my players happy? (Yes I know, all GMs ask this. But for the first time in 10 years I need some outside help)



Any advice (taken or otherwise) will be appreciated.

[SIR SIG]

Have a honest talk to them and get everything on the table so they know where they stand.

If they don't realise that there is a problem then you need to say your piece.

I always have a 5min dicussion after each session to what the PC's thought was good/bad and where they'd like to see their character going in the future.

Perhaps 5 min spreads between characters as they do different things during the course of the game. ie they're seperate during the away mission etc.

[tonyg]

I agree. Explain the situation to your player and see what they'd like to do.

You can probably eventually work out a stroy that mixes both players exectations (say a romance story with combat), but you will need a more long term solution.

[J T]

SIR SIG:
“Have a honest talk...If they don't realize that there is a problem then you need to say your piece.”

They do realize there’s a problem. But they can't help what they like (and don’t like). My players come to the game to relax and escape. Not to pretend that they are enjoying things they aren’t (there characters do enough of that).

SIR SIG:
“I always have a 5min discussion after each session to what the PC's thought was good/bad and where they'd like to see their character going in the future.”

So do I. Unfortunately their objectives are, if not mutually exclusive, divergent enough that I spend most of my prep time trying to make sure things are balanced. Even if I strike a perfect balance it seems like I’m only satisfying each of them 60% of the session.

SIR SIG said:
“Perhaps 5 min spreads between characters as they do different things during the course of the game. I.e. they're separate during the away mission etc.”

That’s what I’ve been doing. Which works a little. It means that we bounce back and forth between the two of them and each of them is VERY aware that the other has nothing to do. So they end up rushing through their scenes just so they won’t feel rude.

Tonyg said:
“You can probably eventually work out a stroy that mixes both players exectations (say a romance story with combat), but you will need a more long term solution.”

I understand this, but a long-term solution eludes my players and me (and I’m getting tired of running Space-Opera Sessions). ;-)

Maybe I’ll try bring this up when they're BOTH there at the same time (I just have a horrible feeling that if I do that one of them will quit showing up just so that other can have fun).

Both of you, thanks for the advice! Any more pointers (from ANYBODY) would be welcome!

[Timothy]

I have to agree with the other two....but you said that one of them may stop comming to make the other happy....

Well if what you say is true and they don't have another game to join then I don't think that will happen. I would say definitley bring it up with both of them at the same time....make it very clear that you DO NOT wabnt to loose EITHER of them and the three of you talk it over about ideas of what to do....maybe just a rotation is that simple and the three of you have to just deal with it.....Or try to just take a break for the gaming for a while...I know that gets our group more into the game when it does happen, just because it feels like it is a bit different again....

But at the very least talk to them and like was said earlier lay all your cards on the table and make them part of a solution...

Of course this is IMHO

[Calcoran]

You could also take turn at GMing. This could help bringing fresh air to your games ... looks like they could do with some, otherwise it sure looks like they're heading toward a dead end (no offence intended, it's just the way I see it).

Moreover, if your players have to GM a bit, they might understand your problem better and even find an unexpected solution to it.

[Thierry]

Look at Starfleet Intelligence Handbook the Fem Fatale and the Weapons expert. Thats what they sound like. Let them play there characters out and say they the reason they fight is they like each other more then they our willing to admit.

[J T]

Timothy said:
“…but you said that one of them may stop comming to make the other happy.... Well if what you say is true and they don't have another game to join then I don't think that will happen.”

Actually “Volf” just got himself invited into a game called Dark Conspiracy. Barring scheduling conflicts he’s still planing to show up for my ST game though.

Timothy said:
“I would say definitley bring it up with both of them at the same time....”

They are SO formal with each other. Neither wants to offend the other so they end up saying almost nothing to each other. However if things haven’t improved after this weekend’s game then I will bring this problem up with the both of them present.

“....maybe just a rotation is that simple and the three of you have to just deal with it....”

I am planing some short term one-on-one gaming with “Jura” on days when were both available (she wants to game out her characters acceptance to Starfleet Academy).

Timothy said:
“Or try to just take a break for the gaming for a while...”

I’m getting over a nasty break up with my girlfriend and NEED all the escapism I can get. I REALLY don’t want to take a break from gaming unless absolutely necessary.

“But at the very least talk to them and like was said earlier lay all your cards on the table and make them part of a solution...”

I’ve talked to them separately…
Volf: “Well I don’t get much of a buzz out of gaming anymore but as long as I’m having some sorta fun I’ll show up.”
Jura: “Every time I see that Volf is bored I feel like it’s my fault and my character goes out the window.”

Calcoran said:
“You could also (let them) take turn at GMing.”

Jura has NO experience GMing and Volf has tried several times and decided it’s not his cup of tea. At some point I want Jura to have a go in the GM chair but I don’t think she’s quite ready yet (Volf is VERY good at finding easy solutions to difficult problems).

Calcoran said:
This could help bringing fresh air to your games ... looks like they could do with some…”

Jura is very excited by my games - when she’s not worried that she’s slowing things down. Volf loves using Macgiver/Diehard tactics to defeat obstacles but finds anything else rather boring.

Calcoran said:
otherwise it sure looks like they're heading toward a dead end (no offence intended, it's just the way I see it).

I’m not headed to a dead end per say. What I’m headed to is only one player. Which is enough to game but I’m worried about the other player (and our friendship).

Thierry said”
“Look at Starfleet Intelligence Handbook the Fem Fatale and the Weapons expert….Let them play there characters out and say they the reason they fight is they like each other more then they our willing to admit.”

The problem isn’t with the characters its with the players (though that’s pretty much the type of characters each plays). They don’t fight. In general they're so anxious not to annoy the other that nobody is having any fun.

I’m going to try again this weekend. Maybe if I keep the story filled with plot complications it will keep them both busy...

Keep the suggestions coming. I think we might be moving to a solution here.

[Calcoran]

Maybe you ought to try "Mission: Impossible" types of adventures: While one player talks his (or in this case her) way in or out or around, the other player is busy fighting, sneaking or macgivering behind the scenes. The trick here is to develop a kind of mental parallel process to keep talking - roleplaying with one player while at the same time having the other player roll a lot of dices for tests and so on. I've done it once, and found out that dice rolls can be convincingly used to buy time while needing a relatively low amount of brain power on the GM's part (you only need to track time well enough so that it seems realistic from the player's part).
When I did it it worked rather well: the players all enjoyed their part and never felt bored ... which is rather nice since none was a real dice-throwing enthusiast. On the other hand, I felt completely exhausted at the end of the session, as if I had had to run on adrenaline during the whole show .