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VonMuller
2017-05-21, 01:32 AM
Problem:

I've been running a Vampire:The Masquerade (20th Anniversary Edition) chronicle for 38 sessions now. For most of the campaign there have been an average of three players. Two of those players have always been the same and have >95% attendance to the chronicle.

Over the past seven sessions, some new players joined, replacing others that were less committed. These two new -yet mechanically experienced- players are really committed but are also struggling to get the spotlight when compared with the other players.

It's not either group of players fault, none of the "old guard" are Divas, they just got accustomed to playing a highly political game and their plots are quite keen and sly.

The new players are not shy, but come from absolutely terrible Narrators that never got past three or four sessions per chronicle and that play Vampire: The Massacre instead of Vampire: The Masquerade.

They enjoy the political games, the backstabbing, and the social challenges. I asked them if my narrating style is what they wanted and they love it (at least, in comparison to their previous experiences, so the bar is low)

I feel that over the last couple of sessions they started to feel like sidekicks, but are too shy to tell me because they enjoy my gamemastering a lot more than what they are used to.

How can I encourage them to shine and feel like protagonists? The other players are not mean, nor divas.

I even proposed that for the next sessions the old players played as their childes (new PCs), so they are mechanically balanced, and the old players agreed, playing with 0xp PCs and yet overpowering them with sociopolitical acumen in just five sessions.

Now, it's not a lack of intelligence from the players either, it's only the old ones have 30 sessions of vampire favour-mongering and politicking in their backpack.

I need help!

Jay R
2017-05-21, 09:18 AM
Find out if the new players are enjoying the game. Not everybody needs the spotlight.

I have one friend with no interest in the politics. He is silent through those periods, and lights up when the combat starts. I tried to get him more involved, until it became clear that he was doing exactly whet he wanted to do.

Find out if you have a problem before you try to fix it.

pwykersotz
2017-05-21, 09:35 AM
Find out if the new players are enjoying the game. Not everybody needs the spotlight.

I have one friend with no interest in the politics. He is silent through those periods, and lights up when the combat starts. I tried to get him more involved, until it became clear that he was doing exactly whet he wanted to do.

Find out if you have a problem before you try to fix it.

I second this.

In addition, I find nothing brings out a player like being directly addressed. I used to have this issue too. To fix it, I started making a note of the players who were fading into the background. Then, especially when big scenes were happening, I would turn to one of those players and ask "What do you do/think?" It allows them to pass if they want, but mostly they embrace it.

Darth Ultron
2017-05-21, 02:56 PM
Not every player wants a spotlight. If the players are happy, you don't need to do anything.

If you really want to tough:

*Move the spotlight away from ''politics'' or whatever and to anything else. It's not liked you abandoning it for ever, just a couple sessions. Maybe have a rival clan of vampires attack, some hunters or whatever to have some pure combat focused games. Or get the group lost and trapped on an island full of foes. Maybe get the group in a mansion and solve a murder.

*Put a spotlight on a new character. So character X is an X, well it just so happens political guy Y wants or needs X (amazing). The puts the player right in the action.

*Aggressive Politics. Move away from the talking and more social things to action politics... like duels, feuds, assassinations and the like.

scalyfreak
2017-05-21, 04:02 PM
I second this.

In addition, I find nothing brings out a player like being directly addressed. I used to have this issue too. To fix it, I started making a note of the players who were fading into the background. Then, especially when big scenes were happening, I would turn to one of those players and ask "What do you do/think?" It allows them to pass if they want, but mostly they embrace it.

This also has the added benefit that your experienced players will start doing the same. You said they aren't divas, and they're clearly wiling to adjust to help the new players (starting over with childe characters), once they see how you try to bring the new players into the spotlight more, there's a good chance they will start doing it for you, which will allow you to bring all your focus back to narrating.

Grod_The_Giant
2017-05-22, 03:15 PM
It sounds like you've got two players who are really, really good at politicing, and two new guys who aren't. So... talk to your experienced players before or after a session and ask them about pulling them newbies into their plots more? That, and try to add challenges that their characters will be good at-- if someone made a combat-monkey, maybe there's a duel that needs to be fought. If someone brought a sneaky guy, maybe there's some blackmail material to be stolen. Intentionally leave openings that fit the skill-sets of the new guys.


I even proposed that for the next sessions the old players played as their childes (new PCs), so they are mechanically balanced, and the old players agreed, playing with 0xp PCs and yet overpowering them with sociopolitical acumen in just five sessions.
Wait-- are they playing entry-level characters in a game where everyone else has 30+ sessions worth of experience progression on them? That's... not particularly conductive to protagonist-dom regardless of other factors.