is there anything left?!

[Chaos rising]

I am having trouble DMing because my players keep finding unintended similarities between my game and other media. Their group was on a quest to retrieve an ancient tome from a demon infested city. When they found the book (which was partly a journal left by a group of mages trapped in the city) and read part of it, they immediately claimed I was copying the mines of moria scene from lord of the rings (despite the fact that by the time they found the book they had already beaten most of the enemies). Another time they were looking at concept art for a few homebrewed monster I had done, and claimed they were from some cartoon I had never heard of before. Are there any original ideas left? How can I stop my players from doing this?

[Comet]

Are there any original ideas left?

Not really, no. Well, okay, there are but no one has thought of them yet. One day you might come up with something entirely original and different, but that day is probably not tomorrow. And it shouldn't be, not everything needs to be super original.

If your players want to, they will keep finding similarities to other works in your ideas no matter how thin those similarities are. That's just inevitable and more a problem with your players' personalities than your imagination.

[Duncan_Ruadrik]

There are no original ideas left, only new packaging for old stories. It happens. They have to suspend disbelief to play well, and if they can't do that and just sit there are critique your story... *shrug*

I guess try to come up with something new. The campaign im running now (and have been for almost 2 years now) was based mostly off of a book... then a couple more books... then someone elses campaign... and then another campaign...

it is to the point where yes, you could pick out the details that are not mine, but it is nothing like the other stories anymore. it is a monstrosity.

[kamikasei]

How can I stop my players from doing this?

Tell them to grow up.

[Totally Guy]

The players should make choices to do things that are original.

Really, even if you do steal another scene from other media the onus is on them to interact with it in a meaningful way. Everyone has a responsibility to play the game.

[shadow_archmagi]

How can I stop my players from doing this?

Fix them. Remember what video gaming has taught you about how to repair things.

[randomhero00]

Everything has been done before. There (almost) are no original ideas. /southpark

Seriously, have them watch that episode. Southpark compares itself to the simpsons and realizes there's almost nothing new they can do. Its something your players need to realize.

edit: besides most of us DMs aren't major fantasy writers. The best ideas are stolen.

[Ravens_cry]

"To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism to steal from many is research."
Does a cook bemoan the fact there are only so many edible things in this world? Does a painter despair the lack of colours? The writer morn an inadequacy of words?
OK, they might, but that still doesn't mean great things can't still be done in those mediums.

[holywhippet]

Are there any original ideas left? How can I stop my players from doing this?

Grudge monsters - as soon as they start to complain hit them with something so far out of their league they can barely even hope to identify it, let alone beat it. It's basic aversion therapy, inflict pain when a certain action is performed and eventually they won't perform that action to avoid getting hurt.

You can't really help it when you "copy" something you've never heard of. For the book case, if you think you are getting too close to an existing piece of fiction then modify it a bit. Like maybe the book has been ripped up and they have to find pieces here and there. Or it's in cypher and they need to find how to decrypt it.

[mucat]

How can I stop my players from doing this?

Don't try to stop them. Let them draw whatever parallels they want...and if this ends up channeling their expectations of what will happen next, then they'll be caught off-guard when something different happens.

After a few times, they'll learn not to get too fixated on the "familiar" aspects of a new situation.

Grudge monsters - as soon as they start to complain hit them with something so far out of their league they can barely even hope to identify it, let alone beat it. It's basic aversion therapy, inflict pain when a certain action is performed and eventually they won't perform that action to avoid getting hurt.

This I do not recommend, as part of a general "never use in-game events to try to 'punish' out-of-game behavior" rule.

[Incorrect]

Tell them, in a a dead serious tone, that you spend several hours preparing their free entertainment, and they could be a little supportive.

[Fiery Diamond]

Are they merely pointing out similarities, or are they actually complaining that you're ripping off other stuff? If the former, just don't worry about it and let it go. If the latter - they need an attitude adjustment, and the responsibility is not yours. You can, however, make it clear to them that if they want to complain, they will be out of a DM.

[Psyren]

Simpsons did it

Seriously though, let them make their reference and move on with the campaign. "But X is similar to Y!" So what? Don't let it bother you, everything's been done somewhere.

[nedz]

I once had all of my players complain that I'd lifted a major arc from some book I'd never read

Genuinely new ideas are very rare. Do you know how many novels are published each yet ? I don't, but its not a small amount.

[Mystic Muse]

Tell them to grow up.

I agree on this one.

If they're just pointing out similarities, that isn't a big deal. (Unless they're doing it a lot)

If they're complaining about it, then yes, it is a problem, and needs to stop.

[Chaos rising]

Don't try to stop them. Let them draw whatever parallels they want...and if this ends up channeling their expectations of what will happen next, then they'll be caught off-guard when something different happens.

After a few times, they'll learn not to get too fixated on the "familiar" aspects of a new situation.



This I do not recommend, as part of a general "never use in-game events to try to 'punish' out-of-game behavior" rule.

Thanks, I think this should help.