I'm running a gme for 6 people, 5 are new to the game. So, I've relaxed some of the game not expecting them all to grasp it it really fast. I let them get away with minor qwuestions and treasonist comments to some degree since they are all learning. And 4 of the new guys ar edoing very well and have a good learniong curve going. The Fifth guy though has not learned a thing. He keeps wanting to like blame China and use his i pod and eat chocolate and other things he just doesn;t have clearence for. I've explained things to him and to everyone a few times, but he just isn't getting it or really not paying attention well. I've asked him and everyone to read some of the great tsites out there for explaining the game and they have helped out most of the group. The game is a play by post, and is just going to be a one shot so I don't want to just ask him to leave. I'm just continueing the game sort of around him to let the others who understand it continue and have fun.
What to do with a player who just doesn't get it
- Thread starter Crothian
- Start date
Allen Varney
Mongoose
Tell the others that the slow-learning player is recovering from an HPD & MInd Control pharmaceutical experiment wherein they imprinted his brain with Old Reckoning memories. The reason is classified. All his odd behavior is therefore easily explained. HPD instructs the other Troubleshooters to avoid terminating the experimental subject -- or at least don't terminate him on account of the Old Reckoning habits.
DON'T tell the other players -- at least not until way too late -- HPD&MC has set a number of stealthy hovercams to follow the test subject. HPD is documenting how these Old Reckoning beliefs and practices make the subject very unhappy. HPD will eventually assemble the video footage into an educational documentary for use at its Bright Vision Re-Education Centers.
Of course, those hovercams will record all kinds of stuff, and not all relating to the test subject.
DON'T tell the other players -- at least not until way too late -- HPD&MC has set a number of stealthy hovercams to follow the test subject. HPD is documenting how these Old Reckoning beliefs and practices make the subject very unhappy. HPD will eventually assemble the video footage into an educational documentary for use at its Bright Vision Re-Education Centers.
Of course, those hovercams will record all kinds of stuff, and not all relating to the test subject.
:shock: 
:twisted:
Now that is twisted ! And coming direct from the Computer.
Honestly I fear I may encounter the same situation as I am about to run my first mission (Mr. Bubbles) in a couple of weeks. I wonder how long some unitiated players will take before jumping on the wagon.
BTW, I suppose it would be considered treasonous to write "the computer" without the capital "C"? Guess I already know the answer...
:roll:
:twisted:Now that is twisted ! And coming direct from the Computer.
Honestly I fear I may encounter the same situation as I am about to run my first mission (Mr. Bubbles) in a couple of weeks. I wonder how long some unitiated players will take before jumping on the wagon.
BTW, I suppose it would be considered treasonous to write "the computer" without the capital "C"? Guess I already know the answer...
:roll:
Eric Zawadzki
Mongoose
redlaco said::shock:
Now that is twisted ! And coming direct from the Computer.
Honestly I fear I may encounter the same situation as I am about to run my first mission (Mr. Bubbles) in a couple of weeks. I wonder how long some unitiated players will take before jumping on the wagon.
BTW, I suppose it would be considered treasonous to write "the computer" without the capital "C"? Guess I already know the answer...
:roll:
This one's actually given as an example in Semantics Control (HPD&MC service firm). Looks to be punishable by a fine. I hope the 3,000 credits in the example is an exaggeration. At 1,500 creds per typo, well, I know a lot of folks on the Net who would be in debt after a single sentence...
lastbesthope
Mongoose
I'll be demoing PXP (first time I'll have played it) in a week or so at my FLGS. I know at least 2 of the players involved are familiar with the concept though so I should be OK.
LBH
LBH
A
Anonymous
Guest
After GMing several online PARANOIA games with new players, I am reminded at how perfect the PARANOIA XP rulebook is. On pp. 93-94, it describes the three stages of new player attitudes towards the game. To paraphrase:
Stage 1: Trigger Madness - players go crazy after being needlessly confined by other (non-fun) RPGs. Very little gets done for the mission's plot as players adjust to the unique setting (and try to kill each other). Beginning players usually are in this stage for a while.
Quote: "I kill him! I shoot him over and over!"
Stage 2: Roleplaying - The 'new-game' smell is gone. Players settle in and try to roleplay the setting. Secret societies, service firms, and MBD's take on an importance usually forgotten about in Stage 1. Some players may jump straight into Stage 2, but this is unlikely.
Quote: "I send a message to my secret society contact for help."
Stage 3: Master - Players focus more on trying to solve the Catch-22's thrown at them by the GM. There is still fighting and role-playing, but everything is toned down a bit in favor of creativity, imagination, and fun. Especially if it's at the GM's expense. Don't count on any new player hitting Stage 3.
Quote: "I'll let the new player go in first. Meanwhile ... what the devil is that GM up to now?"
Stage 1: Trigger Madness - players go crazy after being needlessly confined by other (non-fun) RPGs. Very little gets done for the mission's plot as players adjust to the unique setting (and try to kill each other). Beginning players usually are in this stage for a while.
Quote: "I kill him! I shoot him over and over!"
Stage 2: Roleplaying - The 'new-game' smell is gone. Players settle in and try to roleplay the setting. Secret societies, service firms, and MBD's take on an importance usually forgotten about in Stage 1. Some players may jump straight into Stage 2, but this is unlikely.
Quote: "I send a message to my secret society contact for help."
Stage 3: Master - Players focus more on trying to solve the Catch-22's thrown at them by the GM. There is still fighting and role-playing, but everything is toned down a bit in favor of creativity, imagination, and fun. Especially if it's at the GM's expense. Don't count on any new player hitting Stage 3.
Quote: "I'll let the new player go in first. Meanwhile ... what the devil is that GM up to now?"
Weet-R-BIX
Mongoose
Allen Varney said:
See? Now THIS is a perfect example of why Citizen Var-U-NEY was given the great honour of Designing our Beloved Paranoia... You devious little devil Allen. I have to make a not of that one :lol:
lastbesthope
Mongoose
:twisted: :twisted: :twisted:
I like it!
LBH
I like it!
LBH
A
Anonymous
Guest
Crothian said:
Are all the other team members running to him with every minor niggle, question, and problem?
Is he being held personally accountable for everything his team does?
Does he hate every one of his teammates with a vengance?
Take away his privelages, and make it someone else's fault.
It's hard to buy chocolate when his credit balance has been eaten up by fines. Especially If he's being fined for the activities of his team.
Have his PDC catch a virus. Censure him for carelessness and give him an old PDC100 (it tells the time(more or less) and randomly spouts pro Computer slogans, "Friend Computer in your pocket: never be lonely again")
Inspire jealousy and righteous outrage. Draw attention to his failures.
Entertain or die.
In tabletop, if this sort of thing doesn't get the perversity points, the vitriol, and the outrageous orders flying, you may as well give up. Or kill the bastard.
With a PBM I suspect if the usual tactics fail to get the bickering going, you'll have to either make a plotpoint of his "eccentricities" as was suggested by High Programmer Varney or otherwise sideline him.
S.
Give him a little more time and then clamp down on the restrictions. I'm sorry either your player is not trying or incredibly dense. Its often remarkable how quickly players will grasp the concept once a clone or two winds up as reactor shielding. For example had a player(newbie admittedly) who I had taken the time to explain the nature of Secret Societies(this was btw old school Paranoia) and the fact that unlike in the real world they are actually supposed to BE secret. Yet she still duitifully filled out the space on the Manditory Bonus Duty form. Scratcha clone and hand her another form after explaining the why. Low and behold she didn't repeat the mistake(of course the rest of the game centered around the two players trying to think up as many excuses to execute the other as possible(and they were Bf/Gf as well) but hey thats paranoia for those who remember the 2nd intro adventure(the one with those lovable Mutant Cockroaches) they never even got out of the lake in the very begining.
lastbesthope
Mongoose
Well I just ran my second demo of Paranoia XP, and my players so got it, except one who was a little slow so I punished him a bit.
The Team Leader was the first to die, and the equipment guy was very eloquent in pleading his cases.
LBH
The Team Leader was the first to die, and the equipment guy was very eloquent in pleading his cases.
LBH
stickmangrit
Mongoose
it helps if you set the player aside and explain things to jim out of game. due to a mishap with my monday night gaming group, the GM set to run didn't bother to make a game, and i had to run my first Paranoia (Mr. Bubbles) a week ahead of schedule with three players having no background knowledge whatsoever. five minutes in i had to up the clone limit to twelve because my team leader was already on his fifth clone. then when i introduced the Shooters crew, they decided that these people were interfering with there mission, and that they all must die. two players realized the inherent folly of this and ran, the other four couldn't seem to grasp the concept of higher clearance. the other problem i encountered was that two of my players were rampant power-gamers who got whiny because they didn't have complete control. make sure they understand the basic principles (CLEARANCE, the insanity of the computer, CLEARANCE) and don't be afriad to kill them out of the game (like i was). another idea that a fellow PXP GM shared with me was forms. if you've got the paper, look up as many forms (new and old edition) as you can find, and have them at the ready. "oh, you want to eat chocolate. ok, i need you to read and fill this out in triplicate, take this back to your superior officer and bring back the IT985 that he'll give you." they'll think twice about asking for stupid crud after that, i assure you.
