Being the main character

[Cheesedemon88]

Hey,
I've got two issues here with a common dinominator, both conserning having a "main character" in a roleplaying game

Player :
I'm currently in a game that has been running for almost a year now, we started at level 5 and we're now level 17, so quite a lot of things have happened both in and out of game. When we first started we were six players, now we are only three and I am the only original member both as a player and a character, and all in all we have run trough 13 characters and nine players. So I've noticed that my character has become sort of the focal senter of pretty much everything, and I feel a little bad about it.
It doesn't help that due to my characters history she is very often forced to take the word in social situations, and even when she is not I often take the word anyway because no one else does.

Game Master :
I've walked into the same problem as a game master, my game hasn't run that long but I have notices similar tendencies, I have two players that has been around from the beginning, (only one of them is playing her original character)and two players that has been there almost from the beginning.
I'm having a hard time distributing character development evenly, the two players that has been there from the beginning seems to always slide into the spotlight, I think mostly because they have more character "hooks" to pull and perhaps because they are the ones that ALWAYS turns up to the games. Anyway, I have tried to encourage more character background material from the two latter players, but they never get around to write anything.

Any advice ? thanks

[Tondi-]

Is everyone having fun? Some people don't want to be in the focal point.

In the game your DMing you'll have more success if you do the leg work.  Try find out some interesting hooks that deal directly with their characters and inject it into the game. 

[sliksham]

Yup, throw a massive hook baited with the biggest worm you can find into the path of your players, and if they don't pick it up then you will know they aren't 'that kind of player' and are happy the way things run.

[Navarre]

I agree with Tondi. If no one seems at all bothered by the distribution of attention then I wouldn't worry about it.

But if you feel that other characters should get more spotlight in the game you're DMing then you'll need to develop a plot hook and scenes that revolve more around that PC. Also, if that scene doesn't involve the PC who normally gets the spotlight then the player can't intervene at the time because he/she isn't there.

[Meowzer]

I definitely know what your feeling here. I had the same problem recently..And it just comes down to you opening the oppurtunities to the that player..And if you have to make it painfully obvious then make it painfully obvious..Yet if after 1 or 2 times of you doing this they dont take it? Let them fade into the background for now. My current campaign is partially focusing on 3 of the characters while the fourth is mostly there. He is part of the story and a very active RPer but the story just is not focusing on the character..But the next arch is going to hit on him pretty heavily... All in all bro, as long as people are having fun then it doesn't matter. If you suspect different talk to people.

[Navarre]

All in all bro...

Cheesedemon is not a "bro".   

I agree with everything else though, Meowzer. My current PC doesn't get much attention but that is because my PC is a solemn loner. So it's perfectly within the RP for the character and I am happy with it.

As a DM I would throw some opportunities toward the neglected PCs and see if they bite. Or, heck, just ask them how they feel about the attention distribution in the game.

[Meowzer]

Or, heck, just ask them how they feel about the attention distribution in the game.

Simply just asking people things is something that does not happen nearly enough in games. If you aren't having fun talk to your DM, or players.Its a game it should be fun..And how I tend to get everyone to fit into the story is by just talking to them about their characters past first..And then kind of taking their ideas and then talking to them about incorporating things from my world into their characters.

[Navarre]

Agreed, Meowzer.

I think people often instill too much drama into D&D. Someone isn't having fun or think someone else isn't having fun or any number of posible situations arise but no one talks to each other about the issues.

For example, recently a DM ran a game here and no one was enjoying it. Everyone talked about it behind her back but no one approached her because they didn't want to hurt her feelings.

So instead they simply quit playing and someone else started a game that the same people played in. Of course, this too hurt the former DM's feelings.

She asked, "Why didn't you just tell me?"

She's right. What did people think would happen when they stopped playing?

The truth, imo, isn't that they were trying to spare her feelings. They were sparing themselves the discomfort of being open and honest with the DM about the game.

[Cheesedemon88]

Thanks for all the replies, maybe you're right and I'm just seeing problems where there are none, I'll try to coax a little more out of my players when I get the chance.

On a related subject, how does people feel about rewarding roleplaying with in game bonuses ? The two "active" players are both trying to get aprenticeships (is that a word ?), one with a fighter-school and one with a mad wizard.  I was thinking about rewarding players that take the initiative to do such things with a character theme, might that encourage shy players or will it just seem like I'm favouring people ?

I'll be your bro' if you'd like me to

[Tondi-]

As long as its not a perk that could over power a character I think it's a great idea.

[Meowzer]

It's an amazing idea specially with people new to RPing..And make it an overall group reward so the group appreciates that player. I have a player who is just getting into gaming, never RPed at all. And I will say AWESOME RPING THERE GUYS EVERY ONE GETS 75 EXP..Or the such, or some gold or something. Nothing huge, but you should see the smiles it gets. It makes a person proud of them selves and strive to continue RPing and try to get into their character and think of cleverness.

[Navarre]

Definitely reward RP. It's an RPG.   

[Beren1]

It's an amazing idea specially with people new to RPing..And make it an overall group reward so the group appreciates that player. I have a player who is just getting into gaming, never RPed at all. And I will say AWESOME RPING THERE GUYS EVERY ONE GETS 75 EXP..Or the such, or some gold or something. Nothing huge, but you should see the smiles it gets. It makes a person proud of them selves and strive to continue RPing and try to get into their character and think of cleverness.

That is fairly clever. I have often allowed clever rp to solve otherwise combat encounters but always shied away from making a permanent reward, however a group reward gets rid of several of the misgivings I would have for it. Prevents the Brown-noser like comments or being in Ender's position.

[Strifeter]

Sometimes you don't even need to have a reward based on an item or XP. If the character gains knowledge of something that would have otherwise been gone unknown it might coax your players into more RP. The key I find is to never let an attempt to RP go unnoticed. As long as you incorporate your story into what the players are doing you should see an improvement.

It's all about generating an interest for the players.

[Navarre]

NPC: "I have the secret you need to defeat your enemy. I also know what happened to your parents, why you bear that strange rune on your skin, and why the sky is blue. But I'm not sure I should tell you."

PC: "Die, monster!"

*Hack-Slash! Hack-Slash!*

Player: "Yes! ... 6th Level!"