Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Pacing: Taking a Moment


In today's entry I would like to follow up on my previous advice on pacing. I humbly beseech every game master worth their salt to be ready to take a deep breath and slow things down for a bit. As much as I enjoy making swift progress through an adventure, I often find myself needing a reminder of this important principle.

Rushing the players can cause as much of a problem as letting the game stall. The important thing to remember is to give these players the time they need to savor the game and make their decisions. 

There are two major instances in which your game may come to a halt, causing you to consider whether or not to give your players a nudge in the right direction. The first is when your players are immersed in the game world. They might be having a lengthy conversation in-character, or describing their travels through the local barter town in excruciating detail.

The other scenario is one in which the players are trying to decide their next move. They argue the pros and cons of what they think would be the best way to take on a challenging situation. It might seem monotonous and wasteful as they dissect every possible route they could take to storm the keep or infiltrate the space station. But before you send a horde of charging minions to get things moving again, wait! 

Are the players enjoying themselves? Are they increasing their investment in the game world? If the answer is yes, then they are best left to their own devices. At least for a while. As a DM, it might be easy to feel like time is being wasted. Especially if you have pages of carefully laid out notes that you want to implement before the end of the session. But the adventure is there for the entertainment of your players, so it pays to let them stop and smell the roses when they feel like it. Give them a push if the meander in circles or repeat themselves, but don't pressure them to speed through the game in such a hurry. Give them clues if they are needed, but don't interrupt them if they are already working their way down the right track. Provide the time they need to figure things out for themselves and the revelation will be much more satisfying for them.

If your players are choosing to take their time experiencing the tabletop universe you have presented, it is a good sign you are doing something right. So don't fret. Kick back and take a moment. Listen carefully to what they are saying, review and adjust your notes, and let your players have their time to work things out. The group will be more relaxed and ready for the faster and more intense moments after they have been allowed these breaks in the action, and your campaign will benefit greatly. 

As always, keep an eye out for genuinely frustrated players (or player-on-player conflict) and get things moving again if that occurs. But otherwise, let these lulls become part of the ebb and flow of your enthralling adventure, so your players can enjoy it to its fullest!

Happy ventures!



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