Sharing. It’s one of the first skills that we have to learn
as kids and, as anyone who has gamed for long enough, some kids never quite
learned how to do it. Our longtime listener, Jim Laubacker, posed a question
regarding how to best deal with players that won’t share the spotlight. As a
bonus, Jim is also trying to balance a group that is a hybrid of in-person and virtual
players!
In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave discuss the ways in
which they’ve adjusted to turn the dominant and passive players weaknesses at
the table into strengths. Additionally, they delve more into the difficulties
they’ve experienced in running hybrid games and some tips and tricks with
dealing with a very new issue in TTRPGs.
As always, if you’re in the market for dice (who isn’t?)
make sure to check out our affiliate link at FanRoll Dice to receive 10% off
your entire order.
1:33 Our listener question – How to deal with players that
won’t share the spotlight with a bonus wrinkle… the group in question is a
hybrid of in-person AND virtual.
3:05 Players that are so excited that they want to be
involved in every scene.
4:44 The very heavy lift when dealing with a hybrid table of
part in-person, part virtual.
10:36 The difference between players who are actors and
those who are audience members.
15:45 The player that is involved with Every. Single.
Activity. And my example that pushes DM Tony’s buttons about spell components
and wizards…
21:00 Narrative side scenes: an easy way to give every
player their spotlight.
25:45 Review the characters in your session prep: Find the
spots in the session for their moments.
28:00 There’s no “I” in team (think Avengers over Indiana
Jones) and how sharing the spotlight can keep the campaign together instead of ending.
35:50 Curating your group and turning player weaknesses into
strengths.
37:37 Giving players a “power position” to balance out the
dominant players(s) – the birth of Little One.
43:02 The spectrum of passive vs. dominant players – kind of
like railroads vs. sandboxes.
46:20 Final Thoughts.