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January 04, 2005
Inactivists
Robin Laws has a nice post on what he calls inactivists. I'd call 'em passive players but that has harsher connotations. Because he's Robin Laws, he both defines the phenomenon and suggests a four point plan for fixing this behavior in oneself. I think it's a useful plan even if one doesn't happen to fall into this category.
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Comments
I notice that Robin Laws' analysis of the problem (assuming we accept that this is a problem), and his solutions, imply that the player is largely to blame, while Jared's comment below the post (his pseudonym is memento_mori) puts responsibility more on the GM and on the system (a specific system, actually, but we don't need to get into that debate).
Posted by: Rob at Jan 4, 2005 12:14:44 PM
I don't think its a matter of blame at all. Heck, I'm not even sure its a problem, not as seen in Robin's example.
Posted by: Jere at Jan 4, 2005 1:05:32 PM
I think such players are only a problem if the GM doesn't know this is the type of player/character they are beforehand, and some significant bit of game plot requires something of the character/player that they can't/won't give. Thus grinding the plot to a halt unless the GM can reroute the plot.
Other than that I wouldn't call it a problem either. The "I must have a characteristic bit of business going on/my character's complex and fascinating backstory must be served at all times" type is more problematic to me.
Posted by: Len at Jan 4, 2005 2:20:32 PM
I think that characters who are habitually inactive are a problem if the game assumes that players will drive action. If you're doing a dungeon crawl, in which the characters don't have to have motivations, or a superhero game that's all about stopping the next bank robbery/world domination plot, not an issue. If you're doing a game in which the plot is character-motivated... more of a problem.
Posted by: Bryant at Jan 4, 2005 2:52:07 PM
In the example he cites, I take it as there was no problem ('cause I was the player). And this way, when I choose to confront it, it will be on my terms, as opposed to following the PLOT HOOK.
However, if I didn't have many things to do in the game / was a less active player, then yes, I agree that would be a problem.
Me.
Posted by: Me at Jan 6, 2005 3:33:06 PM
