roleplaygroup in crisis...need help...fading...

[Joe J Prince]

I'm currently running my own "homebrew" Swansong game - It's a high(ish) fantasy game.

I ran a game at the weekend for my out of town rpg chums - and it was great, possibly the best game I've ever run!

Then I ran a game with my regular wednesday night group - and it was pretty disappointing.

The main (massive) difference was just that the out-of-towners engaged so much better with the game and the game world.

Two of the players from the other group seemed to go out of their way to wreck the game world.
One is a total nightmare playing in any game - he swings wildly from every perspective and really wants to GM himself (I think).
The other guy is normally quite a good group player - a bit system fixated - but I think he has problems with games that are not 'real' books.

Problem is, they're both long time friends and regular GMs and will leave my game short of players if they leave.

I think our social contract needs sorting out - but how?

For those of you who remember my last post here - Our group dynamic has shifted now into what I thought was much better...

Cheers
Joe

[TonyLB]

Last post you were talking about running My Life With Master.  Did that ever materialize?

[Bill Cook]

Problem is, they're both long time friends and regular GMs and will leave my game short of players if they leave.

I think our social contract needs sorting out - but how?

I see this as less of a problem and more of an indication that your relationship with members of your group has transformed into something different than it used to be. I read competing concerns over what they provide: membership to your gaming group and historical context to your life.

Picture them, sitting across from you, wearing two hats. To me, in this case, sorting out your SC amounts to sorting out your love needs. I think you should replace them as your source for one or the other thing they do for you. (I'm not saying abandon them; surely their new wings have some purpose.) Being steeped in need is confusing; finding alternates can take the edge off and help you accept the new reality. Then you can negotiate their role in your life.

Personally, my bullshit test for getting square on who wants what from their gaming goes like this: show me the fun. Once they demonstrate their investment with heel-clicking enthusiasm over actual play, I'm convinced. Up to that point, there's no way to know for sure that they even know what they want.

[Domhnall]

Sounds troubling... To the one friend who is "wrecking" things... Is he just feeling ornery, or does he think that that is what the "game" is?  Have you ever enjoyed RPing with them?  Has your experience with the good group now ruined your playing with the poorer one?  (The case of "White Castles were great until I had my first steak.") ?

Well, since these are actual friends, I recommend just backing off RPing with them all together and switching to other entertainment... If they are not like-minded wrt your playing style, and your enjoyment would be gone, then RPing with them sounds pretty bad for you.

[Callan S.]

Some not within guidlines posts made by the players in question, dissapeared with the hack attack. I refer to them here...ignore if it's too tenuous a reference.

Joe,

One of them showed the responce to an e-mail you sent out asking what they wanted. The poster showed a pretty strong simulationist preference.

Now, in a now lost message by Ron, he suggested this all seemed very much about you, and perhaps a martyr position you were holding. After your players responce you just noted how you weren't interested in simulationism. How is that a responce after having asked someone what they like?