Attracting Proper Players

Lately I had to shut down a campaign due to complaints from players who wanted to bring in materials that went beyond the scenario.  For example, a player was angry with me for not allowing his character to start with more points and for not allowing him to have access to weaponry above the tech level.  Another player wanted to essentially "break the campaign" and another wanted the session to jump ahead to a Star Wars type setting so he could explore outer space.  The setting was a post-nuclear game, kind of like Fallout or Gamma world, so why they wanted to participate in my game is a mystery. Before I even put the game up I described the setting and what I was looking for in abundant detail, but most of the players who requested to join seemed to expect me to allow magic users and other peculiarities, along with folks who just wanted to scream at me over not letting them start play with god-like stats and gear.  So I have two questions: 1: is this simply a GURPS related problem?  I know the system is designed to handle multiple genres, but is it normal for players to expect GMs to cater to every genre?  Is there some unwritten rule that, if I run a Conan game I have to let Spiderman show up with a photon canon? 2: is there a more efficient way to screen potential players?  I've let in so many crazies by accident that I have likely passed over a lot of decent folks.  I do have two other solid groups going with excellent players, but as far as I can tell I was simply lucky and would love to meet more folks like them.

In response to question #1, no. The GM is in charge of the campaign for a reason, if you say the setting is medieval then they should bring characters that fit a medieval setting. If you say Spider Man isn't a thing in your universe then he isn't. If they want to play Luke Skywalker then they should look for a Star Wars Edge of the Empire Campaign. Your job is to run a good solid campaign and make it clear what the setting it, it is their job to find a campaign that will suit them. As for question #2, I have asked myself the same thing many times. I guess the only advice I can give is that while being fair is important, being stern is more important. If you let Spider Man Skywalker waltz into the medieval town with his AT-ST it will ruin things for the players who are willing to play by the rules. In my group the emphasis is all on the story, character progression, and deep personal interactions between party members while combat and puzzles are handled in a way that puts the focus on who our characters are and not what class they are. So when I have a player who starts demanding things I shut it down, because its not fair for the Necromancer struggling with self doubt and guilt who is portrayed by a very devoted player to have to fight for every silver piece while the whiny player gets his artifact hand crafted by Zeus because he complained louder. If you are firm but fair you will draw in players who appreciate it and are looking for such campaigns.

#1 -  No.  I've run two Gurps games on Roll20 and haven't had that problem.  I tried to be extremely specific with the setting descriptions (modern day New Mexico, 5th century England) to cut that off.  I have had that problem with other systems though! #2 -  I do a lot of back and forth via PM before I even invite anyone to the game and then do character creation as a group.  It helps when there's a little peer pressure between the players to "keep it real." That's if it doesn't turn into a oneupmanship contest of stupidity.

Back and forth?  That makes sense, though what kinds of questions do you ask?

In all TableTop games, (not just Roll20) there's a critically necessary "interview" phase that the GM needs to go through with prospective players to ensure everyone's a good fit.  We need to talk to our players before we invite them to discuss what kind of game we're looking for, play style, expectations, house rules and conflict resolutions, and generally determine if someone "FITS" before they're invited. In the end, all players sitting down to the game should be on the same page and looking for the same kind of game, as a result. Of course, I generally recommend you still have a Session Zero or "Pre-Game" session to create characters together so the game mechanics mesh.  I didn't do this once for a one-shot and ended up with a party of psychotic do-what-I-want-because-my-character-would rogues in a typical "save the day" kind of scenario.   ... it didn't end well for the village...

I think this is a bit more prevalent in the online arena (like roll20) because there is still a level of anonymity among the people involved. Plus there are so few games (per capita) that a lot of potential players just jump on a game thread without reading the information provided by the GM (has happened to me quite a bit). While I agree, part of the GM's job is to create a game that is fun for the players, there is also an expectation that the players must defer to the GM on the decisions being made. I think most people see that and follow along, but there are enough that make this a challenge for us running the games. But here's the beauty of a place like roll20.... When you post for your game, you immediately get flooded with potential interest and you get to choose the players you want. As was pointed out, a level 0 session and thorough discussion of the game with potential players is important. If you feel that kind of attitude in one of your potential players, have a follow-up conversation with said player. Explain the game premise again (which gets a bit annoying since it was right there for them to read in the first place) and where the game will likely go. If they don't seem to agree or like it and they can't tell you with a resounding "Yes, that sounds fine," then use your super-human GM powers and remove them from the game. Of course your down a player, so you simply re-post your game thread and within a few hours you'll have more potential players. Here's the beauty of it. There aren't enough GM's and far too many players. So...if folks want to play they'll soon recognize that the GM makes the game and they need to fit their characters within said game. They will start to modify their behavior and learn to play within the system, or they don't play. 

I heard that some GM's create a specific screening game board where they host their session 0 and hold interviews then they pick out the players they think will work and pm invites to the actual game. I heard that others use skype or other ways to talk to players for their interviews.

Session 0 sounds like an awesome idea, I'll have to do that.  Lots of excellent advice.  I hate giving the axe to people, especially when they were just brought in, but after my last experience I'm chopping away >:D

M. A. Packer said: Session 0 sounds like an awesome idea, I'll have to do that.  Lots of excellent advice.  I hate giving the axe to people, especially when they were just brought in, but after my last experience I'm chopping away >:D This is probably the absolute best option.  Another thing to do is make sure you look at how many hours someone has played on Roll20.  If you see something like 30 or less hours, flag them as someone you really need to chat with.  They're clearly new  and either a) trying to get involved on here, b) trying to join games on a lark to see if they care at all (these are the ones that drop without warning), or c) keep getting kicked out of games because they are problem players. When I recruit, I never engage in an interview process.  So far, I've been lucky with it.  When I was applying to more games, I hated having to write 5-6 paragraphs about a character only to not be selected.  That's a lot of work to put in only to be rejected and I think people who are willing to do that work  are just as likely to be problem players as those who aren't. The other thing I would suggest is being quick with the ban hammer.  If you talk to a player and they won't change, kick them.  You're the one putting the time in to GM.  If they want to play a game with Spider-Man with a photon cannon in medieval times, they can make their own game.  You don't owe them anything.  However, make sure you have a conversation first.  I've been kicked from games for asking a question like "So, is it a problem that I can't be on Skype everyday RPing between session interplay?"  No explanation from the GM, just removed.  That had not been a requirement when I was first invited.  You need to give some explanation or players are going to bad mouth you.

M. A. Packer said: Back and forth?  That makes sense, though what kinds of questions do you ask? I try to find out likes/dislikes in gaming and media and then the level of experience with the system.  Then I push for details and specifics.  For instance, someone might mention they hate when "the GM stifles their creativity" now we've got to figure out if it was railroadsville last game or if their idea of creativity was Spiderman with a chainsword in an ice age game.

All good stuff, instead of repeating the above … trying to add a slightly different angle. When recruiting players treat it like you are finding people you want to hang out with on a weekly basis (game or no game). Ask questions in your game post like … age, type of game you like (rp, combat, etc), experience with RPG. Ask why they want to play the game, other fantasy interests (non-gaming), favorite gaming moments. The players I invite write stuff that I relate to, they write something I like or also have a strong interest in. It's not about finding good gamers, it's about finding people you can gel with. That is not always easy and can take a few tries. And a lot of people cringe when writing about themselves, and I agree, but it works. Some say it's like a dating site … maybe … but if you don't screen appropriately you end up playing with people you don't like. I do not ask about character concepts, I want to get to know the player first. When someone does not answer my questions, or only says “I'm interested” or gives me a long character write up … I don't invite them, that tells me nothing of the player. Session 0 is very important. I once stated that a campaign would be played RAW, after players kept asking to bend the rules to their characters favor … I dropped it. There were a few other red flags also. But I did end up inviting one of the players to a different campaign, that session zero helped me find a great player. You can also run a few one-shots, another way to find some good players that mesh well ... no real commitment with one-shots.

I have a very good stable group of six players. We play every week at the same time, most people show up on time and ready to play. The game has been running about 18 months, none of the original players are still around, one player has been in the game for about 15 months. In the year and a half there have been at least forty people that have passed through. Every kind of antisocial behavior and outright violation of the game has happened several times over. Just like kissing frogs to find a handsome prince, online you have to put up with a lot of trolls to find a unicorn. There are ways to minimize this, sessions zero, an application process, age minimums, a clear statement of what is expected of the players and what the GM will provide. I also ask for my players to invite their friends, I have gotten some good players that way. It just isn't like the old pencil and paper days, where you knew all of your players, you need to adapt to the new paradigm.