How do I get players to talk more in the OOC?

[Yuuki_Tatsunohi]

Title says it all.

I've asked questions, tried to find out things a player has for their character arcs to see what they have in mind. Some have responded to me in PMs, but there really hasn't been much activity in the OOC. I'm trying to open up discussions to get people involved but nothing much happens. Is there a magic trick to it?

 

[Nav]

Hey,

I've found that people like to talk about themselves. Generic questions like: how long have you been roleplaying? Or where did your character inspiration come from? Can sometimes get the ball rolling.

 

[Elle Joyner]

Just make sure you specify what you're asking in a clear, concise way. Note that communication is important for character development and if they don't get back to you, you can't broaden their role as much as you might like.

 

[Yuuki_Tatsunohi]

Just make sure you specify what you're asking in a clear, concise way. Note that communication is important for character development and if they don't get back to you, you can't broaden their role as much as you might like.

I have actually. For example, I've asked one of my players about their character's parentage. There was one response, and then I asked a follow up question, no reply.

 

[Yuuki_Tatsunohi]

Also, I've noticed a quite a few have ideas, and I think many of them could work well to include others, but they don't voice it out to the others. Is there a way to get them to open up to others in the OOC or is it just part of my job as GM to be the only one who knows these things?

 

[Elle Joyner]

You can keep trying to encourage communication, but in the end it's sort of just something you have to work with as GM. You have to find a way to weave things into place and hope the players pick up on it XD Sadly most won't, but this is the difficulty of roleplaying that we all face.

You could also make a Discord server for the rp. I find people are comfier chatting in a fast moving stream for some reason, than a forum setting.

 

[Kagayours]

Ugh. That's always a struggle...

This suggestion may or may not help, depending on whether you want there to be active discussion in the OOC for the same reasons that I typically do, but, the thing I often try is: turn your OOC into a member lounge. Encourage people to just... hang out there. Let people talk about how their day went. Let people talk about some weird but entertaining glitch that happened in a video game they were playing. Encourage... talking.

Yes, this means there will be off-topic chatter. But more importantly, it means that people will become comfortable talking to each other. Most of the time it seems like the people who don't want to talk in the OOC are just... shy, or at least kind of awkward. And if the expectation is that they specifically have to talk about the RP, then, that leaves them with a lot less to say, and a lot more shyness and awkwardness because they don't know what to say, and then that gives them plenty of reasons to just not talk so that they don't embarrass themselves. :/

By first establishing a member lounge environment, you accomplish the important task of breaking the ice. Making people comfortable talking to the other players about... whatever's on their mind, really. And "whatever's on their mind" will also include RP-related things. :P And the conversations that members will have about the RP will probably sound much more natural and relaxed - and fun - than the stilted, awkward attempts at plotting and planning that will likely result from putting a bunch of shy and awkward nerds in a room together and forcing them to talk. :P

 

[The Mood is Write]

Elle's got a great idea with using Discord, and Kaga's suggestion of a relaxed lounge is also fantastic.

My two cents is pretty simple: make yourself sound excited.

Something like this—

"Hey, guys! I just had a great idea. I'm going to need to know who is whose parents to do it, though, but it's gonna be amazing!"

Perhaps include a bit more information, a little teaser, or something like that.

Hype is contagious, and if the players believe the GM is excited, they may also get excited. =D