So, sometimes I play or run games where players have more than one character, like in Ars Magica.

It tends not to work so well for me though, either one character gets forgotten, or both come into play at the same time which makes actually roleplaying them tricky, or people can't tell which is which because both of them are being played by the same pasty fat dude across the table.

I know some of you are into troupe play, any tips on how you make it work and on the up and downsides of it in your view?

Troupes tend to be successful in one of two situations:

• A mixed group where each player has one character of differing types


• A single type troupe, where each player has one character and everyone is of the same general type.

The mixed troupe allows a party en petite feel, where everyone has a niche. It's best for most missions.

The single type troupe allows easier fraternization between PCs. It's best for most social interactions.

Generally, I stay away from any situation where a player is actively playing more than one character at a time. That tends to get messy. If its unavoidable, I do my best to minimize it.

-clash

Also, I've found that these games appeal more to and play better with groups of players who are also (in different games) GMs.

Ain't no big surprise:  They've already got a lot of practice handling multiple characters simultaneously.  Using that skill in a different context is fun.

My group plays some game s"troupe style" but I don't think it means what everyone else thinks it means.  

When we decide to play a game "troupe" style, we just mean rotating GMs.  Basically, we all make one character that has a legitimate reason to not be adventuring with the party for stretches of time, then we each run one adventure (between one and five sessions in length).  If the game is cool, we start the cycle fresh.

Quote from: flyingmiceTroupes tend to be successful in one of two situations:

• A mixed group where each player has one character of differing types


• A single type troupe, where each player has one character and everyone is of the same general type.

Can you give some examples?  I'm struggling a bit here.

Quote from: joewolzMy group plays some game s"troupe style" but I don't think it means what everyone else thinks it means.  

When we decide to play a game "troupe" style, we just mean rotating GMs.  Basically, we all make one character that has a legitimate reason to not be adventuring with the party for stretches of time, then we each run one adventure (between one and five sessions in length).  If the game is cool, we start the cycle fresh.

Joe... Maybe if everyone else thinks it means something else, doesn't that suggest something to you?

"Dammit! Everyone else is driving on the wrong side of the road!"



-clash

Quote from: BalbinusCan you give some examples?  I'm struggling a bit here.

Using IHW:

The current PCs might be an away party with a PC lieutenant leading, a PC surgeons mate, a PC sailor, a PC marine sergeant, and a dozen more NPC sailors and marines. That is a mixed party. This would be a typical group for missions like a prize crew, a cutting out party, a watering party, a watch on deck, etc. This would be a mixed group.

The current PCs might instead be all PC lieutenants, muttering about the mad captain in a meeting below decks, going ashore in Naples for a dinner, meeting the Sulltan of Srinapur and his Frog advisor at court, dancing with pretty ladies at a ball aboard an Indiaman in the South Atlantic. This would be a single type group.

The mixed group is best for missions because you have a single leader and definite lines of command, and a mix of different niche specialists. Mixed groups have a vertical organization.

The single type group is best for social interaction because everyone is of a similar class - there are similar interests, similar problems, similar backgrounds - and everyone can talk freely. Single type groups have a generally horizontal organization.

-clash

I've had the same problems you have, Balbinus, especially involving one character being forgotten for the other.  The easiest method for me is just to require a character rotation, assuming they aren't all together in one great band / on a ship / etc.  No playing the same character more than two adventures in a row.

Where they both come into play at the same time I just ask the player to assign one of his characters to another player for the scene or dialog, with veto authority on anything really out of character.  Both in play for the whole session is unusual because there is usually a story way around that.