I recently started a campaign with some local players, but things are not going well – at least from my perspective.
Some context: We're playing a campaign that is set in a Darksouls-like setting. Very grimdark, fighting against all odds, etc.
They recently entered a cave and lit up some torches. I told them that the torch only illuminates about half a meter in front of the party. The spellcaster of the group tried to use dancing lights, which I described as having the same effect. The group deducted that the darkness must be of magical origin. The spellcaster attempted to identify the spell, but rolled badly. I explained that he could not identify the exact spell used, but that he can deduct the spell seems to be connected to the surroundings.
At this point, the group seemed to be visibly upset with me. The players demanded to know which spell it was, and promptly started to search through the PFSRD database to find something. I attempted to stay in my role as GM and explained that their characters don't know what spell it is and suggested that they can either try and proceed in the darkness, or turn back and try another path.
This put the session to a grinding halt, with them basically accusing me of cheating if I don't tell them what spell it is. Here are some things they claimed:
- "How are we supposed to counter this spell if you don't tell us what it is?"
- "This is bullshit. You can't just make up stuff as you want."
Just the session before, the group reached a large gate, which I did not intend for them to pass yet until they had done something else beforehand.
When they reached it, the situation unfolded as follows:
- Me: "As the party walks down the path, it stands before a large gate, seemingly designed to keep a giant out. How do you proceed?"
- Barbarian: "How does it look like, exactly?"
- Me: "The gate is made from some sort of metal, overgrown with moss. Your character estimates it must be somewhat between 15 and 20 meters tall."
- Rogue: "I want to attempt to pick it open."
- Me: "As you approach the gate with your tools ready, you notice a distinct lack of lock to pick. The gate does not have a keyhole and seems to open through some other mechanism."
- Rogue: "Then I put my tools away and attempt to climb it."
- Me: "Roll a climb check then."
- Rogue rolls a 16.
- Me: "You attempt to climb the door, holding onto bits of moss and whatever sticks out enough to get a grip. A few meters up you slip and fall to the ground. You take one fall damage, but luckily none of your tools break."
- Barbarian: "Let's throw a grappling hook."
- Me: "Roll your dice."
- Barbarian: "I want to take 20. We have enough time, right?"
- Me: "You throw the grappling hook repeatedly at the door, but it never quite seems to reach the top. You came close a few times, but after trying for quite some time, you give up."
At this point, I expected the party to backtrack and try a different path. Instead, they kept hammering at the door (quite literally, too) and then gave up disgruntled. They complained why I would set up a door if they can't open it, and I explained that the very purpose of a door was to not open unless you had the key. They again got mad and demanded an explanation of how they are supposed to know where to go and what to do to open the door.
To me, it seems like the players see this game as a "puzzle" to be solved, rather than a story to experience or a world to explore. Is there a way to save this session? Or should I just call them and apologize that the session I had prepared was not what they expected and write off the time I spent preparing it as a loss?
Edit: Thank you very much for everybody's input. I had a very insightful talk with Mołot regarding possible solutions.
Due to the setting, a TPK would result in players simply "reappearing" in a specific place. Using this fact, I can make the players die should they cross the door, due to their curse.
As for the more general problems, I will call them for a Session Zero, see if we can bring the game in a direction that the players are happy with, without me having to re-write my 49 pages of lore and script.
Best Answer
You seem to want to have different games
And that's OK to have different wants and needs, but to play together, you need to be on the same page.
Tools that I have used to get on the same page with my players:
Session 0
You can repeat it any time you want. General description is here: What is a session 0?
You set up a session, but instead of actually playing, you are supposed to talk with your players about the game they want to play, the game you want to DM, and how you can meet in the middle and make it enjoyable for everyone.
Same Page Tool
If you don't know what exactly you should tell and ask during Session 0, you can use Same Page Tool. It is a list of questions you and your players should read together, answer, and discuss. It is not perfect, granted, but it worked well for me in the past.
So what to do in your specific case?
I never been in this specific situation, but I have been in situations when my expectations did not meet expectations of my players.
For me, this looks like the exact opposite. Take the gate situation. You have set up a puzzle, one and only way to solve that puzzle, and your players wanted to experience the situation like it was life, with many ways to achieve their goals. Similarly with the darkness - magic users should be able to recognize what spell or magic effect is it. Or at least they should have a chance to try. That's the rules. It was against your puzzle to do so, so you just said no.
So they do want enjoy the story all right. They just refuse to go where you try to railroad them.
From my experience, some level of railroading is needed for DM to prepare, and it is best to tell your players directly that you are not able to prepare for each and every course of action they want to take, sorry, day has only so many hours. On the other hand, I never had players that enjoyed a game with one and only way to solve an issue. If you know exactly what they will be forced do, you don't need players anymore, right?
Let me stress this: railroading is not bad, per se. At least some of it is indeed needed for DM to prepare. But leaving enough wiggle room for players is usually needed for them to have fun. And it is a matter of agreement between players and their DM to decide how wide or narrow this railroad will be, what is and isn't acceptable, and how to communicate about it during sessions.
Yes, you should call them. You should also state that their playstyle was not what you expected, and that is OK, it is a misunderstanding. And then you should ask them to meet for session 0 to make sure you can manage your expectations, and it goes both ways.
Definitely not! After session 0 you will need to adjust it, sure, but no need to throw it all out. From what you wrote I guess you will need to prepare for a more open world with less railroading, but you should establish things like that with your players, not with strangers from the Internet like me.
Actually, you can. You are their Game Master and making stuff up is literally your job. Stuff you make should fit well with the existing game mechanics, and that's something you need to discuss with your players, but you are free to add effects that are not n the books for the sake of the story. Player who said that owes you an apology in my eyes.