Gaming angst
Mar. 15th, 2005 01:27 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
melcharOkay, this is in the realm of midnight complaints. When I referee a game for others, my intent is that I really want to present a story in the game-world that is fun, inspires some emotional responses, makes the players think and exposes them to a sense of danger and adventure. [remember that Bilbo Baggins called adventures nasty untidy things that makes one late for breakfast.]
All in all I think I do a good job of preparing the game, keeping things going without turning it into an IRS audit session because of the rules - while not ignoring the structure that rules do provide.
Unfortunately for a while now I have had the sense that I have some players who would rather be somewhere else. Like playing on the PS2 or GBA or playing cards or reading or sleeping, rather than paying attention to what is happening at the table.
Some of this is my fault, just because:
[a] = during a combat, even the quickest combat turn passes slowly when there are more than 4 players in a game and each has their turn, describing their action/rolling dice;
[b] = that my corrected vision causes me to now have to = look at set-up with glasses to see table/take glasses off to refer to facts on sheet/make rolls/take notes = for each of the baddies they are fighting, which also takes forever when there is more than one monster on the table being fought -- so combat turns just take a lot of time
[c] = so combat turns take time and interaction takes time because it's not just one-on-one talking to a single character and when it's shopping everyone wants to have full concentration for their shopping all at the same time.
But just WHEN did everyone decide that if I was NOT looking at them then they were going to go away from the table?!? Even if it isn't all about THEM at the time, why aren't they interested in what else is happening?
And then there are players who are AT the table who seem like they would rather ruin the game for EVERYBODY else just so they can cause trouble by questioning rules, bringing up rules, wanting to amend the rules and quoting rules from memory [at rare times, actually quoting the rules correctly] - just to make a point.
And I find myself wondering = why am I putting up with this?
Currently my Saturday game has 9 players in it. The Sunday game has 7 players. Some of the problem players are in both games and piss me off for different reasons. Inattention pizzes me off almost as much as the rule-bitching because it implies indifference to the game.
I'm getting really annoyed in both games. I've been doing really choice games with involved plots and getting complaints about how tough the stories are for both games [while the characters still are 'winning' in that they are, for the most part, surviving to accomplish specific missions]. And the Saturday host is driving me out of the house by blaring at high HIGH volume his TIVO'd shows during the dinner break. More of the Saturday players really don't put any effort into putting any kind of personality into their character - and there are some who make really ANNOYING comments that make problems for others and then claim it wasn't being said by their characters. Sadly, the worst rule's-bitcher is in both games and making MORE people than just me want to strangle him. Meanwhile a couple of the better players are also pissing me off by doing the card playing thing way too often. But then there are the players who ARE trying to put life into their characters and who DO pay attention. And some of them are driving a considerable distance just to be in my games.
I am like SO conflicted. What do I do? It's not like there's a convenient DELETE button to get rid of the problem parts of my problem players. When good, they do contribute to a better game and I personally like ALL of the players, when away from the table. It's just mounting problems that is making my sanity points dribble out of my ears!
All in all I think I do a good job of preparing the game, keeping things going without turning it into an IRS audit session because of the rules - while not ignoring the structure that rules do provide.
Unfortunately for a while now I have had the sense that I have some players who would rather be somewhere else. Like playing on the PS2 or GBA or playing cards or reading or sleeping, rather than paying attention to what is happening at the table.
Some of this is my fault, just because:
[a] = during a combat, even the quickest combat turn passes slowly when there are more than 4 players in a game and each has their turn, describing their action/rolling dice;
[b] = that my corrected vision causes me to now have to = look at set-up with glasses to see table/take glasses off to refer to facts on sheet/make rolls/take notes = for each of the baddies they are fighting, which also takes forever when there is more than one monster on the table being fought -- so combat turns just take a lot of time
[c] = so combat turns take time and interaction takes time because it's not just one-on-one talking to a single character and when it's shopping everyone wants to have full concentration for their shopping all at the same time.
But just WHEN did everyone decide that if I was NOT looking at them then they were going to go away from the table?!? Even if it isn't all about THEM at the time, why aren't they interested in what else is happening?
And then there are players who are AT the table who seem like they would rather ruin the game for EVERYBODY else just so they can cause trouble by questioning rules, bringing up rules, wanting to amend the rules and quoting rules from memory [at rare times, actually quoting the rules correctly] - just to make a point.
And I find myself wondering = why am I putting up with this?
Currently my Saturday game has 9 players in it. The Sunday game has 7 players. Some of the problem players are in both games and piss me off for different reasons. Inattention pizzes me off almost as much as the rule-bitching because it implies indifference to the game.
I'm getting really annoyed in both games. I've been doing really choice games with involved plots and getting complaints about how tough the stories are for both games [while the characters still are 'winning' in that they are, for the most part, surviving to accomplish specific missions]. And the Saturday host is driving me out of the house by blaring at high HIGH volume his TIVO'd shows during the dinner break. More of the Saturday players really don't put any effort into putting any kind of personality into their character - and there are some who make really ANNOYING comments that make problems for others and then claim it wasn't being said by their characters. Sadly, the worst rule's-bitcher is in both games and making MORE people than just me want to strangle him. Meanwhile a couple of the better players are also pissing me off by doing the card playing thing way too often. But then there are the players who ARE trying to put life into their characters and who DO pay attention. And some of them are driving a considerable distance just to be in my games.
I am like SO conflicted. What do I do? It's not like there's a convenient DELETE button to get rid of the problem parts of my problem players. When good, they do contribute to a better game and I personally like ALL of the players, when away from the table. It's just mounting problems that is making my sanity points dribble out of my ears!
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A Reply in Parts (continued)
Date: 2005-03-15 07:23 pm (UTC)5) When the gaming environment become hostile, move the game. Hosting the game is a significant inconvenience and sometimes a financial hardship (depending on how much effort is being put into it). If the host is feeling like his efforts are unappreciated, it may manifest in many ways. (Certainly our Saturday host has been receiving more than his ration of sh*t lately (IMHO). He may be asking himself, "Why do I knock myself out every week giving these people a comfortable place to play, just so they can come over, take my hospitality, and abuse me, then not even help clean up afterward?" It may begin to manifest in his behavior.)
6) To an extent the 'constantly revisiting past rules decisions with which a player does not agree' is a response to the fact that we've seen the GM change her mind based on who talks 'last and loudest'. You've been rewarding the behavior (though you may not realize it), so the rats are learning to push that button over and over again. Better and more consistent rulings are the only solution (IMHO) to this issue. Plus it will help (again IMHO) if you explicitly distinguish between interim and precedent-setting rulings more than you have in the past. Plus (and this is a big 'plus'), when you make an interim ruling, set aside some time outside the game, for the players to have some input into actually discussing the rule with you and coming up with a permanent rule. Players talk to you about rules during the game because that has been the only time you seem truly receptive to allowing them to discuss the game rules with you. The only time attention is paid, notes are taken, and results achieved. Once that has happened, the rule is 'final', and players should be discouraged from bringing it up again. This should happen immediately and be scheduled in advance. For example, if an interim ruling needs to be made that some players aren't happy with, say something like "I'm going to rule it this way for now, so we can get on with the game. There is an issue here. How about if we have a rules conference at 13:00 next week to come up with a good permanent rule for this situation? Anyone who doesn't want to have an input can come for the regular game at 14:00, instead. If you want to have an input, come early. If you don't come early, then don't bitch about whatever we come up with." Of course, scheduling should be negotiated to accommodate (as fairly as possible) all those who do want to contribute to coming up with the best rule possible. That should help keep the 'rules bitching' (distinct from the 'rules lawyering') from eating up quality game time. The rules sessions should be serious, concentrated, game design sessions with every member of the team being given an opportunity to be heard. Then they should end, on schedule, so the game can start and the issues be put behind people. (You may even want to include scheduling a 'cooling off period' to separate the game from the rules discussion sessions, depending on how the dynamic works out.)
Anyway, those are some of my thoughts and suggestions for making things better.