Malag |
Hello everyone,
I wasn't sure where to set this topic, so I decided that this seems like a good spot. Here a few thoughts which have been bugging me for some time for which I simply can't find a happy ending.
The gaming space. It's simple, yet overall complicated issue. In order to play a tabletop game, whether it's Pathfinder or something else, you need some space for the players and GM. A perfect gaming space isn't hard to imagine; little outdoor noise, enough room for everyone, it's warm enough and lit well, a working toilet, and that's almost it. Fact is actually, that I have my personal space at home which is great. Great for "guests" that is. The "guests" which add a ton of dishes. "Guests" that leave the dropped hair, snacks and everything else. "Guests" that sometimes get too comfortable around your house. "Guests" that slowly but steadily ruin your furniture, table, chairs and everything else. Sigh. You see where I am going, right? Well, these are my poisonous thoughts infected by my none else, but my own mother who complains about it. Unfortunately, she is half-right. These "guests" rarely or ever offer another place to play at and this entire topic seems like a walking social minefield to ask for.
So, is there a happy ending for this? Is there some other idea that I haven't explored? What else can a guy like me, do to lessen the situation? Is there a way to think positive about this, because these poisonous thoughts have permanent frequency and pretty high DC.
Adam
Jiggy RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32 |
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Why are you socializing with the kind of people who treat your space (and by extension, you) with such disregard? Why are people like that allowed in your home?
As for the more general issue of finding a gaming space (since there are plenty of potential complications besides "my guests wreck my home"), you might be able to find a game store or coffee shop or restaurant where you could game.
For example, I was in a Mummy's Mask campaign that met in one of the "party rooms" at a local restaurant. It had space, tables/chairs, power outlets, etc; and was free to reserve as long as everybody was eating there. (Noise could be an issue, depending on the venue; where I was playing, the rooms were downstairs from the main part of the restaurant, and therefore blissfully quiet.) Coffee shops often have conference/meeting rooms you can reserve as well, and tend not to be super noisy. (I have no direct experience with this option, though.) Game store options vary wildly, from "no space, only retail" to "a bit of space but crowded and noisy" to "plenty of space with comfortable gaps between tables". There's a local game store that my wife and I frequent, and don't find the noise too disruptive. And it's completely free.
Not every "home game" has to be a game in someone's home. ;)
Malag |
@Jiggy
Jiggy, thanks for chipping in with thoughts and suggestions.
My players don't treat the space completely with disregard. They try to take care of garbage and everything, and are generally polite good mannered people. But this issue is getting more and more difficult. They did offer an unknown car garage with no toilet, heat or anything else and perhaps another unknown place which quickly became non-existent, but none of them actually bothered to prepare or organize anything. It was mostly in "yeah, there is a place over there, go check it" tone which seemed lazy and uninterested at best.
Coffee shops, restaurants, game stores all seem like a good alternatives to a degree and I did investigate some of them. The thing about those is that players like I said, became a bit too comfortable maybe. I don't know honestly. The general problem I believe is that, they dislike noise and my own house space probably seems too perfect to pass on, and they are too lazy to find something better, so I have to somehow.
The issue with gaming space isn't only my own though. A lot of people can't find a decent spot in my area, although it's a big city. I have seen more then few of those topics on fb before.
Pan |
Libraries often have rooms you can rent that provide everything you need.
As far as getting people to move game space, well you probably just need to say they have worn their welcome at your home. Not sure how to do it tactfully, but your choices are to stop gaming, change location, or suffer your guests.
EileenProphetofIstus |
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Have you tried asking them at end of the game to clean up after themselves?
My daughter's group did the same sort of thing. Our solution was to say that if they can't clean up after themselves without damaging the furniture (writing on it, putting holes in it with their pencils, etc. or they couldn't provide their own munchies and soda then they don't game here anymore.
Once she told them, that was the end of it, they vastly improved. They wanted to play enough that they chose to abide by the rules of the homeowner.
If these things don't work, I'd get new friends.
Malag |
@ Pan
For now, I will choose to suffer the guests since I don't have alternative location. I did somewhat consider renting a small place somewhere, and seems like a good idea. I guess I could check our local library for it.
@ EileenProphetofIstus
They do all that already. They aren't that bad. The problem is that after 1-2 years of playing at my home, the damage became slightly noticeable.