Wow, misleading thread title >:P
Okay, I am just wondering what rules do you give your gaming group when they step foot in your house.
Is there a secret room that no person is allowed in, are there noise restrictions, do you allow other people to plug in their electronics, i.e. notbook computers, phone chargers, lava lamps, etc.
I won't allow anything that distacts from the game. If there is food, I won't start until everyone is finished eating.
1) No smoking inside the house. If anyone wants to smoke, he or she can do it outside at mid-break in the game session.
2) Everybody brings either something to eat or something to drink for the game session. They can put it in the refrigerator if they want and take it out when they want it (only the food and drinks meant for the gaming session).
3) We provide the coffee and cookies. For the rest of the evening everybody can take glasses and trays from the cupboards for the rest of the food.
4) No one is to go upstairs while my daughter is sleeping.
5) No television and no laptops during game sessions.
6) Keep the use of mobile phones during the game session to a minimum.
No smoking in the house. Don't throw your butts on the ground if you go out to smoke, bring them in and dispose of them in the trash.
I try to keep drinks on hand, but if you don't like Dr Pepper or prefer something else you better bring it yourself.
Do not bring illegal substances into my home. Do not show up at my home under the influence of illegal substances. Yes this includes alcohol if you are under 21.
If you feel that 'adult beverages' are a needed part of gaming, that's fine, but if you get drunk or obnoxious*, you will be uninvited. *both 'drunk' and 'obnoxious' are subject to my interpretation, not yours.
Laptops are fine if being used for the game (Character management or PDF access), not for surfing the web during our game.
I know this is a weird one, but if you must chew gum, do it at the far end of the table and keep it in your mouth. (Long story, don't want to get into it, but the smell of gum turns my stomach.)
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Pretty simple on my end:
1. Don't be an idiot.
2. No smoking in the house.
3. No heavy drinking; a beer (or more typically, a glass of wine) is fine. A dozen, not so much.
4. Howard and Tom open soda bottles outside the 'D&D room' (Howard and Tom, both good friends of mine have both sprayed the table with soda of some sort in the past).
It's been a while since I had regular sit-down games - my gaming group is scattered and we play over Vent mostly now. But I think these were the rules we used most:
1. Computers are to be used for character sheets and game information -ONLY-. No browsing the internet (unless you're the DM and needing to look something up for the game, if so make it quick) and absolutely no chat rooms or instant messenger. Nearly killed one player for spending an entire session chatting with someone (which was a whole different can of worms afterwards, but I'll not go on with that here).
2. No dice rolling programs. Use real dice. If you forgot yours/don't have any, persuade another player to let you borrow some. Consult with them regarding proper purification rituals.
3. No music. The DM plays mood music to set the scene sometimes, any other music will conflict with that.
4. No turning the TV on. Even during a break. It'll take ten minutes to get everyone off it when we're ready to start again.
5. PHONES OFF. Or at least don't answer it if it's not an emergency.
6. Smoke outside. (Only ever had one player who was a smoker, and he was only with us for a couple of months.)
Now that we game on Vent, I can't really enforce any rules, but I still recommend that players still use real dice, turn off TV/internet/chat/music/anything that will make it harder to pay attention, and avoid phone use if it isn't absolutely necessary.
And of course the most important one (I forgot):
6) Don't touch my D20.
(I once diced about 3 crits in a row, and when I had to look up something in the adventure, players had hidden my dice.)
I don't think we have many rules. We play at a friend's house and the only rules is:
1. Not jump or run in the kitchen as it's right above his son's bedroom. I can't remember the situation that warranted this rule.
2. Put the toilet seat cover down, or the cat will find a way to fall into the bowl... again. Not the smartest cat.
Those are the only ones. No one smokes, and no one ever has more than two three beers, when we drink. No one has ever done drugs or interested in doing them. Oh, and there's a third rule.
3. I have two players that can't sit next to each others. Whenever they do, it's like their back to high school again and the silliness will increase by several hundred percent.
4. Oh, and if you saw something "cool" on 4chan or wherever else on the internet, please don't tell us about it. It will probably just break our sanity. This one is mostly for the same two players. While they are some of the best roleplayers in the group, and great guys, their create disturbing mental image skills are maxed out.
1. You are a guest in my home, please be respectful of my property and family. As your host I will try to make you comfortable, though I rarely will have food to serve.
2. Smoke outside.
3. Don't be a douche (see #1).
We do have a note up (with a picture of a cat with its head in the toilet) about asking people to put the toilet lid down so that the cat doesn't try to drink out of it, but we aren't going to throw anyone from the game for forgetting.
Of course we are beer and pretzler (sometimes literally) gamers, so people telling jokes, eating and drinking, showing us a clip from the web on their laptop, etc. are all welcome. The more time that is wasted, just means the less time actually playing, which means less xp. That is usually reason enough to stay mostly on task.
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I don't currently ever have people over, however I have previously.
1) Shoes off at the door.
2) Bring snacks if you want them, or be prepared to pitch in for ordering.
3) If you have them, bring your books.
4) If you don't remember your character sheet more than once, I will be holding it for future games.
5) If you don't like my music, bring your own.
My one and only house rule? The game ain't taking place at my house.
I do have some table and administrative rules when I DM, though. Mostly about organization. Mages need spell cards, shape-shifters need their shapes statted out in advance, nothing too crunchy, make sure your hands are clean before touching anything that's mine, et cetera.
I love this kind of thread.
Reading what all of you have to put up with makes me extremely thankful that I have very mature, respectful players (and friends). You all are saints, AFAIC.
1)Help clean up the trash at the end of the session
2)For every link you cut, you get 1 xp.
Ok so I've never done the latter, but it is tempting to turn my group into a chainmail factory.
Sadly, we've had to establish a "house" rule of "bathe."
Thankfully, it wasn't any friend of mine, but a friend of another (a semi-regular who's a friend).
Simply horrible. Left a lingering smell that required a complete air-out and Febreeze. We tried to be polite/discrete about it, by having the friend mention to him that he really needs to shower, and buy some new, clean clothes. Guy didn't take it too well, apparently.
No big loss (other than the big loss of stench).
Since that time, we implemented said "bathe" rule. If anyone ever wants to bring a new player in, they first need to ask themselves "does this person bathe and wash their clothing regularly?".
If the answer is yes, bring them along. If the answer is anything other than a resounding yes, that person is unwelcome.
- Don't be an ass (which incorporates the following ideas)
- Respect my house (No smoking, shoes off at the door, No drunkenness or use of illegal substances, Don't touch any of the weapons without my approval, use your inside voice, etc)
- When the game is in session no distractions (no music, no phones, no texting, no online browsing, no comic book reading, etc)
- Eat with your mouth closed
- If eating from food ordered in pitch in on the bill
- No racist, sexiest or distasteful comments or jokes
- Bedroom's off limits
one rule; if you bring food and drinks for a party type atmosphere I like for my games; you wont die as a rule; I promise. There is also always a mystery drink of the day; if you bring it; you get a exp prize. <gm encourages variety>
After the game starts; if you say it; your character said it; unless you put your hand on your head so we know your not talking in character.
Be fairly clean; and if my kids come in for a few to say goodnight; watch your language for a few moments.
I will listen to you side; ask how the players feel about it; but after I make a ruling; that is the end of it. If it doesnt work we can always make another adjustment.
clean up your trash; I really dont like having to clean up after everyone and take all the food and drink wrappers out to the trash when players walk right by it on thier way out.
Dont attack players or the gm for what a character or npc does; its a game; deal with the game in game.
Keep outside arguement between egos and people outside the game.
I have to say; most of my players have been really good over the years and very few problems; only like one or two.
Generally; be respectful and be polite
I have to admit I have a great group who never cause many problems. It probably helps that four of us are related by blood or marriage and the fifth person is a long-time friend to all. Plus three of the five are women. We usually split the cost of food, and while the game is always held at our house (as we're the only parents in the group, it's just easier that way) everyone helps clean up afterward, except putting the dirty dishes in the dishwasher.
About the only house rule is to sit my wife and her sister next to each other on the couch most of the time as it provides endless enjoyment to me and my sister-in-law's near-husband when they inevitably tickle each other, etc. ;)
Oh; I have a house rule about rolling dice, sadly required over time, I dont care who; but somebody has to watch your dice roll; ie that you actually rolled the die and whatnot. Had one guys who would roll about 10 times (warm ups) then take a roll; sheesh, and all kinds of shinanegans; I wouldnt say it was cheating or anything; just difficult to follow; so now when I count down initiative; when I call out your number; the pc rolls; other pc's are expected to watch and monitor shinanigans as i am usually checking my stuff and answering notes and doing my mobs.
Mr. Fishy's home rule is leave your feelings at the door. Mr. Fishy is a fish hole.
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1.) Take your shoes off in the front foyer.
2.) If you have to smoke, wait for a break in the action and go out on the deck.
3.) Don't spill anything on the carpet or furniture (or face the wrath of wife)
4.) No yelling, cheering, or shouting once the kids are upstairs and in bed.
5.) Keep discussion of non-game related topics to a minimum, except during breaks.
Reading what all of you have to put up with makes me extremely thankful that I have very mature, respectful players (and friends).
I have to say I am rather shocked myself. I have played with some people who were more acquaintances than friends. Yet, I have never needed to implement any of these rules.
I guess all the bad luck of trying to keep a group together means I have great luck finding mature, well-adjusted players.