My group of players keeps inviting other friends and neighbours to come check out our game. So far everyone who has checked it out has gotten hooked. I just heard from one of our newest players that he would like to have his girlfriend come sit in on our game tomorrow night.
This has got me thinking of scenarios that would cause this potential player to balk at sticking around and rolling dice in the weeks to come. Here are some of the possible pitfalls that I see...
1. Our only female player had to stop coming due to some personal reasons. Meaning it is just a bunch of 20-30 year old guys sitting in my basement. My good wife has tried lighting scented candles to try to off-set some of the "guy aura" but that seems to work best once everyone has gone home. When we had a woman player, the single guys had marginally better hygene. Now I worry that this girlfriend my fail a fortitude save only a few minutes past the time the last potato chip disappears and collapse on the floor.
2. We have a great group of players, but one in particular is somewhat of a sensitive soul. He can get a little excitable. His buddies manage his sensitivity fairly well, and I don't allow swearing in my home (I have young kids, so it just isn't cool), but I worry that he will take something the wrong way and have a fit. I know we are grown men playing a game in my basement with little metal figures and all of that, but still, what will a newcomer think when she sees the twenty-something shedding a tear over a low dice roll?
3. The rules-lawyer has been fairly muted since we switched from 4e over to Pathfinder where the DM (yup me) is much more at ease. Still, the thought of a discussion about exactly how bonuses stack, or don't, or some vague reference to what some feat in some book may have said about what so and so wants to do, or the physics of a fireball in a small room, or just what consistutes cover given the size of the monster and their triangulation with the horizon, or any such minutiae will put our newcomer to sleep. She leaves without having seen a fast-paced, exciting game because the lawyer just loves intricate rule discussions. Of course as DM, I reserve the right of summary judgement after brief discussion, but I also don't want a new player to think, "so the DM is the meglomaniac at the end of the table right?"
4. We don't play with teenagers or little kids. I don't allow swearing in my home as it keeps us much more civil (and the wife happy), but we still deal with mature themes in the game. Sometimes a few at the table can get a little carried away, such as the PC who is being played with a touch of insanity and has started taking trophies off of enemies that he defeats. Or the evil empire that is trying to usurp the local authority by abducting citizens and turing them into horrific flesh golems that are then unleased against the general public. You get the idea. This isn't D&D the Disney cartoon.
Well you can see that although I am excited to have someone sit-in on the game, I am a little concerned that they may be turned off of the whole tabletop RPG after a few hours with our eclectic bunch.
Does anyone out there have any horror stories from when someone sat-in on their game to see if they would like to play? Could be good for a laugh if nothing else. Plus you could maybe help a DM avoid some similar pitfalls tomorrow!
Man caves are called man caves for a reason. Any chance of a change of venue for the guest. Perhaps a room with sunshine and adequate ventilation?
I am thinking that for a first game that might work in the favor of adding a new gamer.
As far as Mr. sensitive goes, maybe she will have empathy for him and his cursed dice...
I have added new players before and highly suggest a low-level non-complicated (training-wheels) game that includes the new guest, see D&D Wiki, campaign worlds, sewer rats.
This gets everyone on the same page and most mid, high level players like to have an ocassional dirty dungeon crawl.
No chance of change of venue (huge, customized game table that would be a pig to move and other players live in small apartments). She will not be playing at first, just watching (her idea), so I don't think that I will run a low-level dungeon crawl at this point. Great idea to have a new player get used to the system though.
I remember when I was first introduced to D&D back in university. I was invited to sit in on a game being run by some engineers. I remember that halfway through the game session, the most socially stunted player started grunting and knocking the table with his pelvis when he got a little too excited about role-playing his low-charisma character. I was scarred for life as was everyone else at the table. Still, I thought that the game was fun, and I have been playing it since.
Depending on the person, I would try to set up a session that is a little more on the RP side. Less critical life or death dice rolls, more player and NPC interaction. Maybe the group needs to do some talking to find out where the dungeon is, and make the actual dungeon a fairly simple affair with a couple of traps and 1 or 2 fights.
This avoids the tears shed over bad die rolls, and cuts down on the intricate rules discussions.
Charender has it right. Your current players may be experts but from an outside point of view the rules can be a bit daunting. Make the game more about the story and a few light battles that can show how "powerful" PC's can be. As far as the smell....Let the others know that there is to be a Lady(not girl not chick a Lady which deserves their respect) at the table and come expecting guests. If their slow on the uptake but not easly offended you could outright tell them to shower prior to gamming. Once had a player with BO and we were kind when we told him but we did let him know he needed a bath.
Depending on the person, I would try to set up a session that is a little more on the RP side. Less critical life or death dice rolls, more player and NPC interaction. Maybe the group needs to do some talking to find out where the dungeon is, and make the actual dungeon a fairly simple affair with a couple of traps and 1 or 2 fights.
This avoids the tears shed over bad die rolls, and cuts down on the intricate rules discussions.
That reminds me of when I got dropped into an existing campaign as a brand new player. I got saddled with, wait for it... an 11th level spellcaster(not my choice mind you). I never had played the game before and this was a 3e game. I had no idea what was going on for the first two months. Good combat narrative from the DM kept me interested. I will not be repeating that particular experience with any of the new players that we have.
The game tomorrow will start with an interrogation of a captured assassin. Should have lots of role-play with most rolling behind the screen. I was curious if anyone has had any intro-to-the-game horror stories.
Charender has it right. Your current players may be experts but from an outside point of view the rules can be a bit daunting. Make the game more about the story and a few light battles that can show how "powerful" PC's can be. As far as the smell....Let the others know that there is to be a Lady(not girl not chick a Lady which deserves their respect) at the table and come expecting guests. If their slow on the uptake but not easly offended you could outright tell them to shower prior to gamming. Once had a player with BO and we were kind when we told him but we did let him know he needed a bath.
I think I have narrowed down who the biggest odour emitter is. I will speak with them privately and politely. The BO isn't the key issue. It is breaking wind on wooden chairs without any padding that worries me more. No amount of grooming can prevent the outgassing of a bunch of guys downing Pepsi and junk food.
Mine is what caused me to pick up the shield for the first time. I was 13 and our GM was 32. He had the player VS GM style of play and I think he got kicks out of killing our PCs. At his first game I wanted to play a Thief (ADND) and was trying to steal apples from a vender to feed the party. I rolled a 19 and the vender (He said following the slaughter of my thief that the vender was a retired fighter) beat my roll. If this was a one time problem than I could have handled it but it seemed that we never made it past 3rd lv due to the number of PC deaths and the constant nat 20s that he seemed to roll behind the shield. He was a mean GM that eventually had no players for his game. (They had all moved to my game. HA HA)
Mine is what caused me to pick up the shield for the first time. I was 13 and our GM was 32. He had the player VS GM style of play and I think he got kicks out of killing our PCs. At his first game I wanted to play a Thief (ADND) and was trying to steal apples from a vender to feed the party. I rolled a 19 and the vender (He said following the slaughter of my thief that the vender was a retired fighter) beat my roll. If this was a one time problem than I could have handled it but it seemed that we never made it past 3rd lv due to the number of PC deaths and the constant nat 20s that he seemed to roll behind the shield. He was a mean GM that eventually had no players for his game. (They had all moved to my game. HA HA)
That's awesome! The evil GM, "I like this game because I can beat all of you all the time." Amazing that you stuck with the game.
Charender has it right. Your current players may be experts but from an outside point of view the rules can be a bit daunting. Make the game more about the story and a few light battles that can show how "powerful" PC's can be. As far as the smell....Let the others know that there is to be a Lady(not girl not chick a Lady which deserves their respect) at the table and come expecting guests. If their slow on the uptake but not easly offended you could outright tell them to shower prior to gamming. Once had a player with BO and we were kind when we told him but we did let him know he needed a bath.I think I have narrowed down who the biggest odour emitter is. I will speak with them privately and politely. The BO isn't the key issue. It is breaking wind on wooden chairs without any padding that worries me more. No amount of grooming can prevent the outgassing of a bunch of guys downing Pepsi and junk food.
Yah on the gas effect but there are ways of passing the gas without being nasty about it. One of my best friends had the worst gas and he would take it in the bathroom or outside.
Mine is what caused me to pick up the shield for the first time. I was 13 and our GM was 32. He had the player VS GM style of play and I think he got kicks out of killing our PCs. At his first game I wanted to play a Thief (ADND) and was trying to steal apples from a vender to feed the party. I rolled a 19 and the vender (He said following the slaughter of my thief that the vender was a retired fighter) beat my roll. If this was a one time problem than I could have handled it but it seemed that we never made it past 3rd lv due to the number of PC deaths and the constant nat 20s that he seemed to roll behind the shield. He was a mean GM that eventually had no players for his game. (They had all moved to my game. HA HA)That's awesome! The evil GM, "I like this game because I can beat all of you all the time." Amazing that you stuck with the game.
Not for long I saw a better way to play and so I went for it. Death is part of the game but not for the amusement of some jerk.
UPDATE:
So the girlfriend of an existing player came and sat in on what turned out to be her first look at a table-top RPG. She had played online games and enjoyed them, so the concept was not completely foreign.
At any rate, the game went very well and she informed me today that she would like to keep coming out. Another player hooked. Everyone was well behaved, with no major faux pas.
My primary concern of her not getting a good idea of what the game is all about, was not an issue. The session was typical in most respects, with some very unexpected plot twists to keep everyone on their toes. Thanks to everyone who posted their thoughts.
I also think that the original player is quite happy to have his significant other along for the fun. No big surprise there.
I'll go ahead and offer up a story that might not be exactly what you are talking about but has to do with the first time I sat in as a player in a game.
The game was actually at Gencon but the other 5 people in the game were all part of the GM's home game. I was the only "outsider". The GM was late to the game and the players spent 10 minutes telling me how great the GM was, etc.... The guy comes in and sits down and starts spouting off basically about how all the games he has played in so far suck and none hold a candle to his GM'ing skillz!!! Talks about how all the other Gm's seem to be such slow thinkers and cannot adapt to any situation like he can. He actually says "I am shocked how much better I am at running games than anyone I have seen so far". I take an instant dislike to him.
It was a Champions (super hero) game. We were mutants in an alternate future reality that had been imprisoned and tortured for 10+ years just because we were mutants. We escaped with the help of some underground group. The group tells us we have all been poisoned and the only chance we have to survive is some cure in a guarded government lab.
I asked several questions to clarify the RP situation. Yes, we have been tortured for 10 years. Yes, the government had killed my parent. Yes, the government had killed my sister. Yes, the only thing in the world I cared about was revenge. Did I mention my character was a superhero capable of picking up a Destroyer and throwing it =)
Anyway, we go to the lab. Lots of guards. Looks impossible to get in the front door. The GM, for some reason, points out the nearby government "indoctrination" school.
The other characters start talking about disguises, stealth, security systems, etc....
Here is how the conversation between the GM and I goes....
Me: Indoctrination school huh? So, the kids are already helplessly brainwashed government drones?
GM: Yup, basically
Me: the government is responsible for (all the things listed above) right?
GM: Yup
Me: Only thing I care about is getting this cure and getting revenge right?
GM: yup
Me: OK, is there a school bus on the road?
Gm: Yup. A school bus full of kids driving by right now.
Me: OK... I pick up the school bus full of government drones and throw it through the front of the building as hard as I can. If possible, I want to puncture the gas tank first so we can be sure it will explode when it hits.
Gm: (makes some sort of mild choking sound as he stares at me in horror)
Me: Do I need a to hill roll or just hit the hex?
Gm: YOU CAN'T DO THAT!! YOU ARE A HERO. HEROs WOULD NOT DO THAT.
Me : You told me I was tortured, my family was killed and the only thing that mattered was revenge and getting the cure. I am just killing 2 birds with one stone. Eliminated potential government drone and opening the front door.
Gm: No, I won't allow that. I am going to ask you to leave my game.
Me: Why? I figured a GM of your stature should be able to adapt to something like this pretty easily. I mean, you are far more mentally nimble than any other GM here. I should be honored to play in your game. Will you autograph this character sheet?
Other player: I try and stop him!!
Me: I angle the bus so it also hits (other players) he is clearly a government drone.
Gm: Get the hell out of my game. Leave now.
Me: No, I paid $3 to play this game. I am not leaving unless you reimburse me.
GM: Fine... and he handed me a $5 dollar bill.
So, I took the money and left. I had had my fun =)
I love Gencon.
Glad to here it went well. Yah a new convert :)
...great story...
Thanks for sharing that. The hubris of that GM is shocking. It sounds like most of the "indoctrination" in that game happened to the poor players that chose to endure such arrogance week after week.
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Lots of stuff
So the GM had a big ego... he was still obviously setting up a cool infiltration scenario so that you could all enjoy some RP and you just tore up the whole thing because his premise wasn't watertight.
Maybe someone can be an egomaniac and a decent GM. Maybe you should have gone with the scenario and found out?
Maybe... but I've been doing this long enough to know almost certainly not.
I did not want to make the story longer but it did take well over and hour to get to that point. By the point it was pretty clear how the game was going to go.
I don't make it a point of ruining people games, but if you are going to drive the lane you need to be able to finish.