Don't forget the golden rule of gaming: Make sure you shower before coming to the gaming session, or "thou shalt not put the gamey in gamer!"
The thing is for me...that is just Ettiquette. It should not be a gamer thing...it should be a human thing.
No Cheeto fingers on other peoples' books.
Especially considering the price and out-of-printedness on many of them these days.
+1
My friend calls Cheetos book bane.
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Don't forget the golden rule of gaming: Make sure you shower before coming to the gaming session, or "thou shalt not put the gamey in gamer!"
+1
Also no drinks on the table with books.
Spills happen
Those aren't $40 drink coasters
P.s. I always play in pajama's. I don't care where I am. Just thought I'd throw that out there.
No Cheeto fingers on other peoples' books.
Especially considering the price and out-of-printedness on many of them these days.
You stop this by cutting of the offender's fingers. No court in the world will conict you...just plea temp insanity.
Though we should start a movement to get this pass as a law.
no grabbing other players dice or books with out permission first.
(This one annoys me to no end).
There is a definitive line between giving helpful advice and telling another player how to play their character. Do not cross this line.
Do not lie about die rolls or game rules (applicable to players and GMs). Both are easy to discover and both just piss off everyone at the table.
Come to play the game, don’t use your labtop to play video games or take naps, in between your turns in combat.
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Don't forget the golden rule of gaming: Make sure you shower before coming to the gaming session, or "thou shalt not put the gamey in gamer!"
+ infinity
We had a magic player who wanted to play with us. I don't know is it like this everywhere, but magic players in my country STINK. Worse than animals. It is a disgusting bouquet. He came twice smelling like something being dead in a dumpster full of rotting meat. We asked him to bathe and he stopped comming. I heard from another friend that nobody has ever insulted him like that. I wonder how does his mother stand him.
Come to play the game, don’t use your laptop to play video games or take naps, in between your turns in combat.
Oh yes. I have a friend who is really guilty of this. He'll even look up videos on youtube while we play. He's reasoning is well, nobody else roleplays good, why should i bother. We are not calling him back that's for sure.
Don't make work other players put in their characters and the game seem lesser than you "immaculate effort to work with us mortals"
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Dont be a mooch.
If you cant bring something to a game for a snack or some cold drinks
dont expect everyone else to supply you at every game night.
If you never bring money and the group orders pizza and wings, dont expect someone to pay your share all the time.
Plan ahead and save up a few bucks, even 3 or 4 is better then nothing all the time.
Yes, I do understand once in a while everyone forgets, I refer to the guy or gal who "forgets" everytime. everything from books, character sheets, to money, wallet, etc, always has a lame excuse.
Anyone else got a player like this?
The thing is for me...that is just Ettiquette. It should not be a gamer thing...it should be a human thing.
This.
Behave like a human.
Starting to get the image in my head of the "worst gamer ever" that hits all these bad points. *shudder*
Don't make other players uncomfortable to be there.
Along those lines, don't make unwanted passes at other players.
Hell, actually just this: DON'T BE CREEPY.
+1
Although conversely don't be oversensitive either. Relax.
I gotta say, as much as I agree with a couple of the sentiments presented here, I also would point out that; You should feel very LUCKY that there are people in your area to game with at all. Whenever I think about the annoying quirks of my fellow gamers in the area, I just remember that I could not be gaming at all!
If I'm gaming with a group that all makes 100k a year, whereas I make say 10k, I don't think it's out of this world to expect a couple of slices of pizza thrown my way.
Most of what I've read so far is basic humanity, i.e. not touching books with cheeto fingers, or using youtube during sessions, but some of what i've read seems like personal preference taking over what you think everyone else ought to be doing. Game day does not mean "no communication with the outside world".
Making a pass at another player is one thing, but sometimes, especially amongst gamers, people are unintentionally creepy, try to be sensitive to their intentions as well as your boundries.
I know it sucks being near the book grabby player, or the texting player, and certainly the stinky player, but try to remember we all have faults, everyone has a day when as much as they want to be at game and have fun, maybe their mind is wandering about something they don't feel comfortable sharing. Maybe the stinking guy has a glandular problem I don't know! Lines of any kind can be easy to cross, rather than lay out a highly specific set of etiquette with rules, imho it's better to lay out basic etiquette; Don't lie. Don't cheat. Don't be a douche.
All said and done, we all game for alot of reasons but when we are at a session we expect to be comfortable/secure/safe/etc, while there are a few universal expectations that most people have, it is also important to understand that some people define comfort/security/safety/etc differently than others :)
You make a very good point cranewings, I just know that when I pull my 94' dentmobile into the driveway with everyone else's new cars, and the DM's baby's toy cell phone is triple the cost of mine I start to feel like maybe I don't owe anyone for pizza, I would note that even feeling this way I try to bring money as often as possible, I still know that they worked hard for what they have and that's important to remember as well! cranewing:
"If they don't have money for pizza now, that just means they spent it all earlier on crap they didn't need and are trying to make it up now." I loved this line!
It's VERY true. Unfortunately for me the crap I spent the money on earlier, was gas to get to game, lol! :P
I agree with some of this, and disagree with some of it, honestly.
I agree with the stinky and the mooching - I get some McDonalds within walking distance before we start. As one of the few full-time workers in the group, I try not to.
However, I get calls from my g/f and she also texts me occasionally while we play, and it doesn't really disturb the group. I put my phone on silent when we start, and so I notice it but most others don't. I don't put the game on hold while I talk - I walk off into another room and let everyone continue. If it's combat, I pay enough attention so that when my turn comes I can swoop in and do my turn double-quick.
GMs can lie about dice rolls. Honestly, I fudge when I DM from time to time, both to make things interesting (if I'm rolling horribly for a fight I expected to be difficult, for example), and when a player would die when he really shouldn't (did everything right, and I just happen to roll a critical with that Scythe that was EXACTLY his HP - nah, just down to -7). I roll behind a screen for this very purpose.
Players should never lie about die rolls, though.
Honestly, yeah, if everybody is reasonable (sometimes that's a lot to ask of people), there should be no problem.
Couple I've run into over the years.
Don't talk while the GM is talking, or the other players are describing their next action(s).
Bring something to the game, even if it's just a few bottles of cool-drink or a couple of bags of smarties/jelly beans/potato chips. Nobody is asking for Caviar-topped crayfish big enough to have threatened small children and pets with dismemberment in life.
Keep a record of who is buying what, so people know it's their turn to provide dinner. That said, as has been mentioned, some of us don't earn lots of money and therefore it might not be possibly for them to order 8 super-sized pizzas. In these cases, eat a light meal before you turn up and tell them you're bringing something on the quiet to help make up the difference. Support your friends, because they are your friends, g@+$!#it!
Never touch another Player's dice without asking.
Please lock all pets out of the gaming area when hosting a game. Yes I know you love them and yes they are cute, but when they jump onto the table (and this was a doberman, btw) and scatter every single damn thing on the surface the group gets very distracted.
This also applies to small children.
Nobody minds lending you their manuals, but please eventually buy your own. If you can't, expect the basic ones for your birthday from the group (if friendly).
Don't go out of your way to make your distaste for a Player's race/gender/class/agenda choice obvious. People have fun playing what appeals to them, it's up to you to make sure it remains fun for both them and the group. Group Contrast is fun, Group Conflict is often less so.
The thing is for me...that is just Ettiquette. It should not be a gamer thing...it should be a human thing.This.
Behave like a human.
The problem is, most humans (gamers and non-gamers alike) need to do these things. What needs to be done is behave better then the average human.
"Common decency" is not as common as it's made out to be...
If I'm gaming with a group that all makes 100k a year, whereas I make say 10k, I don't think it's out of this world to expect a couple of slices of pizza thrown my way.
Yeah, that actually is a problem. It is not your fellow gamers responsibility to feed you. Pack a sandwich, accept a gift if offered, but don't dare come to my table and feel you deserve to eat on my dime.
Don't make other players uncomfortable to be there.
Along those lines, don't make unwanted passes at other players.
Hell, actually just this: DON'T BE CREEPY.
The problem with this statement is that the creepy gamers don't understand that they are being creepy, and the uncreepy gamers don't need to be told.
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I agree with some of this, and disagree with some of it, honestly.
I agree with the stinky and the mooching - I get some McDonalds within walking distance before we start. As one of the few full-time workers in the group, I try not to.
However, I get calls from my g/f and she also texts me occasionally while we play, and it doesn't really disturb the group. I put my phone on silent when we start, and so I notice it but most others don't. I don't put the game on hold while I talk - I walk off into another room and let everyone continue. If it's combat, I pay enough attention so that when my turn comes I can swoop in and do my turn double-quick.
GMs can lie about dice rolls. Honestly, I fudge when I DM from time to time, both to make things interesting (if I'm rolling horribly for a fight I expected to be difficult, for example), and when a player would die when he really shouldn't (did everything right, and I just happen to roll a critical with that Scythe that was EXACTLY his HP - nah, just down to -7). I roll behind a screen for this very purpose.
Players should never lie about die rolls, though.
Honestly, yeah, if everybody is reasonable (sometimes that's a lot to ask of people), there should be no problem.
My tabletop group was RUINED by a player who received texts from his wife every 10 minutes or so. Then the Einstein had to share the jokes that she was sending him with the rest of the group. I tried to give him not so subtle hints that he was distracting the group, but he refused to take the hint. Finally, I told him that I would have to have him ask his wife to stop texting him unless it was an emergency.
He stopped answering my group emails or responding to calls when I would call him. He had also had a real problem with attendance (he only made about 30% of the games and when he was there, the phone was constantly ringing). Finally, I sent him an email a couple of months later that I was booting him from the group and he responded with a sarcastic email that I was too serious about the game and that he had quit the game weeks earlier (even though he didn't have the balls to TELL me that he had quit the group; another gripe).
Needless to say, we were down to two players at that point, so the group is on permanent hiatus until I can find some other players (which isn't easy in Arkansas). Thank heavens I have two VTT groups and one other VTT game that I play in.
So yeah, I have a REAL problem with texting at the table.
I left a game due to laptop usage. 2 people would sit there on 4Chan when it was not their turn and just distract everyone (Including the blasted DM!) with things they found. In fact, out of the 7 of us 3 of us had issue with it, but were ignored by the other 4 (prolly helped that the DM was enjoying it)
I got sick of it and left. Those 2 pretty much acted like "if its not my turn I dont farking care".
Mooching I have issue with if it keeps happening. I mean, I have had to mooch on occasion (due to lack of money) but I usually try to make up for it by springing for dinner on my own and such. But if you just keep mooching and never give back that is an issue.
Smell. God I hate smelly people. Its why I avoid Magic the Gathering tournaments now. Take a bath god!
But my biggest peeve is not being respectful during other peoples turns (via cell phone usage, laptop usage, talking, ect)
The thing is for me...that is just Ettiquette. It should not be a gamer thing...it should be a human thing.This.
Behave like a human.
Behave like the Ideal of a civilized human. Because, behaving like a lot of humans seems to be what this thread is complaining about.
no grabbing other players dice or books with out permission first.
(This one annoys me to no end).
+1
This applies doubly to books. I've spent tons of money so that my group can enjoy having lots or resources to use. However sometimes people act like they're entitled to use my supplies and never buy their own. It hasn't been until the last year that many bothered to even get a player's handbook after I insisted they needed one. 1 PHB for 6 people is not good.
Please lock all pets out of the gaming area when hosting a game. Yes I know you love them and yes they are cute, but when they jump onto the table (and this was a doberman, btw) and scatter every single damn thing on the surface the group gets very distracted.
I'm unfortunately guilty of this one, but with good reason. I have a 14 year old cat that if I don't let her into the gaming area will sit 'screaming' outside the door... yes I mean screaming. This cat's lung power is crazy. She typically sleeps inside the room or is only occasionally annoying. So pretty much a lose-lose.
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I tend to be a little picky about who I game with. As long as they follow the items listed above, you are fine. Otherwise, if there are enough gamers in your area, be clear that you will give them the boot in favor of another player. I have done this a few times and have never regretted it.
My suggestions: Cover the house rules with everyone prior to the game. These may include game rules, but should also include how the group will behave. Ask for everyone's input. Put it on paper and hang it up in the game room.
Technology will continue to be a distraction so just be clear about your expectations.
The "human" stuff is good, but some people will have to be reminded in private as well.
I chuck in penalties to EP for some items - arrive late, being a jackass, distracting others at the table. On my session tracking sheet I will note a "minus" mark for each infraction and a "Plus" sign for each awesome roleplay item or cool thing they do. At the end of the day, the difference between who get the most and who gets the least usually depends on these marks. They know I do it and when I get annoyed and start writing on the tracking sheet, they usually stop it. Likewise, when something cool happens, I make sure they know that I am marking that too.
Overall, I have been lucky enough to have some awesome gaming buddies over the past few years at home and I enjoy the folks at the gameshop when I play PFS. So all is good at the moment.
My group games via skype. Sometimes, one of the guys is typing on his laptop and I want to send my fist through the net and punch him in the neck! I don't like gamers being late, not having thier books or characters with them, ot typing! Just wanted to get that out as I GM half of the time...
By the way, Skype is a great way to game if your buddies are out of state...
I left a game due to laptop usage. 2 people would sit there on 4Chan when it was not their turn and just distract everyone (Including the blasted DM!) with things they found. In fact, out of the 7 of us 3 of us had issue with it, but were ignored by the other 4 (prolly helped that the DM was enjoying it)
I got sick of it and left. Those 2 pretty much acted like "if its not my turn I dont farking care".
Which brings up another point of good gaming etiquette: Pay attention to what happens during the game, especially in combat.
Distractions happen, but gaming is a group effort. If you don't know what's going on with the other PCs, when your turn comes around you'll either be doing one of two things: 1) Taking an action that won't help as much as it could, or 2) Wasting the group's time catching up on what happened during the rest of the combat round asking questions like: "How many opponents are left?" "What's this funny shaded area on the map again?" and "How high is the ceiling in this place? Can I fly in here?"
I left a game due to laptop usage. 2 people would sit there on 4Chan when it was not their turn and just distract everyone (Including the blasted DM!) with things they found. In fact, out of the 7 of us 3 of us had issue with it, but were ignored by the other 4 (prolly helped that the DM was enjoying it)
I got sick of it and left. Those 2 pretty much acted like "if its not my turn I dont farking care".
Which brings up another point of good gaming etiquette: Pay attention to what happens during the game, especially in combat.
Distractions happen, but gaming is a group effort. If you don't know what's going on with the other PCs, when your turn comes around you'll either be doing one of two things: 1) Taking an action that won't help as much as it could, or 2) Wasting the group's time catching up on what happened during the rest of the combat round asking questions like: "How many opponents are left?" "What's this funny shaded area on the map again?" and "How high is the ceiling in this place? Can I fly in here?"
These are a couple of house rules that my comic book shop has.
1. Arrive on time (makes it easier for your DMs)
2) No stinky gamers
3) Be considerate (I define considerate very broadly)
Imagine you're going to hear a talk by a great writer in a nice restaurant. Imagine that there may also be future employers present who love gamers. Imagine also that your mom is watching.
I believe the last one was stolen from the local D&D meetup group
My tabletop group was RUINED by a player who received texts from his wife every 10 minutes or so. Then the Einstein had to share the jokes that she was sending him with the rest of the group. I tried to give him not so subtle hints that he was distracting the group, but he refused to take the hint. Finally, I told him that I would have to have him ask his wife to stop texting him unless it was an emergency.
A prime example of someone who was NOT considerate in his phone usage at the table. Like I said, as long as someone is reasonable with it (I think I am, as no-one has said anything), then it really shouldn't be an issue, and I think turning off phones completely is a bit ridiculous - sometimes I'm on call at work, and need to know if I have to go in; that's a bit of a special case, but it still applies. Life does not stop because D&D happens.
I spend no more than 10 minutes on the phone at any given session, excuse myself from the table while I do it, and keep my phone on silent. Me and whoever texts me at the time (almost always my g/f) are both reasonable about it - she knows I'm doing D&D, so she keeps it under control. We're both reasonable, down to earth people, and we keep it under control. I don't think a little phone time is troublesome, honestly.
But that is a bad experience, and I can see how it would burn you.
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Using a phone, unless it's an emergency is rude and inconsiderate. I do not demand that my players turn them off, after all, god forbid an emergency might occur, but i frown upon them using their phones for anything else, and they know it.
- NO ALCOHOL PRIOR TO OR DURING SESSIONS
I had to throw out several drunk players, and once had to call the cops on one of them becuase he started smashing things when we told him to leave. So definetly no alcohol. Ever.
-NO NARCOTICS PRIOR TO OR DURING SESSIONS
Ever tried to play with a stoned player? Not fun. In the least bit.
No kids unless completely necessary (i generaly dislike children because i still haven't got any of my own) because they have a penchant of being annoyingly loud.
As for pets thing, i don't mind pets, plus their owners keep them in line. There was once a ferret and it jumped on the table, crossed it without disturbing a single miniature..i was impressed. From that day on we started calling acrobatics jayobatics, the ferret is called jay.
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If I'm gaming with a group that all makes 100k a year, whereas I make say 10k, I don't think it's out of this world to expect a couple of slices of pizza thrown my way.Yeah, that actually is a problem. It is not your fellow gamers responsibility to feed you. Pack a sandwich, accept a gift if offered, but don't dare come to my table and feel you deserve to eat on my dime.
This. It's one thing if you dont have the money with you and are willing to pay back, and Im sorry you live on less than your group, but even suggesting that you expect the other people in your group to pay for you just cause they make more than you is pretty dang rude.
MtG players everywhere stink. I think its a rule for their tournies or something.
The dice thing Im pretty lenient on, as long as I know you are using them. If I look over and they are missing, then we might have a problem. Everyone has times when they need that extra die cause they just rolled a crit and dont have enough with them to roll them all at once.
Books Im pretty good about loaning out in my homegame anyway, but I only have close friends in my homegame. We do Society play as well, and Im less eager to share my book with the people I dont know outside the game table.
I allow texting, laptops, etc at my table (at home, not during Society) as long as its not distracting to the other players, aside from the one who's doing it, and provided they can still contribute to the game.
Drinks kept away from my books. If you want to spill them on your own books, thats your concern.
Cheetos ought to be banned from gaming tables altogether, lol.
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This. It's one thing if you dont have the money with you and are willing to pay back, and Im sorry you live on less than your group, but even suggesting that you expect the other people in your group to pay for you just cause they make more than you is pretty dang rude.If I'm gaming with a group that all makes 100k a year, whereas I make say 10k, I don't think it's out of this world to expect a couple of slices of pizza thrown my way.Yeah, that actually is a problem. It is not your fellow gamers responsibility to feed you. Pack a sandwich, accept a gift if offered, but don't dare come to my table and feel you deserve to eat on my dime.
I often provide food when I'm hosting, but if I feel like it's expected I have to, then I start getting resentful and don't want to do anything for the group - including host!
Now for the DMs out there with players that regularly do any of the things in this thread, just beware of players that may be behaving in this way in an attempt to sabotage your group. I would just adopt a one strike rule and leave it at that. I know it's tough to find players but if a player is behaving as poorly as some of the stuff I read here he won't be playing long anyway. Better to cut your losses.
I would like to add that you should bring up to the player as soon as possible that the behavior is annoying and unacceptable. I myself and others in some groups I have been in have been annoyed by a behavior, but haven't really said anything, either through an attempt to be tolerant or even a lack of understanding that we're getting annoyed - until the problem becomes so big that someone loses it over the unacceptable behavior.
By and large, in my experience, the perpetrator has been either unaware of the annoyance they are causing, or passive agressive about it. Usually there is an instant defensive response - this is natural, and really shoudln't be a second strike against the player if the defensiveness doesn't get out of hand.
Everyone has their own threshold of how many strikes they will allow an offender, but bringing the problem up early seems to have the best results for general tranquility in the group - even if everyone can't get along and someone ends up leaving, in general the group can feel that a good faith effort was made and the general peace is kept.
I am one of the people mentioned earlier in this thread. By that I mean I am on a fixed income and have too much time on my hands for my own good. I have 6 subscriptions with Paizo and have consistently ordered more additional product than is good for me. Because of that I don't always have money to contribute to the snacks eaten at the games. However, Crashthulhu and Jess are kind enough to not have said anything against me so far. I appreciate them offering to feed the group and try to thank them after every game and meal. If I begin to feel self-conscious about my not contributing I'll eat before I leave my apartment. I agree with the seeming consensus of not "expecting" to be fed. If that is your reason for gaming, perhaps you need to find another hobby. I know that wasn't mentioned, this is just my opinion.
Just my 2 cp.
My thoughts on the whole food issue.
In my groups...we tend to be very generous to each other. We been together for more than 10 years. We all have gone though some trouble spots( some of us more than others.) So if karlbadmanners were in our group he would be covered most of the time(we generaly as a group are closer to his income than 100k so sometimes we just don't have the money)...but personaly if I have been going though a tough spot for a couple of months I make it a point to buy dinner for the group atleast once. But we have been together for a long time so...it all probably evens out in the end.
One of my GMs also makes dinner if he as the day off. He does not make people pay...but we as a group usualy kick in 5 dollars each for the food and stuff.
We have had a person in the group take advantage of the general groups' genoristy...that person no longer plays with us anymore.
I have a problem with expectations. Anytime someone expects something out of me, without telling me, I get rather rude. Never expect me to pay for your food and I'll do my best to pay back any charity give when I'm short of cash. I show up as soon as I can, this is a game, something I do for fun. I'll gladly leave rather than be "on time" every time, real life just doesn't work that way.
Asking for people to be considerate is fine. Bathing is important, period. But texting with my significant other on other peoples turns is fine.
I've drank plenty of times before and during a game, I also tell jokes, and smile and have fun. Some of these complaints are getting to the point of, "if your smiling out of character you are banished." It's a game not a sport, no one dies if we take five seconds to laugh.
Excessive amounts of anything is bad for you in the game and out.
Most of this thread comes down to one thing: Talk to your fellow players.
If you're are planning to take an action that involves or interferes with the others you game with (say taking a slice of pizza, borrowing a book/dice, making/answering a phone call/text, etc.), you can always throw out a "Hey, would you guys mind if I...?"
Other Players: Be honest in your responses. Otherwise, don't be offended.
I would like to add that you should bring up to the player as soon as possible that the behavior is annoying and unacceptable. I myself and others in some groups I have been in have been annoyed by a behavior, but haven't really said anything, either through an attempt to be tolerant or even a lack of understanding that we're getting annoyed - until the problem becomes so big that someone loses it over the unacceptable behavior.
By and large, in my experience, the perpetrator has been either unaware of the annoyance they are causing, or passive agressive about it. Usually there is an instant defensive response - this is natural, and really shoudln't be a second strike against the player if the defensiveness doesn't get out of hand.
Everyone has their own threshold of how many strikes they will allow an offender, but bringing the problem up early seems to have the best results for general tranquility in the group - even if everyone can't get along and someone ends up leaving, in general the group can feel that a good faith effort was made and the general peace is kept.
I, for instance, am the very picture of patience and tolerance. Nobody ever irritates me, in the slightest... Wait, who's that laughing? Dammit, Jess stop it! :-p
I am one of the people mentioned earlier in this thread. By that I mean I am on a fixed income and have too much time on my hands for my own good. I have 6 subscriptions with Paizo and have consistently ordered more additional product than is good for me. Because of that I don't always have money to contribute to the snacks eaten at the games. However, Crashthulhu and Jess are kind enough to not have said anything against me so far. I appreciate them offering to feed the group and try to thank them after every game and meal. If I begin to feel self-conscious about my not contributing I'll eat before I leave my apartment. I agree with the seeming consensus of not "expecting" to be fed. If that is your reason for gaming, perhaps you need to find another hobby. I know that wasn't mentioned, this is just my opinion.
Just my 2 cp.
You contribute to the group in lots of ways, silverhair, and you do a lot with what you do have.
No, you are definitely not one of those being talked about there.