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Also amazing to see how many folks see the question as being a chance to talk about the SHOULDs of gaming.
It’s also an opportunity for making subtle (or unsubtle) digs at certain of your players *ahem*
There’s probably a deeper “be as committed to this thing as I am” thing, which I so feel while also acknowledging it’s impossible. If you’re not obsessively reading and writing about this crap online you’re already never going to be as committed.
Probably my real answer is “help me feel like this hasn’t been a huge waste of my time and talents.”
Adam D only a couple of my players read me here, and they’re not the ones I’m digging at.
Ditto. Most of my players are gold, but every once in a while I get “hey, so, are we gonna start or what?” and meanwhile I’m grinding through a mouthful of something because I’m trying to eat supper and oversee character creation at the same time.
Huh. Isn’t that really what all the questions are?
At least they’re there to play!
I’ve got a fidgety phone-obsessed player who now has Special Rules imposed on them. And another with a marvelous booming teacher voice who loves to catch up with other players when they’re not currently in a scene. And others.
I get the feeling, Adam D, that you don’t tell people to fuck themselves and be helpful or shut it often enough.
I should write a GM book. “How to tell players to fuck themselves in a constructive manner.”
William Nichols this one specifically because it’s aimed at players but it’s all the GMs who are answering. 🙂
QFT: “help me feel like this hasn’t been a huge waste of my time and talents”.
Am I weird for doing both?
Brand Robins didn’t John Wick write that already?
And frankly, I do, but it doesn’t always sink in. The time I’m thinking of specifically, I turned to the guy and said, “yeah, we’ll start when I’ve eaten. If you’re in such a hurry for the game to get going, here’s the book. Go ahead and run.”
I’ve floated a “no phones at the table” rule, but there’s been lots of push-back. I think specifically what I need is a “No Imgur or Reddit at the table,” since those are the big distractions. Thing is, my really bad Imgur-checker is also one of my best players for giving me lots of hooks and driving all of this characters like stolen cars, so I give him freer rein than most.
I would propose that giving your “best” player a free pass at Imgur signals to the rest of the table that phone distractions are welcomed.
I mean I’m not at your table! Maybe it doesn’t play that way. But I rely on my best players to be role models for everyone else. So.
Hm! That’s a good point, though.
Adam D nah, John’s book was “how to fuck over your players… mostly constructively.” Totally different things.