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Salamanca
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(Date Posted:02/29/2004 20:45:42)

I thought that since someone had asked and received such great advice in another section of the forum on tips to be a good GM, we could do the same for the players and stick it up here on the top. Please keep to the topic and keep the advice serious so I don't have to edit too much.-SalamancaHere are a few from me to be added on to later:-Be on time and have your supplies with you. Try very hard to remember your own dice, Character sheet, pencils, blank paper, and any books your character needs and the GM lets you have. (the GM has enough of his own stuff to worry about)-Be presentable. In other words wash yourself, and look after some hygene, nobody wants a stinky gamer next to them. (This rule is the most important at conventions)-If you do not get along with another player in real life, leave the problem away from the table. If you cannot do that, Leave the game yourself. If the rest of the group wants you back, they will figure out a way to play without your problem. It is not fair of you to demand they remove the other person.-Take a note or two about things your character needs to remember. It is not the GM's job to recall what you were told three weeks ago. You should ahve a pencil handy, use it.-Think ahead. Pay attention during game play and know what you want to do when asked. Nobody wants to stop a combat scene to review every action taken before your turn. Nobody wants you to shoot their character because you failed to listen when the GM said the Villain fell down.-Pay attention to the plot hooks. With a group game, not every adventure will focus on you. Nor should it. You are not that important, nor do you really want to be. (trust me on this one) Try to notice what plots are circling the group and work out which ones are obviously meant to be a potential focus for the GM's plans. Some interactions with NPCs are meant to fill time or give a little detail to the world or even to just show that the GM is moving away from a particular plotline. A few are put there to distract you from your goal as a test for the character. Learn to figure out the difference in these.-Remember that just because the players heard what you were told, does not mean the characters they play did. Information needs to be shared to be useful. The other characters in your group have other skills and abilities that may make sense out of an old manuscript, artifact, or jewel you have and are hiding from them. Groups that share information tend to be successful.-Character hopping is not fun. If you are not happy with your character, talk to the GM and establish a route to remove it and introduce a new one. I have had players with the gall to show up and announce that they were playing something different tonight. That always happens when the group is isolated and in need of the old character for some reason. It irritates the rest of the group and the GM. If you are bored with your character, remember who made it and then work to make the character interesting if possible before you abandon it.-If you cannot make the game, have a good reason and try your very hardest to alert the GM as soon as you can. WE may have had special plans featuring you tonight and now that you decided not to show up, there is no reason for your long-lost uncle to arrive with tresure for the rest of the group. (GMs have hard days at work, get tired and feel sick too. We understand those things, honest) If you find yourself skipping more than attending, do everyone a favor and officially quit the group.-Remember that the point is to have fun. Some groups may be overly serious but it's still about enjoying the evening. Don't get into personal attacks and try very hard not to make things personal or take things that way. If the GM has to start arbitrating the players co-operation and lecturing them to get along, you all have done something very mean to each other. You are ruining everyone's game experience including the innocent bystanders that have to sit there uncomfortably whiole you are being that rude.-Each player has a responsibility to their character and a responsibility to the group. There needs to be some freedom in both areas for a successful game. A player that adheres strictly to what is in the best interests of his character and their mindset is never going to be able to co-operate with a group. A group that does not respect at least part of the character's needs and personal missions is also going to fall apart. Conceeding a few days of in game time for a side trip is something a group should be willing to do to accomodate a player's personal goals. Dropping a current objective to travel 600+ miles is not. That is something that either needs to be handled after the current objective is finished or by the player looking to go off topic leaving the group.---A subset of this is that the player needs to recognize that the GM has a plot in mind. Leaving said plot to follow a personal quest may take the player away from the story for an extended period only to be re-united at the GMs convenience. You may or may not be able to take on a different character of the GMs choosing during this span.-Each player has their own character that represents for most players their entire and only influence on the game world. No one outside of the GM has any right to question your decisions on wha tyou choose to play or how you opt to spend experience. Thecharacter is an extension of the player, do not be so rude as to suggest a player drop their character for something more efficient, better suited to your or the groups needs, or more co-operative. If the GM has a problem with the character, or sees a problem with the character developing, they will handle it. If you have that big of a problem with the other character, take it up privately with your GM.-The GM has provided you with an adventure for the night, more often than nota location to play (although it's a narrow margin), taken on the headaches of anticipating your actions, and spent their precious time during the week preparing for the night (which is a lot more time than most players dedicate to any game they play in). He is not obligated to share his food with you. Unless it's offered, keep your hands off his nachos, beverages, homebaked pies, mesquite pringles, altoids, haggis, and pizza. (actually, supplying many of these objects may win you special favor with the GM...except the haggis)

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Damn! Asking for exposition is like kryptonite to NPCs!

drkjedi1
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(Date Posted:03/01/2004 00:44:33)

I think the biggest bit I can say is to pick a character you will not only enjoy playing but actually can play. Do not pick or create a character that will make you unable to Roleplay (i.e. pick/play Druid without knowing as much as you can about Druids for the game...)There is nothing worse than someone picking/playing a character and just sitting there and just roleing the dice but adding no energy or life to that character because they are uncomfortable or haven't taken the time to study that kind of character enough.


However, having said that if you have no choice I.E. at a con with GM provided characters and you had to pick last.. As a GM I think it is also important to help those players by either finding something or someone in the game or even an NPC for that person to help them along or help them create a new character, if neccessary.


We had a guy at Dundra Con who'd never played 7th sea at all. Several folks helped him along the way and he had a great time!


And I agree with the food stuff, especially NO HAGGIS!!! Bleah bleah must wash my mouth out now..thanks Salamanca!



Cybele


 

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GJD
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(Date Posted:03/01/2004 03:22:45)

Reply to : Salamanca


-The GM has provided you with an adventure for the night, more often than not a location to play (although it's a narrow margin), taken on the headaches of anticipating your actions, and spent their precious time during the week preparing for the night (which is a lot more time than most players dedicate to any game they play in).  He is not obligated to share his food with you.  Unless it's offered, keep your hands off his nachos, beverages, homebaked pies, mesquite pringles, altoids, haggis, and pizza.  (actually, supplying many of these objects may win you special favor with the GM...except the haggis


Each to their own, Sal. If I host a game I'm quite happy for the people to dig into whatever snacks I have. It's the hosts burden. Until it dissapears behind my GM screen, at which point you are liable to loose a finger if you try to snatch any of my tasty morsels away.


It's nice for people to remember that the host has to live there after you all leave, though, so be nice and take your junk away with you. I won't say you should treat the host's home as you would your own, mostly because I have seen my players houses and I don't want to live in a dump like that!


But, to more tangible requirements. Feedback is great. If you thought something was great, tell the GM. If you thought something was a bit lame, tell the GM (nicely). We all learn from our triumphs and mistakes, and I'd rather a player tell me that something was a bit crap once than groan internally and think 'not this again' every time it came up.


And don't feed my fish. I already did that and they're fat enough as it is.


G.

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Eschew Obfuscation

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Ravenshadow
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(Date Posted:03/01/2004 04:21:55)

First, my hat's off to you SAL, this is a great thread for players to look over.


You pretty much hit on my biggest PET PEEVES.
  a)  Be at the game or have given fair warning as to your not being there. 
  b)  Be on FRIGGAN time.  If I have to stop a game to catch you up...you lost EXP.  Periode.


A note about "a", above:  If you are going to be late or not make a game after the normal time and date have been set: Don't be a whinny little snot when the GM tells you he'll get you back in the game when he can.  If you call and tell the GM that you can't make it until 4 hours after the game starts and the GM had already planned something out and all of a sudden your change makes it unlikely that your PC would suddenly "poof" in and the GM tells you, "Hey, its not going to work out for you to come in mid-game, you'll have to sit out until I can get your guy back in."  Don't go crying.  Perhaps there's a possibility in those cases that a NPC can be handed off to you for that small time periode, ask the GM of if this is possible.


Another thing is CELL PHONES.  Yeah, we are only playing a game, but since I devote several hours BEYOND the playing time to making sure my games are fun and all that, the least you can do is turn the friggan thing off while your sitting at my table enjoying the fruits of those hours spent in preperation.  Unless your about to have a kid, have someone in the hospital or simply have a job where you are on call.  Other then that, I AM the most important person in your life for those 4-8 hours.


 


In about 90% of the cases you can feel free to roll things out a head of time.  There are some cases where I want to see the bones roll out before me.  Not that I am thinking that you are cgeating on dice rolls...who would do such a thing at a game afterall; but more to the point of "I want to see the drama roll out to."  I sometimes want to see the tens come up just when you need them too...for those few moments I, the GM, am living through your luck and PC lives...


 


I am not that big on the food thing; my table has never had a want for food and snacks as usually everyone trys to bring something.


 


Know the rules for the most part, and if you don't / can't... TRY LOOKING THE FRIGGAN THING UP BEFORE BOTHERING ME.   If someone asks me a rule and I see a closed book in front them I really want to run over and jab a D4 into their ear and knock it into their skull with a hammer so that when they nod their head it sounds like a rattle.   NOTE:  This is not the same thing as asking me for/a RUILING.  Big difference. 


 


Feel free to ask me about "metagaming" questions.  If you are?  If you can?  If you can't?  If I did?  But do so off to the side.  If you have a private thing about your character, such as a secret...ASk me about it off to the side.  Don't assume that another  player can't/won't use that info in some way later on.  Characters in books and stories HARDLY ever dump their lifestory and secrets out on the table...don't do it in game.


 


If in the middle of a game and I make a snap ruiling; don't try and correct...let it slide until later, at a break or after the game.  Pass a note.  If something needs to be backtracked a tad, as a GM I will do that.  But don't interrupt the flow of the game for something as trivial as a rule, that's up to the GM to do.


 


Another thing I recommend if for Players to take ownership of a game.  Make NPCs for the GM to use now and then.  Make up one-line plot ideas for your and the other PCs of the game.  Make sure your GM always has a current copy of your PC sheet in case you don't show or incase he needs to know that info for planning purposes.

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"Why in poo-perfect hell did you pee on the corpse?"

- Gay Perry; Kiss, kiss, Bang, bang



"The things I have learned not to do have held me in better stead than the things I have learned to do."

-- Senator Joe Biden, Commencement address, Syracuse University College of Law, 2006



"You live in a world full of 12,000 menus and nothing to eat."

-- Rube [Dead Like Me]



"Hubris is so cute."

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Ravenshadow
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(Date Posted:03/01/2004 04:35:44)

Oh, I thought of another thing that has two parts:


A)  In combat, unless your PCs are screaming info to one another across the field of battle there no reason for you and another player to be sharing information or battle tactics.  (And we really mean this if your character is out cold.  That's outright cheating and almost got somebody's character killed in last night's game) 


B)  If your PC is not present at a scene, or would not openly SAY SOMETHING (out loud right then and there) if they were at a scene and you see a Player "making a mistake" you need to SHUT UP and let them make that mistake or not share that info or correct them.  Don't share info if you aren't or weren't there.  If they didn't take notes and get the name wrong or whatever...so sad to bad.  IF they are TOTALLY off base and are about to do something REALLY out of character it is the GMs place to question the action not you the player.  Keep in mind is you the PC wants to stop that PC from doing soemthing, that's totally cool and within game.

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"Why in poo-perfect hell did you pee on the corpse?"

- Gay Perry; Kiss, kiss, Bang, bang



"The things I have learned not to do have held me in better stead than the things I have learned to do."

-- Senator Joe Biden, Commencement address, Syracuse University College of Law, 2006



"You live in a world full of 12,000 menus and nothing to eat."

-- Rube [Dead Like Me]



"Hubris is so cute."

--Joss Whedon
The Glen
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(Date Posted:03/01/2004 05:20:02)

Don't hit on the gamer chicks.


Don't have characters hit on the gamer chicks' characters.


Especially don't have lesbian characters hit on the gamer chick's characters.


That's all I can remember from the 'how to impress gamer chicks' list.  But those seemed to be the most important part.

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What happened here?

It sounded as though there was a bit of a squabble.

Squabble? They're all dead!

All? Must have been more of a tiff then.
Faive
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(Date Posted:03/01/2004 08:00:08)

Reply to : Ravenshadow



Reply to : The GlenDon't hit on the gamer chicks.That's how I got my wife...huh. And BTW she LOVES being called a "chick" and"dame".Hey Faive, am I being encouragable again?~RAVENSHADOW~Who is sitting back and waiting for "the look". The day just doesn't seem right if I don't get it at least once, dontcha' know.



That's incorrigible, dear.  The last thing you need is any more encouragement.


And you never were one to "play by the rules", which of course, was part of the allure.  And I've never been good at walking away from a challenge. 


(mutters something under her breath about a masochistic streak, pointedly not looking at Ravenshadow)


Oops - don't want to break Sal's rules.  Tips to be a good player:


I'd recommend spending the time to find out about the other players, and their characters.  While part of this is the GM's responsibility, I've been in several games where the players didn't communicate at all during character creation, and in at least one case, it completely ruined the campaign (I think we played all of three sessions before the character conflict got out of hand). 


A lot of the tips in the preceding posts really tie back to an underlying issue of respect - for the other players, for the characters, for the story, and for the GM.


Having met her in person, I should tell you all that the side picture is not who you think it is but actually is Faive. Except she apparently dyed her hair dark for the picture. -sal


 

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"Heroes don't accept the world the way it is - they fight it."

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