OMG. I could not believe the things this woman was saying about Claudia who so graciously keeps us organized and on track...spends her own money...just like I do. It was craxy with a capital X, I tell you.

Since I'm the professional, deal-with-difficult-people gal, I told her to just forward all the vitriolic messages and I'd take care of them. She takes that sutff way too to heart, bless her.

The perp kept trying to get C to apologize. I nearly died. AND was peeved that C characterized her own, perfectly right behavior as less than such...giving fuel to a fire that she just did not deserve to be burned by.

C is a dear kind soul, and she does take these things to heart. I gave her some extreme passive aggressive tactics to use in the future.

One guy bent a shelf in my fridge and left it for me to clean up (though he may not have realized it)

Someone else took food not meant for the event

But the WORST was the friend of one of the players showing up after the thing was over...looking me in the eye and saying, "Do you have any other food? I expected food." I was FLOORED. Plus? The event was over. I needed people to leave and they. just. wouldn't.

WTF? Okay, if people showed up at my house and acted like that, I would be bemoaning the fact I didn't have an airlock to shove their asses out of.

There is such a thing as being accomodating to the group and whatnot, but the general rule is whoever's home you're playing in makes the rules. If people have a problem with that, they can either provide another location to play, or find another game to play.

I just wish that wasn't necessary!

but the general rule is whoever's home you're playing in makes the rules.

And yet, because I have 3 rules (no wet on wood, don't leave your food on the floor for my dog, and leave at 6pm) I am painted as intolerent.

The problem person said that rpgs are generally played in bachelor pads...where people don't care about the environment. Okay. But mine is a mid-level, nice place...you can't adjust?

The problem person said that rpgs are generally played in bachelor pads...where people don't care about the environment. Okay. But mine is a mid-level, nice place...you can't adjust?

No kidding. I've gamed in bachelor pads, basements, garages, and people's living rooms. You adjust based on the circumstances. Game or not, you're still entering another person's home.

Use a coaster, don't make my dog sick and go home when it's over are hardly unreasonable rules.

I know a lot of gamers like to talk about the session once it's over, which could be part of the wanting to leave problem. Is there anywhere nearby the group could go afterwards to socialize that you could recommend to them?

Running a game that's going well can be as big of a high as when you're writing and the words are just flying on to the page, and can be just as exhausting when you're done.

Heh. My longest single turn as a GM was a pulp-themed TORG game I ran in one marathon 11-hour session to avoid the problem of never being able to get all the people back in one place at the same time again (there were 10 players, some from other towns). Everyone seemed pretty enthused and wrapped up in it during, but when it ended at 4 am it was as if someone cut the strings of a whole room full of marionettes.

Running a game that's going well can be as big of a high as when you're writing and the words are just flying on to the page, and can be just as exhausting when you're done.

Heh. My longest single turn as a GM was a pulp-themed TORG game I ran in one marathon 11-hour session to avoid the problem of never being able to get all the people back in one place at the same time again (there were 10 players, some from other towns). Everyone seemed pretty enthused and wrapped up in it during, but when it ended at 4 am it was as if someone cut the strings of a whole room full of marionettes.

I think with the Sean Maher pic it's not just his chin, but also the fact that he has relatively high color in it. Dude usually makes everyone this side of Edgar Winter look tan.

Use a coaster, don't make my dog sick and go home when it's over are hardly unreasonable rules.

Bless you.

I know a lot of gamers like to talk about the session once it's over, which could be part of the wanting to leave problem. Is there anywhere nearby the group could go afterwards to socialize that you could recommend to them?

This is a good suggestion. I'm be more specific. Everyone who takes the Metro passes 4 or 5 restaurants and one very inviting pub on the way to my door.

Wow. Beej, I have to say that I didn't tolerate that kind of behaviour from gamers even in college, in the crappy 150-a-month college apartment I shared with 3 guys.

As an adult, I once invited an intern from work to join our group for a couple sessions, but once he failed to flush the toilet after using it in a big way, and another time he failed to use the splatter screen in the microwave, and that was that. And that's not NEARLY what you had to deal with.

And honestly, showing up expecting free food? The few times I provide food (cook or whatever) for games, the other gamers either bring drinks/snacks or offer to pay me. Mostly everybody pitches in for pizza or similar.

Fun there may have been, but I'd restrict the guest list.

My RPG analysis will wait for another post.