Codes of Behavior (or explaining when a Special Mount is a Special Friend).

Vraille Darkfang · Oct 19, 2005

DM's How do you enforce a PG-13 gaming code at your tables?

I have one 12 year old & a 13 year old in my Wed Game. They are doing pretty good & know what they are doing.

The rest of my gamers are old-school & used to gaming like it was a college dormroom.

I know that the guy in Seattle who died while (I know no clear way of saying this). The guy who died while having sexual relations with a horse. (see Non-grandma freindly, yet entirely legitimate news story here.

Why, yes, the jokes for Special Mount/Special Friend Abound. But, when a 2 pairs of 12 year olds look at me (the DM) and go "What does bestiality mean?" I'm at a loss. Ya know what? THAT ain't covered in the DMG or the DMG II. Using the "Ask your parents" line will just insure they never are allowed near a gaming table again.

What tips/techniques do you use to keep the game 'clean' so to speak.

I mean genreal sex comments that single male gamers in their mid to late 20's make are somthing these kids are beginning to get (and is no worse than what's on basic cable).

But a Line needs to be drawn. What do you do? XP penalty? Corner Time? Soap in the Mouth? Have to use d12 instead of d20 for the rest of the night?

On another note: Cruelity to the ANIMALS?!?!? That's what they're going to have to charge them with?

the Jester · Oct 19, 2005

I don't.

When we had kids (about 12ish) gaming with us, they made more off-color comments than the rest of us- and the adults were a bunch of damn preverts.

I definitely run an NC-17 game, though, so maybe I'm the wrong guy to ask.

JRRNeiklot · Oct 19, 2005

I wouldn't worry about it. I gurantee you they hear worse at school.

diaglo · Oct 19, 2005

i'm the wrong guy to ask.

diaglo "dirty old man and happy with it" Ooi

VirgilCaine · Oct 19, 2005

With a big ruler?

Fortunately, I have all college people in my group, including myself, but my sensibilities lean towards PG-13 content...I dunno.
I question why the heck the guy would be engaged in a congressional session with a horse...well, dominate person...

Vraille Darkfang · Oct 19, 2005

JRRNeiklot said:
I wouldn't worry about it. I gurantee you they hear worse at school.

But one of them is only gaming becasue I met with his mother & told her about all the positive aspects of D&D. She's of the "But isn't D&D Satan Worship" society.

But, she's willing to give it a try after I talked to her & explained what the game is REALLY about (and that's it's owned by Hasbro). She was worried about his violent tendencies & how he'd react to this sort of game. I assured her D&D was no more dangerous than any other pasttime and had several positive factors as well.

Now, if he tells her "And then bob said 'When it says special mount it must be like that guy in Seattle that died while letting a horse *BLEEP* him up the *BLEEP*'".

Not doing the best job about all the positive influences of gaming, is it?

RhysG · Oct 19, 2005

I think that the "rating" of the game being run should reflect the group in question. If everyone is an adult, then a "rated R" game could be appropriate, if all are comfortable with it. However, if there are children involved--say, 12-year-olds, or any minors, really--sexuality/adult situations/extreme violence should be toned down. After all, these are kids, plain and simple, and although they may hear things just as bad (or worse) in the schoolyard, it's an adult's responsibility to keep ages in mind.

Content can be an issue at any age, though. Some people are uncomfortable with buckets-of-blood violence, or even the topic of sex in-game. The group's content should be mindful of these issues.

lukelightning · Oct 19, 2005

Come to think of it, D&D has sexual perversion in its core rules already, in the form of half-dragons, half fiends, and other icky things. Is it ok to have sex with a dragon?

sniffles · Oct 19, 2005

Tell them to look it up in the dictionary. Then you can claim your game is educational.

Teflon Billy · Oct 19, 2005

As a rule, I'm no big fan of censoring myself. That's why I tend to play with my own age group. it allows drinking, swearing and off-color commentary galore...all hallmarks of my weekly games.

But when I run the game for my daughter and her friends (very occasionally) it's pretty much in the same fashion that i would take them to the mall: I'mthe adult, they are children.

So, despite the fact that I enjoy it less, I edit my content.

No longer is the game about foul-mouthed, hard-bitten mercenaries clawng their way up the politcal ladder in a corrupt system.

It's about a group of teenage girls with flying cats as pets who are looking for a treasure like "A Gown woven from the spirit of friedship" or some gipe like that

Know your audience.

If beastiality ever came up in one of the 13-year old girl games, I'd probably have to kill myself.