MNblockhead
A Title Much Cooler Than Anything on the Old Site
I've been enjoying all the discussion about bad DMing practices in other threads. And I always enjoy bad-player horror stories. But these always seem to be about the flaws of OTHER players. It is kinda like how the majority of drivers feel that they are better than average drivers. That obviously cannot be true. Similarly, we can't always be the victims of bad behavior, we some of us, sometimes, must have been the perpetrators.
What are some examples where you--as either a player or GM--annoyed other players? How did you come to learn about their annoyance? Were you aware of it or did it catch you off guard? How did you react? Just because you annoyed someone doesn't mean that you were in the wrong or that you have to change, though it is certainly a good habit to at least consider whether someone's complaints have merit.
Here are some things I've done that have irked other players at the table.
When I DM I like to use measure sticks that I made using instructions by DM's Craft. I like these because they can be used for gridless play, but even on a grid, it can be quicker to use the stick to move a mini 30'. As a DM, I've never had an issue. But as a player, I've had some DMs refuse to let me use them. They want me to count out the squares. No big deal, the measuring stick goes back into my bag.
But I found that this practice has led to some other habits that have annoyed DMs when I'm a player. For example, when using a measuring stick, you determine the distance and then move the mini. At a recent game, I could see that the DM was getting annoyed with me and I wasn't sure why. I thought maybe I was taking to long deciding on movement, which seemed unfair because I wasn't taking longer than others as far as I could tell. Finally, the DM says "just move your mini when you count out the squares!" I was counting the squares and then moving the mini. This extra unnecessary step was bothering the DM. Again, no big deal. It makes sense and I adjusted immediately.
Another habit of mine is to explore and make sure that any obvious lead or quest hook isn't a red herring or a trap. This, I think, is due to most of my gaming is with long-term campaigns with the same group of people. Plots tend to be more complicated than organized play. I found that not immediately biting the obvious plot hook will annoy many other AL players. Generally, I find I enjoy AL games most when I play a supporting character and let more hard-core AL players make the major decisions. This isn't all AL games of course, but I find that AL games are more railroady and that is how many of the players like them. Again, not an issue, just required an adjustment.
That's all I can think of at this time, though I'm sure there is more.
What about you?
What are some examples where you--as either a player or GM--annoyed other players? How did you come to learn about their annoyance? Were you aware of it or did it catch you off guard? How did you react? Just because you annoyed someone doesn't mean that you were in the wrong or that you have to change, though it is certainly a good habit to at least consider whether someone's complaints have merit.
Here are some things I've done that have irked other players at the table.
When I DM I like to use measure sticks that I made using instructions by DM's Craft. I like these because they can be used for gridless play, but even on a grid, it can be quicker to use the stick to move a mini 30'. As a DM, I've never had an issue. But as a player, I've had some DMs refuse to let me use them. They want me to count out the squares. No big deal, the measuring stick goes back into my bag.
But I found that this practice has led to some other habits that have annoyed DMs when I'm a player. For example, when using a measuring stick, you determine the distance and then move the mini. At a recent game, I could see that the DM was getting annoyed with me and I wasn't sure why. I thought maybe I was taking to long deciding on movement, which seemed unfair because I wasn't taking longer than others as far as I could tell. Finally, the DM says "just move your mini when you count out the squares!" I was counting the squares and then moving the mini. This extra unnecessary step was bothering the DM. Again, no big deal. It makes sense and I adjusted immediately.
Another habit of mine is to explore and make sure that any obvious lead or quest hook isn't a red herring or a trap. This, I think, is due to most of my gaming is with long-term campaigns with the same group of people. Plots tend to be more complicated than organized play. I found that not immediately biting the obvious plot hook will annoy many other AL players. Generally, I find I enjoy AL games most when I play a supporting character and let more hard-core AL players make the major decisions. This isn't all AL games of course, but I find that AL games are more railroady and that is how many of the players like them. Again, not an issue, just required an adjustment.
That's all I can think of at this time, though I'm sure there is more.
What about you?
