"Anti roleplaying" roleplayers? (or, about that non fighting druid...)

[Tarrasque Wrangler]

One theme I keep seeing is Character Concept.

Some of these disruptive players seem hung up on there character concept. Its like character concept or bust. I have what I want this character to be and I'll be damned if I let this campaign stop me.

Just my 2 coppers

I often think about the "off-camera" lives of my characters or my players' characters, in the approximate 90% of their lives when they are not out dungeon-crawling. I keep getting this vision of jdavis's player's PC as this hulking, Tony Soprano-looking guy who keeps weeping to his therapist: "I've got nerve damage from all the poison needles in my hand. Every time I see a door, I curl up into a ball and cry like a baby. I've broken every bone in my body several times on Explosive Rune traps. But it's like I've got this mental block against trap-finding! I want to learn so badly! But every time I think of enrolling in the Thieves Guild Night School, I think 'I know I can intimidate the traps into not going off if I just try a little harder!' ".

 

[Buttercup]

You're funny, Mr. Wrangler sir.

 

[Voneth]

The GM has asked if he could temporarly enter the game as a PC who will eventually betray the group. He claims that he has seen that having a traitor in the party has been a bonding experience for the survivors. I can only see it causing more trouble. I am pretty maxed on my player count anyway, so I had a real reason to decline. That is not to say that I wouldn't have found an excuse.

The story continues still! The GM showed up at the game store and insisted that he still play. He even said that he'd play a "nice" character. Since then I found out that some of my players don't like fellow.

 

[hong]

The GM has asked if he could temporarly enter the game as a PC who will eventually betray the group. He claims that he has seen that having a traitor in the party has been a bonding experience for the survivors. I can only see it causing more trouble. I am pretty maxed on my player count anyway, so I had a real reason to decline. That is not to say that I wouldn't have found an excuse.

The story continues still! The GM showed up at the game store and insisted that he still play. He even said that he'd play a "nice" character. Since then I found out that some of my players don't like fellow.

For ghu's sake, Voneth, just tell him to disappear up his own posterior. Assuming, that is, he can avoid the blinding rays of light coming out of it.

 

[jdavis]

The GM has asked if he could temporarly enter the game as a PC who will eventually betray the group. He claims that he has seen that having a traitor in the party has been a bonding experience for the survivors. I can only see it causing more trouble. I am pretty maxed on my player count anyway, so I had a real reason to decline. That is not to say that I wouldn't have found an excuse.

The story continues still! The GM showed up at the game store and insisted that he still play. He even said that he'd play a "nice" character. Since then I found out that some of my players don't like fellow.

It's just getting funnier Sort of like a DM stalker. Can you get a restraining order on him? Maybe just a in-character restraining order. Tell him his character is not allowed within 50 feet of your game.

 

[jdavis]

I often think about the "off-camera" lives of my characters or my players' characters, in the approximate 90% of their lives when they are not out dungeon-crawling. I keep getting this vision of jdavis's player's PC as this hulking, Tony Soprano-looking guy who keeps weeping to his therapist: "I've got nerve damage from all the poison needles in my hand. Every time I see a door, I curl up into a ball and cry like a baby. I've broken every bone in my body several times on Explosive Rune traps. But it's like I've got this mental block against trap-finding! I want to learn so badly! But every time I think of enrolling in the Thieves Guild Night School, I think 'I know I can intimidate the traps into not going off if I just try a little harder!' ".

That would be "hulking, Tony Soprano-looking" Halfling.

 

[Voneth]

The story continues still! The GM showed up at the game store and insisted that he still play. He even said that he'd play a "nice" character. Since then I found out that some of my players don't like fellow.

To be fair, several months ago, this fellow asked to be in my game after his Saturdays got freed up. Part of me wants to let him in because I like to keep my commitments.

But now I have a full group of decent players that consist of a few people who don't like him. And no matter what you tell him, he doesn't get it that his characters can be disruptive (in fact his last PC in my game was a traitor who almost handed the whole group over to the villian a couple of times. -- I think a few unlucky die rolls and finding out that I called his bluff made him change his mind.)

I think what shocks him most is that I said, "no" and then I stuck to it. I used to be a very "yes, yes" GM that allowed people to come in with whatever concepts they had and then I'd try to bend the plot and world to fit their demands as a proof of my "GM skills."

You know what? Call me "unskilled," I can't make 4 or 5 guys with their own stubborn visions of what a game is, combine it with my gameworld and then come out with something that lasts more than 10 sessions. Better that I make minor comprimises and keep my sanity.

Right now I feel for a fellow GM, he foolishly put the game up to a vote. Now he's playing a game system that is not his favorite and running a game world that bores him. Nothing inherently wrong with the choices of his players, but now the GM is doing something that he doesn't like

 

[jdavis]

The story continues still! The GM showed up at the game store and insisted that he still play. He even said that he'd play a "nice" character. Since then I found out that some of my players don't like fellow.

To be fair, several months ago, this fellow asked to be in my game after his Saturdays got freed up. Part of me wants to let him in because I like to keep my commitments.

But now I have a full group of decent players that consist of a few people who don't like him. And no matter what you tell him, he doesn't get it that his characters can be disruptive (in fact his last PC in my game was a traitor who almost handed the whole group over to the villian a couple of times. -- I think a few unlucky die rolls and finding out that I called his bluff made him change his mind.)

I think what shocks him most is that I said, "no" and then I stuck to it. I used to be a very "yes, yes" GM that allowed people to come in with whatever concepts they had and then I'd try to bend the plot and world to fit their demands as a proof of my "GM skills."

You know what? Call me "unskilled," I can't make 4 or 5 guys with their own stubborn visions of what a game is, combine it with my gameworld and then come out with something that lasts more than 10 sessions. Better that I make minor comprimises and keep my sanity.

Right now I feel for a fellow GM, he foolishly put the game up to a vote. Now he's playing a game system that is not his favorite and running a game world that bores him. Nothing inherently wrong with the choices of his players, but now the GM is doing something that he doesn't like

Not to sound rude but it is ok to be a gaming snob, you play the game with people you enjoy gaming with (that's sort of the point to gaming). There is nothing at all wrong in not wanting somebody in your game that might mess it up, he's got a history of that kind of stuff. Don't feel bad about anything, your just protecting your game (particularly if you have players who don't like him).

 

[CCamfield]

Not to sound rude but it is ok to be a gaming snob, you play the game with people you enjoy gaming with (that's sort of the point to gaming). There is nothing at all wrong in not wanting somebody in your game that might mess it up, he's got a history of that kind of stuff. Don't feel bad about anything, your just protecting your game (particularly if you have players who don't like him).

I don't even think that's being a gaming snob! Is there something wrong with wanting gaming sessions that flow smoothly rather than always ending up in endless bickering? A player who causes such disruptions isn't being a good player. Playing a role is fine, but you shouldn't elevate it to the point where it reduces everyone else's enjoyment of the game.

 

[Murrdox]

All I can say is that I'm glad that my gaming group is composed of my close circle of friends, and that we don't get in fights or piss the crap out of each other OUT of game, so we don't do it in game either.

We've made jokes about how certain players play the game, but our games have always been friendly.