Can you teach someone not to (bad) metagame - (or at least not be rude)

[Nightfall]

No you can't people how not to be rude. Not unless you get their parents involved...and even then it's unlikely.

(Old dogs learning new tricks and all...)

 

[DethStryke]

Maybe he is bored . I dont know. THe last three games I have caught him sleeping. I hadn't talked to him about it, it seemed like a medical condition. He was rolling and active one moment and he just nodded off within 2 minutes. Maybe I'll ask him if he's bored.

I have a friend who works odd hours (gets up at 4-5am, may work 12 hours or more a day, 7 days a week...) and will push himself to the point of exhaustion. If he's had a week+ crunch as can happen to him, he'll literally fall asleep sitting up if he's not speaking. He'll try his best to stay awake because he wants to hang out or do whatever it is we're doing at the time (D&D is the reason sometimes) which is why he'll be there in the first place, but you can only push your body so far.

As to a person being rude, I've got a couple examples of that from my experience, but none of them really end well. I've not found someone like that who simply was taught any different. One of them actually said flat out, "this is who I am. Take it or leave it" when we tried to explain how it was negatively effecting everyone else.

We left it.

Still hang out with most of them, because for the most part they are nice people and never really meant harm. They are simply obnoxious at the game table. *shrug*

 

[Nightfall]

*sighs* I'm hopeful my humor helps...

If not oh well.

 

[Crust]

I haven't read all the posts, but I've read some... I feel I can respond now.

Others have said that metagaming is the wrong word to use, and I agree. I don't necessarily see metagaming happening here, but I do see a player annoying the DM and other players. I think the player in question should shape up for the good of the group. It's childish to say, "Well, I can do whatever I want!" No, you can't. Not unless you wish to continue playing with a gaming group that is annoyed by your actions (you meaning the player in question).

If the other players are annoyed, and the DM is annoyed, the player should shape up. If everyone at the table is an adult, the problem should be resolved without much fuss. He's being annoying, and that's not for the player in question to agree or disagree with. He can either change or not play. Seems simple enough to me.

 

[billd91]

One of them actually said flat out, "this is who I am. Take it or leave it" when we tried to explain how it was negatively effecting everyone else.

What an extraordinarily rude reply. As if their rudeness problem was *your* problem and not their own. My mind boggles at this.

 

[DethStryke]

What an extraordinarily rude reply. As if their rudeness problem was *your* problem and not their own. My mind boggles at this.

Yea, that kind of sums up the entire experience. This was a 36 year old father of two at the time, mind you... not some 14 year old. He also holds the record for the biggest temper tantrum I've ever seen one human throw when something didn't go his character's way (well... didn't go the way *he* thought it *should* go), he threw his sheet across the table at the GM and said "f. it, you have an NPC now" and walked out in the middle of the game.

*shrug* he's been universally banned as a player for over 6 years now. Ironically, he's a pretty good DM and I've enjoyed playing Call of Cthulu and D&D with him running it. Just can't let him play.

There is no easy answer to the whole topic though. Some people's "style" of play includes being an insufferable jerk. We all like to say "the right way" and that means whatever you personally happen to think of good play. Problem is, this is different from person to person in ways you may not even begin to understand. I think the goal is to find others who are pretty close, if not exact, to your style.

I've never seen a situation where trying to teach someone to "play right" didn't end up making everyone upset and causing fairly major problems, without anything positive really happening for all the trouble.

 

[Nightfall]

I guess humor is a lost artform here...

 

[PwrMnky]

Metagaming

I think the best advice is to have him DM.

Hard to do.

 

[DethStryke]

I guess humor is a lost artform here...

Apparently as much as ignoring message board trolls...

 

[Nightfall]

Death,

Yeah well it's not like this post has generated anything but ill will anyway. If it hasn't, then I guess I'm wrong.