Can't game at your own house?

[Rel]

This seems fairly simple to me and I commend the OP for being willing to work out a compromise. Basically it's like this:

The roommate has put his foot down about this. It seems like he's not going to simply back down on the basis of "fairness" so trying to push against his decision on the basis of some "rights" that you think you have is probably not going to work. Doing so will almost certainly cause things to devolve into him finding ways to disrupt your game. And, if you're anything like me, you'll start to get so distracted with the roommate politics that you won't be able to concentrate on the game anyway.

The only true question that leaves is whether you feel so entitled to your gaming that compromise on your part will leave you so resentful that the relationship will be destroyed anyway. It sounds like that wouldn't happen.

So I'd just sit down with the guy and say, "I'd like to be able to continue gaming here until we can work something else out. This is only a temporary inconvenience but I understand that it IS an inconvenience. Is there something that I could offer that would make it acceptable to you?"

Some suggestions:

Start earlier and finish earlier (eliminate the goofing around/food time at the start of the game and move it to the end when the roomie won't care and the TV won't be a big distraction).

Offer the "cable box in his room" solution. It sounds cheap and, as you pointed out, he's getting constant benefit from it.

Offer to buy him dinner out or tickets to a movie during the time in question. The group would have to cough up money for this but it would be cheaper than a hotel room.

Offer to do some household chore that he doesn't like. Say, "I'll clean the bathrooms all the time if you'll consider that to be 'rent' for the living room for 9 hours."

 

[icedrake]

I think there might be several possilities you could follow up on.

Finding another player could be a great idea, start playing for about 4 sessions on netrual ground then ask if you can play at their place. Have you looked into playing at a game store? I know in San Antonio mall there used to be a place called Netrual Ground where people can rent lan time and play ccgs/war games there. Another option is Gator Games in San Mateo has a pizza gaming night every week and you could play there but you'd need to include more places. Again, I'm not sure what the scene is like, but its one place to play and pick up new players.

Is there a possibility to play more frequently but for less time? It seems that he's annoyed with you guys playing for long peroids of time and having game three times a month for 4 hours would leave him enough time to come home and watch prime time.

What you need is a roommate who games. Either with you or who understands the lure of game!

 

[Rykion]

Oryan77 has mentioned that the clubbing friends have hardly been over this year, so it is really seems a moot point for argument. Having guests come over and dominate the living space of a small apartment 2 Saturdays a month is asking a lot of a roommate. Not everyone views their bedroom as a place to eat and watch TV. I recommend finding somewhere else to game.

I've never been to a University that didn't have several comfortable study area/lounges spread out around campus. Saturday afternoon and evening is seldom a big study time for most students and finding an area where you aren't being disturbed or disturbing someone else shouldn't be a problem. My gaming group gamed on campus well after graduating without any problems.

 

[was]

I think Stanford does. I tried looking into it but I couldn't find anything on their website during break. I would also assume that you'd need to be a student, and I'm an employee :\

I graduated from college a year ago. We had two gaming clubs, both of which accepted alumni and members from the community. I'd suggest contacting the club president via email
and asking him/her.

 

[ssampier]

kill your roommate....without mercy

And take his stuff? How many XPs is a roommate worth, anyhow?

Regardless, I still stand by the compromise idea (one saturday 12-9, the other saturday 12-5).

 

[Emerald]

I would get out a calendar and mark every other Saturday as your Saturday or his Saturday. Then I would make plans to be out of the house on his Saturdays so he can do what he wants and then expect him to do the same on your Saturdays. This way it is completely fair, each of you gets the living room for half the Saturdays. Be willing to swap Saturdays if he is out of town but make sure that you both have equal time.

 

[Rykion]

I would get out a calendar and mark every other Saturday as your Saturday or his Saturday. Then I would make plans to be out of the house on his Saturdays so he can do what he wants and then expect him to do the same on your Saturdays. This way it is completely fair, each of you gets the living room for half the Saturdays. Be willing to swap Saturdays if he is out of town but make sure that you both have equal time.

That's only fair if both parties agree to it, and get to decide which Saturday belongs to who. One person's work schedule could make that arrangement very unfair. It also assumes that either has the right to sole control over the living area. It is likely to be as destructive to apartment unity as painting a line through the middle of the apartment and declaring each should stay on their own half.

 

[Conaill]

I work at Stanford University, maybe I can ask around about a place.

You're at Stanford? Heck, the Stafnord roleplaying club used to have 2-3 groups playing various games in the rooms around the outside of Meyer library.

Hmm... looks like there's at least one game still scheduled there - may want to check with the GM to check how one would go about booking a room.

Don't know if you can get a room for 9 hours, but we would often play 6pm-midnight or somesuch. That was more than a decade ago for me, though...

 

[Steverooo]

Alternative:

If your roommate wants you all gone, and to eat and/or watch YV in peace, then tell him...

"I've got as much right to the room as you do, but I'll tellya what... If you want us out of here, we'll move the game to a motel room, as long as you pay for it. Otherwise, we'll play here, two weekends a month, and I'll let you pick which two, but those dates will be FIXED, and no cancelling, no matter what. Your choice..."

 

[Rykion]

If your roommate wants you all gone, and to eat and/or watch YV in peace, then tell him...

"I've got as much right to the room as you do, but I'll tellya what... If you want us out of here, we'll move the game to a motel room, as long as you pay for it. Otherwise, we'll play here, two weekends a month, and I'll let you pick which two, but those dates will be FIXED, and no cancelling, no matter what. Your choice..."

Except that the roommate is not the one monopolizing the room. When the roommate's friends are over Oryan77 can be out in the living room watching TV or hanging out. It is only gaming that has taken over the room for 9-10 hours straight, not allowing the roommate to watch TV. The roommate is still being very generous to allow gaming in the room to 5PM.