Collectivism in Gaming

[S'mon]

I admit that the title is likely more provocative than I intend, but then again, perhaps not.

Does your table share the financial burdens of running a TTRPG?
These may include but are not limited to: Books, Minis, Printing costs, Dice, Tokens, Cards, Stationary, VTT fees, food/snacks

At my table, people contribute what they want. This varies from nothing to 'spends more than the GM'. As GM, I contribute what I want, too. Maybe you get steak. Maybe you get a potato. Maybe you're out of luck that evening. Same with the beer in the fridge - some players bring & leave a huge amount, some just drink what's there. The generous players get praise but the other players don't get criticised.

As a player, & I'm not a player often, I don't like being told I have to contribute money for eg food. If you're making dinner, great, that's your choice, but don't demand payment.

I do think that if you bring stuff, it's polite to share, rather than eat it all yourself. But you're not obliged to bring anything. If you don't want to share, eat before coming.

Funnily enough, the player who sometimes brings her own food & eats it all herself, is also the player who when GMing wanted payment for providing food. She says she's autistic and so may be a bit lacking in social skills.

 

[ReshiIRE]

I have a fairly high income compared to the vast majority of people, so I purchase anything. I think in many ways that is a form of collectivism due to the unfairness of the world and the distribution of resources. Those with more should cover for those who don't have much, because there's nothing fair about how anything is distributed.

 

[Committed Hero]

We (2 players and a visiting child out of a group of 7) host and try to have communal snacks. Everyone brings their own lunch as desired, and sometimes communal snacks. Although we have our own D&D Beyond subscription, the DM provides us access through his campaign. Everyone has their own dice.

 

[Umbran]

And why should I be expected to provide food and drink....

I think the applicable word here is hospitality.

But, perhaps more is the point, if the general rule is "bring your own", then shouldn't approval sit with the people who bring stuff? If Joe brought a 2-liter of Mountain Dew, and Sam asks Joe for some, are you going to intervene and say no?

 

[bloodtide]

I think the applicable word here is hospitality.

But, perhaps more is the point, if the general rule is "bring your own", then shouldn't approval sit with the people who bring stuff? If Joe brought a 2-liter of Mountain Dew, and Sam asks Joe for some, are you going to intervene and say no?

I guess "hospitality" has different means to everyone. I think more people should bring their own food and drink, not just show up like a lazy bum and expect $50 worth of free food and drinks.

If a player is so incapable of doing so, I do offer a service where the player gives me the money and I will buy things for them and have them at the game. Some players take me up on this offer.

I don't care if others feed the players that just 'take' every single game.

 

[rmcoen]

In my campaign, our social contract is basically "The DM provides the game. The host provides the drinks. Everyone but the DM provides the food." (In practice, the DM always provides Swiss Rolls... and sometimes is also the host, so provides drinks. Sometimes, the DM chips in for food too.)

Everyone has their own dice. The DM uses others' dice for extra minis as needed!

One player has forked over the cash for VTT books personally, and allows the DM to share the account; everyone else has personal accounts.

The DM has maps, battlemats, minis, tokens. However, over the years, the DM has received gifts of maps, battlemats, and minis (birthdays, Christmas), so it would be false to say he paid for all of it. Additionally, the host will sometimes temporarily supplement with additional resources.

 

[aramis erak]

Most of my players don't like my choice of snacks... No one wanted any of my pork rinds friday nor tonight, and no one wanted to share the chips, either.... I'm thinking friday a veggie tray...as my dinner, but also sharables.

 

[Mark Sabalauskas]

Generally, I'd say my friend's practice varies depending on the nature of the game. If it's a campaign, we'll all bring food and drink to share to wherever we are playing.

If it's a one shot, it's typical for the GM to be the host and to want to treat this like throwing a party, where they provide food and drink (sometimes on theme for the session) and maybe others bring things to supplement or would bring hostess gifts.

We don't play games with lots of minis or splatbook investment, so that's not a consideration for us.

 

[Timespike]

Nope. We're spread out across thousands of miles, multiple time zones, and multiple countries. We don't see each other in person very often, so I'm not sure how any of that would even work for us.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I admit that the title is likely more provocative than I intend, but then again, perhaps not.

Does your table share the financial burdens of running a TTRPG?
These may include but are not limited to: Books, Minis, Printing costs, Dice, Tokens, Cards, Stationary, VTT fees, food/snacks

My main group (the play by post crew) has collectively bought nearly all the player-facing stuff and all of the generic DM-facing stuff (not adventures or settings) on D&D Beyond. We have people who are in dire straits financially who can't afford anything and people lucky enough to never have to worry about something like a D&D Beyond expense.

It helps that we're friends who've known each other since the late 1990s and everyone is in their late 30s or older.