Have you ever been "That Guy"?

[Particle_Man]

Well a lot of "That Guys" would not know ever, would they? Even the OP wasn't meant to find out (the DM hoped you wouldn't notice being skipped).

I might have been "That Guy" once. I was asking about a campaign (out of curiosity, not to join) and the DM said "We're full" very quickly. But I might be reading too much into it. It was after a player in that game (and DM in a previous game) had an issue with me, but I had thought it was resolved. On the other hand, that player (and come to think of it, one other) has never, ever joined in any campaign I have been a player or DM for since, so who knows? Anyhow, it was 15 years ago, so it really doesn't matter. Water under the bridge and I didn't have a shortage of games to play in or run.

Another time, more recently, I was not told of a campaign, but that was more that I was and am busy with my fiancee and don't have time to game weekly, so the friend didn't want to rub my nose in me not being able to game. No biggie when I found out. I agreed that I simply didn't have time, and wished her well in the game. That was less of a "That Guy" and more of a "Those Wedding Bells are Breaking Up That Old Gang of Mine", I guess.

 

[wingsandsword]

I think you find more "we had this guy ...." and fewer "yeah, I'm that guy ..." stories because if you're that guy, it's hard to know that and from your perspective, everyone else (or the GM) is being that guy.

Having said that, I don't think I've ever been that guy, though I have been in groups where I definitely did not fit in (i.e. i prefer some styles over another) and therefore the GM/other players probably thought I was a mood-kill by wanting to do X when they were all used to Y.

I know that most people wouldn't know if they were "that guy", but I have the suspicion that among veteran gamers, those that have played at a number of cons and multiple groups, most have been "That Guy" at least once to one group or one person.

It's the way human interaction works. Standards of hygiene, expected standards of gaming behavior, group dynamics, it's just impossible to please everyone.

I've played in games where the GM was an amateur bartender and served drinks during the game. We'd sit around with beers or mixed drinks and play. I know some gamers that showing up to a game like that, they'd stick out like a sore thumb and be very uncomfortable, and may well be "that guy". I know some people who are very powergame oriented, who act like everything is about creating the most efficient "build" and don't understand why people would play suboptimal characters, and I know that attitude would definitely make them "that guy" at some tables, but fit right in at others. I know a couple of gamers that think essentially that if the game isn't PvP, isn't roleplaying, so they always try to PvP if they are PCing or push the PC's to PvP fighting if they are the GM, and I know they have had groups they fit in well with, but would definitely be "that guy" at some tables.

 

[nedjer]

Not at D&D, but I'm hated and a total target at Laserquest every time. Whole teams gang up on me, so I kill them all

 

[Piratecat]

I ran a Scarred Lands campaign for two years, and then handed it over to my wife to GM. I rolled up a PC and joined the group.

I was, possibly, the worst player ever. Argumentative. Pedantic. Fussy. Distractable. And rules lawyery.

It really caught me off guard. Clearly, I couldn't make that transition and still had control issues. I think I got over them, but it took a year and two apologies to the group (and the DM) before I did.

 

[Zhaleskra]

I'm sure I have. The age range I think I was in at the time was, let's say about 12-20.

 

[Lord Zack]

Possibly. Due to my Autism, it can be hard for me to relate to other people. This makes it easy for me to accidentally do something that would offend or annoy someone. I know my hygiene has sometimes been inadequate according to societies standards. I do have a problem with finding people to play with.

 

[Sorrowdusk]

I honestly don't know, but the smell was coming from a patch in the middle of the back, like it had been set in something - or used as a bed by a wet dog.

It was getting a bit old and worn (and small) and I didn't think I'd be able to get rid of the smell, so rather than leave it to muss up the hotel room, I ditched it - and got a better fitting replacement after the con.

T'was your smelly patch then?

Hmmm...

Did it look like...this?

 

[Jeff Wilder]

I've always kinda expected to be That Guy at some point. I'm an easy-going guy, piece of cake to get along with, almost always, but when I'm having a bad day I can be a dick. (Not bellicose or anything; mostly sarcastic, impatient, and eventually contemptuous.) Maybe one in 20 sessions?

It's never negatively impacted my invitations to game, or my ability to recruit players, though. Somehow.

My theory is four-part: (1) As a player, I often drive the game, while working hard not to hog the spotlight. If you've ever been a game that's spinning its wheels, you know how important it is to have someone that will push things along. (2) I'm a good GM (and for whatever reason, I'm almost never a dick when I GM). (3) I have a sweet game-room, with lots and lots of accessories, and always host games. (4) I'm the alpha-geek in the 30 or so people I game with, no question.

I'd also like to think that I'm never a dick until someone deserves it. That's mostly true, but I've learned better than to think it's always true. Occasionally I go for the throat of folks who really haven't provoked it.

 

[Chimera]

Twice;

I answered a Gamers Wanted from this board. A guy was running a game just a couple of miles from my apartment. The first warning sign was that I actually showed up and he says, very curtly "Oh, I didn't think you were coming" What? Odd that, given that we had not interacted at all other than the basic "hey, I'm interested" and "come on over". But ok, I go in. The man shows me that he has pretty much every D&D book ever made and printed copies of every PDF ever published. Um, OK. Then makes it very clear to me in strong tones that he is a stickler for the rules (bear that in mind). So I decide to play a Wizard. He lectures me about material components and that I won't be able to cast spells which require components I can't find in this remote, very cold environment. So ok, another player suggests that I take the Eschew Components feat. DM is practically beside himself and says that he won't allow anything that isn't in the PHB (after telling me to include other books earlier). Very unhappy to learn that YES, IT IS IN THE PHB.

Game is seriously ridiculous in what he throws at a 1st level party. I figure out a trick he's playing at one point and he accuses me of having read the module and threatens to kick me out. By the end of the night, I get slaughtered by a monster that shouldn't be run against anything less than a 3rd level party. I take my lumps without complaint and propose coming back as a Fighter.

I get an email from him the next day saying that I am an "rules lawyer" and am no longer welcome at his table.


Second One. Guy has some odd rules for experience and a penchant for ambushes in the middle of the night and ambushes of our scouts that result in ONLY THEM getting a lot of experience and my "have to actually sleep to regain spells" Wizard getting totally screwed. I complain about this, and am backed by the other players, one of whom raises the issue of what will happen when my Wizard gets Fireball and can nuke enemies before they get close to the rest of us. I also raise some other issues, just trying to clarify them, but the guy reacts in an extremely defensive manner rather than just explaining what he has in mind.

Then he's got his SO playing, and she's seriously immature. Deliberately sabotages everything the party does and then giggles and turns away, looking at us out of the corner of her eyes. Haha, big fun to mess up everything we do. Well, I don't like it and neither does anyone else. The other five players ask me, since I'd already been talking to the guy about the experience thing, to talk to him about this too.

GM becomes incensed and goes way overboard in personally attacking me. Way over the line. I tell the other players that I'm done unless they want to speak up and show the guy that I'm not making this up (as he accuses me of doing. Four of them do, one of them calling the SO a little child who needs to grow up. The other guy does a 180 and sucks up to SO, claiming it is "good roleplay" and perfectly OK as long as she's having fun.

I continued to play, but was clearly not well liked by the GM, who wrapped up the game earlier than first announced and then never gamed with any of us again. I think he would have kicked me out, but a> I was the ride for two other players who wouldn't be able to keep playing if I wasn't giving them a ride, and b> the other two said they probably wouldn't play if I was kicked out.

 

[Wednesday Boy]

I've never been kicked out of a group but I've been That Guy when my halfling jester got kicked out of the party because he annoyed the other players. Looking back on it, I certainly can empathize with the others. If Me Now was playing in a party Me Then's character, I would probably be the one leading the charge to get rid of the character (or player).

It's funny how a little dose of maturity changes our gaming perspectives.