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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Stumblewyk" data-source="post: 5370936" data-attributes="member: 67606">I don't know that we've ever made an official "no X at the table" rule in any of my groups, but we should have in one case.  In the last year, I've played in or DM'd 3 different groups.  One is a long-running monthly game of old friends who just "get it."  We joke, we laugh about the last episode of Always Sunny, and then once the pizza arrives, we get down to business.  Phones go on silent, TV is turned off, and the only things on the table are the gaming mat, character sheets, dice, and minis.  It's game time until the session ends and we all part ways.  The only problem we've had is that about half of us are sports fans and we tended to keep a TV on in another room with the hockey or baseball game (depending on the season).  Some of us requested the game be turned off due to distractions.  We sports fans acquiesced in the interest of maximizing the limited game time we had.  No problems since then.Another is a group of adults who come together (mostly) on a weekly basis.  Phones are kept on silent, friends and loved ones know we're gaming from 5:30 until 10:00 on Sunday nights, and we're not to be bothered unless it's an emergency.  Often, the TV will be left on (muted) in the case of a football game or playoff game for another sport.  All 6 of us are football fans (3 Steelers fans, 2 Eagles fans, and a strange Giants fan), and if our team is on late that Sunday, we understand that we can glance back at the TV once our turn is over.The third group...well, the third group didn't make it precisely BECAUSE of distractions.  I stopped DM'ing it because 2 of the players were driving me nuts.  They asked if they could use dice rollers on their iPhones.  I foolishly said yes.  Dice rollers turned into AWESOME VIDEOS YOU JUST HAD TO SEE.  Or HILARIOUS SOUND EFFECTS BOARDS.  And wives and band members calling every 20 minutes.  I politely said no more dice rollers thinking this would curtail the other activities.  I should have said no more phones.  I didn't.  I burnt out DM'ing them and my wife volunteered to take over.  Win.  I could play, try to shepherd their behavior at the table, and well, I got to PLAY.It didn't work.  The phones kept up.  The dumb-ass sound effects kept coming.  So did the texts and calls.  My wife burnt out.  The game died.The way to solve problems like that is simple - have a social contract.  Determine what distractions work (TV works for one of my groups, not for another...phones are a definite no-no for anyone) for people and stick to them only.  If you decide no phones, no laptops, then stick to it.  If someone violates it, you call them on it.  I don't know that you can punish them with in-game ramifications, but social pressure should be enough.</blockquote>

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