Keeping order in your game

[Rel]

This really isn't a gaming issue, more of a "making sure the players realize that the same social rules apply as anywhere else" issue. As such, don't feel like you have to solve it single-handedly as the Game Master.

I think Soundbyte hit the nail on the head.

Personally, I would not take up my valuable time formulating a "system" for them speaking. I'd probably just get their attention somehow the next time it happens and clearly declare, "Guys! I'm not your dad and it isn't my job to get you to talk to each other instead of yell at each other. Either lower your voices and speak respectfully, one at a time, or I'm going home."

 

[Henry]

In combat is simple - I tell everyone to have ready what they plan to do, and I ONLY hear from them when it's their turn.

Out of combat, I use the same philosophy. Since we are at a table, I start clockwise from the left, asking each person what they wish to do. If someone talks out of turn I say, "I'll get to your action in a minute." After taking all actions, I tell them the results. If someone has a conflicting action, I handle those one at a time. If someone's talking out of turn, I MAKE THEM REPEAT THEMSELVES WHEN I'M READY TO LISTEN.

 

[Henry]

...and clearly declare, "Guys! I'm not your dad and it isn't my job to get you to talk to each other instead of yell at each other. Either lower your voices and speak respectfully, one at a time, or I'm going home."

Yeah, you could go the adult and mature route, but what fun would that be?

 

[diaglo]

dig out your old OD&D booklets or your 1edADnD DMG and look up "Caller"

institute that rule if you think it will help.

 

[the Jester]

dig out your old OD&D booklets or your 1edADnD DMG and look up "Caller"

institute that rule if you think it will help.

Actually, iirc, originally Gary ran games with lots of players... I wonder if this is exactly where the concept of having a caller came from??

 

[Inconsequenti-AL]

dig out your old OD&D booklets or your 1edADnD DMG and look up "Caller"

institute that rule if you think it will help.

If you'll excuse the ignorance of this 'whipper snapper' (started with 2nd ed), what is a caller?

 

[Derulbaskul]

As soon as my guys get out of control I make them roll initiative or, if more appropriate, I just go around the table. Alternatively, I tell them I'll be back in five minutes and they have that long to decide what they're going to do next.

Anyway, knowing that I might slap initiative rolls on them is enough of a threat that they're fairly disciplined these days when it comes to all trying to speak with me at once. However, they also know that I normally have a very difficult back-up encounter prepared for when players get out of hand and waste my time/game time.

Frex, I allowed two players to bring in new characters because their old two were fairly ineffective (note to any players: 3E and 3.5E have different rules to 1E and 2E so, don't assume based on your encyclopaedic knowledge of earlier editions, look it up) on the understand that the characters would be ready to run in a week's time and that I would get a preview the day before so that I could review them.

We wasted 1 hour and 20 minutes of the four hour session. However, in the remaining two hours and forty minutes we had six character deaths. I think that a new lesson has been learned.

 

[SuperFlyTNT]

My players think I can be a dick sometimes because I do things like this.

Example: Player X is loud obnoxious girl who thinks she should be the center of attention because she is in a room full of guys. She talks about something stupid while other people are talking just basically being disruptive I turn and focus all my attention on her as if Im very interested in what ever drivle she has to spout, when she is done talking I say "HEY! Globe of silence on your face!" and she cant be heard untill I decide it has been lifted. This usually pisses her off but she gets over it.

Im also fond of falling debri's landing on pets, cohorts, and familiars. They are usually busy sulking and dont have much to say for a while.

I had a friend who use to throw dice at unruly players. He was a big jock who had a d100 the size of a tennis ball. He left a welt on my friends forehead one time... it was great.

 

[Umbran]

If you'll excuse the ignorance of this 'whipper snapper' (started with 2nd ed), what is a caller?

IIRC, The party caller is the one who gathers up information from all the players, and infroms the GM of what's going on. Instead of the DM listening to 4 or 6 people individually, all communication goes throught the party caller. Normally, this is used for larger parties in major combats - one "general" who gets all the plans straight and gives them to the DM.

This system works miserably if the party caller is not a mature, rational person.

The less compassionate side of me says that a big foam cluebat is the best solution to such infantile behavior. When people are so childish at the table as to start trying to shout each other down, you whip out the cluebat and start whacking away. Shuts them up and relieves stress at the same time.

 

[brellin]

my idea is a little mean but keep track of who was talking and for how long and they could have "bad luck" untill they have paid off what they owe you
like say player1 player4 and player2 are talking while it's player3s turn so they could have small penaltys and less gold at the end of the session