Old problems, still around

[BluWolf]

How to get people to spend more time playing the game (during a session) than talking ABOUT the game.

 

[tensen]

What is the armor class of a chainmail bikini?

Buy the EN Publishing sourcebook... and you too can find the answer to this and many more questions!!!

(oops, actually I haven't read their book, but it sounds like a good selling catch phrase, doesn't it? )

 

[shaylon]

I'll agree with rations, and add arrows to that. We don't seem to do a good job of tracking arrows. I don't care, to us it isn't that big of a deal, but I could see it being a serious issue in other circles.

We also don't really worry about treasure division. We take what our character may need and divide the rest. Two years on a PBeM and almost a year in a RL group again and there has never been a fight over treasure.

Of course most of us are older gamers who are recently new again to the hobby, but I think we all have good habits about these types of things. Plus our DM is really good so there aren't really any rules-lawyer discussions and things like that.

-Shay

 

[the Jester]

Keeping track of rations.

Every time I start a new campaign (either as a player or a DM), I vow to keep better track of rations. Invariably, it is one of the first things forgotten and doesn't come up again.

I can suggest two great ways to get past this problem.

The first is to intentionally run a lean times campaign. This means that food is harder to find and more expensive.

The second is to play an all-halfling campaign. Food is always a major concern for halflings.

 

[JoeGKushner]

I've found I cut out about 80% of the problems by getting rid of the 20% of players causing them.

No, seriously.

Players always fighting? Both go.

Players looking for a campaign that doesn't match what I want to run? Hey, you guys give me a buzz to mock Serenity or something but I've got a game to catch.

Finding new players and seeing how other people do things gives me a much better idea of the types of games I want to play and the types of games I want to run. Being able to compromise only when absolutely necessary (and to be honest, for me, no game is better than a bad game), has saved me a load of time and prevented me from killing the joy other people take in different types of games.

 

[JoeGKushner]

I'll agree with rations, and add arrows to that. We don't seem to do a good job of tracking arrows. I don't care, to us it isn't that big of a deal, but I could see it being a serious issue in other circles.
-Shay

Life point beads are perfect for thise stuff if you want to accurately track it. Just toss out the use and keep the pool of what you have left. Works surprisngly well.

 

[pogre]

JoeG hit the big one for me -

I've learned to let go of problem players and that it doesn't have to affect our friendship outside of gaming. If they choose to let it fine, but your gaming group chemistry is important.

I've also learned if a player asks a question try to find a way to say yes instead of no. You cannot always cater to players, but players enjoy having powerful characters and that's OK.

 

[Numion]

How to split up party treasure. [A thread on the front page a few days ago asks about this.]
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snip
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For those of you with years of experience, what are some problems that you had with gaming years ago that you don't even think about now adays?

Q, you make interesting threads!

When we first started D&D there was something I'd now consider a major broblem distributing the treasure. Or to be honest, there was no distribution. It would go something like this:

DM: "Okay, the room has a bed, a chest and a desk ,wi.."
Player 1: "CHEST!!!!"
Player 2: "CH .. DESK!!!"
Player 3: "CHE .. DE .. Damn .. I check the bed then.."

Anything you found, YOU kept. We didn't divide it. It was just free for all shouting, all about the reflexes. It sucked if the desk was empty and there was 1000gp in the chest :\ If we killed a creature together, then we would divide, but only with those who managed to take at least a single HP off of it.

When gems were found their values were not listed, but a roll on the value table was made on the spot (the player got to roll). So once when a rarity happened and we divided a big pile of these generic gems, each player rolled for the value of his gems. So, somehow, someone got 100 50gp gems, someone got 100 10gp gems etc ..

You got to choose if you wanted xp or gp value of the gem. You didn't get both - I guess the gems vaporized if you chose the xp.

 

[JoeGKushner]

How to get people to spend more time playing the game (during a session) than talking ABOUT the game.

As the GM, I stand a lot during the game.

I also ask the players what their doing.

Nothing breaks up the Monty Python quotes faster than asking, "What's your Flat Footed Armor Class again?"

Keep 'em on the move. Keep them in the game. Don't give them time to talk about the game.

When you know their getting ready to level up, let them know ahead of time to give you a list of whatever abilities their interested in gaining, such as feats, spells, or item creation. If some players always update their characters to the next level on a seperate sheet, ask them to have those sheets ready.

 

[Hjorimir]

The big thing I've learned over the years is to focus on fun. So many questions on this board could be answered with, "Do what is fun for you and your group."

There seems to be this mentality to let the rules govern the game instead of the DM, which I find ridiculous. Let the DM govern the game and let the rules assist him/her in the process.

In order for this to work, however, you have to know the rules so you can know when to break them (and what the ramifications of breaking the rules are).