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Message: <blockquote data-quote="merelycompetent" data-source="post: 5860247" data-attributes="member: 33830">Our group has low tolerance for "distractions."Having said that, we also understand that Real Life (tm) requires phones, texting, and the occasional mad dash to the parking lot because the server room is on fire, or a family member just had a meltdown. So the below assumes that there is not a known medical condition or temporary Real Life (tm) situation causing the inattention.Otherwise, it's no TV or radio, unless it's mood-setting. Surfing the web is irritating. Playing games, other than the one we've all taken time out of our lives to play, is downright rude. Stack as many dice as you want, so long as they don't get knocked over into the chips or drinks. Fiddle with knitting, cups, miniatures, or whatever, so long as you are not wasting our all-too-short gaming time.The first couple of distractions get a gentle reminder. Repeat offenders quickly find that no one wants to waste game time recapping the last 15+ minutes of play for the benefit of one person's Facebook addiction. That quickly results in in-game consequences - your character still takes damage in combat while staring blankly at the fire giants, you miss important plot points, and the powerful NPCs you're negotiating with may get very offended and refuse to help your character. No one likes being blown off.If that doesn't get the message across, one or more players have a "Talk" about the problem. If I'm the DM, and it lands in my lap, the problem either disappears immediately after speaking to the problem player, or I put up notice at the local gaming spots that I've got an opening in an ongoing campaign.Yes, that's harsh. Yes, that rubs some people the wrong way. But my time is valuable. My gaming time, even more so. I do my best to treat the people at the gaming table with courtesy and respect. I require the same in return.</blockquote>

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