So I've never been to GenCon, but Smelly Gamers???

[Mark CMG]

As a DM I once took a person aside and had a hygiene discussion with them. I had had complaints from the other players and really had no choice. I don't tell people they aren't allowed to stink but I did, that time, have to tell someone they were not allowed to stink to the point that it would drive other players away from the gaming table. If this happened at a convention where the others players had the additional clout of having paid for their right to play in a reasonable environment, I feel I would also, as DM, have no real choice but to take someone aside as necessary, the same as I would with a player displaying any other type of disruptive behavior. It took for a few months and then that particular group split up. I have no idea if that one player continued to wash regularly.

 

[reveal]

Not only that, but in my family flatulence is an art form, so I've been raised to cope with...unusual smells.

Mom?

 

[Mark CMG]

Mom?

You're a bad man, Snuffy...

 

[Xath]

Mom?

Not unless you're -10 years old.

(and that's negative 10, not less than 10)

 

[PatrickLawinger]

Well, the stinky gamer thing isn't a myth, but I am not sure it is as prevalent as people make it out to be.
When you have literally thousands of people circulating through the same area you are going to get a whiff of a fe that, well, don't smell pretty.

As far as saying anything about it, I don't. Then again, I am a writer, it doesn't pay to piss off fans. The smelliest gamer I have EVER met was at GenCon '04 (last year's Con for those without a calendar) on the last day of the convention. He came up to me and asked me to sign copies of books I wrote. I did the "grin and bear it" thing and signed as fast as I could.
I try to be forgiving. I know that there are people who through body bacteria, sweat, whatever, accumulate terrible BO and a short period of time. Still, I would think that people with this problem would go out of their way to do something about it.

Patrick

 

[Hand of Evil]

It was the dog!

 

[HeapThaumaturgist]

My wife has about zero tolerance for funk of any sort. She'll stop playing and walk away from a table if somebody stinks.

Me, I'm the opposite end of the spectrum from the stinky gamer. I'm about obsessive for keeping clean. When I have to do yardwork I take a shower before I go out, put on fresh clothes, go do my work, come in, take another shower, and put on a fresh set of clothes. When I wake up in the morning I take a shower. I can't do anything UNTIL I have my shower.

So when I go to cons I have to have a room so I can shower in the morning. And I have to have fresh clothes for each day. If that's not possible, then me going to the con isn't possible.

--fje

 

[Desdichado]

It was the dog!

What was? reveal's father?

Xath, you naughty girl!

 

[reveal]

What was? reveal's father?

Xath, you naughty girl!

Dude! EN World != NTL

 

[Hand of Evil]

And before this thread starts to stink anymore...

YA STINKERS!