Would you play D&D in a public place?

[Treebore]

This is a thread I have seen on RPG.net and one or two other boards, but don't remember seeing it here.

Would you play D&D in a public place such as a restaurant, a park, or any other public location that is NOT a game store?

 

[Cabled]

Said no...

But I *might* again, and have before. In general I find those kinds of places just too busy to keep people's attention. It almost takes on the air of a promotional stunt. More secluded places, such as parks and whatnot are better...but this is a paper based hobby and the wind is ever present. But maybe on the perfect day I'd do it again.

 

[Melan]

If it is not a busy place, maybe. Bothering the crowds is just not a polite thing to do, and getting bothered by the crowd is irritating. Of course, I assume the question asked on RPGNet is "Are you ashamed of being a gamer?". Did Kiero open it, perchance?

 

[airwalkrr]

I've played in a restaurant before. It wasn't a big deal as the restaurant employees knew us and we were good tippers. I have also played in public places before to try to attract new gamers. Nothing better to pick up stray gamers than plopping down in the middle of a park or (better) university and just start playing.

 

[Treebore]

If it is not a busy place, maybe. Bothering the crowds is just not a polite thing to do, and getting bothered by the crowd is irritating. Of course, I assume the question asked on RPGNet is "Are you ashamed of being a gamer?". Did Kiero open it, perchance?

Nope, someone with a screen name of pacalypse, or similiar. Plus it is a thread asking much the same question as I posed here.

 

[ivocaliban]

Already have, but that was years ago. I'd be less inclined to do so today.

 

[Sejs]

Have done, if situation warranted, would do again.

Playing outside (in a park, say) can be quite nice, but it's subject to the whims of the environment, and well... RPGs are a very paper-and-small-things intensive passtime. The wind can get really, really annoying.

Playing in a public place (mall, restraunt, college commons) is easy enough. Depending on traffic and your group's noise level, people likely will rubberneck a bit. Just don't be self-conscious and game on. All there really is to it.


Bottom line is you, me, everyone here, in the eyes of much of the world, we are geeks. We pretend to be dwarves and half-orcs. We roll strange dice to determine the outcome of fights and make-believe that we're saving the day, instead of working on cars, getting 'faced, or going clubbing in the hopes of getting laid. We're esoteric. Once you gather up the courage to come out of the dice bag, gaming in public isn't all that difficult.

 

[Darklone]

After LARPing, that's something you don't really care about. Actually the wind in the maps and charsheets is more annoying than all the rest.

 

[Mark Hope]

Yeah, sure. Have done so, would do so again. Public places I'v gamed included a library, a park, a restaurant, a youth hostel and a 300 kph bullet train.

 

[Shades of Green]

Does a public library count? I've DMed in a "D&D course" organized in a public library, setting up several volunteer DMs and letting local kids play; we had an art-gallery hall in that library given to us to game in.