gaming troubles.

[Shinizak]

I'm thinking about quitting for a while. all of my players are power gaming, putting no effort into Role-playing, and last session two thirds of them spent the time playing video games and only looking up to roll a dice.

That either means I'm boring them to tears or they're just being flat out disrespectful to me, either way they're not making any effort to improve the situation and wondering why I'm upset. I'm tired of this ****.

Anyone else having any troubles?

[Sipex]

Ouch, sorry to hear that.

Since this is about ranting about our troubles I'll chime in.

I wish my players would just make some time for our game. Every time we discuss it I get a barrage of excuses why X or Y day is bad and it ends up with no days in the forseeable future to play.

I want to play, we've played for so long, can't we agree on something?!

Augh.

[bokodasu]

I think I'd definitely quit playing with those players. See if you can find better ones?

But if you haven't already, lay out everything as clearly as you can: RP time is RP time; video games are not part of RP time and if you're doing one you're not doing the other. Show up, pay attention, put some effort in, or don't play. Maybe people just aren't understanding what you want from them.

If that doesn't improve things, then yeah, don't waste your breath on those slackers.

[Comet]

Yeah, sound like they're not all that much into roleplaying in the end.
Maybe just look for some other group to play RPGs with and save this group for video game nights and other activities?

[LibraryOgre]

Ouch, sorry to hear that.

Since this is about ranting about our troubles I'll chime in.

I wish my players would just make some time for our game. Every time we discuss it I get a barrage of excuses why X or Y day is bad and it ends up with no days in the forseeable future to play.

I want to play, we've played for so long, can't we agree on something?!

Augh.

One of my groups had this problem... it was almost impossible to get everyone together for things. Finally, we spent about a month hashing out schedules via e-mail and decided that the first Saturday of every month was Our Day. Things come up, and not everyone can make it, but we've mostly cleared our schedules for that one day. Another group worked out our day of the week over a number of e-mails, so we all know that Friday is the target date.

I find it MUCH easier to have a scheduled say that works for almost everyone, and accept a few missing folks, than to try to get everyone together all the time. Again, people might be absent... work and family things that you can't control happen... but we've all got a day when we can say "No, I've got a thing", which makes making other plans easier.

[CycloneJoker]

One of my players won't come because "something came up," and never answers his phone. The only reason it's such a big deal is a both me and another dude are borderline OCD about a lot of things, and attendance is one. Also, we have four people including him, so it barely constitutes a group, anyways, and the game doesn't feel right without more people, meaning extra characters, which doesn't work in our group. People get distracted, and stuff.

[umbrapolaris]

do like us, bored of roleplaying with the tavern owner, the local thief guild leader for intel, our warblade death-knight just one shot him ^^ Diablo 2 hack & slash style is the savior.

[LansXero]

I'm thinking about quitting for a while. all of my players are power gaming, putting no effort into Role-playing, and last session two thirds of them spent the time playing video games and only looking up to roll a dice.

That either means I'm boring them to tears or they're just being flat out disrespectful to me, either way they're not making any effort to improve the situation and wondering why I'm upset. I'm tired of this ****.

Anyone else having any troubles?

It could also mean they are afraid of you being too sensitive and hurt if they just went up and say 'we dont like to play this anymore' but guilt isnt always enough to overcome boredom. Or they are just waiting for you to get the hint and cancel the whole thing.

[Triskavanski]

Next time, hide a sword near your DM seat. As your players start doing this sort of thing, suddenly jump up grab the sword and scream "FREEEEEDOOOOOOM!" or any other powerword(s) like that.

[Shpadoinkle]

Sit everybody down and talk to them. Explain that you feel like you're being disrespected and they don't seem interested in the game, and what they think can or should be done.

If they just don't want to play D&D and would just rather hang out, it would be better to get it out in the open now instead of letting it come to a head.

If they DO want to play D&D, do what you can to get them all to agree to barring electronics from the table, with the possible exception of ONE laptop, which is only to be used to look stuff up in the SRD and closed at all other times.

[Pika...]

This is why I will be running no laptops next time I DM. This was happening to a new DM on Sunday. Even I felt it was very disrespectful. I usually feel so when it happens to me.

Plus, I have a problem with rules-lawyering, so I only the pages allowed to be open are of the PHB/book your class(es) are on.

[Kaww]

Quit. too short

[Pika...]

Quit. too short

Or at least try to round up a better group of players.

[Kaww]

Or at least try to round up a better group of players.

The OP said for a while. I wouldn't game with that group. Then again I get to pick choose my players.

[Thorcrest]

Well aren't you lucky! Some of us have a slim selection to choose from and have to make due with the four we have!

Anyways, to the OP: Just put in a rule that says no laptops/phones/whatever at the table. I'd also ask them if they like roleplaying with NPCs or just the combat parts (This is the difference between my brother and I, he loves fighting and doesn't care for the talky bits, and I am less a fan of fighting, partly due to bad luck, but still enjoy it while I love conversing with NPCs and developing a character), this can make it so that you can play a game they are interested in and keep their attention.

[Kol Korran]

my group sort of have the opposite problem... we have fun players, we all try and make an effort to arrive at meetings, and when we're there- we play the game. i'm far from a perfect DM, and they are far from perfect players, but we all try,, and we have a lot of fun.

what's the problem then? schedule... due to RL issues (studies, work, families and more), we can meet once every 4-6 weeks only! one of the other players thought to DM for a smaller group of us, to fill the need, but even that fell through.

To the OP: invest your time in finding a group of people you'll have fun to play with. really invest the time. it is the single most crucial element of the game. (after that a good DM, Imaginative ans surprising players, and more...) it will make any troubles worth it, make the game something you look forward to.
i wish you good luck, it will come to you.

[Chuckthedwarf]

Well, the only group I know in real life always ends up metagaming and the previous 2 campaigns so far ruined any attempt at some kind of serious or enjoyable roleplaying.

Although don't get me wrong, they are my old friends and we do have fun but sometimes it gets quite tedious.

[starwoof]

I had the exact same problem with my group recently. They were downright disrespectful to both me and the game, and they had their phones/handhelds out all session. I thought the problem was all of them, then I realized that there were two problem players that I have since removed and replaced with facilitator types. It's gone quite smoothly since then. We meet every thursday.

I advise quitting for a while, at least with that group. Get your head together and look for some new players. Maybe you'll find a few with stabilizing influences like I did.