Gamer Forge Listener Email: Problems at the Table

Gamer Forge Listener Email:

Name: Calvin Smith

Comments: Guys let me start out by saying I just love the show and I love the direction you've been taking the show.

I am a fellow gamer and until recently I have always listened to the gamer forge but never really had any reason to email until now.

I have been playing now for 5 or 6 years. My friends got me into D&D and I have really enjoyed playing. Now by no means do I ever want to attempt the feat of Dungeon mastering. You have to have a genius level intellect to do that I swear! To be able to keep everything straight and make the story fun has to be tough! Especially when your players get side tracked.

However let me get back to the reason I am writing. So I drive from Salt Lake up to Ogden to play with my gaming group and the drive can be a pain at times but its worth it. Two weeks ago I end up being late to the game due to traffic and the week before I did not attend the game because I was out of town for a business trip. This last week I got a flat tire and was 10 minutes late. Now because of this my DM has knocked me down one level, has made me give up 50% of my possessions, and has put me on notice that if I am late or miss one more game I will be exiled from the gaming group.

Now I realize that a player being late can be a problem but I think this is going a little overboard.

Your opinions? Am I just being over critical or sensitive here?

Gamer Forge Response:

DCR says: bag that old-school punishment crap!

1. If someone is having trouble making it to the sessions on time on a consistent basis, try a rotating schedule, where each member takes turns hosting the game. This way, everyone understands the hassle of making it to different places, and creates an environment of accountability between each person. Your friends would help you change your tire so you can make it on time.
2. Your game, any game, is not an iron-clad commitment, nor should it be considered a chore. If it is becoming so much trouble just to make it to where you play, it may be time to consider another option for getting your game on. This is a social event, not a business meeting. When your "friends" resort to such draconic methods for "teaching a lesson", it may be time to move on to a different group. Even better: make it a point to introduce some new people into the game.
3. DM's are not the coolest beings in existence, and should not be treated as infallible. If you are having a hard time dealing with the punishments handed out, it is totally within reason to question the authority of your Dungeon Master. If everyone else is okay kneeling before the DM, the more power to them, but you have free will. Exercise the crap out of it! A Dungeon Master who commands fealty or unquestioning loyalty should absolutely have their authority questioned. That's not friendship, that's subservience.

*Bonus XP: To meet a new group, try one of the hosted events at your local gaming store (preferably Epic Puzzles and Games, located in West Valley City and Lehi, Utah). These are perfect ways to learn a new game and meet lots of new people in a friendly, moderated environment. This would be a great time to try your hand at DM'ing, and earn some free swag.