Play Dirty: Dealing with Bad Players

This is the one thing people say to me most when talking about Play Dirty.

I thought I'd make the most direct comment I could.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• game
• design
• roleplaying
• games
• John
• Wick
• master

[LordSathar]

To respond to John's comment, because people play games with thier friends, and just because someone is your friend doesn't neccesarily mean he is good at roleplaying.

[LordStrange]

@LordSathar And if you don't say anything, he'll never get better.

[TheColdpress]

Brand lethargy also leads to a lot of "bad players" in the hobby. 

[Propadanza]

I think he means players that don't change, like guys who are tired and play anyway, and storm out when the GM does something they don't like. The players that proceed to screw over the entire party because they aren't the center of attention. Basically, players that continue to ruin the experience for everybody. I have more examples, but IMHO, those are bad players. Doesn't mean they're bad people. Also, if everyone's still having fun at the table, they can't be that "bad".

[Dokph]

@Dwarin psheaw right. That is just the attitude that gets me. "I don't play with you and you don't play with me. Someone wants to play with me, I have the decency to sit down and at least give him a chance. Either it works out or it doesn't. But I don't cut people out from my table because they're not social, or dramatic, or theatric, or gamery enough, to find 'em acceptable. Honestly, Assholes? I don't play with. Players who're so bad they literally can't play. Nope.But bad players? Hell yes.

[Dwarin]

Nice video. To Dokph, even if they're nice people, I don't have to put up with them at my table if they're bad players or if they're disruptive. I have friends who are nice to out with to the cinema and really stink when it comes to rpgs. We agree to disagree and each goes his own way when it comes to gaming.

[Dokph]

Cause their friends? Cause they're interesting people? Because there is a difference between a bad player and a bad person? Contrary to what most people think, rpg's aren't some god sent person value evaluation system? Cause most of the time, they're funnier than elitist jackasses that only plays with people reaching their personal degree of 'acceptable'? What's a better gm, someone who plays with bad players and have a grand time, or someone who only plays with the best he can find?

[bathlarper]

That can be true but there are exceptions.

I sometimes GM for a group which lives near my parents place (I'm at uni now) I come back for the holidays and run for them because I used to game with them and they're good friends. My replacement in the group is the stereotypical Bad Player but they like him out-of-game and if I want to game with the rest of them I have to put up with him as well.

[ProjectHestia]

All the good game masters I know have no problem attracting quality players to their games. Like attracts like. Game masters with chronic 'bad player' problems should take a good honest look at the mirror. Because seriously... most bad player problems are just symptoms of bad GMing.

Excellent series, keep up the good work.

[Vidious88]

Brilliant advice