In
this episode, Seth and Jon share tips, tricks, and habits every
player should know, and how GMs might consider addressing
problematic players.
PlayerTips
Do
prep-work before the game (pick that skill/power from leveling last
game)
Remember Other People in the room - Hogging
Time/Spotlight
Avoid
Distractions (phones, crafting, etc.)
Look
out for other players’ fun
Learn
your character’s skills/powers/spells/gear
Help
the GM keep the game going (sometimes by telling the GM to focus
up)
Make
a character that would do the adventure (little metagaming
involved)
Talk
to the GM and inform of problems/concerns/wants
Never
forget that the goal is fun, not necessarily winning. Many horror
games have PC deaths, but that’s part of the fun of horror
games.
Trust
the GM – if it seems like the GM is implying that the next stage of
the adventure is “East,” then take whatever precautions seem wise
and try going East, despite the chaotic urge you may have to go
“West.”
If
playing in-person with a group, offering to assist with food,
drinks, and cleanup is always good.
Online playing - show up on time
Online playing - ensure your technology is
working
Make
Notes
DealingwithProblemPlayers
Determine cause. Is it a reaction to boredom or other
player. Determine if the bad behavior is a symptom of a larger
problem.
Talk
to them - might not understand they’re causing issues
Using
the game to punish them only makes it worse (the temptation is
real)
Every
single time I’ve booted a player from our group the games instantly
improved.
Watch
for signs of problem players, like during character creation… are
they excited to make a character who can be a source of chaos in
the game?
We
can’t do this show alone. We want to thank our amazing editors Max
Mahaffa and Edwin Nagy for their hard work and keen skills at
making us sound awesome!
We
also want to thank John Sumrow, for our badass logo. He’s a very
talented artist, so please follow him on Facebook, check out his
official website, and please consider joining his Patreon
account.
And
finally, we want to thank The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets for
generously allowing us to use their song,Gluttony, as our
intro and outro music. If you are a fan of Lovecraft’s writing and
the Call of Cthulhu RPG, then you need to check out The Darkest of
the Hillside Thickets. Please check out their BandCamp site and
their official band site.