Technology Pitfalls
Feb 19, 2012 21:29:40 GMT -8
Post by jazzisblues on Feb 19, 2012 21:29:40 GMT -8
So, I was running one of my games over the weekend at OrcCon. I thought the game was going along ok, a couple of the players didn't really seem to be digging it, but I was hopeful that it would work out. Then one of the players suddenly left. He wasn't in any way rude or untoward. I figured he wasn't enjoying the game and decided to go have some beers with his buddies. Cool by me. I was sorry he wasn't enjoying the game.
Then a bit later, he walked up to me and said, "I owe you an apology." I was perplexed and confused because I thought I owed him an apology. After talking about it I found out why he had actually left. It turns out he left because I had picked up my phone and sent several text messages during the course of the game and his reaction was something along the lines of, "Well fuck if he's no more interested in his own game than that why should I stay and play?" This is a feeling I can empathize with completely. What he didn't know at the time (and why he felt compelled to apologize when he found out) was that the text messages were from players and to players at the table about things that were going on in the game. Things that they wanted to know or do but didn't want to ask out in front of the rest of the players.
What that left me with was the following: If a gm is going to utilize such technology, or any communication medium or anything for that matter in the course of game play he should tell all of the players up front what's going on. I didn't do a good job of communicating with all of the players and that caused someone to leave a game. So, next time I run a game I will make technology available to everyone. I'm undecided on exactly what venue that will take at this point, but everyone will have the same (or as close to it as i can manage) access to all of the elements of the game, including the technology.
Cheers,
JiB
Then a bit later, he walked up to me and said, "I owe you an apology." I was perplexed and confused because I thought I owed him an apology. After talking about it I found out why he had actually left. It turns out he left because I had picked up my phone and sent several text messages during the course of the game and his reaction was something along the lines of, "Well fuck if he's no more interested in his own game than that why should I stay and play?" This is a feeling I can empathize with completely. What he didn't know at the time (and why he felt compelled to apologize when he found out) was that the text messages were from players and to players at the table about things that were going on in the game. Things that they wanted to know or do but didn't want to ask out in front of the rest of the players.
What that left me with was the following: If a gm is going to utilize such technology, or any communication medium or anything for that matter in the course of game play he should tell all of the players up front what's going on. I didn't do a good job of communicating with all of the players and that caused someone to leave a game. So, next time I run a game I will make technology available to everyone. I'm undecided on exactly what venue that will take at this point, but everyone will have the same (or as close to it as i can manage) access to all of the elements of the game, including the technology.
Cheers,
JiB