So, I'm using this blog to share thoughts and observations I'm having as a new DM running a group of players. We just finished a session Sunday so here I am.
I have to say that I love this game and will do just about anything to get a game in. That includes dealing with players. I consider everyone at my table friends and maybe that's my problem. The logistics are killing me. First of all: food. Everyone has their opinions about food. I could care less. I think that creates tension as I run the games at my house.
You see, everything started out all right. We would all just chip in for Pizza or whatever. It was fine. Then... well then people started going on health binges (myself included) and we decided pizza wasn't good enough for our table. So we mixed it up with home cooked meals, sandwiches, salads, whatever. Well, the homemade food was difficult. Whoever was cooking (I politely declined cooking. I have enough to prepare for game day without worrying about food) would spend more time in the kitchen than at the table. So we started buying healthy premade food. And it got expensive. Add onto that the cost and inconvenience of the myriad snacks and drinks that litter the table during any given battle and you end up with someone paying a lot of money and feeling a little jilted.
Then there are those that think everyone should just provide their own food. That's all fine and dandy, except it feels wierd. I really enjoy the social aspects of the game and I can't bring myself to not share food with the people I'm sharing my home with. Not to mention, the last time we tried this, everyone (except me!) chipped in privately and bought a great spread while I was stuck with the tepid Taco Bell I grabbed at the drivethrough on the way to the game (this was a different game with the same group of people).
So, we decided that everyone would chip in $8 at the beginning of the session. If you want out, you have to notify everyone ahead of time in a thread on the group page and the non DM players will trade off who handles the logistics (picking the food, going to the store on the way over, etc).
I hope this works.
The second issue is tardiness. I am not a huge stickler on this but a few players (not naming names!) are always late. And it's not just a little bit; it's at least an hour. I had a chat with said players and we will see what happens. It's a bummer when I spend all weekend cleaning house and prepping encounters only to have my players show up an hour and a half late to the game. Also it cuts into play time which annoys me to no end.
So I guess this turned into a venting session. I feel better, how about you?
