Critical Fails & Table Flip Triggers

Your eyes are focused upon the table, eyeing the next opportunity to make that decisive move, securing you enough points to put your opponents to the sword, make them buy the farm, cash in your winning numbers… well you get it. You’re working through the last of the mental arithmetic, checking odds and variables, about to reach for the game piece…when out the corner of your eye you see it; delicate cardboard in an arched shape that no card should ever be between the fingers of a stressed defender. Your eyes twitch in anger as to the left of Mr Crumpler is Miss Salivate, absentmindedly pressing the gaming coins against her lips. As she starts to clench her jaw around the edge of the currency denominated chit, all thought of winning vanishes and you let loose a battle roar heard beyond the confines of the gaming meta. A righteous fury has been unleashed…

When you notice someone chewing on your Blood Rage mini…

Gaming, as a socially centric hobby, requires etiquette to ensure that all people gathered to enjoy the experience do exactly that – enjoy the experience. While a majority of these are created through general social norms that are accepted, gaming has as many types of behaviour that are frowned upon. Am I just easy going or simply fortunate to have not experienced many situations where I, or those that I’m gaming with unleash the fury of Ragnarok  in our gaming space? Unsure, I asked fellow gamers to tell their own tales of horror so that I may identify my own flaws, or simply thank the gods of the old (and the new) for my good experiences. So these are the types of behaviour that all gamers should think twice about or, should they see them in their gaming space, consider having a word to prevent gaming experiences to be tarnished.

Mind The Meeples:

Games are precious things to owners, with many of us being collectors as well as players. Our games do not love moisture, nor do they like to perform feats of contortion within the trapped confines of players grasps. We understand that games can becomes stressful and your mind my wander while you handle components, but please, be mindful of your actions while gaming, including the chosen method of shuffling cards. General rules for etiquette cues are to watch the treatment of the components by the owner and follow suit with equal or better treatment. While Eric Lang seems cool tossing a Blood Rage Serpent Miniature, I can assure you that you are not.

The only acceptable snack presentation…

While nibbling and gaming seem to go hand in hand, literally, they probably shouldn’t. While gaming or considering what type of food to bring to a gaming evening, it’s a safe bet to rule out anything saucy. Or anything moisture-inducing for that matter, and I’d possibly stay clear of anything greasy or with a powdery coating (chopsticks are your snack friend). When in doubt, ask the organiser or game owner if her or she is happy with food and the stipulations.

Respect the Rules:

Each time a new game hits the table, players need to understand the explicit instructions of the game and how it’s played in the form of a rules explanations. While sometimes they can feel like more of a sermon than an enticing adventure about to begin, it’s crucial that players all understand the expected parameters of conduct in the game so that they can enjoy a riveting 90 minutes or more around the table. While I tread the tightrope of Inception, it’s crucial to setting the tone for your evening or session that you understand that there are rules about the rules explanation that can keep tables upright and in their latched position.

Seconds after hearing The Gallerist explained…

Pay attention to the person who is explaining to you and listen attentively to the rules as they have probably put some effort into learning on their own for your benefit. Stay off your phone for this period of time, it’s distracting to others and to the person explaining and try save your questions to the end, I’m sure that the explanation will fill in the blanks although it may be a little later than expected. And whatever you do, do not interrupt someone else’s rules explanation to take over the explanation or add in anything you think they have omitted even if you do feel you know it better.

Secondary Strategies:

Gaming conduct inside and outside of the meta can make or break a group’s immersion and enjoyment of a gaming evening. While targeting your gaming group rival and fueling feuds may be something your group chuckles about during conquest style games (ed: Yes Paul, this is about you) it’s important to keep in check how your gaming strategies can affect the enjoyment of other people’s game experience.  Common complaints in many groups surround people who are overly “helpful” in assisting all other players at the table in the form of announcing what they feel the players best move is (even in competitive games) or physically drawing cards, moving meeples and placing tokens for others during their turns. This type of behaviour is often rewarded with rescinded invites and links to the Top Ten Solo Games on Board Game Geek.

Reddit coined the term “Marcus”, the gamer who realises he can’t win and so proceeds to indiscriminately break the game mechanics by randomising his move options, attempting to break the gaming system through exploits or even utilizing all of their resources to ensure that the “expected” victor is usurped by an outside contender through their actions (also known as a form of king-making). The other variation includes attempting to make the game end faster by backing the leading horse to end their “suffering”. Often this type of behaviour is viewed by the perpetrator as being beneficial to the group and that justification offers a sentence of generally 6-12 months away from gaming tables.

Stuart politely suggesting our next course of action…

While socialising often involves alcohol, gaming is one of the hobbies where intoxication can really put the night into a stupor; especially when it’s a party of one attempting to play a Euro. Strategy games can often require a sharp intellect and an aura of concentration around the table for most players and one person poking meeples in the corner or talking at a higher decibel about the previous episode of Game of Thrones could easily cause someone to make construction errors in a game of Suburbia. If your beverage should also create extra lakes in my city through impaired handling of heavy machinery, many town planners would be aggrieved. Again, when in doubt read the crowd and possibly opt for a different game.

Now while these instances may even raise your blood pressure while reading them, as people in a gaming and social hobby made best with players, it’s important to know that people will make mistakes and often may even be unaware of these habitual gaming faux pas. Chatting to them about these instances when they happen can often diffuse situations and put your gaming evening back on track quicker than quiet seething. Gaming is all about the experiences so lets all work together to find solutions to our interactions and ensure we love each and every second at the table.

So what are your guys and gals experiences? What horror stories have you seen and what have I mentioned that you might be guilty of or know a “friend” that does these things? Comments below and feel free to leave recommendations on how you made your group and gaming a better space.