In reply to Tyr Hawk (msg # 279):

The GM's own wife quit the game as she routinely fell asleep from boredom (the spouse is a friend of hers) - this did not faze him; the game is held at his house.  We meet next Monday. There's no collaborative effort of players and GM, his game runs on rails (with stops at all local, pointless stations).  The game system  itself is supposed to be active, dynamic, cinematic, etc....it's had all the joy sucked out of it.

Next up on the GM list is the second-most boring GM who for some reason loves the canals of Mars....so no improvement there - "You travel along the canal, Martians attack, you fight them". Also the current GM's best friend.  So there's no majority to bring up a united front of "you're a terrible GM".

I will try suggesting some munchkin or board games again, to break up the monotony...but it's looking like a confrontation would be the end of friendship, the GM really does think he's giving us wonderful puzzles and events and that we are ENJOYING ourselves -when the players literally need to be nudged awake when they have something to do in-game.

What about some one-shot RPs to give other players a shot at running?

In reply to Silverlock (msg # 280):

Even with all of that, talk to him. If he thinks you're enjoying yourselves, you are not communicating. If you're not communicating, then you need to try a tactic that more directly confronts the issues. If you think it's pointless to try and talk it out like an adult, that the GM won't listen or, worse, they'll pretend to listen but won't change anything, then just stop playing.

You're not enjoying yourself, your beloved spouse isn't either, so stop doing what you're both not enjoying. Talking to people has solved many, many issues over the years (not just for me, but for the world at large). It's not always the perfect solution, but avoiding the issue obviously hasn't solved it. Suggesting other games hasn't solved it (or so I assume when you say 'again' in your reply). So maybe actually talking about the issue directly (something you haven't admitted to trying yet) will work. You can't know unless you give it a shot.

And, again, if this is going to end your friendship, I'll say good riddance. I don't know much about either of you, so take this with a heaping handful of salt, but if telling someone you don't enjoy their GMing style is going to end a friendship of a decade and a half then that's not what I'd call a friendship in the first place. When he's left with only himself and his boring best friend to play with, maybe his tune will change. Maybe it won't, but that's his problem, not yours.

Sorry if this sounds like a vent. >_> It sort of is one, but it's also the advice I think you should take.

Agreed - communication is the key.

I know its not quite the same, but I used to DM for a group of friends who went back to college days and 2nd Ed D&D.   I played 3.5 and Pathfinder here on RPOL and got into the new system, and we started a new campaign in Pathfinder with me DMing...  All went well for several sessions, but eventually, after one session where my oldest friend's character had just failed a saving throw (or three) and was ill with swamp fever.. he got all grumpy and we ended the session early.  Next session he (and the other players) admitted that they just really didn't like the new rules (especially the emphasis on tactical combat)  and preferred the old more free-form 2nd edition stuff.   I was gutted, but didn't hold it against him and he is still my best mate.

In fact, he DMs now, so I can't complain too much - though I do miss all that tactical combat stuff :-)

Bleh, I know the feeling. I know so many people who claim they want to pick up tabletop gaming, but every single one of them refuses to sit down and talk about a time to play, or even consider making time to play.

Oh well.

Getting approved for "pre-check"/the quick line or whatever they call it, then being called out of that group so  TSA can pat down my hair. Makes me feel gross. I'm pretty darn vain about my hair.

Oh! And someone bumped into me with exposed velcro. Snagged my nylons.
This message was last edited by the user at 13:15, Thu 31 Dec 2015.

In reply to Eggy (msg # 285):

There is almost no part of the TSA that doesn't make me livid. I want to demand why they think they can do things like that but I'm afraid they'll use it as an excuse to detain me.

'Tis a childish vent, I know.

I had a WONDERFUL morning(ish.) today... I got up, went to feed my pets, opened my mouse's cage... Dead. Welp, at least it wasn't one of my hamsters kicking it day after Easter... While I was playing with her... Cherry you, world. Cherry you... *Goes to cry in a corner*

In reply to Bebo8096 (msg # 287):

Nothing childish about grieving over a pet's death!  Sorry for your loss.

Okay...I am sorry but I need to get this out. If you haven't read the books to a story, please at least learn the freaking basics of what the story is BEFORE you make a damn game about it and tear the world that people love to shreds.....UGH

In reply to fireflights (msg # 289):

Oh dear . . .  what book?

In reply to fireflights (msg # 289):

I am scared to ask, but I am dying to know. What fandom was mutilated?

In reply to fireflights (msg # 289):

A thousand times, yes. So many games where a "Loose interpretation" of the setting amounts to "I can't even". If one isn't prepared for going off the rails, or that something they know should work suddenly doesn't, it makes the game worse for wear.

Well so many have, but the one I'm ranting about right now is the Harry Potter series, People who don't know the actual basics of the world making a game and having people come back for a year that doesn't even exist. I'm sorry but it's been established that EVERY wizard goes for no more than 7 years, not 8 or 9 or any other amount of years so to have people return for a 8th year is just annoying. If it's because you want to play one of the originals....make them a damn teacher or something but to bring them back for an 8th year is just stupid. I know you will probably think me being petty and stuff, but I would feel this way for any established world.

The year is not off to a good start when turning on a water faucet is a game of roulette... will there be water, or not?

I'm on a shared well (three homes), and it seems that, thanks to shifts in water rights over the last few years -- and the subsequent massive price increases because of this -- farmers are returning to their old wells. And an ag well is much deeper, and draws a hell of a lot more per minute, than a private well.

Of course, their wells tap into the same aquifer as the shallower private wells....

This becomes a major crisis when you have livestock. I can go to a friend's for a shower (and did, yesterday), but the critters need water at home.

Spent the weekend setting up a temp fix that'll get me through the week, but a long-term solution for the well will take longer. Thank the gods it's not summer.

People that play a sympathy card to get a favor and then don't show up for you when you do the favor infuriate me.  Why even bother asking for the favor if you're not going to show up so I can do the thing you asked!?

In reply to Tyr Hawk (msg # 282):

Well we tried gently saying that we'd been on this adventure for three years and 'it was time to take a break' and get in some board games for variety, as we had 'so many board games that had never been tried'.  He blinked, looked at Old Friend (who was dozing), and proceeded to carry on as if I'd just asked him if his hovercraft was full of eels.

Spouse fell asleep, and on the drive back to our home declared that was the last time for such nonsense and I could go alone if I liked, but cleaning the bathroom was more fun than gaming.

Have you tried talking to the GM when he's not caught up in the moment of running the game? What's his reaction like when you bring this up at other times? Since you guys have been friends for so long, what else do you like to do together?

In reply to Silverlock (msg # 296):

Sounds like you went with 'not what I suggested' after all. Can't say as I'm surprised by the reaction, but good on your beloved spouse for the ultimatum, even if it was in the car afterwards.

Also, I second what Eggy said.

I apologize for being short, I'm just in a mood to rant, but don't feel like typing it all up right now. I should probably just say nothing at all, but making bad decisions seems to be my forte recently, so I'll just hit post now. >_>;

I am being passive-aggressively fired from my job at the place I volunteer. How does one get passive-aggressively fired, you might ask?

I left work yesterday at the end of my shift and got a message that my mother-in-law was being hospitalized.  I am the nearest one without "real" work commitments, so I call in and let them know I won't be in for a week. There is absolutely nothing I was working on that couldn't wait.

Today I start receiving emails from the companies and servers I work with/on that I am to be removed from access and my user accounts deleted.  These weren't even courtesy copies of the requests including me, just auto notifications of the change to my accounts generated by the systems -- which I'm now certain Boss Lady didn't realize I would receive. I got not one word of explanation when I texted and emailed asking for clarification.

According to the messages, everything I'm working on has just been handed over to the newest employee who hasn't shown she can handle the job she was hired for, much less the added responsibilities of payroll, HR, and computer security, none of which she knows anything about.  I'm really curious how long they will go before telling me directly, or if they think I'm the new Milton, just a glitch that will resolve itself if they ignore me.

Because if they take my stapler, I'll set the building on fire.
This message was last updated by the user at 02:33, Wed 06 Jan 2016.

In reply to Evil Empryss (msg # 299):

I keep reading this but somehow my mind can't seem to get how they can fire you with out telling you.

Is it possible you weren't so much fired as someone screwed up and I stead of transferring your work to someone else for the short turn, messed up the system so your getting "false" removals from those systems you work with ?

No, one of the messages included the original request for removal which very clearly states that I am no longer to be handling the account and all contact information should be changed to this other person. So, not just adding someone to help or for me to train or to cover in the interim, but a complete replacement. The fact that Boss Lady is still not responding to my inquiries (including not taking my calls now) tells me she's avoiding me, which she does whenever she has to deal with bad news.

In reply to Evil Empryss (msg # 301):

Is this the same place you had to fire some one else?

Yup.

Good point.

On a far pettier note then that. Been hearing hype about the tomb raider series for years. Snagged the first one via a bundle, and the controls are terrible.

Just terrible.