I never really had to set any rules, because drinking has been largely absent from most games I run and play, and I don't recall drugs ever surfacing. OTOH, if it's my table, I don't mind a few drinks, but the whole game gets shut down if someone can't play due to intoxication, and I'll get irate. Drugs are pretty much no-go, simply because there arn't any drugs around that won't either make you irritating to play with due to personality or atmosphere. Like, I don't have a strong stance about pot use, but my girlfriend is allergic and I hate smoke, so...

...really, that usually makes cigerettes out, too. It's not a legal thing or a moral thing, I just don't want to deal with any of it.

I do have moral and liability issues with illegal drugs. If you bring drugs to my game, it will be my last game with you.

Alcohol... I'd prefer to avoid unless the game is meant to be beer-and-pretzels (and yes, I understand for some of you, that's what gaming is all about.) But I find that alcohol both reduces the players' attention span and reduces my inhibitions against throwing objects at player who aren't paying attention.

Quote from: Aosnever even close to any amount that would get you more than a ticket and a small fine here-

That's nuts.  Where I live a single seed carries the possibility of five years.

Quote from: joewolzThat's nuts.  Where I live a single seed carries the possibility of five years.

Wow. Not so here.

Edit: I just googled this Joe, but I can't attest to its accuracy:
2.5 grams is actually a pretty solid amount. More than i would ever keep on hand.


ILLINOIS
Possession: Under 2.5 gms: 0-30 days & $500
2.5-10 gms: 0-6 mos & $500
10-30 gms: 0-1 yr & $1,000
30-500 gms: 1-3 yrs & $10,000
Over 500 gms: 2-5 yrs & 10,000
Cultivation/Sale: Under 2.5 gms: 0-6 mos & $500
2.5-10 gms: 0-1 yr & $1,000
10-30 gms: 0-1 yr & $10,000
30-500 gms: 2-5 yrs & $50,000
Over 500 gms: 3-7 yrs & $100,000

Drugs, no.

If the game is going really boring I'll grab a bottle of something and try to find the bottom of it. Why is the rum always gone?

Quote from: AosOver 500 gms: 3-7 yrs & $100,000

Here in Michigan that's an automatic life sentence, with no possibility of parole. Now admittedly that's a lot of drugs-and more than most people use for recreational purposes, but still you never know what someone else is carrying into your home. That's why I take no chances and make my feelings known up front:

I'm not a narc, and when I'm off duty I'm not looking for extra work. I don't do it, never have and never will, but I'm not looking to live other peoples lives for them. As long as you keep it out of my house, and my life I don't care what you do.

Luckily I have a solid group, and in twenty years this issue has only come up once.


Now drinking is a different cup of tea. We don't always drink but there is no stigma against it. We exercise common sense when drinking and make sure no is driving over the limits.

Smoking is an interesting point-as I don't smoke, and about half my group does. Smoke breaks become tactical planning sessions, bullshit sessions, and player conferences. I like how they use the smoke break to take time and plan and plot as a group.

On Drinking:

I've had game groups who could drink responsibly enough to game and drink--but that is too rare a situation for me to find it acceptable as a general rule.

However my personal rule if I am running a game, is no alcohol-- I want people to be focused on the game and the fun it produces. If something else is NEEDED, then something is VERY wrong with my GMing.

On Illegal Drugs:
No. Period.


For me its a matter of standards. You want to do those kinds of things for fun, it can be done without my involvement in anyway.

Quote from: Serious PaulHere in Michigan that's an automatic life sentence, with no possibility of parole. Now admittedly that's a lot of drugs-and more than most people use for recreational purposes, but still you never know what someone else is carrying into your home. That's why I take no chances and make my feelings known up front:

I'm not a narc, and when I'm off duty I'm not looking for extra work. I don't do it, never have and never will, but I'm not looking to live other peoples lives for them. As long as you keep it out of my house, and my life I don't care what you do.

Luckily I have a solid group, and in twenty years this issue has only come up once.


Now drinking is a different cup of tea. We don't always drink but there is no stigma against it. We exercise common sense when drinking and make sure no is driving over the limits.

Smoking is an interesting point-as I don't smoke, and about half my group does. Smoke breaks become tactical planning sessions, bullshit sessions, and player conferences. I like how they use the smoke break to take time and plan and plot as a group.

I can't disagree with your main point- but everyone I game with, at this point, I've known for decades, so I do usually have a pretty good idea of what they'd bring into my home.
Anyway, i don't really feel any burning desire to defend my POV. I'm not really a pot warrior or anything.

Quote from: AosI can't disagree with your main point- but everyone I game with, at this point, I've known for decades, so I do usually have a pretty good idea of what they'd bring into my home.
Anyway, I don't really feel any burning desire to defend my POV. I'm not really a pot warrior or anything.

Sorry if that's how I came off, I wasn't intending to be too preachy. Like you I'm not some kind of hard core die hard.

Our group never said anything formally - but its would up gradually becoming  NO drinking, definitely NO drugs and no smoking at our game table.


 However....a few months ago whe did that Irish stew with deeer meat before the game  we had some strongbow  and some other mixed drink with the meal - but thats having a drink with dinner. Guess, because we someone european-raised in our midst we tend to reserve the drinking for dinner time and the "PG-rated" drink for during actual game play.

Plus, I ve found that in the past the players I've had who drink  (or drink too much) had trouble following what was going on in the game. This was years ago, when I was reffing at other people's houses.. Now I mostly and control the environment and set the rules.  If someone DOES have to smoke - there is another part of the house for that.


- Ed C.

Quote from: NicephorusI don't mind a couple of beers at the game but that's about it. Aside from the liability issue, I want people at the table who can pay attention, not some idiot who can't remember what's going and thinks they're 10 times funnier than they are. Doesn't matter if it's legal if it's disruptive.

Yeah.

Quote from: Serious PaulSorry if that's how I came off, I wasn't intending to be too preachy. Like you I'm not some kind of hard core die hard.

No man, not at all. Actually, truth be told, you're viewpoint is the more mature one, imo. But I am as I am.

Very rarely, there's a drink or two involved, but as our gaming mostly takes place at the FLGS, people generally stay sober. In regards to pot/stronger drugs, I can't see how it'd be worth the hassle; I've never seen it. What people do on their own time is their business, though.

Theres no real rules about drinking or drugs with my group. Everyone is pretty much straight arrows though. So that makes it easy. I dont have anything against weed or drinking. Its just something thats not done at the gaming table. The one exception is a couple of my buddies that stop by on friday night. We sometimes will play an inpromptu game of D&D. Then some beer drinking is going on. But we're not getting shit faced.

I wonder, is there a transatlantic thing going on here? In the UK, most gamers seem to be quite happy if someone brings a few beers along, but I've often heard negatives on this kind of things from Americans. And I just can't imagine playing D&D with anyone who is French without having a glass of wine.