Reading the McKraken thread (really good stuff - thanks Kyle!!)...

Something jumped out at me - the 'Snacks before System' thing. Sure it's funny and all. But then it got my wheels turning... there's some real truth to this.

When I was young, we couldn't even afford snacks half the time. As we got older obviously, chips and soda etc. But even then it was never a big thing for me (I was too busy GMing). As I got older, I've noticed it definitely has become a thing for me.

These days - chips and soda are pretty rock-bottom for us. I've noticed we have started putting out a full spread. We've accumulated a full-bar of alcohol - we do 8-man BBQ platters, Mexican food, pizzas, etc. I never realized how our "gaming snacks" have morphed into practical small feasts.

I'm not sure that this trumps the system we're playing - but it's definitely a big part of the gaming session.

How important is the chow at your gaming sessions? And what do you all consume?

Depends on the host, but most often people supply their own food. When there's a good break point, typically when some PCs have split off or need to work on something that doesn't involve everyone else, some people go out for food, and take orders for those staying. Occasionally we game at a restaurant, cafe, or game shop with food or nearby food. There is also a pretty amazing game hangout/restaurant in Everett, WA, with game-themed food & drink etc. AFK Tavern - check out their menu (they have a game menu too): //www.afktavern.com/

Okay, that's pretty cool.

I guess it also depends on what time you game. We don't start until early evening - 4pm-5pm. So we tend to have everything ready to go as soon as we arrive.

I've never been a fan of breaking up the momentum of the game to stop and eat. But again, depends on your game-time.

Playing with you and your group would make me fatter than I am!

Depends.  This Saturday I ran what should have been an awesome game; D&D, lots of prep, all the player's showed and were enthused, great story, setting, characters and system - everything was on track.  However, we had dominos pizza, tequila (gads), cheap beer, and we had to play in an un-air-conditioned room. It must have been 90 degrees.  6 hours of sweat and rot-gut. Gygax and Tolkien running as co-DMs would have struggled under those conditions.  It didn't destroy the game, but no change of system would have made it better.

Quote from: tenbones;907767...I've never been a fan of breaking up the momentum of the game to stop and eat. But again, depends on your game-time.

Yeah that's why we try to send the people who didn't bring food shopping when there is something for others to do that doesn't involve them.

Quote from: tenbones;907760How important is the chow at your gaming sessions? And what do you all consume?

Not that important. I host 95% of the game sessions, and always offer up chips, snacks, and beverages. Players bring their own beverages, typically, and also add chips and sometimes cookies to the mix.

The sessions are always on Sundays, twice a month, between 2pm-6pm. That time was chosen, specifically, so that lunch and dinner wasn't going to be a factor in the session. I've played in other groups around dinner-time, that have included BBQs and large spreads. And while that can be nice to chow down and socialize about non-gaming topics, it was often a distraction to gaming. It would eat up quite a lot of time, leaving us with some sessions where you didn't feel like you got enough playing in.

Ah yes, and here was I fearing Cheetoism would pass into legend and half-understood whisper.

On the subject of gaming feasts, we tried them (though we were still no match for Benoist's epic spreads), but the sheer Epícurean joy tore us all away at the game itself, not to mention taking at least one player away from the game and into the kitchen for most of the night. God knows I wish I could GM and man the grill at the same time, but both require a fair bit of attention.

Nowadays we try to cook up tapas-style "finger food" plus beer, wine or spirits of choice. Big fan of sandwiches, bruschetti/tostas and dips (love hummus and guacamole, which also happen to be Good For You), which can be prepared in advance and consumed with minimal interference on the game itself. And of course, when all else fails, summon forth the pizza.

Well my old group would meet on Saturday when the library opened at 9 am and we would stay till they closed at like 4 at night.
But we did take an hour or so to stop and feed are selves around noon.

Quote from: Skarg;907763Depends on the host, but most often people supply their own food. When there's a good break point, typically when some PCs have split off or need to work on something that doesn't involve everyone else, some people go out for food, and take orders for those staying. Occasionally we game at a restaurant, cafe, or game shop with food or nearby food. There is also a pretty amazing game hangout/restaurant in Everett, WA, with game-themed food & drink etc. AFK Tavern - check out their menu (they have a game menu too): //www.afktavern.com/

That place sounds cool.

Quote from: The Butcher;907793Nowadays we try to cook up tapas-style "finger food"

I never thought about tapas style food. That is an awesome idea! I love it!

Well seeing as it's a Tekumel campaign we usually have samosas, naan, maybe guacamole, beer, wine, and bourbon (me:D). Normally we start play Fridays after supper so food isn't usually top of the list. When we play the occasional weekend game we have a bigger feed with curry and rice, or maybe vindaloo.

Shemek

I still support this, that snacks are more important than system. Roleplaying is a social occasion, and social occasions have food. There's a reason every religion has feast days, that every wedding is followed by a meal, that when someone dies we bring food to the relatives, and that when you go on a date you suggest coffee or dinner. Sharing food brings people together, and sharing good food even more.

Quote from: The Butcher;907793Ah yes, and here was I fearing Cheetoism would pass into legend and half-understood whisper.

On the subject of gaming feasts, we tried them (though we were still no match for Benoist's epic spreads), but the sheer Epícurean joy tore us all away at the game itself, not to mention taking at least one player away from the game and into the kitchen for most of the night. God knows I wish I could GM and man the grill at the same time, but both require a fair bit of attention.

Nowadays we try to cook up tapas-style "finger food" plus beer, wine or spirits of choice. Big fan of sandwiches, bruschetti/tostas and dips (love hummus and guacamole, which also happen to be Good For You), which can be prepared in advance and consumed with minimal interference on the game itself. And of course, when all else fails, summon forth the pizza.

Yeah Benoist and Vreeg are off the chain with the gaming food.  I remember last summer a bunch of us were doing a low-carb thing so we had lots of rotisserie chicken (Set it and Forget it!) or Tri-tip out on the grill.

I think it was Melan once posted a thread about the food they had at the game table. He had cheese fondue. Fucking cheese fondue! Now that's taking your snacks seriously.

Quote from: Kyle Aaron;907834I think it was Melan once posted a thread about the food they had at the game table. He had cheese fondue. Fucking cheese fondue! Now that's taking your snacks seriously.

Heh, we actually had three fondue pots at one session, one for the cheese, one for the meat and one for the chocolate.  One of our players moved all over Europe as a kid.  He was the fondue master.