Don’t Be That Guy

photo: The Kansas City Star

Don’t be that guy.  You know the guy I’m talking about.  THAT guy.  That guy takes many forms and guises, often carrying different attributes and skill sets, but that guy always has one common characteristic…he’s no fun to play with.

Maybe that guy is the rules lawyer, hell-bent on following the letter of the law rather than the spirit of the game.  That guy sucks the fun out of a game like a golfball through a garden hose and stomps away or flips tables when someone disagrees with him…and, oh holy hell, WATCH OUT if you actually manage to prove him wrong.  If his position as supreme know-it-all is ever compromised, the ramifications are nothing short of ca-tackle-ismic.

Don’t be that guy.

Maybe that guy is the flexer. The flexer is the guy who craves nothing below the absolute maximum.  That guy can’t play an RPG unless he’s the party leader, he can’t play Nintendo unless he’s the first player, he can’t play monopoly unless he’s the banker.  It’s not enough just to beat you, that guy has to DOMINATE or his whole world comes tumbling down.  If you beat that guy, it’s because you’re cheating…or at very least you’re “not playing right.”  It’s no fun to play the same game over and over and over again, and as long as that guy is involved, believe me, it’s ALWAYS the same.

Don’t be that guy.

Maybe that guy is the jerk. The status of “the jerk” can often be deceptive.  That guy usually comes off as fun, really excited to play, sometimes even good at rallying others to a cause.  However, that guy then takes intentional actions to purposefully derail the vibe.  That guy who stubbornly insists on leaving the group to go down the CLEARLY death-filled path in the dungeon?  He’s the jerk.  That guy who attacks his party members because he’s “in character”?  He’s the jerk.  Leeroy Jenkins? That guy’s a jerk too.  On a side note…that guy is also the type of person who’ll piss on the floor and fling water on the bathroom mirror.

Don’t be that guy.

Maybe that guy is the social. The social is someone who clearly wants to hang out and be part of the group…but really doesn’t want to play.  The social will watch TV, talk on his cell phone, or comepletely ignore what’s going on with your game most of the time.  No one tells that guy not to come to the games because all-in-all, everyone likes that guy, but he really doesn’t fit into the group because he really just doesn’t care about the activity.

Don’t be that guy.

Maybe that guy is the whiner. “Meh…I don’t wanna play this game.”  “Meh…I don’t like my character.”  “Meh…I don’t like YOUR character.”  “Meh…this is to hard/boring.”  “Meh…that’s not the way I learned to play.”  “Meh…it’s hot/cold in here.”  “Meh…my voice sounds like this because I’m a bitch and nobody likes me.”

Don’t be that guy.

Maybe that guy is the flake. The flake is that guy that everyone generally likes, however he can’t be depended on for shit! That guy shows up an hour late to the game (if at all), he’s constantly got an excuse or a “last minute” deal for why he can’t play at the time everyone agreed on. If it’s that guy’s turn to bring the snacks, you had better eat before you arrive. And forget playing the whole time…the flake has to go early.

Don’t be that guy.

Other guys NOT to be:
That guy who doesn’t shower.
That guy who doesn’t bring his own dice/food/books/etc…
That guy who brings personal beef into the game.
That guy who overreacts.
That guy who breaks or damages other people’s games/chairs/walls/minis/children.

We’re all guilty of being THAT GUY at least once in our lives…sometimes it’s just a bad night, sometimes it’s a sign or portent that a bigger change needs to take place.  The geeky and social gaming world (both online and off) relies heavily on mutual cooperation and respect.  If you want to play with other people at any time then the entire universe hinges on you following one simple yet vital rule: seriously  DON’T BE THAT GUY!