Environment

[J B Bell]

I'm quite surprised no one has yet mentioned the good, old-fashioned poker table.  This has a drink holder or two, and a little square trough that is absolutely dandy for rolling dice.  The table surface itself is slightly padded, so it works very well even for the high-order polyhedra, if you need to roll a bunch of 'em, and it's designed not to allow a lot of skimming, which keeps papers in place, too.

My Ultimate Gaming Table design (and damn, that one is just amazing) involved a hole in the center of the table where the GM sat.  In a swivel chair, of course.  I thought it was neat when I was 16, but probably it would be a drag to constantly be turning around as a GM, and looking at the back of the GM's head as a player.

I tend to prefer the table myself.  However, living-room play works pretty well with "tv tables", those folding things for, well, eating and watcing TV (ick).  And it saves on space if you're not one of those propertied types with lots of room.

--JB

[rabidchyld]

OOoohhh!  The standing ashtray idea is a good one, Michael.  I love it.  

I have 2 different environments, because I have 2 different groups that have their own special needs.  My first group is the living room group.  I really like playing with this group.  We have a sectional sofa, in two pieces, so I can commandeer one set and the coffee table, and the rest of the players have the run of the living room.  We have a couple other tables they can use and some of those huge art books that you can roll dice on very easily.  This works perfectly because one of the players is a floor dweller.  The players are relaxed and comfortable, and it makes them more intent on the game.  This is the group that always throws me for a loop with their ideas, by the way.  We can even play some music in the background without it being distracting.  

My other group absolutely must be sitting at the dining room table with the DM screen and all the trappings and no distractions whatsoever or it just won't work.  They are easily distracted by music and small shiny objects.  I have tried to game with them in the living room, at their request, and every time it was a dismal failure.  Just last Saturday we tried it again, and it was a nightmare.  Ye gods, I can't even talk about it.  They are distracted by everything.  It's very Pavlovian for them.  If you're in the living room it's visiting time, and if you're in the dining room it's gaming time.   The two cannot mix, which is quite unfortunate because if they could learn to concentrate on the game in a more relaxed atmosphere I think they would have more fun.  Instead I get one that lays on the floor and goes to sleep because the game isn't going her way, and one that keeps getting up and wandering off.  

I don't like playing with this group very much, and I have said in the past that I won't anymore, but then they are hubby's friends and he likes playing with them so I keep my mouth shut.  If someone else runs the game it's not usually that bad, because at least I have control over my character and when they get distracted or sit there and do nothing I can still play.  It's really all about attitude in this case, I guess.  My living room group is all about the game and they can turn off their desire to socialize when it's time to play no matter where they are.  I guess my dining room group may be getting out of playing or was never all that interested in it in the first place or something.  I just don't know.  They are frustrating as hell, though, and that's all I can say.  

melodie