Ever find yourself having to say that to players?

I do. Sometimes people fuss over nothing, argue over some point which has already been settled, sit there complaining about their character, and they're stopping the game moving forwards. Yes, it makes player Anna unhappy to be told to STFUARTD, but letting Anna obstruct things would make Bob, Charlie and Dave unhappy.

What do you lot reckon?

I'd sooner cut a player loose.

Wouldn't that be a bit harsh? I mean, a player obstructs one session once for half an hour, and you kick them out?

Or does everyone just put up with that half hour of pointless argument and boredom?

Or do you instead try to psuh them forward, and if they don't listen, tell them to STFUARTD?

Sure, a player's always like that, you'll want to boot them. But just once or twice - what do you in that session, while they're obstructing things and won't listen?

I ride it out and then I cut them loose. Really. IME the person willing to do it once is usually willing to do it a second and a third time ect... I have had entire campaigns ruined by tolerating stuff like this. I just don't do it anymore.  I mean it's not like we're 14, you know.

I use a different tactic for when a player is acting like a dickhead:

I roll the dice, and follow up with "roll initiative," or "roll a saving throw."

Hmm.  When I saw the title I thought it was a reaction to people who want gobs and scads of descriptions in combat.

"I cut at him with the Nine Whispers technique.  My blade sings off the guard of his shield, slicing across his left bicep.  He grimaces in pain as..."

"Shut the fuck up and roll the dice."

"I hit for 6 points of damage".

"Better.  Next?"

Quote from: Old Geezer"I cut at him with the Nine Whispers technique.  My blade sings off the guard of his shield, slicing across his left bicep.  He grimaces in pain as..."

"Shut the fuck up and roll the dice."

"I hit for 6 points of damage".

"Better.  Next?"

:woop:

Call me old and crumbling. I agree totally. I think if anyone at my gaming table started talking about their Nine Whispers technique they would be beaten senseless.

And, yes Kyle, I have said to players, "Shudap and roll the damn dice."

Quote from: JohnnyWannabe:woop:

Call me old and crumbling. I agree totally. I think if anyone at my gaming table started talking about their Nine Whispers technique they would be beaten senseless.

And, yes Kyle, I have said to players, "Shudap and roll the damn dice."

You sound like a cheetoist;) me approves.

Quote from: Old GeezerHmm.  When I saw the title I thought it was a reaction to people who want gobs and scads of descriptions in combat.

"I cut at him with the Nine Whispers technique.  My blade sings off the guard of his shield, slicing across his left bicep.  He grimaces in pain as..."

"Shut the fuck up and roll the dice."

"I hit for 6 points of damage".

"Better.  Next?"

Yup, I've had to deal with this kind of idiots before. Usually  less so in combat and more in descriptive checks of something else they're doing.

But yeah, I too had this come to mind as the first thing when I saw this thread title, and not what Kyle is precisely talking about; but hey, lets threadjack it anyways.

RPGPundit

Quote from: RPGPunditBut yeah, I too had this come to mind as the first thing when I saw this thread title, and not what Kyle is precisely talking about; but hey, lets threadjack it anyways.

RPGPundit

As long as the folks at the table all think threadjacking it is fun, I'm sure Kyle would approve.  More Cheetos?

Quote from: RPGPunditBut yeah, I too had this come to mind as the first thing when I saw this thread title, and not what Kyle is precisely talking about...

But it is essentially what he's talking about.  Yeah, Kyle mentions metagame fussiness, but sometimes in-character fussiness can be just as much dead weight to the flow of play.  So, shut the fuck up already and roll the dice.

On the other hand, I don't mind the whole "Nine Whispers" sort of business so much when it occurs after the dice have been rolled and results applied.  Go right ahead and narrate all you want -- meanwhile, I'll be dealing with the next player in the queue.  As long as it doesn't interfere with resolving the next player's turn, the worst you're going to get from me as a GM is an impatient, "Mm-hm. Yes, that's nice.  Now, on with the next roll..."

!i!

Quote from: Ian AbsentiaOn the other hand, I don't mind the whole "Nine Whispers" sort of business so much when it occurs after the dice have been rolled and results applied.  Go right ahead and narrate all you want -- meanwhile, I'll be dealing with the next player in the queue.  As long as it doesn't interfere with resolving the next player's turn, the worst you're going to get from me as a GM is an impatient, "Mm-hm. Yes, that's nice.  Now, on with the next roll..."

!i!

Exactly.

And we often stop for ten seconds or so to say "This would be so cool, with this and that and that".

And then it's back to resolving the combat.

EDIT:

For example, in a Star Wars lightsaber combat in a tunnel with airline style emergency lighting only and a broken pipe spewing vapor, I spent half a minute commenting on how cool it would look, the barely visible figures with the bright lightsaber blades swirling through the mist.

But then, back to the game.  The image has been built, let's use our imaginations and keep the game moving quickly.

It's not a threadjack. I'm talking about players obstructing the flow of the game, slowing things down and making them boring. That could be attempts at florid prose, it could be rules arguments or whinging about their character not being good enough, anything.

The one I dislike most myself is the rules babbling. I've made my ruling, now let's move on.

I just ask because I recently had to do that. It was a bit harsh to say to the player, "shut the fuck up", and he didn't like it much, however the other three players didn't like it that this one was slowing things down. So I displeased one rather than displeasing three. Plus I'd already asked this person three times politely, but they continued.

It's a bit like when you're trying to get past someone in a crowded space.
"Excuse me."
Guy turns, stares at you blankly.
"Could I get past, please?"
Guy stands there saying nothing, not moving."
"Mind if I get by you? Could you step aside please?"
Blank look.
"Get the fuck out of my way!"
Guy moves, is offended and can't understand why you're angry.

Sometimes a player's in the way of the game moving forward, and won't get out of the way of the rest of the group. I ask them politely three times, then I get annoyed.

Maybe it'd go down better if I had a little plastic Viking Hat to wear as I said it. When you've made yourself look stupid people are less likely to be offended by what you say.

I just use tact and charm. I don't think I've ever had to say "Shut the fuck up".

Some friends of mine knock on the table.

Hrrm...

I don't have an answer to the situation, just a couple of thoughts...

Sometimes, when a toddler is throwing a tantrum, the only way to handle the situation is to let them scream.  Once they get it out of their system, they settle down again.  Cut them off at the pass, and frustration and anger just builds up.  In many ways, adults are similar.  If a player has a problem with the game, you need to let them vent entirely, otherwise the issue will never be completely resolved.  By cutting them off, you avoid time wasting, but you also stop them from completely venting.  Coitus interruptus.

Of course, in some cases the player is just an arsehole and one argument is just an early symptom.