Food and drink

[Mark Skarr]

Originally Posted by Kromm

Whereas in my case, sleep is just an annoyance that I don't need when I'm hypomanic (common) and can't get while dysthymic (rarer). In 30 years, I'm not sure I've ever fallen asleep during a game, whether as a player or as the GM. I'm that annoying fidget who just has to stand rather than sit still, who talks all the time, and who gesticulates wildly, sending his eyeglasses into your forehead. I sometimes suspect that I focus my players because they're afraid of the maniac and/or can't sleep around his nonstop chatter.

Oh, I'm that guy too. If I'm sitting on a chair without an affectionate Siamese cat in my lap, I'm usually hyperactive and gesticulating wildly. Or discovering what strange objects on the table will stick to my forehead. But, if you let me sprawl out on a couch, then the cats flock to me and I quickly fall into a kitty-coma. Heck, before the ferret died, they once found me on the living room floor (my character was being held prisoner, so I couldn't know what was going on) with the ferret and one cat on my chest and the other cat on my stomach, and all four of us sound asleep.

Originally Posted by Kromm

Oh, and to bring it back on topic: My habit of drinking things like quadruple-espresso iced coffees whilst gaming doubtless makes all of the above more pronounced. I approve heartily of coffee during gaming.

Coffee BAD! That's personal. I can't stand the taste of coffee. I'd much rather drink water or lemonaide. And I drink a lot. I'll usually put away two pitchers of water by myself. Fortunately, there's a bathroom right off of the room we game in.

Also, back on topic, MonkeyFist and I usually make sure to stay around to help clean up. Last night, after the game, a huge philosophical debate erupted and Gummi quietly escorted us out admiting that we really didn't want to get involved. We offered to stay and help clean up while the debate was raging, but he felt it would be safer for us to just go. He looked like he wanted to go with us.

[Steamteck]

Everyone comes early. We go out to dinner and get all the news and chat out of us then go home and game. MY wife and I host and I GM. Their are drinks basic snacks and popcorn and our players usually bring in some extra drinks and snack to share.

I'm a machine gaming so we game until one of the players starts to fade.

[MIB.6361]

Maybe this should start a new thread since it's OT, but I have to make a comment here.
Being involved in local conventions over the past 20 years or so, I've met a handful of people in the industry as GoH's and SG's, so the above Kromm statements made me think.

If, before seeing these statements, the good Doctor were to show up at a convention and sign up to play in my game, I believe I'd want to show him how professional and organized I can be by tighening the reigns on my table a bit (in the "behave, THEY are watching" manner). And based on the above statements, this seems like the wrong thing to do.

So thank you for this insight into you Dr. It pays to know your audience (and to not always assume that Game Designer = Hardcore Gamer).

[Koshka]

One currently-defunct group alternated between "someone cooks for everyone" and "everyone bring your own food". Normally, it was the GM's wife who would cook, but occasionally (spelled "if I'm not being hit with last-minute overtime") I would go over early to fix dinner.

In my Sunday afternoon game, we have a meal before game starts and snack probably too much during it. We don't formally rotate who handles the main course, but we do rotate. It depends on who just got their paycheck for the most part. Everyone brings something, though, even if it's just chips or fruit.

Drinks are non-alcoholic, because the only one who isn't driving home afterward can't have alcohol for medical reasons. If you want something special, bring it yourself -- last winter I bought three different varieties of tea bags and left them at game.

We cheat on cleanup, there's a large trash can in the gaming room and we use paper plates.

[Ragitsu]

How is that cheating?

[Rocket Man]

My last face-to-face roleplaying group consisted of two teenagers, a college student and his recently graduated girlfriend. Food prep was fairly easy: a pair of frozen pizzas, accompanied by corn chips, potato chips (with guac/onion dip as appropriate) and some soda usually more than satisfied everyone.

Not fancy, I know. But it was tasty, it was easy, it kept our minds on the game and it fit a reporter's budget. (The "pass the hat" at each game was not for the food, but for gasoline -- our college student drove about an hour to get to the game and needed all the help we could give him.)