Age Restrictions on a Campaign [Archive] - Wizards Community

Age Restrictions on a Campaign [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Heroic_Ezekial
11-04-07, 12:44 PM Is it right to ban bratty little kids who waste time, annoy other players and don't listen? I think it would work in my case because I am sick and tired of my other players getting the poop-end of the stick with me trying to rein the little buggers in and then the other guys losing out on the game experience as a result.

My campaings have suffered and I can't get any older gamers to play. I feel like a freaking babysitter except I'm not getting paid. These aren't even my freaking kids but it's a public campaign.

Oh hell, what I am to do?
DyloniusFunk
11-04-07, 12:47 PM A little context would be nice. Is this a home game at your place of residence? Then you have every right to tell the players not to bring thier kids. Is it a game you run NOT at your place of residence but at another players? If the player dosen't care then you have an issue, his house, but your game. Talk to him/her about it. Is it a game at a store? Then you're in for more trouble, as it is a public place. Talk to the store owner, ask if there is anyway you can impose any kind of rules about who can be in your game. If it's not possible then find another place to play.
Heroic_Ezekial
11-04-07, 12:59 PM It's run at a store, however I will move it if that's what it takes. This crap has been going on since last spring when the last DM was running the campaign. Now I know how he felt.
Heroic_Ezekial
11-04-07, 01:10 PM It's run at a store, however I will move it if that's what it takes.

This crap has been going on since last spring when the last DM was running a campaign. Now I know how he felt.

It truly is ridiculous, the kids are actually dropped off by their parents and I am expected to control them. What happens is they run around the store, talk with each other and trade mini's while I am trying to run an encounter. Outside of encounters, they run around the store until I ask them to come back and then they just say "I attack (points at a player), oh wait what are we doing again?Can I have a pet? Can I do this? Can I do that? Oh hold on I have to run around some more."

On game day one kid brought his Nintendo DS and played it the entire time I was running the campaign, while another in fact, ran around the store and made a mess for the owner. When he left I had to stay to clean up spilled pop, andy wrappers and everything else under the sun. The other DM had a better experience because the kids at his table decided to quit and play with kids at mine. It was a bad experience, the two serious players, one was ready to hit a kid and the other had simply given up. My players do not deserve to be frustrated like that.

This is not good DnD. This is Daycare.
Legdiwena
11-04-07, 02:11 PM Don't let be part of the group if they are a disruption.
Cuindless
11-04-07, 03:00 PM How old are these kids? If they're running around the store, attacking other players and otherwise being stupid, I would guess... 9?

First, you're a Dungeon Master, not a babysitter. You run a game, and it's completely within your right to ban players from it who are disruptive or aren't interested in playing. If they leave the table between encounters for more than 10 minutes, hand them their character sheet and say goodbye. I wouldn't set an "age limit", because I've run games for 9-14 year olds who were actually quite interested in playing, but I would ban disruptive behavior of any age.

Second, get into contact with the parents of these kids, especially the most disruptive ones. Do they show up regularly? If so, it's very easy to get a phone number or simply stop and talk to the parents. Tell them what their child is doing to disrupt the game, ask that they stay and supervise their chlid or request that they stop bringing their child to your game. Are you an adult? If so, it should be easier to discuss it with them as a peer. Explain to them that you aren't a babysitter, you don't run a child care service and you aren't being paid.

Third, talk to the players. They're kids. If you're an adult, remember that you have an inherent power over them. Many children, not all children but many children, still respect/fear their elders. Tell them simply and firmly that if they continue to behave this way they won't be allowed in your game any more. Do not be afraid to kick one or two out to send a message.

Fourth, and lastly, talk to the owner/manager of the store. You'd be amazed what a sign saying "No children allowed without the supervision of a parent" will do.

Good luck.
wizarddog
11-04-07, 04:22 PM Jeez. You should just play PokéMon. :surrender
Ecalsneerg
11-04-07, 04:27 PM I'd post, but Cuindless covered all the bases. Dammit.
jasmith
11-04-07, 04:59 PM It truly is ridiculous, the kids are actually dropped off by their parents and I am expected to control them. What happens is they run around the store, talk with each other and trade mini's while I am trying to run an encounter. Outside of encounters, they run around the store until I ask them to come back and then they just say "I attack (points at a player), oh wait what are we doing again?Can I have a pet? Can I do this? Can I do that? Oh hold on I have to run around some more."

Definitely ban them from the game. I don't mean to alarm you, but one thing you need to consider is that there could be some liability issues involved. If their parents are dropping them off to play in your game, you and/or the store owner could be held responsible if something happened. (Seriously, do not put yourself in this position. Not in an environment that chaotic.) Being responsible for the children of irresponsible parents is NOT a situation I would allow myself to be put in. I would bring this issue up to the store owner, and demand a reasonable age limit on anyone sitting at my table. If a parent drops their kid off at some random retail establishment, that's one thing. If they drop their kid off at a store where there is an event going on which the children are invited to on a regular bases, where their children are known and expected, then that's a little bit too close to the kind of organized activity which usually requires forms to be signed and implies some expectations from the parties involved. If they're too young to get to the store by themselves, they can't play.
Fly666monkey
11-04-07, 05:08 PM I agree with most of these guys. If these kids are causing problems, tell their parents that it has to stop or you will kick them out. If those parents pull the "My child would never do something like that!!!!" line, show them the footage from the security camera (If you don't have one, get one). Remind then that you area DM, not a babysitter, and disruptive behavior will not be tolerated. that should take care of the problem, but if it doesn't, ban those kids from the store. And, as stated before, i would strongly reccomend that nobody under 14 or so should be allowed in the store unsupervised by a parent/ guardian.
Crimson_Concerto
11-04-07, 05:09 PM I don't put age restrictions on my campaign, but I do put maturity restrictions. :P
I can't DM for people who play immaturely ALL of the time. A little immaturity can be funny or appropriate every once in a while, but there's a limit...
vagabonvoid
11-04-07, 06:57 PM When I ran my Ice Cream Parlor/Game shop, I ran into this same problem.

When I first opened, It didn't start as a game store, I just had weekend games during the late evening. It began to draw attention and soon my store evolved into a gaming hotspot. With this came many mature gamers ranging from 14-44 years old. I started out by letting the players decide which of the gaming groups they would join but I soon was put into some very bad situations...

...A couple of old-school D&D players after a few games dropped off their two 5-8 y/o kids and split expecting me and the other gamers to take care of them. They were psychotic children, running everywhere, even behind the parlor counter and trying to get into the freezers (to get the yummy Icecream, or freeze to death). I finally had my fill when I caught one of them stealing miniatures. When the parents came back after dinner (5 hours later at midnight) I charged them for the 5 booster packs their kids had torn open and banned their children from the game store unless supervised.

...One of the 14y/o girls began to be hit on by one of the older gamers (25y/o). She came to me with these complaints and I banned the older guy from the store. When I let her parents know what was going on, they treated me as if I was in the wrong. I ended up having to have the girl's father escorted from the business by a cop because he was blaming me for his kid being hit on.

...I had several parents who dropped their kids off at my business (all of them were 14-16y/o) and the group would leave after their parents left. Some of them would go around back and make out (sometimes worse) while some would just leave and go do whatever they wanted. The parents came to me several weeks later and blamed me for not watching their kids. After explaining I wasn't a baby-sitter they got even more furious. They needed a scapegoat for their bad parenting. I called the sheriff (a regular customer) and had him sort it out. They were banned from the store.

...I had a couple of DMs I had to reprimand because of using the BOVD and BOEF with minors involved.

...I had a back room that I used for storage and the natural curiosity and fearlessness of children would alway have me or my employee running to the back to recover the lost children. Even with a large "EMPLOYEES ONLY" sign and a closed door, kids found their way back there.

After these incidents I decided to post a gamer Code of Conduct sheet that each person who was going to game there had to sign in order to join. I also decided to ban any person under 16 without an adult present. I also started to segregate the gaming groups based on age (this prevented "mature" themes from being brought up directly to minors). In the end, I sold the store because I didn't feel like putting up with small children.
heythatssssmystuff
11-04-07, 11:15 PM The advice of having the campaigns be for 16 and up sounds good. Just use your common sense, stick up for yourself, be realistic and I think you should be able to enjoy running your campaigns with good players.
I have a professor that this situation makes me think of; he really doesnt take any ****, but at the same time is very likeable and that's what I see as being neccesary from a costomer service perspective. You may have to make some adjustments, but I think you'll be alright.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Heroic_Ezekial 11-04-07, 12:44 PM	Is it right to ban bratty little kids who waste time, annoy other players and don't listen? I think it would work in my case because I am sick and tired of my other players getting the poop-end of the stick with me trying to rein the little buggers in and then the other guys losing out on the game experience as a result. My campaings have suffered and I can't get any older gamers to play. I feel like a freaking babysitter except I'm not getting paid. These aren't even my freaking kids but it's a public campaign. Oh hell, what I am to do?
DyloniusFunk 11-04-07, 12:47 PM	A little context would be nice. Is this a home game at your place of residence? Then you have every right to tell the players not to bring thier kids. Is it a game you run NOT at your place of residence but at another players? If the player dosen't care then you have an issue, his house, but your game. Talk to him/her about it. Is it a game at a store? Then you're in for more trouble, as it is a public place. Talk to the store owner, ask if there is anyway you can impose any kind of rules about who can be in your game. If it's not possible then find another place to play.
Heroic_Ezekial 11-04-07, 12:59 PM	It's run at a store, however I will move it if that's what it takes. This crap has been going on since last spring when the last DM was running the campaign. Now I know how he felt.
Heroic_Ezekial 11-04-07, 01:10 PM	It's run at a store, however I will move it if that's what it takes. This crap has been going on since last spring when the last DM was running a campaign. Now I know how he felt. It truly is ridiculous, the kids are actually dropped off by their parents and I am expected to control them. What happens is they run around the store, talk with each other and trade mini's while I am trying to run an encounter. Outside of encounters, they run around the store until I ask them to come back and then they just say "I attack (points at a player), oh wait what are we doing again?Can I have a pet? Can I do this? Can I do that? Oh hold on I have to run around some more." On game day one kid brought his Nintendo DS and played it the entire time I was running the campaign, while another in fact, ran around the store and made a mess for the owner. When he left I had to stay to clean up spilled pop, andy wrappers and everything else under the sun. The other DM had a better experience because the kids at his table decided to quit and play with kids at mine. It was a bad experience, the two serious players, one was ready to hit a kid and the other had simply given up. My players do not deserve to be frustrated like that. This is not good DnD. This is Daycare.
Legdiwena 11-04-07, 02:11 PM	Don't let be part of the group if they are a disruption.
Cuindless 11-04-07, 03:00 PM	How old are these kids? If they're running around the store, attacking other players and otherwise being stupid, I would guess... 9? First, you're a Dungeon Master, not a babysitter. You run a game, and it's completely within your right to ban players from it who are disruptive or aren't interested in playing. If they leave the table between encounters for more than 10 minutes, hand them their character sheet and say goodbye. I wouldn't set an "age limit", because I've run games for 9-14 year olds who were actually quite interested in playing, but I would ban disruptive behavior of any age. Second, get into contact with the parents of these kids, especially the most disruptive ones. Do they show up regularly? If so, it's very easy to get a phone number or simply stop and talk to the parents. Tell them what their child is doing to disrupt the game, ask that they stay and supervise their chlid or request that they stop bringing their child to your game. Are you an adult? If so, it should be easier to discuss it with them as a peer. Explain to them that you aren't a babysitter, you don't run a child care service and you aren't being paid. Third, talk to the players. They're kids. If you're an adult, remember that you have an inherent power over them. Many children, not all children but many children, still respect/fear their elders. Tell them simply and firmly that if they continue to behave this way they won't be allowed in your game any more. Do not be afraid to kick one or two out to send a message. Fourth, and lastly, talk to the owner/manager of the store. You'd be amazed what a sign saying "No children allowed without the supervision of a parent" will do. Good luck.
wizarddog 11-04-07, 04:22 PM	Jeez. You should just play PokéMon. :surrender
Ecalsneerg 11-04-07, 04:27 PM	I'd post, but Cuindless covered all the bases. Dammit.
jasmith 11-04-07, 04:59 PM	It truly is ridiculous, the kids are actually dropped off by their parents and I am expected to control them. What happens is they run around the store, talk with each other and trade mini's while I am trying to run an encounter. Outside of encounters, they run around the store until I ask them to come back and then they just say "I attack (points at a player), oh wait what are we doing again?Can I have a pet? Can I do this? Can I do that? Oh hold on I have to run around some more." Definitely ban them from the game. I don't mean to alarm you, but one thing you need to consider is that there could be some liability issues involved. If their parents are dropping them off to play in your game, you and/or the store owner could be held responsible if something happened. (Seriously, do not put yourself in this position. Not in an environment that chaotic.) Being responsible for the children of irresponsible parents is NOT a situation I would allow myself to be put in. I would bring this issue up to the store owner, and demand a reasonable age limit on anyone sitting at my table. If a parent drops their kid off at some random retail establishment, that's one thing. If they drop their kid off at a store where there is an event going on which the children are invited to on a regular bases, where their children are known and expected, then that's a little bit too close to the kind of organized activity which usually requires forms to be signed and implies some expectations from the parties involved. If they're too young to get to the store by themselves, they can't play.
Fly666monkey 11-04-07, 05:08 PM	I agree with most of these guys. If these kids are causing problems, tell their parents that it has to stop or you will kick them out. If those parents pull the "My child would never do something like that!!!!" line, show them the footage from the security camera (If you don't have one, get one). Remind then that you area DM, not a babysitter, and disruptive behavior will not be tolerated. that should take care of the problem, but if it doesn't, ban those kids from the store. And, as stated before, i would strongly reccomend that nobody under 14 or so should be allowed in the store unsupervised by a parent/ guardian.
Crimson_Concerto 11-04-07, 05:09 PM	I don't put age restrictions on my campaign, but I do put maturity restrictions. :P I can't DM for people who play immaturely ALL of the time. A little immaturity can be funny or appropriate every once in a while, but there's a limit...
vagabonvoid 11-04-07, 06:57 PM	When I ran my Ice Cream Parlor/Game shop, I ran into this same problem. When I first opened, It didn't start as a game store, I just had weekend games during the late evening. It began to draw attention and soon my store evolved into a gaming hotspot. With this came many mature gamers ranging from 14-44 years old. I started out by letting the players decide which of the gaming groups they would join but I soon was put into some very bad situations... ...A couple of old-school D&D players after a few games dropped off their two 5-8 y/o kids and split expecting me and the other gamers to take care of them. They were psychotic children, running everywhere, even behind the parlor counter and trying to get into the freezers (to get the yummy Icecream, or freeze to death). I finally had my fill when I caught one of them stealing miniatures. When the parents came back after dinner (5 hours later at midnight) I charged them for the 5 booster packs their kids had torn open and banned their children from the game store unless supervised. ...One of the 14y/o girls began to be hit on by one of the older gamers (25y/o). She came to me with these complaints and I banned the older guy from the store. When I let her parents know what was going on, they treated me as if I was in the wrong. I ended up having to have the girl's father escorted from the business by a cop because he was blaming me for his kid being hit on. ...I had several parents who dropped their kids off at my business (all of them were 14-16y/o) and the group would leave after their parents left. Some of them would go around back and make out (sometimes worse) while some would just leave and go do whatever they wanted. The parents came to me several weeks later and blamed me for not watching their kids. After explaining I wasn't a baby-sitter they got even more furious. They needed a scapegoat for their bad parenting. I called the sheriff (a regular customer) and had him sort it out. They were banned from the store. ...I had a couple of DMs I had to reprimand because of using the BOVD and BOEF with minors involved. ...I had a back room that I used for storage and the natural curiosity and fearlessness of children would alway have me or my employee running to the back to recover the lost children. Even with a large "EMPLOYEES ONLY" sign and a closed door, kids found their way back there. After these incidents I decided to post a gamer Code of Conduct sheet that each person who was going to game there had to sign in order to join. I also decided to ban any person under 16 without an adult present. I also started to segregate the gaming groups based on age (this prevented "mature" themes from being brought up directly to minors). In the end, I sold the store because I didn't feel like putting up with small children.
heythatssssmystuff 11-04-07, 11:15 PM	The advice of having the campaigns be for 16 and up sounds good. Just use your common sense, stick up for yourself, be realistic and I think you should be able to enjoy running your campaigns with good players. I have a professor that this situation makes me think of; he really doesnt take any ****, but at the same time is very likeable and that's what I see as being neccesary from a costomer service perspective. You may have to make some adjustments, but I think you'll be alright.