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Gorfang113
2011-10-09, 07:56 PM
So one of my players found out my username and now looks at this forum. And goes trough my profile to find my threads and look at things in advance. I still want to post here about my campaign and ask for advice, but he won't stop doing this. he actually said that its my fault for this, cause im posting these where he can see them. So please, as a group, tell him what a total **** he is being right now (as I know he will see this), so that he at least feels guilt about doing this. (Im posting this mainly because I am angry with him, as he now knows about the cult I was going to introduce next session, the fact that they serve a beholder, their class levels and their equipment. He basiclly just looked at all of next session in advance, and now knows a vital plot point that they wern't supposed to know for another 2 or 3 sessions at least. And then shared it with the rest of the group.)

Tengu_temp
2011-10-09, 08:00 PM
What he doesn't get that RPGs are about having fun, not about a DM vs players mentality. A good player wouldn't look at the DM's notes even if they were left in plain sight, because that would be both unfair and spoilers for the future.

If he doesn't change his behaviour? Kick him from the group.

Knaight
2011-10-09, 08:03 PM
Yeah, he's being ridiculous. That said, the name change thread is your friend.

No brains
2011-10-09, 08:20 PM
Yeah, he's being ridiculous. That said, the name change thread is your friend.

Unless they read you posts there and find your new name!:smalleek:

Seriously though, don't be too Draconian (Greek Judge; not language) about it. The Players are essentially alone in a scary world that tries to kill them 13.33 times a level. Some people feel they need any leg up they can get in order to keep their character alive; i. e. keep having fun.

Then again, if you're really good storyteller, he's eating his eggs before they make it into the cake. He should quit it just so he can have the fun on playing through a (survivable) surprise. On the other hand, maybe you need to make the story more interesting, so the intrigue is a fire your PCs want to stoke rather than extinguish.

You can also penalize him for metagaming in various ways. Maybe it will just so happen that no good treasure for him drops. Maybe you'll hit him with a double bluff; get him prepared for exactly the wrong thing with a dummy post. Maybe knowing everything wstill won't save him when you post an encounter to 'hit the party's "weakest" point.'

Still, don't blame the player for being a cheat and a coward. Not everyone is brave and noble enough to trust their DM more than they fear him.:smallwink:

Siosilvar
2011-10-09, 08:50 PM
You can also penalize him for metagaming in various ways. Maybe it will just so happen that no good treasure for him drops. Maybe you'll hit him with a double bluff; get him prepared for exactly the wrong thing with a dummy post. Maybe knowing everything wstill won't save him when you post an encounter to 'hit the party's "weakest" point.'

If he's reading this, then he'll be even more paranoid now - this is a great time for some mind games. :smallamused:

1
Count yourself lucky you're not looking for a new group, mystery player. D&D is a social game. One gets a bunch of people together to make fun. What does it say if one can't trust the people one got together for this express purpose to make good on it?

Bearpunch
2011-10-09, 09:06 PM
I've got an idea:

Keep posting the normal stuff about the campaign just like you have been, keep letting him read it. However, when it comes to game time, up the DC/enemies, etc., and change very important facts slightly enough to where it could still prove important. Eventually, the party won't believe the guy and he will stop bothering.

JonRG
2011-10-09, 09:18 PM
Given the title, he might not actually look here. Maybe should have called it "Class Levels for Dragon BBEG?" or something. (I try to use my conniving for good, or at least awesome.) Name change won't work, both for the mentioned reason and another I won't say in case he does show.

Ignoring what a total Richard the guy is being, there's a more practical reason he should keep his eyes to himself. Cheating as a player is only gonna make the game harder for him. You're gonna see that he isn't being challenged and up the difficulty. In a DM vs player arms race, the DM will always win. Then everyone will lose, because no one's having fun. Gorfang's player: y u no like fun?

What really pisses me off is that he tells the other players upcoming plot twists. I live with my DM, and I try to give anything he's working on a wide berth. If someone was shouting out spoilers in one of my games, I'd be so :smallfurious:.

You should try to get him to see reason one last time. Then, if that doesn't work, kick him to the curb.

sparkyinbozo
2011-10-09, 09:24 PM
I think you should be flattered. He not only spends his time gaming your game, but reading what you think online. It'd take a lot of energy and effort to follow your online exploits, bothersome as it may be.

Perhaps you could find him another source of entertainment? I recommend dating (guys or girls, whichever floats his boat), Starcraft, or volunteering.

Howler Dagger
2011-10-09, 09:29 PM
+1 for changing your name/this thread's name

Also, post faulty things asking about theoreticly ambushes, make him super paranoid, eventually he will be the boy who cries wolf. Not that that would neccasarily be unhelpful to you, learning how to plant ambushes is a valuable tool for the DM.

JonRG
2011-10-09, 10:05 PM
I think you should be flattered. He not only spends his time gaming your game, but reading what you think online. It'd take a lot of energy and effort to follow your online exploits, bothersome as it may be.

:smallconfused: You have an odd definition of flattery. Plus, in just a few minutes skimming the Cultist Terror Thread, I eliminated the element of surprise, discovered glaring weaknesses, and know whereabouts they call home. Not bad for five minutes of time.

(I had more elaborate points, but then I realized that this session hadn't happened yet. :smallredface:)

Jeraa
2011-10-09, 10:17 PM
Well, your player is partly right - you are posting on a public board that anyone can read, including your players. You shouldn't be posting stuff like that if you don't want them to find out. If he doesn't want to stop reading them, then you only really have two choices. Either stop posting, or post with a different name.

That said, knowing about what will happen shouldn't be a problem. They will find out anyway. Using that information in-game though is metagaming - something that no one should ever do. If he does that, then he is just a bad player.

valadil
2011-10-09, 10:24 PM
I've got an idea:

Keep posting the normal stuff about the campaign just like you have been, keep letting him read it. However, when it comes to game time, up the DC/enemies, etc., and change very important facts slightly enough to where it could still prove important. Eventually, the party won't believe the guy and he will stop bothering.

Came in here for this. Feed him misinformation. Post threads asking for help replacing party members with doppelgangers without the other PCs noticing.

Emmerask
2011-10-09, 11:07 PM
A player who is showing such a degree of disruptive behaviour and such low value in the dms time spend is pretty much unacceptable...

I would seriously think about just kicking said player from the group (immediately) or if you want to be nice about it give him a final warning and make it clear that you kick him if it doesnīt stop.

If kicking him is not an option then the only other option would be to regularly put misinformation on these boards that not only invalidate what he "spied" but also will get him killed.


The orb has secretly a wish spell (that canīt be detected by any spell)

The orb actually completely destroys the character + soul without any save when a wish is uttered, then the orb disintegrates...

/edit Oh and I hope its actually a player not a player character who is looking stuff up, otherwise I might have to do some sanity rolls :smallbiggrin:

Anxe
2011-10-09, 11:19 PM
I think the answer is simple. Start posting red herring threads.

AMFV
2011-10-09, 11:47 PM
As a general rule I ban all my players from having access to the internet or any forums...

But seriously, reading internet forums is not a ''richard'' thing to do. It's pretty normal, and anything you post here is available to absolutely everybody.

Mando Knight
2011-10-09, 11:54 PM
I think the answer is simple. Start posting red herring threads.

Of doom. (http://www.weregeek.com/2011/08/15/) Also tell the group (nonchalantly) next time he spreads out-of-character plot-critical information that if someone's been peeking behind the scenes, they probably deserve what's coming to them...

Coidzor
2011-10-10, 12:06 AM
Step one. Don't be so passive-aggressive. Don't become even more passive-aggressive like the people who want to become physically violent towards this person who is presumably a friend-like individual.

Step two. Don't reveal anything that's monumentally important here. Rather like discussing something on the media thread without dumping loads upon loads of spoilers everywhere.

Step three. Address the actually worrisome thing here with him, namely the bit where he's apparently stalking you across the internet. Per the rules of the forum and my own ignorance, I do not know the absolute best way to go about doing that, but I believe I can encourage you to look into that.

No brains
2011-10-10, 12:25 AM
... become physically violent towards this person...

Bite him! BITE HIM!!:smallfurious:

Oh wait, YOU are the DM.:smallfrown:

In that case, wear your thickest jacket to all future games. Might spare you a tetanus shot.:smallwink:

Coidzor
2011-10-10, 12:36 AM
Bite him! BITE HIM!!:smallfurious:

Oh wait, YOU are the DM.:smallfrown:

In that case, wear your thickest jacket to all future games. Might spare you a tetanus shot.:smallwink:

Well if they were actually advocating the violence they had welling up inside them, that'd be different. :smalltongue:

That said, there are, I hear, certain dominance asserting techniques used in dog-training that are both humane and attention grabbing.

Seerow
2011-10-10, 12:38 AM
Sorry, I'll stop

Vladislav
2011-10-10, 12:43 AM
Sorry, I'll stop

Your DM is a very kind and patient human being for even making this thread. If a player in any other group would pull the stunts that were outlined in the first post, most DMs would not bother making an advice thread about it. He would be out, plain and simple.

Seerow
2011-10-10, 12:50 AM
Apparently not even bright blue text can warn some people when I'm joking. /sadness.



For the record I have no idea who the OP is. If he is in fact my GM I hereby apologize for anything I've seen, but looking at his post history it doesn't look like anything I've run in the last year or more soooo...

NecroRebel
2011-10-10, 12:51 AM
Sorry, I'll stop

People should read this man's signature when they read this particular post. That way, they know that he's a colossal jerk.



Your second best bet, after simply booting him from your games, is probably to stop posting game-related information on this board and start asking your questions on another board which you use a different username and other identifying information on. Assuming that this Seerow person actually is your player, he's obviously a colossal jerk, and nothing you do will stop him from being such. Thus, the only way to stop him from reading and using secret information is to prevent him from finding it. It's a bad solution, compared to just booting him out, but at least it lets you get DMing advice where you can give specific enough information for it to be useful without that **** learning of it.

Edit: And apparently this Seerow person isn't the same as the problem player. My above statement is still mostly accurate, however :smallmad:

Seerow
2011-10-10, 12:59 AM
Edit: And apparently this Seerow person isn't the same as the problem player. My above statement is still mostly accurate, however :smallmad:

You wound me :smalltongue:




Now to contribute something actually helpful, I'd agree with the recommendations to not give a full synopsis of your story here. Asking for more general advice may still let the player know that there's a dragon with class levels coming up, but won't know how that interracts with the story.

For story concept checking, best bet would be preferably to find a few people you know/trust their opinions to bounce ideas off of. Having a couple of people to talk to about stuff like that via chat or PM is a good thing even if you do want to continue hosting everything publicly, and gives you a nice avenue for bouncing off ideas for future plot twists and the like without putting it out there publicly.

Alternatively, you could register for a different forum similar in nature to this one under a different name. If the player tracks you down there as well, then he's crossed the line from someone who casually found you to someone actively stalking you for information, which has some rather unfortunate implications.

Cerlis
2011-10-10, 01:19 AM
I agree that it makes sense to understand WHY he is doing it. the whole "Doing what you can to survive" and blah blah blah.

And it IS a public forum

But i believe you have asked him to stop. that there is the issue.

I mean, next he will say its your fault he took your keys, opened your car trunk, and looked at your DM notes.

"well if you didnt want me to look, you wouldnt have left your keys out"

"well if you didnt want me to look you shoulda written it in invisible ink"

"Well if you didnt want me to look you shoulda sold me to china".

raymundo
2011-10-10, 02:54 AM
I agree that it makes sense to understand WHY he is doing it. the whole "Doing what you can to survive" and blah blah blah.

Except that he is not playing D&D to "survive", but hopefully to have a good time. If he willingly pisses of his GM just to have an edge in the game, he is just an immature prick who may eventually ruin the game for everyone just to up his chances to "survive". The "us vs. the DM" attitude is just plain stupid and so is the OP's player, apparently. Why is it so hard to respect his wish to not look at his posts? The DM is giving the campaign a lot of thought, exchaning ideas with other people to improve it and this douche has no better idea than to spoil it? _Telling the other players_ twists and future events? What the ****!


In short: This player is, indeed, a Richard. If he keeps doing it, I would not keep playing with him, mainly because he is unable to respect your work and seems to be nothing but a selfish fart

Coidzor
2011-10-10, 03:02 AM
Ok, seriously, this is just getting silly with everyone repeatedly saying Richard over and over again. :smallyuk:

Serpentine
2011-10-10, 03:40 AM
Have you had a note at the top of your threads saying "People in my group, don't read this"? If not, it's not unreasonable for him to have been looking at your threads, although still somewhat of a jerk practice to keep on looking at them once it's apparent it's spoilering your game. But if not, start.
If he still looks at them even when you have that note and when you've told him to stop, sit him down and tell him that DMing is hard, and that it's not unreasonable for a DM to seek help with his game. Tell him that he's ruining the game for himself, ruining it for the other players, and spitting in the face of all the work you're doing just so he can have fun.
If he still refuses to back down on the issue, inform him that it is not acceptable behaviour from your players, and that someone with such blatant and unapologetic disrespect for the DM's hard work has no place in your game.

Totally Guy
2011-10-10, 04:09 AM
I think the answer is simple. Start posting red herring threads.

Oh, come on... Don't subject us to unhelpful and pointless discussions.

raymundo
2011-10-10, 04:15 AM
Ok, seriously, this is just getting silly with everyone repeatedly saying Richard over and over again. :smallyuk:

But, it is so clever. Poor guys named Richard, though.

Gorfang113
2011-10-10, 05:39 AM
Have you had a note at the top of your threads saying "People in my group, don't read this"? If not, it's not unreasonable for him to have been looking at your threads, although still somewhat of a jerk practice to keep on looking at them once it's apparent it's spoilering your game. But if not, start.

I don't have that because I assumed I wouldn't need it. Mainly because I actually told all of my players who found out my user here to NOT look in any of my threads if they see them. So I shouldn't have to put up a "Stay Away" warning. Im not annoyed that he's on the forum (im fine with that) its more that he ignored what I said and looked anyway. His logic was basicly: "Oh, a thread by my DM, wait, the cult leader is a beholder? Well, since I know that now it won't hurt to find out some more (goes in thread). Well now that I know that I should tell the other players (makes a call or two). And since I already spoiled one plot point, it's fine if I just go through his thread history and ruin the rest of them. After all, I do know this one (goes in more threads)"

Serpentine
2011-10-10, 05:45 AM
Still worth putting the note on your threads, to cover your back.

Calanon
2011-10-10, 05:49 AM
So one of my players found out my username and now looks at this forum. And goes trough my profile to find my threads and look at things in advance. I still want to post here about my campaign and ask for advice, but he won't stop doing this. he actually said that its my fault for this, cause im posting these where he can see them. So please, as a group, tell him what a total **** he is being right now (as I know he will see this), so that he at least feels guilt about doing this. (Im posting this mainly because I am angry with him, as he now knows about the cult I was going to introduce next session, the fact that they serve a beholder, their class levels and their equipment. He basiclly just looked at all of next session in advance, and now knows a vital plot point that they wern't supposed to know for another 2 or 3 sessions at least. And then shared it with the rest of the group.)

I'll PM you what you should do and how you can have some fun with your players pearing eyes :smallwink:

Seatbelt
2011-10-10, 06:34 AM
Start docking XP for metagame. 250xp for the first infraction. 1,000 xp for every infraction after that. I guarantee that will stop it.

Oracle_Hunter
2011-10-10, 08:41 AM
Any Player who says he "can't help" doing something is going to be a Problem Player for your game. If this behavior is disruptive to your game (or your enjoyment of your game) then a simple ultimatum will do: either stop reading my threads or leave the game. Then take the appropriate action.

IMHO this sort of behavior is equivalent to reading the DM's notes while he's off at the bathroom :smallyuk:

N.B. This sort of ultimatum is likely to result in him concealing his behavior, if he's the sort who "can't help" but sneak a peek. I recommend the ultimatum because I personally find this sort of behavior disgusting in a Player and I'd rather not run games for someone who "can't help" himself in this fashion.

If you want a solution that will keep him in the game and not drive you to extreme levels of paranoia, just use a little Illusionism to make the information he gains here irrelevant. Use dummy names, or blatantly swap things around (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ptitleocg6iflv079q), or any of the other tricks of the trade.

Roderick_BR
2011-10-10, 08:44 AM
Tell him to please stop, or you'll tell the rest of the group, or even give up DMing for now, since he's ruining the fun. Yeah, simple as that, he's trying to cheat, and it's highly discouraged to do it, unless your group doesn't mind. Then just keep sending monsters after them, one stronger than the other.
After a TPK or other, your group will as your friend to stop doing it so you can start making non-TPK stories again.

Hatchet91
2011-10-10, 08:54 AM
alright so he thinks your going to throw a beholder at him fine, throw a fast ball change it to a cult that worships a "zombie" dragon or something else as powerful but completely diffrent weaknesses.

Xiander
2011-10-10, 09:39 AM
I would simply ask him what reason you have to spend hours planning a session if he refuses to politely avoid spoiling it for everyone. This might not work, but it is really all that matters.

suhkkaet
2011-10-10, 09:56 AM
Alternatively, let him be a DM for a one- or two-shot, then look at his notes while he's in the bathroom. (rollseyes)

Honestly, though, ask him to stop, or;
post under different names, mix things up, stop giving away specific information, give faulty information, make quick-switches where the info the player gets from reading your posts become disadvantageous. There are a lot of things you can do. And many of those things have already been posted.

One thing I wouldn't do, however, is what you've already done. Posting about it. Sure, it's annoying and you'll get some good ideas as to what to do to prevent it, but now the player might feel you're out to get him, and as such, distrust you. This might ultimately lead to bad player/gm-relations, but - then again - it seems like that's already a problem.
Talk with the player (and the rest of the group) about it. Tell them you use a lot of time preparing their adventures so that they'll be more fun (and challenging), and unless they're happy running premade adventures or adventures where you don't prepare at all, tell them to stop.

Although, I don't know exactly what I'd do in your situation, you must admit that it's kind-of flattering that he spends (presumably) so much of his time "studying up" on your adventure (Of course it IS a problem that it ruins his/the other players/your fun).

But hey, I don't know about you guys, but back when I was mostly a player, I couldn't help but look through the MM/other sourcebooks for ideas on how to overcome the next challenge. Then again it's a question of seperating player knowledge and character knowledge. Sometimes it's easy, other times, it's hard not to shout out that the monster we're facing has a glaring weakness that none of our characters realize. :P

Howler Dagger
2011-10-10, 10:27 AM
Alternativeley, you could post a thread looking for hellpers, but not actually post anything about the plot, and actually discuss it via PM. That way unless he is actually entering your account he cant read what you are planning

GungHo
2011-10-10, 10:48 AM
He basiclly just looked at all of next session in advance, and now knows a vital plot point that they wern't supposed to know for another 2 or 3 sessions at least. And then shared it with the rest of the group.)
Is he 8 years old? Seriously... If he's young, please let him know that sort of things makes him no friends as he gets older and that when he grows up, it's a tactic he's going to need to drop along with peeking at Christmas presents. If he's a grown man, then I have no idea what to say except find a friend who doesn't giggle every time he passes Hooter's.


Yeah, he's being ridiculous. That said, the name change thread is your friend.
Wouldn't solve the issue if he has his name linked. I don't know if the mods would let him close his existing account and register for a new one. I know you can't have multiple active accounts. That'd be one for him to kick up to the admins.


Well, your player is partly right - you are posting on a public board that anyone can read, including your players. You shouldn't be posting stuff like that if you don't want them to find out. If he doesn't want to stop reading them, then you only really have two choices. Either stop posting, or post with a different name.
The first part is right as a general caution. You're posting to the world here. There isn't special encryption. You don't have to register for an account to read threads. It's a free forum.

However, the second part can be addressed a matter of respect/ethics. My alternate GM posts on other boards (e.g. EN Worlds), I know what his user name is, and I know to steer clear of a thread he creates or one he puts in spoilers or says "my PCs, don't read this", as do the other guys, because he has given me foreknowledge of his IDs/usual haunts and because I'm not 8 years old. I respect him. I've given him my word I won't cheat. And, frankly... there's a vast order of difference between spoiling yourself on the next Desperate Housewives episode and cheating your friend out of the pleasure of seeing your face when he throws you a curve ball.

If you didn't tell them you were online and they came across the campaign and said something... I can understand confirming "yeah, that's me" and asking "please don't read my game plans and tell the others" and if they say "too bad, I'm telling everyone", they're tossing away my friendship along with any measure of trust I'd ever give them, and they'd not be re-invited.

If you didn't tell them you were online and they came across the campaign and I noticed they were picking up on things that they shouldn't have, I'd probably have a one-on-one with them after the game and ask what's up, and then say, "ok, understand... please don't do that again" (we've had this happen once when bringing a new guy in). I'd know to watch the guy for another couple of sessions, but no harm no foul if he really didn't intend to screw it up for everyone.

If I had already told them directly (which we do now), and they said "too bad, I'm telling everyone", I'd tell them to put down my beer and get out of my house as surely as if I caught them with extra cards under the table when playing poker.

Conners
2011-10-10, 11:12 AM
I remember posting a thread where I asked, "What is a good price for a magical sword...?" Then, one of my players posted,
":smalleek:! Well, I did figure it was magic. I won't look here again."

He was terrifically honest, a great guy.

While I do understand the temptation of looking at what is going to happen... this is just completely inexcusable. I mean, he isn't even being clever about it!! Seriously, if I decided to do this, my GM wouldn't find out, and I wouldn't go telling it to the other players. I would subtly give myself advantages for the fights to come, but not so much that the GM has reason to suspect/act.
And if I was found out, you can bet your bottom dollar I would not make lame excuses then keep doing it...

He is being a total dweeb(?). Tell him to shape up or ship out.

PowerGamer
2011-10-10, 02:10 PM
HI GUYS!! im the one that gorfang is talkin about. he showed me site once so i decided to make an account, im not stalkin him i do a 5 sec browes of topics and leave, im using forum for other reasons too (not looking ahead at stuff). so he's over reacting. sry if u all think its a bad thing to frend your frends on a forum and c wat they r posting. its not like im reading all his campaign ideas in order to thwart them. and this is only the 3rd tread of his ive evn opened so dont pick sides until you know the whole dealio

PowerGamer
2011-10-10, 02:20 PM
so i read thru some more posts. Im not doing this to ruin the campaign. GOrfang tells us lots out of game as is. I dont read indepth eithr so all ik bout beholder colt is beholder cult. nothin else. im not 8 im 16. not all of gorfangs post are about campaign. you guys rely are takin this a bit to far and it's also a bit hurtful. I know its easier to beat on people over the internet cuz u dont know them but rely? gimme a break. I've been playin for ... 6 yrs now and love a good game. I never try to ruin it unless DM tell me too much (in person) and then i only say stuff when it comes up and im not abusing that either. Idk wat else to say except that this whole thread should not have been posted in the first place. It's just th ewrong thing to do. If you have a problem with me reading stuff gor than just tell me and mark certain threads as ones you dont want me to read. thats all i gotta say.

Quietus
2011-10-10, 02:21 PM
HI GUYS!! im the one that gorfang is talkin about. he showed me site once so i decided to make an account, im not stalkin him i do a 5 sec browes of topics and leave, im using forum for other reasons too (not looking ahead at stuff). so he's over reacting. sry if u all think its a bad thing to frend your frends on a forum and c wat they r posting. its not like im reading all his campaign ideas in order to thwart them. and this is only the 3rd tread of his ive evn opened so dont pick sides until you know the whole dealio

First - your typing is atrocious. Please take the time to run a spell check, most browsers have one built in. Your post is very difficult to read.

Second - No, he is not overreacting. You're looking at stuff clearly not meant for your eyes, and apparently telling your fellow players about plot twists that are coming up. Even if it's "only the third thread", ruining the surprise for yourself is bad enough, but doing it for EVERYONE makes a DM want to stop running games.

Gorfang - You only have a couple of options here, really. Either you need to stop posting anything about your games in this forum, else you have this Richard person ruining the surprises. Or, next time something like that happens, you can do what I would do. "Okay guys, well, the whole point of me running this game was to tell a story. You already know the story, because of Richard's actions. That means this game is over. Who's running the next one?"

PetterTomBos
2011-10-10, 02:32 PM
To all the people protecting the player, my family does the exact same thing:

If you didn't want me to peek at your diary you shouldn't have forgotten where you hid it at the cabin!

If you didn't want us to drink your special stuff we have never seen before, you shouldn't have left it in the fridge.

If you didn't want your stuff looked trough you shuoldn't have left it at home while studying away, even with the door to the cupboard bound shut with rope.

You can allways find something more one could have done to ensure privacy. It is NO excuse to peek. If I leave my diary open at your desk, you should snap it shut the second you see what it is. Anything else is unethical, and a bad deed on your part, no matter how stupid I have been.

As for the player, what about talking about how unfair it is to have the first player diving trough the statues mouth get a free wish? Sphere of annhilation FTW ;)

sparkyinbozo
2011-10-10, 02:43 PM
:smallconfused: You have an odd definition of flattery. Plus, in just a few minutes skimming the Cultist Terror Thread, I eliminated the element of surprise, discovered glaring weaknesses, and know whereabouts they call home. Not bad for five minutes of time.

(I had more elaborate points, but then I realized that this session hadn't happened yet. :smallredface:)

I guess I should have used bright blue text, too. ;)

Seerow
2011-10-10, 02:49 PM
I guess I should have used bright blue text, too. ;)

You should. Doing so removes a lot of uncertainty about intent!


Well except in the case of this topic, where it made someone think I was just being an *******. But these mistakes happen.

MlleRouge
2011-10-10, 02:55 PM
I tend to agree that if said player respected your DMing and your campaign, he wouldn't look. You have every right to post on these forums and discuss with/ask for advice from the community. Just because someone CAN do something (in this case peek when he's been asked not to) doesn't mean he should.

Just my two cents.

Coidzor
2011-10-10, 03:07 PM
I don't have that because I assumed I wouldn't need it.

Then you assumed wrong.


Mainly because I actually told all of my players who found out my user here to NOT look in any of my threads if they see them. Then you overreached yourself unless you've literally only ever started threads directly filled with plot sensitive information from your games.


Im not annoyed that he's on the forum Essentially telling your players to stay out of any thread you've ever posted in kinda sounds the direct opposite.

Ursus the Grim
2011-10-10, 03:14 PM
Hello gentlemen, I am the person that Gorfang is referring to. He showed me this website, and I thusly decided to create an account. I am not stalking him. I merely browse topics for 5 seconds and leave. I am using this forum for other purposes as well, so I am not just 'looking ahead at stuff'. Therefore, he is over-reacting. Sorry if you think its a negative thing to befriend your real-life friends on a forum and follow what they have been posting. I haven't been reading all of his campaign ideas to thwart them. Where did you get that preposterous hypothesis? Was it Steve? Besides, this is merely the third of his threads that I've opened. Please don't choose sides until you have a grasp on the entire situation.

* * *

I've read more posts in this thread. I'm not doing this to ruin his campaign. Gorfang makes us privy to a good deal of out-of-character knowledge already. I don't read very in-depth either, so all I know about beholder cult is beholder cult. Nothing else. I'm not eight years old, I am a strapping young lad of 16 years. Not all of Gorfang's posts are about the campaign, either. You guys really are taking this a bit too far. I happen to find it slightly hurtful. I know its significantly easier to torment people over the internet because you don't know them, but reconsider. Please, give me a break. I've been playing for six years now, and I love a good game. I never try to ruin it unless the DM tells me too much (in person) and then I only use that knowledge when it is relevant. I'm not abusing that. I don't know what else to say, except, perhaps, that this thread should not have been posted. That was the wrong thing to do. If you would prefer that I didn't read things, Gor, please inform me such and mark threads as do-not-read. That is all I have to say.

Well, I tried to help it make sense.

Howler Dagger
2011-10-10, 03:20 PM
You find it hurtful and wrong that we help someone keep his privacy? You have a strange definition of "not stalker."Also, ursus gets a cookie for being able to translate that.

Jolly
2011-10-10, 06:39 PM
His looking is wrong, but his refusing to stop is unacceptable. Boot him if he refuses to stop, or if he promises to stop then continues metagaming.

Your making a passive agressive thread hoping for a forum of people to tell him off instead of doing it yourself is also not acceptable behaviour imho. If he's an issue, take it up with him. Don't get angry and complain about it on a forum hoping he'll read it and be chastened.

Jolly
2011-10-10, 06:41 PM
Oops, I see the PC in question is 16, so I can only assume the DM is roughly the same age. This thread makes more sense now.

flumphy
2011-10-10, 06:47 PM
The player in question is rude to continue to read what's been posted online. The OP, however, is downright stupid to continue posting anything he intended to keep secret on a forum he knows his players read. Both parties are at fault here.

Basket Burner
2011-10-10, 06:59 PM
Easy. Mess with him. Ask about things you have no intention of actually using. And because he's reading this, mix in things you are intending on using. And things that seem like one type but are really the other. Make it so that his obvious metagaming gives him less/worse knowledge than if he just played the game.

PowerGamer
2011-10-10, 07:47 PM
Sorry for all my improper grammer. I've never had to use a forum before like this. He told me today that he posted this thread. You guys really dont understand the situation at all. I glanced at one post while on phone with another in our party and said something. now DM is pissed and over doing it. it's not even a big deal. Im sorry you think what i did was wrong. But he posts more than campaign thread too so WTF. Please delete this thread Gorface and we can work this out. Your making it into more than it is

Ursus the Grim
2011-10-10, 07:56 PM
Please delete this thread Gorface and we can work this out. Your making it into more than it is

Hate to point this out, but I don't believe he has that power. Users can't normally delete their own threads.

Jeraa
2011-10-10, 08:16 PM
No, but he can report his first post and ask for it to be closed. Doesn't mean that it will be though.

Quietus
2011-10-10, 08:24 PM
Sorry for all my improper grammer. I've never had to use a forum before like this. He told me today that he posted this thread. You guys really dont understand the situation at all. I glanced at one post while on phone with another in our party and said something. now DM is pissed and over doing it. it's not even a big deal. Im sorry you think what i did was wrong. But he posts more than campaign thread too so WTF. Please delete this thread Gorface and we can work this out. Your making it into more than it is

If this is the case, then all Gorfang should have to do is stick any plot-relevant information into a spoiler. As long as you, PowerGamer, stay outside of those spoilers, and he uses them appropriately, it should solve more or less this entire problem. As an additional note, should he start doing that, then you should stay out of any thread that starts with spoilered information, to avoid learning stuff from other people's responses.

Serpentine
2011-10-10, 08:37 PM
Sorry for all my improper grammer. I've never had to use a forum before like this. He told me today that he posted this thread. You guys really dont understand the situation at all. I glanced at one post while on phone with another in our party and said something. now DM is pissed and over doing it. it's not even a big deal. Im sorry you think what i did was wrong. But he posts more than campaign thread too so WTF. Please delete this thread Gorface and we can work this out. Your making it into more than it isOkay, that's a bit different. If Gorface puts a note on the plot-sensitive threads with "people in my game, don't read this", will you agree to not look in those threads?

Seb Wiers
2011-10-10, 09:39 PM
So please, as a group, tell him what a total **** he is being right now (as I know he will see this), so that he at least feels guilt about doing this.

As a (member of) a group, I'll say he's being about 50% of the **** you are being, the two of you adding up to exactly one total ****. And that's mainly because he (probably) didn't ask other players if they wanted the surprise ruined before sharing your publicly posted plot spoilers.

Of course, it would show a lot more class and respect if he could play it cool by acting surprised by the plot twists you discussed in a public broadcast. Bonus points if he takes advantage of it to create drama by ensuring he takes the brunt of things when the fecal-ventilation-impact occurs.

GoodbyeSoberDay
2011-10-11, 12:34 AM
So 1/3 and 2/3 of a Richard respectively?
...
It seems we're being told two different stories here, or at least two different interpretations of a story. I dunno if this thread is going to accomplish much if the OP is asking strangers to castigate the player for doing something he doesn't believe he did.

JustinA
2011-10-11, 01:19 AM
So one of my players found out my username and now looks at this forum. And goes trough my profile to find my threads and look at things in advance.

Either cut him from the group or start liberally mixing in dangerously false information into your posts.

Life's too short to game with *******s.

Jeraa
2011-10-11, 01:29 AM
It seems we're being told two different stories here, or at least two different interpretations of a story. I dunno if this thread is going to accomplish much if the OP is asking strangers to castigate the player for doing something he doesn't believe he did.

Of course they are - there are always 3 sides to a story. Side A, Side B, and the truth. Both are going to say things that put them in a good or better light. The only ones who really know what happened are the ones involved. This is something that should never have been brought up on the boards. Especially seeing is how the problem is between two people, not a rules dispute. We can't tell you how to handle your friends. They are your friends, not ours. You have a problem with one of them, you talk to them. Not strangers on a message board.

Tyndmyr
2011-10-11, 07:49 AM
So one of my players found out my username and now looks at this forum. And goes trough my profile to find my threads and look at things in advance. I still want to post here about my campaign and ask for advice, but he won't stop doing this. he actually said that its my fault for this, cause im posting these where he can see them. So please, as a group, tell him what a total **** he is being right now (as I know he will see this), so that he at least feels guilt about doing this. (Im posting this mainly because I am angry with him, as he now knows about the cult I was going to introduce next session, the fact that they serve a beholder, their class levels and their equipment. He basiclly just looked at all of next session in advance, and now knows a vital plot point that they wern't supposed to know for another 2 or 3 sessions at least. And then shared it with the rest of the group.)

Did you post "My players keep out" on the thread? Cause if not...accidents can happen.

However, intentionally seeking out spoilers is a pretty terrible thing to do.

That said, if it was happening to me, I'd just start feeding him false stuff. Terrible, terrible false stuff that would get him killed.


Edited after reading thread: Yeah, you gotta post for your players to keep out of anything sensitive. Ideally, also spoiler the sensitive bits to prevent accidental reading. I do this whenever discussing important stuff, because all my players have internet(cept one), and frequently look up D&D things. Repeatedly, while googling to find some topic related to D&D, they have gotten a hit from this site, clicked it, and I'm in the thread. When you think about it, it's not actually that improbable.

Asking them to never read anything you post is kind of ridiculous. I'd ignore that too, since it sounds like a PITA for little payoff.

The Succubus
2011-10-11, 08:22 AM
So Gorfang, are you still going ahead with the Tarrasque encounter you have planned in 3 sessions time?

El Dorado
2011-10-11, 08:56 AM
He's a terrible spy. I mean, not only did he tell his GM what he was doing, he came on the forum and confirmed it to the public! Rookie mistake! :smallwink:

PowerGamer
2011-10-11, 02:27 PM
Ok this is my last post in the thread because it's stupid. Yes if he marked them in a way that i would know not to look, then i wouldnt. Second the whole this had already been resovled. thank you all for your waste of time in a problem that is not your. GET A LIFE!!!

Jolly
2011-10-11, 02:35 PM
Teenagers are hilarious.

Irish Musician
2011-10-11, 02:51 PM
If you happen to come by some DM information by accident that is one thing. However, it should not have been discusses with the other players before the DM was ready to give said information out. Having said that, I or anyone else who comments on this forum have no real way of telling what exactly is going on between the 2 of you. If you both think of yourselfs as not children, then do the adult, mature thing and talk to each other face to face and discuss in a civilized and calm manner exactly how each other is feeling about this and what you can do to fix it. Y'all both seem like generally mature kids, but when you post on a forum to each other and through people about your personal problems, you cease being mature, and you cross back over the boarder to immature. Just talk to each other and stop all this cat-fighting. One thing this is most likely doing is getting in the way of yours and the other player's fun when playing a session. And I think everyone can agree with me when I say that playing D&D, or w/e other role-playing games you like to play, are about getting together with good friends, or friends you just met, and having a good times together. So, just talk to each other and work it out, because at this point, you are both at fault and need to say sorry to each other. That is my 2 cents, Have fun Playing everyone!!

Dr.Epic
2011-10-11, 02:54 PM
Options:

-Stop posting here; yeah it sucks, but if you can't stop him from doing this, this is the only way to be sure he can't look at your notes

-Ask him to stop; best solution, but there's no way to know if he'll do this since he can still search the forums

-Make him quit the campaign; if this is really a big problem and you don't like the guy that much, maybe just stop RPing with him

Though, this is just my two cents. Hope it all works out.

Gorfang113
2011-10-11, 03:34 PM
Um.... yeah, I was going to post that we had resolved it, but it seems that my player got here first....... So, to say in a more friendly, non crazy sounding way, we have talked and resolved this IRL. Mostly. But the major things are done, so no need to debate this, I admit that we are both total jerks, him for looking after being told not to, and me for posting about it on here. So im just going to use the spoilers as suggested by some people here and just hope thats enough. I do apoligize for anyone whos time has been wasted here. Thanks from all the people who actually posted something useful or just funny. For those who just said, "Its just a teen being a teen"........ yeah, im pretty sure anyone, regardless of age is capable of doing something stupid like this, ive seen enough to know that. Il try and ask a mod to close the thread, if anyone has last advice on how to get that done it would be helpful.

Edit: Also, The Succubus, yeah im ready for it. I just finished giving it it's 20 levels in Wizard to, just gotta stat out its followers from leadership. Im thinking druids with a bard/sublime chord cohort :smallbiggrin:

Jeraa
2011-10-11, 03:39 PM
On the bottem-left of a post, under the avatar, there is a little red triangle. That is the report post button. Click that, and say why you are reporting the post. Once a mod sees is, they may close the thread.

MlleRouge
2011-10-11, 04:31 PM
Congrats on talking the situation out. I hope your game runs smoothly in the future :smallwink:

Lord Vampyre
2011-10-11, 05:11 PM
Sorry for all my improper grammer. I've never had to use a forum before like this. He told me today that he posted this thread. You guys really dont understand the situation at all. I glanced at one post while on phone with another in our party and said something. now DM is pissed and over doing it. it's not even a big deal. Im sorry you think what i did was wrong. But he posts more than campaign thread too so WTF. Please delete this thread Gorface and we can work this out. Your making it into more than it is

You are correct that we don't fully understand the situation, and we never will. However, the forums had been asked on how to handle a specific problem. Of course, we have to approach this problem from the requestor's perspective, as we don't have anything else to go on. Consider this a form of group therapy. People come to the forums, looking for possible solutions to their individual problems. We in turn provide what we consider to be our best advice. Don't take it personal!!! The majority of us don't know you or your DM personnally. :smallamused:

BTW - Congratulations on resolving some of your issues. Good luck on resolving future issues.

Provengreil
2011-10-11, 05:56 PM
Sorry for all my improper grammer. I've never had to use a forum before like this. He told me today that he posted this thread. You guys really dont understand the situation at all. I glanced at one post while on phone with another in our party and said something. now DM is pissed and over doing it. it's not even a big deal. Im sorry you think what i did was wrong. But he posts more than campaign thread too so WTF. Please delete this thread Gorface and we can work this out. Your making it into more than it is

to be entirely frank with you, neither your screen name nor your sig are helping your case. that said, glancing at a post, seeing that a beholder is a secret bbeg, and blurting this fact out is, at best, bad form. there's a whole playground out there to explore, it should be fairly easy to avoid your DM's posts asking for advice.

Serpentine
2011-10-11, 09:37 PM
Ok this is my last post in the thread because it's stupid. Yes if he marked them in a way that i would know not to look, then i wouldnt.Great! Problem solved. That is seriously all that had to be said - "If is made obvious that I shouldn't be looking in a thread, I won't." Simple as that.

Second the whole this had already been resovled. thank you all for your waste of time in a problem that is not your. GET A LIFE!!!It's the point of this whole forum. To discuss things, including problems that aren't ours :smallconfused:
So im just going to use the spoilers as suggested by some people here and just hope thats enough.Not just spoilers. Put in your thread titles, "People from my game stay out". After that, spoilers are optional (although be aware of scroll-over text).

Anarchy_Kanya
2011-10-11, 10:00 PM
Ok this is my last post in the thread because it's stupid. Yes if he marked them in a way that i would know not to look, then i wouldnt. Second the whole this had already been resovled. thank you all for your waste of time in a problem that is not your. GET A LIFE!!!
I don't like your attitude. People were asked for opinion and they gave it. You're just being extremely rude, boy. :smallannoyed:

Ursus the Grim
2011-10-11, 10:20 PM
I don't like your attitude. People were asked for opinion and they gave it. You're just being extremely rude, boy. :smallannoyed:

The "boy" didn't ask for anybody's opinion. His friend went behind his back and whined about him, and then a bunch of strangers continued to insult him and recommend rather extreme measures.

I'd consider both parties at fault here, but responding to attitude with attitude really isn't going to help anybody, especially if they've found a way to work it out without making judgements on people's character.

Zeb The Troll
2011-10-12, 05:48 AM
Troll Patrol: This has gotten way off topic and is devolving quickly into something unpleasant for all involved. Closing the thread before it gets any worse.