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First Ever Attempted Game Jacking!!!

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Kato

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« on: <09-13-19/1831:53> »
We picked up our campaign about 2 years after we stopped (I was in an insanely intense grad program and had not time for Shadowrun and no one else wanted to GM the campaign). We recently started again and picked the campaign up exactly where it left off. We have three return players, one who is familiar with the game we were running (return players wife who watched us play) and three new players.
One of the new players (I'll call him The Decker) turns out to be the biggest game jacker I've ever heard seen or heard of! Right from the get go he starts complaining about everything from how I'm not making the players run their characters differently (everyone was way to combat oriented for his taste), how players aren't taking actions they should and how I'm generally running the game. I tell him that I don't force players to do anything (my point of view is that players drive the characters, not vice versa) and that we've had this devil may care atmosphere about the game for years and we're not changing it. For us, the game is a social activity that we use to blow off steam.
So then he starts with how he GMs and this is how he runs his games, he was taught to do this, blah blah blah. This goes on for three sessions. Nothing but criticism of everything and everyone and a stream of constant reminders of how he is a GM and can run the sessions. This next part is legit...not making it up.
He PM's me on FB this last Tuesday (our game is on Wednesday). He asks if he should bother showing up because he feels like he isn't fitting into the group that well. I tell its up to him but that our play style seems to make him anxious and we're not trying to cause anyone stress with our game style. I reiterate to him, again, that the game will not change and we're going to continue in our style of what I call "slap-stick gaming". So he starts making suggestions again and telling me that he's a GM and such. I just start doing the one response thing to get him to shut up since I'm at work and trying to do things. The PM finally hits a lull and I don't hear from him for probably a half an hour. The next text is the cherry on the cake.
Word for word: We ran your session last week, we're doing mine this week. Make a character."
Now, you have to understand something about our group. We've been playing for over 10 years in some capacity. What is more is that we've known each other and been friends for just as long. We all met at the same job. We've been to each other's weddings, watched each others kids, been to birthdays and out drinking. The Decker...we've just met him. He got into the group because he happened to play Warhammer with another player. This is the guy who is literally telling me I'm no longer running the group and he is taking it over.
So I naturally PM the rest of the group and let them know what's up. I give them the option to play his session or mine (trying to be objective and unbiased) and I show them the conversation. Unsurprisingly, they overwhelmingly side with me *duh* and I have the joy of telling him no one wants to play in his games or really wants him showing up at our sessions anymore. 

Kato

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« Reply #1 on: <09-13-19/1838:14> »
Sorry about the poor writing...I didn't proof read it lol.

Michael Chandra

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« Reply #2 on: <09-13-19/1838:46> »
What the actual flying Panther-target-pants-content?! O_O
How am I not part of the forum?? O_O I am both active and angry!

Kato

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« Reply #3 on: <09-13-19/1842:59> »
I've never even HEARD of a player essentially telling the GM "I'm taking over your game" let alone having it happen to me...and I listen to those RPG horror stories at work sometimes. Anyone else?! I'm legit submitting it to that lady who reads the RPG horror stories on Reddit.

Stainless Steel Devil Rat

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« Reply #4 on: <09-13-19/1859:02> »
I doubt it'd have worked out well, given the context you're painting...

I'd like to think I'd have given the guy a shot at gming a 2nd campaign.  Give him the opportunity to walk the walk after all the talk he wasn't shy about making.  Best case scenario: he's actually any good as a GM, and your group can bounce between campaigns at whatever schedule y'all hammer out.  Worst case scenario: he's awful and the group can go "Naah dude, you're not GMing anymore. Let Kato handle it from now on man."
RPG mechanics exist to give structure and consistency to the game world, true, but at the end of the day, you’re fighting dragons with algebra and random number generators.

Kato

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« Reply #5 on: <09-13-19/1905:02> »
Stainless Steel Devil Rat that was the original intention. I mean, anyone who GM's regularly can tell you that after a while you just want a break. But he was such a controlling a-hole at the table that he turned half the group off after the first session. He seemed like one of those GM's who would've penalized players for not doing exactly what he wanted them to do and given no freedom of play at all.
Its a shame because I haven't played in a while...but you can't pull that crap. I don't care where he learned to play I want to know who taught him gaming etiquette! And normal human behavior!

Michael Chandra

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« Reply #6 on: <09-13-19/1917:17> »
I've been a bad player at times, but holy frickin' hell never even CLOSE to this. Seriously, that's what, Uncouth, Impaired Charisma and Incompetent (Influence) in 1?
How am I not part of the forum?? O_O I am both active and angry!

[evo]

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« Reply #7 on: <09-16-19/0234:57> »
Control freak. Forget him.

mcv

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« Reply #8 on: <09-17-19/0825:38> »
I've never even HEARD of a player essentially telling the GM "I'm taking over your game"
There are situations where it can be appropriate. When the GM is terrible, the players are unhappy, the GM won't listen to reason, and one player offers to become the new GM. It may be necessary when the GM is extremely controlling.

In fact, this player sounds like he might become that kind of GM, considering the comment about the GM having to control the players' playstyle.

In any case: good riddance. It's always good to try to work with a player, but there are limits. He's clearly not going to be happy in this group.