Social Contracts

[note: this is a kinda rambly, fragment, thought-flow post, I'll try to repost and clean up/elaborate on some things sometime.]

So I'm talking to some folks about cranking up some gaming, which is damned exciting stuff.

Some of the things that you have to discuss include:

Character death. (taken from here) Choices are: Yes. Yes - Dramatically Appropriate. No - except with player's permission. No.

Character Death.

Out-of-game stuff at the table. (how much conversation do we want to tolerate at the game table? No one wants to be a game nazi, but if we're just gonna chat about Lost, then we need to stop or pause gaming to chat about Lost.)

(Expected) Length of the story arch/campaign. Are we playing a straight up one-shot? Is it a short or medium story arc, with a definite end that is planned? or is it a throwback to "a campaign" in which we'll play until the group drifts apart?

Where and when to play, and how long to play there. (And other aspects of this - who buys the food? Smoke outside. Kids? Pets? Drinking at the game? Late arriving or not going to make it?)

'Be a team player, not a dick.' or 'play nice'.

How many players to have at the table.

Policy on introducing new players.

Social contracts are important at the game table. We dont think of the word "social contract" on a daily basis, but we live by social contracts. You're kind enough to close the door when you use the bathroom if you're at someone elses house, etc.

What to play:

Wow!

Pirates and Privateers. In the mostly-historic 17th Century Carribean, just add low-grade magic. I'm thinking magic in the Carribean will be restricted to use on ships. That sailors tolerate it ONLY on the water, and that the authorities, and even the sailors will not tolerate its use on land. Sailors call it The Gift, others call it Sorcery, Heresy, Witchcraft, Satanism, Demonics, etc.

Also, I'm putting this: http://attacksofopportunity.blogspot.com/ on my reading list :)