My old game group in Denver had a strict 'no phones' rule that drove me nuts

We used to have to put our phones in a basket before starting, which felt like a punishment. Then, about a year ago, our host started using a simple hourglass timer for each player's turn during games like Terraforming Mars. It cut our game time by almost forty minutes and made everyone focus without the drama. Anyone else found a small change that fixed a big group problem?

4 comments

4 Comments

martin.tyler2mo ago

I mean, the basket thing sounds extreme but I get why they did it. Cutting game time by forty minutes sounds good on paper, but maybe that rushed feeling takes the fun out of it for some people. Forcing focus with a timer can make a chill game night feel like a chore, like you're back in school. Idk, maybe it's just me but sometimes the slow parts are where the best jokes and talk happen.

eric3591mo ago

Remember that time we tried playing Monopoly with a one minute per turn rule? We ended up just throwing money at the board and someone flipped the table. Speed ruins some games.

the_jenny2mo agoMost Upvoted

Nah, @martin.tyler, the timer keeps things fun.

avery3661mo ago

Yeah, the basket thing is way too much lol. We just keep a phone stack in the middle of the table, first one to grab theirs buys the next round of drinks. Works every time.