Top 10 Game Room Essentials

[@Straddllw]

I don't have a game room, we play in our living room, and there's always a guy who switches on the TV and don't pay attention to the game. And when it's his turn, he has no idea what's happening and takes a long time. It pisses me off so much, especially when I'm explaining the rules. Definitely agree with Zee here, no TV!

[@jcb3393]

+Straddllw Just hide the TV remote and shut off the WiFi router. Tends to work well for keeping distractions to a minimum. (Of course, my mother-in-law has 4G wireless on her tablet so she can play Candy Crush while playing Dominion... AND IT ANNOYS THE CRAP OUT OF US!!!)

[@Straddllw]

+jcb3393 Ahahahahh! Dammit! Is one game not stimulating enough!? You have to play two? And candy crush? Really? At least play a good game.

[@marceldouwstra5847]

+Straddllw If anyone turns on my TV to watch and more or less stops playing the game he is not invited the next time.

[@ryanahr2267]

Yep. My brothers and I tried that once at our regular game and ran into the same thing, so we have that rule now, too.

[@nanorider426]

Haha. My tv is in the bedroom. No tv in the living room. ;)

[@get953]

Can you do a video showing around the room you are in?

[@romanphoenix999]

Games weigh more than books? If you stack your shelf full of books, it will definitely have more weight. Games also have empty space in their box, books don't.

[@Straddllw]

Zee needs to go on tabletopaudio (dot com). It's amazing when I play any thematic games. It enhances the boardgaming experience rather than distract away from it.

[@ayahoo16]

+Straddllw I use tabletopaudio when I do my spreadsheet work

[@ChrisBatarlis]

+Straddllw Thanks for Sharing that site! Very cool!

[@28green]

+Straddllw I can understand his complaint regarding music with words.

[@steventremblay4691]

+Straddllw Thanks for sharing the link! I will definately use this!!

[@tubeisace]

+Straddllw I've just had a look and I think you're right. This would add great atmosphere to, say a game of proper D&D.

[@ToThePointGames]

#1 Oxygen. Come on Sam!

[@EyalItsik]

100% with Tom when it comes to phones around the gaming table. The worst offenders are the ones who use their phones when I try to TEACH THEM THE RULES.

[@billjensen51]

I agree with Sam about having a variety of games, but you can 'get' that variety by asking others attending to bring some games that might bring said variety.

[@marcoschaub8978]

+Bill Jensen True. We can assume that everyone has a game they like which they can bring with them.

[@fredww3]

Good thought, I always supply the games so I tend to keep a variety, but honestly we tend to play the same game for weeks or months. I think I'm going to try your idea, ask them to bring one or pick a new one from my collection without letting them know what the others picked.... I need to get more games to the table. Any suggestions?

[@Steve-L]

+Bill Jensen For many years the only game my friends and I owned and played was Talisman. Thankfully, I have entered into the rest of the hobby and have introduced new games to my friends, for example 2 of them now also own Relic (Talisman in space). But now I own about 75 games.

[@SnowDragonka]

That's what happens in our gaming group. Everyone likes different kind of games, but purchase-wise we get only those we each love. That's not very diverse per person. But when we get together, we all bring some games and poof, we have a very diverse stuff to choose from.

[@RockCh4lk]

My family always wants the TV on when we play games... I no longer play games with them

[@billjensen51]

+RockCh4lk My wife and I have tried to play a game while we watch tv a couple of times and it just does not work (for us at least). We need to either watch tv or play games but not both.

[@RockCh4lk]

Bill Jensen I agree!

[@fredww3]

I've tried putting a "how to play" video on and even that fell flat... I have to agree on the no TV, I can't see any other use than as a distraction in a game room.... With the exception of one that doubles as a home theatre and or video game room as well, but I would keep it turned off for board game nights.

[@g8kpr3000]

+RockCh4lk At christmas we were playing Ticket to Ride, while others in the family watched TV nearby. My Niece just couldn't pull herself away from the TV "oh.. it's my turn again.. err.. uhhh.." and then she'd turn around and watch TV. We asked if she wanted to play or not, she agreed she did. Because of this, the game took an extra hour longer than it should have. Now it's a no TV rule for the kids.

[@TheAlfsterino]

+RockCh4lk Even background music isn't right when me and my mates play. We've tried but it just gets in the way of talking and playing - it gets muted for a certain reason and we forget to put it back on.

[@TabithaBear]

I'm thinking the obvious addition to all this talk of posters, shelves, tables, fridges and all is "A wife willing to let you dedicate a room in your house to gaming and fill it with such geeky stuff" 😆

[@TribulationsSolo]

+TabithaBear Gaming On the other hand, I don't see why you couldn't use your living room as a gaming room

[@TheAlfsterino]

+Xahendir Stras I do that - it takes 90seconds to rearrange and get a 6feet by 4feet tabletop on my dining room table that we pull into the living room area. Plenty of space, good lighting, drinks not far off in kitchen etc.

[@razorboy251]

+TabithaBear Gaming Or a husband willing to let you dedicate a room in your house to gaming. ;)

[@sherylw4599]

+razorboy251 ^5 In our case it was a joint effort :) When my husband moved in, we converted the downstairs tv room into a game room, I like it MUCH much better.

[@jameswoodard4304]

Or a husband. Let's not be sexist, Tabitha. 😋

[@gqdaddy8544]

Game room essentials: #1 - people to play the games. (drops the microphone)

[@eddieb8054]

GQ daddy essential number 2.... Friends....

[@griffongaming2657]

I'll only agree with Sam on the charging station if the charging station is at least 10 feet away from the table. I get very twitchy when people are texting/watching videos/playing other games on their phones while we are supposed to be playing a game. Otherwise they need to be on the other side of the room.

[@PreppinShootinLivin]

Agree with Tom...I almost would rather no phones allowed be the rule instead of having a place for people to charge them. Can't stand phones while trying to do pretty much anything else that is none phone related.

[@alpha1beta1gamma]

PreppinShootinLivin ok grandpa

[@maryhinge5876]

They are ok for turn generators, timers and in-game apps and music; but otherwise *TURN THEM OFF*

[@DragonTank1400]

Agreed! If you want to be on your phone just stay home.

[@apazman123]

Sam is right on the charging station. The people I play games with NEED to be able to check their email because they are always on call from work. Tom doesn't have that kind of a job, so I don't think he understands that need.

[@ThornyPlatypus]

I'm not sure if a top ten format was the best for this list since you guys agreed for the most part. I wonder if a video specific to setting up a game room, including a list of all that stuff you covered, might be a better fit for the topic.

[@adamheald1970]

Melodice is a great website that matches music to specific games!

[@kleedrac]

Damnit Tom, I actually have to agree with Sam on this one. I really get annoyed at the Luddite attitude that some people expect fellow gamers to ignore their phone for hours on end :P

[@mrdrock]

I took an old 3'x4' cork board, took the frame off, laid down a corduroy piece of fabric, and reattached the frame to create a portable table top. The older board is heavy, but it is solid. I put this on top of our kitchen table and it gives more inches around the table for game space. It is a great solution for improving your current table.

[@NihilSineDeo89]

Phones are incredibly obnoxious when trying to play games.

[@gumcannon]

I was skeptic of Sam's #1 because it was so obvious, but yeah. I think the "diverse" aspect is pretty relevant if you're gonna bother to have a gaming room you should have a number of different types. Like he said, short games, light-hearted games, easy to learn games for new players, then ofc your 4 hour beasts, heavy strategy, super rich theme etc etc. for those who want a more involved experience. I even think I agree with him making it #1 after presenting his case haha

[@FrankFloresRGVZGM]

Number 0, good gamers.

[@fingolfinfinwe]

Completely agree with Zee on no TV in the game room, but I disagree regarding music. I always want music going in the background!

[@jimalexander687]

+fingolfinfinwe I can understand perhaps playing the soundtrack to "Star Wars" during a "Star Wars" game, or something like that which would be within the theme of the game and not really a distraction, but embellish the mood. However, I can also understand Zee's view on the music, particularly (as he said) if it has lyrics, which can be a distraction. Also, speaking personally, if it's a kind of music I hate, having it on period (much less during a game) would be like scratching nails on a chalk board.

[@VideoGameTakeOut]

+fingolfinfinwe I'm with Zee on this one. I find it hard not to focus on the music and the lyrics. I think instrumental or ambient music could work, but regular music is too distracting.

[@jcb3393]

+fingolfinfinwe I could take or leave music. If it's a game that requires a lot of thought and no distractions, ambient music can help. But if it's a game like Slide 5 (easy to figure out your play) that is conducive to conversation, I'd prefer no music.

[@g8kpr3000]

+fingolfinfinwe I can understand why some might want music, for me it's just more "noise" that I have to talk over, or actively ignore. I never ever have music or TV on when playing a game, but then I rarely listen to music unless I'm driving the car.

[@channel99productions21]

There will never not be music in my game room

[@Mister_Peppers]

I had lawnchairs in my old gamestore and they were constantly getting broken. Kids would lean back in them and the back legs would shatter sending the kids across the room.

[@Jchernega1]

Please bring good hygiene. I hate the typical smelly gamer. My wife makes a point about this every time me we enter a game store.

[@Tia29451]

Why is that part of game stores? I really don't understand. The rules posted at our game store says to shower. I never understood why that's a part of gaming culture. Anyone have an explanation?

[@spackln2507]

I guess my take on the phone issue is....why would they need to charge a phone if they weren't using it to the point of obnoxiousness? Or they didn't charge their phone when they should have....which is not my problem. I always have my phone with me when gaming....and can honestly say I have never needed to do an "emergency charge"....I just don't use my phone much while gaming.

[@SuperWolfkin]

what if it takes me an hour to get to the meet up and I'm bringing one night or xcom. cause that's my reality. sitting on the train my phone sucks and some days will drain like a leech. I understand prohibitions against using phones but I can't possibly agree with prohibitions against charging then. it's silly.

[@Demovamon]

One of the rules I have when playing music is that it cannot have lyrics, cannot be louder than your own voices, and should stick to the theme of the game. Other then that I actually don't mind music playing in the background! :)

[@devilp84]

The number one game room essential is that YOU DON'T TALK ABOUT GAME ROOM!

[@azraelswrd]

Table isn't even necessary.... floor is good enough. Cuts down on the chairs too. A 10x10 concrete room with no outlets and 2 windows for airflow and light. Wow, sounds more like a prison cell, but then again, doesn't that describe some game rooms anyways? ^_^

[@cadenlaptad3247]

100% agree with Tom on this one. Chargers do not belong in a game room. In the next room, sure, but not in the room where gaming is going on. There are few to no things important enough to distract one's self from the people in the room. As a millennial (I'm 20), I know I'm in the minority, but I think we're allowing technology to invade our lives at a frightening pace. The negative behavioral habits, instant gratification tendencies, and over-accomplishing mentalities turn life into an absurdly fast-paced roller coaster, not allowing us to enjoy the little things in life and the beautiful silences that occur. Our family dropped cable as we saw it began to invade our lives more and more, and I'm dropping my smartphone at my next upgrade. I'd rather live life with the people in the room with me as opposed to those miles away. :/ And if someone needs to get a hold of me, it's not going to kill them to get a response 4 hours later. :P

[@wroot_lt]

Can't... laugh.. any mooore! :))) It started with Wi-Fi troll, then not too attached bathroom sketch, followed by "good night" honey in an armor suit and finally the stuff catching butt :D You guys (and especially Zee) are on fire today :)

[@RuaLupa]

The only reason I can see a phone charging station in room would be a good idea, is if the person with the phone requires it for work purposes (but still on the other side of room away from non-work related distraction). Otherwise I all for having a No Phone gaming room.

[@TheocratOfPoontang]

Agree 100% with Tom... Smartphones ruin board games and RPGs. I make my players turn them off unless they're expecting an important call or put them upstairs (our game room is in our basement).

[@edbacher6534]

Zee's needs good lightning? What about Lice Shower?

[@matthewmoos5284]

I agree with Sam. Most phones need charging by evening time so why not have charging available to your guests while they are playing.

[@kevinerskine3299]

I'm completely with Tom on the phone thing.

[@Enesty871]

+Kevin Erskine well not providing the means to charge your phone and encouraging people to not use their phones while gaming are two different things in my book. Maybe I am awaiting an important call or I just want to be reachable for my family in case something is wrong. Not being able to charge my phone in the game room could be even more distracting in that case (because I may have to leave the game room more often to check). I don't think the host should be responsible to enable me to charge my phone in the game room (it's completely my responsibility to arrive with a charged phone if it's important to me on that evening), but it's definitely nice to have and could actually improve the game night.

[@beph13]

+Enesty871 YES! agree, its completely preferential to the owner of the room, all adults should be responsible enough to keep their own phone charged, requiring someone to have a charger/charging station in the same room as you, and accusing them of being rude for informing you there is not one available in the room (though most likely in the next room over) is just downright childish, lazy, and little batshit.

[@jcb3393]

+Enesty871 Agreed. At family Christmas, we have a couple of people who are on-call, so we understand the need to keep phones present and on... but we do set-up an "electronics basket" at the door. We ask people to leave their phones/tablets there, so we won't have any distractions and will actually interact with each other. Additionally, I purposely change the WiFi password so anybody who had it before for some reason no longer has it. Pissed off my nephew, but it showed his mother just how much he was addicted to the tablet that he couldn't just hang-out and play with his cousins.

[@FiLtheThriL]

+blah I agree anyone who walks into your house and throws around accusations of rudeness for phone charger availability is rude. This has nothing to do with Sam's point. It's a nice benefit to your guest to be able to charge their phone in the same room. This guest might very well not go on a crazy rant over the fact that it's not available. They are more likely to be happy charging it in another room. The benefit is that they don't have to go into the other room at all, not that it is the host's obligation to remodel their house.

[@beph13]

+Phil H I know, the accusation of rudeness didn't come from sam, it came from commenters on the video. I believe phones should be just kept in your pocket. I believe a charging station would distract people more as their phone would be on the charger and they'd be able to literally see visual notifications and whatnot

[@HikageMaru]

Wow. Tom has lost a lot of weight since this video.

[@danielgallagher8713]

#1 game room essential: MONEY. Saved you all an hour.

[@alpha1beta1gamma]

Daniel Gallagher shut up

[@christopherolney6624]

I think putting a charging station out of reach of the table is a great Idea. If it's nice enough guests would feel inclined to use it, and if it's in the room then they don't feel inclined to leave and check every few minutes.

[@Atariese]

+Christopher Olney Yeah im not a person that will tell someone off if they ask to charge their phone... or tablet or laptop even... I point to the power strip with my own charging cable in the corner of the room sitting in-between the microwave and the trash... Wich incidentally is near where the bathroom is so those breaks usually co-incide. Its not malicious, its just what is more convenient. Somebody checking their phone while playing a game is more a problem with the player, not the device. Its the whole "guns don't kill people" debate. And not everyone is as into the gaming experience as someone who would put together their own gaming room. Its the same thing as tangent topics... wich my groups tend to do a lot more than checking their phones. Wow that was a little rambley.

[@fredww3]

Completely agree!

[@Ghi102]

About the charging station thing, I'm willing to bet that people will use less their phones if the charging station is out of reach of the table.

[@Steve-L]

Last weekend I passed on a game session due to poor lighting and bad chair and table set up, even though they played a game I liked. I have a rare color blindness problem, and poor eyesight as well, I need good lighting! I also have back issues, minor thankfully, but a bad chair and table setup is horrible.As for TV/music, I am between Zee and the other guys. I don't want any background "noise", but I like thematic music! I play several western/cowboy games and made a cd for that, with country/western/cowboy music, but not too loud! I also have a soundtrack for Tikal; South American, jungle music. I also made a CD for Jamaica, or other pirate games; lots of pirate music. I have also listened to Lord of the Rings soundtrack for fantasy games. All the thematic type music is ok, but at a low level. But I don't want music for music sake, and no TV!

[@Chrisprusse]

I actually don't believe games have to be in the room you game in. Getting a game takes a few minutes at most.

[@bobgabriels8456]

+C. Prusse (Kaylore14) there's not half an hour choosing a game ? lucky you !

[@Chrisprusse]

+Bob Gabriels Oh there's lively discussion. But again, we don't need the games physically in the room with us to do that. In fact the gaming room is totally unnecessary to the storing and selection process. Were that true, no one could ever bring a game to try at someone else's home.

[@fredww3]

Agree, but for me personally I prefer having all my games in easy view, it lets people look up and easily pick a new game. I personally like the look of my game wall as well, but I know it isn't for everyone. Also even a few seconds of down time and my fiends tend to drift off in to groups and have to be re wrangled lol

[@allluckyseven]

Sam, in case you can't change the type of lighting you use on your game room, how about using some sort of diffuser? Oh, and about the chairs... _Armless_ chairs are the best. Especially if you have a small space in between the table and the wall/shelves. Extra dice are important. We use them all the time. Counters are helpful too. I'm with Tom here. 32:20 - We need(ed) a picture of that wall. ~49:20 - GAMERS?! Not all the time! I don't want them to live in my gaming room!

[@MrJonesArt]

Betrayal at H'o't'Hill this weekend w/ some multi-hour ambient horror mixes playing in the background (Old City Leviathan by Atrium Carceri if you're interested). In full agreement that music can greatly enhance theme - also in full agreement that it can distract. TVs in particular destroy any meager concentration I have.

[@artisticallychallenged7842]

I would say a 'Game Room Essential' or really something essential for hosting in the first place would be hosting skills. Prepare the game beforehand (really important for those who play D&D, Pathfinder, etc). Make sure you have a plan when it comes to food (Ex telling people to chip in for pizza beforehand or have something prepared). Make sure the room is tidy (Bathrooms too!). If you have children and they're not participating in the session then make sure that they're taken care of. Any pets are out of the way. Have other activities prepared if something goes wrong, and make sure your guests know what is going on and that you know what's going on with them! The most put together game room can be ruined by a bad host. The dingiest game room can be saved by a great host.

[@kkgray666]

I agree with Tom no phones

[@advocatusdiaboli5727]

Tom I agree your extras wall is a dream. We like tweaking games somewhat so having a bunch of stuff to be able to add is a real cool thing. In our case yeah it would be top 10 but I can see how like think it was Zee who said ya don't need cause games come with pieces. So yeah i agree with ya the wall of extras a must lol great vid guys.

[@Steve-L]

+Advocatus Diaboli I also have lots of game bling! I love it!

[@philsheep9926]

I'm wondering if the difference between Zee and Tom/Sam not liking and liking the table is the height at which they are sitting, relative to the table. Looking at the video, Tom and Sam are sitting with their elbows more-or-less straight down onto the raised lip, whereas Zee's, being slightly shorter than them, have to be a little more splayed - this will put his natural elbow-swing at a different angle, which could be why it's less comfortable for him. Zee, try boosting your sitting height a bit, just to see if that makes a difference to the confort of using the table (I'm not mocking you for being short(er), I'm a stunty git, myself, but looking at the video I could see there's a difference in the latent vertical level of your shoulders, compared the other 2, and also this manifests in the angle that your arms rest on the table)

[@SeoDragon117]

Totally agree with these, but especially Sam's number one, as obvious a choice as it may have been (truth be told I was expecting it to be everybody's number one..). My collection's at around 120 games right now, and I've made sure I've got at least 1-2 games to cater to; every sensible player group size, every mainstream genre of game, various levels of intensity, and a few from various themes to ensure nobody is left wanting more. I don't want to spoil people for choice (because I know from experience with video games - having too much choice leaves you with being so indecisive you end up playing none of them) but forcing somebody to play a genre of game, or a game too complex (or too simple) for them, is something I never ever want to do.

[@lukasklees3081]

I agree heavily with Zee about no music. White noise is better than music in gaming because music is specific to certain people and your alienating people out if you play anything they don't like. Classical music included surprisingly so be careful and considerate or don't play music. Also sound proofing is essential in the age of sub woofer jerks (people that only listen to music to hear the sub woofer not the music, leave them in the concerts not in cars).

[@CalebSmithBAM]

Sam: what you were trying to say is this. A clean tidy space is important because even if your space is super small, if its clean and tidy it will feel larger and spacious, and will feel "safe" to walk around in. Tom: I agree 100% with spare parts. I can't count how many times I've come across a missing die, pawn, pencil or money.

[@colinwillett6099]

Something I think that should have been amended to Tom's "Extra pieces and dice" would be pens, pencils, and paper. They're helpful for keeping score, tracking life/damage, or for any game that requires you to write (because typically the pencils the game comes with are terrible). While not specifically a "board game piece", I think having a couple good pens/pencils and some pads of paper around can be really handy.

[@WielkiZlyINieogolony]

+Sam Healey I wonder if one of the reasons You picked 'games' for number one is simply that without a decent game collection it is not worthwhile to invest in room dedicated to gaming. One'd better spend money to expand the collection itself.

[@NicholasLA1]

I agree with Zee on the music/tv for the most part - I'm a music teacher and its really hard for me to hear background music and not be distracted by it, especially pop and/or classical music. However, if the music enhances the theme of the game as Tom says then I'm on board (pun intended). I also would never watch TV during a gaming event unless there was a sporting event on and I wanted it muted but watchable. For example my game group is all in the same fantasy football league so while gaming on Sundays after church we will mute football as we game.

[@Michael_Sean_OConnor]

Music is great while playing games ! Me have a selection of epic music that makes the games have more sensations. We have different types of music for different kind of games.

[@Pupukummu]

Having a good selection of games at your game room is a good thing, but not a necessity! In my gaming groups I'm usually the one with most of the games, so unless I know we're playing a game the host owns I'm going to bring a couple of games with me. Granted, I enjoy hosting game sessions myself more but unfortunately it's not always possible. The thing that the game room really needs the most is seats and a good table. Having a small table is the thing that really cuts the variance of games. If there's a small table I can't bring my heavier games even if we wanted to play them.

[@knivesthec10wn]

You guys should REALLY do a Microgames Top Ten! I didn't see one but I would really like to see a games list with "pocket" games.

[@VargavinterSWE]

Sam - "Yesterday I was playing a two-player game with my wife on the kitchen table, the dining-room table rather. " Oh you. ;)

[@emmagiudice7176]

Can I just add one that I figured you guys would mention .... whiteboard/mini whiteboards. Whether you use them to score or for portions of the game than need writing/memory aids .... just a must!!

[@LazyNeutrino]

#1: a door.

[@johannesblank1552]

You certainly get the impression that their home state's climate influenced some choices there. Where i live, you'll more often encounter the opposite problem (too cold) than not enough AC.

[@BoardGameSocial]

@Zee...give me a call and we can get OSHA to force Tom to provide you with an ergonomic workplace environment. The man can't keep you down and force you to work under these conditions. Maybe a union is in the future!

[@Ranerdar]

I think alternate monetary units, dice and some paper and pens would be good for a game room. But not the 4th most essential item. It'd probably be my number 10.

[@aowoodworks2408]

If someone wanted to play Karen Carpenter in the background I'd have to leave. I find that woman's voice to be so obnoxious.

[@davidlhsl]

I'm surprised that "door" didn't make the list. How else are you going to "shut the door!" Another great list, guys! :)

[@zakwasny]

This is most hilarious top 10 on dice tower so far. :D

[@mat.frazer]

Chair to table height ratio is very important especially for shorter and taller people (me). If Zee had a higher / booster seat he wouldn't have the shoulder shrug issue.

[@justinprice8385]

Seems like the dice tower Xmas bonus should be Kallax shelves? Maybe a kickstarter stretch goal?

[@PerTrygveMyhrer]

Boardgames heavier than books that is not true if you have shelfs filled with books

[@scotthix2926]

This is probably bad game hosting. Ready access to paper and pencil.

[@M1st3rB3nn]

As was mentioned on the Spellslingers series - if your surface is tricky and you need to pick up a card, rather than slide it to the edge of the table or use your nails, hold a second card and slide it underneath to pick it up.

[@TheBrokenMeeple]

Zee makes my day when he bursts out laughing!

[@sherylw4599]

+Luke Hector (Broken Meeple) He's adorkable :)

[@uglijimus]

+Luke Hector (Broken Meeple) he sounds like Eddie Murphy sometimes

[@phil683]

im a little surprised no one said good friends, though i can see why one wouldnt add it on the list. but for me thats the main thing i need and the one thing that will ruin everything else being perfect

[@ascazrael]

We have a rule of NO DRINKS EVER ON THE TABLE. You're just asking for trouble :-) Also we have found that a table 1.2m wide x 1.8m to 2m long is a great size. Especially for those big games like firefly.

[@maverickdelta]

I use a folding poker table, with cupholders and armrests.

[@nandezification]

My top ten game room essentials Hookers or Gold Diggers(casinolike) Bruno Martinis Comfy socks A whip(whenplayersgetrowdy) Drugdealer(in corner) Lots of darkness Bananas(essentialforvariousreasons) Beds Guns! The nerf type... Wait! I need games! Doing!

[@kevinsullivan3448]

Caution: LOOONNNGGG rambling reply... In no particular order: Room size. If the room is cramped it leads to a lot of other problems. Not only do you need room for your table, chairs, games, snacks, and gaming accoutrements, but you need room for the 1-7 people who are going to be playing the game. AC/airflow: compounded by room size. I can't play games in stuff, warm rooms. I prefer the room to be cooler, bordering on cold. And you really need a fan moving the air at all times. Large enough table. We play Talisman with 2-3 expansion boards and if you can't set that up AND have room for the players then you table is to small... I'm going to be making my own table later this year (now that I have a place to put it) and it will have a felt top and a hard enameled insert that will be dry/wet erase compatible for games that benefit from a hard surface. Chairs suitable to the table and the players. (hell, you could even have a comfy chair or two as well.) Uncomfortable chairs make for an unpleasant game session. Snacks and Drinks! Personally I think having snacks and drinks just makes the social interaction more fun. I don't care if we are playing board/card games, or RPGs. Side tables for snacks and drinks. I have a strict NO DRINKS ON THE TABLE policy for my games. I have seen a game or two ruined by a careless guest and I don't want that happening to my games, some of which have been out of print since the 90s. Good lighting: and not just bright, but variable. Some games benefit from muted lighting because it enhances the mood. (I'm a residential electrician by trade so I have a leg up when it comes to having suitable lighting and enough electrical receptacles in a room.) NO TV in the room/PHONES at the table. I understand that some games have apps now, but if you aren't using an app enhanced game you do not need your phone at the table. "But what if there is an emergency?" is the cry, but if you can't take 10 seconds to get up, walk to the phone basket and check your phone then you aren't welcome at my table. Now I understand if you are 'on call' since I am on call every other week myself, but that doesn't mean you have to have your phone in your hand every second that you are at the game table. That just shows how poorly socialized you are. The restroom close by is preferable. I don't have that and it's not likely to happen, but I know a couple of people who have turned the Master Bedroom suite into the gaming room because it has more room, storage space, and the bathroom already built in.

[@Daremachina]

Totally agree with Sam on the charging station. I have a 5 port USB charger made by Anker that I make available to everyone but I keep it plugged into the other side of the room. This way my guests are able to keep their devices topped up and also have them away from the table. Refusing to offer charging in an age where people are probably using GPS to get home seems really rude, almost as rude as the idea of making them leave their device unattended in another room.

[@garrickmercer6817]

+Daremachina Completely agree. I can't even imagine not providing charging outlets for guests and I have never played games at places where they were not provided (nor would I).

[@Daremachina]

Fester Blats You're right they can charge their devices before they leave home... They could also eat, drink and use the restroom before they leave the house but I still provide use of my fridge, drinking glasses, and restroom. I don't get to decide the appropriate level of thirst or bladder control my guests are allowed to have, so why should playing a game in my home also be a forfeiture of your outside life for those hours? What happens if they're coming from work or from running errands where an outlet wasn't available? Are they just SOL while playing a game with you?

[@fredww3]

Agree with Sam on the phone charging station, I have to go against Tom on this, I hate when people are on the phone during game events as well, but having a dead phone on the way home sucks, and I would rather know they where able to make it home safe. My group tends to come in pairs so there isn't always a car charger even available. I keep two extra set of extra cables as well as a five port charger. I've had people come over and literally freak out with joy that they could charge there phone or other devices in a convenient location. My charging station is purposely a few steps away from my table, but that's more to keep me off my phone then to keep them off. I think it's just polite and convenient to have.

[@Daremachina]

+Fred Woolsey I'm the one that offers snacks or a bottle of water for the road and everyone makes sure to text when they get home safely. I can't imagine the guilt I would have if someone got a flat or worse got into an accident and had no way of calling for assistance because I wouldn't let them charge their device at my home. :/

[@MordecaiandMonroe]

+Daremachina Treat guests like guests. And if someone is being a phone hog politely ask them to put it down and if that doesn't work they need to put it away . We are all adults .

[@verwulf]

I like music in the background. Themed music. I have spaghetti western soundtracks for Bang , the Dice or Colt Express. Creepy music with wind howling for Dead Of Winter and so on.

[@robj765]

Meh. I'm taking the room as such for granted. The room has light. I'm taking for granted that someone brings a game. I would like a table and chairs. How can that not be nr 1 on someones list? A good table and comfy chairs. Is there anything that could be more important? Well, not having a SINGLE game would be a problem. Not having ANY light. Not having A room. But table and chairs are really helpful. Great light but sit on the floor, or not so great light but nice table and chairs? Guess I just didn't like this one much, and found myself skipping most.

[@Willow_Ufg]

I'd rather confiscate all phones before play...

[@JupiKitten]

What about companion apps for keeping track of scores and such? They do a lot to help speed up things and can add to the experience in some cases.

[@channel99productions21]

No one will come over if you do that

[@madmaxz]

Thanks for this video guys! Definitely made me laugh in some parts of this video.

[@RGcrasyRG]

Two top 10?! It's just Christmas again. Also nice topic!

[@arekkrolak6320]

No tv I agree but no music? Music is half the fun of playing games. Also tv does not bother me, I remember playing roulette (children version) with friends while watching Deer Hunter :) EDIT: ok, I can agree with words :)

[@ShaneMaesenko]

Sorry Sam, but I think I agree with Tom more (re: #4) on keeping the devices (even just charging ones) out of the room. Ideally, I'd have them available somewhere just beyond "line of sight" but still close by (perhaps on a small stand just outside the room, for example). Granted, I do agree with providing a place to charge devices for hospitality, but I feel they should not be anywhere within the game room if the device owner cannot be responsible and focus on the game and group over their device. It kind of goes along with TV (Zee #10) and computers in my eyes in that they can distract and detract, although there can be exceptions. I've had players who can ignore their devices completely and others who constantly want to use it. The hard part is drawing the line and keeping it fair. In a bit of odd contrast, I do believe in there being plenty of available outlets in a room (at least two per wall, more on longer walls, and possibly even something available in the floor). But then, that's mainly for utility and configuration. Aside from this issue, I agree fully with everyone's lists.

[@chrisschrader4004]

I suspect the phone topic will be the most divisive in this thread, but I'll pile on with my PoV. Phones are a ubiquitous accoutrement that virtually everyone has. Many folks rely upon them for rapid contact with family, for business purposes and for pleasure. I would never ask someone to put their phone in another room because I found it damages my gaming experience UNLESS they were spending an inordinate amount of time on it for personal stuff (e.g. posting on Facebook, watching youtube videos, shopping on amazon). In my experience, folks that are easily distracted will find something else to distract them if their phone isn't readily available. Telling folks they must charge their phones in another room is treating your guests like children that can't be trusted to be responsible or respectful to the game group...

[@davidpeterson5179]

I agree with you Tom, I hate when people are using there phone and distracted or distracting others, with phone stuff. I would love to INITIATE a NO PHONE ZONE for gaming,, it will never happen though.

[@57thorns]

I am using Billy but that is because I have more books than games. Billy is only 29 cm deep. Older flat games like Risk is sticking out quite a bit (meaning it has insufficient support). The Kallax series is 39 cm which obviously is much more space for the games, but too deep for most books.

[@theone-sideddie8802]

How tall is Tom? Zee? Sam? So what exactly is the perfect height of table, again? One that isn't too high, or too low, a table that is just right? Guess I need to call Goldilocks... seems like she might be the only person capable of satisfying these conditions.

[@dillionmcdyver7943]

Zee look up "ambient" music. That is what your speaking of. It is largely 'background' (or 'ambient') music. It includes a lot of categories and types, some are less ambient than others.

[@seijitsunajosei]

Does anyone have suggestions for basic, versatile supplies? I'm really confused as to why this Top 10 List didn't include much in the way of supplies, and then that the comments here don't seem to suggest them either... For example, shallow/small bowls for holding players' pieces while playing a game (so they're not in messy piles, easy to pick up), extra dice, poker chips, sand timers, small pads of paper, stock of pens or pencils, extra wooden pawns/meeples, and a deck of regular playing cards come immediately to mind, but I'd like to know what else would come in handy to have on hand (not extra duplicates of specific game pieces, but basic supplies that might be pulled in to any number of games to make gameplay go more smoothly). A couple other thoughts: If someone owns a tablet, that's easier for looking up game rules online than on the small screen of a smartphone. I always have a digital camera on hand to take photos of the players and the board (an actual camera gives a better feel than people using smartphones to take photos).

[@MisterChris1978]

omg!!! ZEE! Get a grip. Lately, you have been such a stick in the mud. Why you can you get Sam and Tom's point, that if you are going to be an active gamer who hosts game night to people with any frequency, it makes sense to have a variety. You don't have to go buy a game you hate, but jeez!!!!!

[@superchee2e]

I agree with Tom (kinda) about the phones. And I think anyone who doesn't is because you don't have friends that MUST have their phones ALWAYS in arms reach which I normally don't care about but they want it because if there is any downtime in the game they will be on their phones on fb or whatever. That said I do have a spot in my gameroom to charge phones... In a corner, out of reach.

[@void_presence]

Usually I don't agree with Tom, but on the phone thing, yes, I 100% agree; in my experience phones have singe-handedly ruined gaming. There's even a person that is just not invited to gaming because he's on the phone ALL the time and then never knows that it's his turn, or misses rules, and so on (among other reasons too though).

[@ChrisBatarlis]

I agree with Zee about the train games... I don't own any train games... also agree with Tom/Sam because I do have lots of Munchkin :P

[@seraphonica]

My phone charging station is inside the room, with the food. (elevated, so phones survive coke spills) But we have a rule where no phones or food are allowed at the game table. We're not gathering to use phones, and no one wants a game with cheeto prints. (wet naps help! I'm surprised those didn't make a list) Tom, if you can't lay down the law with your group re: phone use, don't blame it on the charging station.

[@RuaLupa]

When it comes to games to have in the gaming room as a basic set up. I recommend having a selection of games that are minimum 3 player with a few of those being up to 5 or 6 and a few that can go up to ~11 players to accommodate what ever number of guests you end up finding yourself hosting. In that have a selection of cooperative (board or card), two classic card decks, a dice set or two for pure dice games (maybe more for larger crowds depending on the type of game), and tried and true party games that are good intros for new people - be it new to your home or new to gaming. When it comes to sound, If the conversation dies when everyone is looking at their cards or figuring out their strategy, it is nice to have background filler that can only be heard when it gets dead quiet, and even then its fairly quiet. I have put together a playlist of "Epic Background" music that consists of what essentially is a soundtrack playlist that is either instrumental or has choral that works great for this. Good standbys for this are by the artists Globus, Immediate, and Apocalyptica. Otherwise, like what others have said here, I enjoy tabletopaudio - albeit slightly louder than what I've said because it sets the mood.

[@jenniferhaar7934]

I have a long narrow game room with the worst 70's lighting in the world...that is for sure my number one is lighting!! ugh, trying to read stuff in the glare is the absolute worst. Hopefully people put in this discussion some good lighting suggestions. I also love square or rectangle tables, not round....round is the worst for gaming!

[@jameswoodard4304]

I bet being in Florida has something to do with all the comments about air-flow and sweaty gamers. I am 100% in agreement. Love from the other side of the Gulf Coast in South Texas.

[@ashehaigh9107]

I think no TV in the games room relies on the kind of games you want to have in the room. For instance, for board games only I would totally agree with no TV because it could only ever serve to distract from games that are played. However, I think this is totally wrong for a gaming room that includes video games, which are still games by the way and are totally common in many different people's gaming rooms. I think this one really depends on what kind of games that you intend to play in the room, and in my own game room I have a space with a small couch and TV for multiplayer video games as well as a quality table and chairs for board games, and they function as two separate spaces within the same room. I think a better rule is no cable, or no movies/visual media outside of video games. The TV I have in the room isn't connected to any cable services, it's just there for console games.

[@benfubbs2432]

Sorry Zee, I have a television which I use to play ambient sounds (example soundscapes from here: tabletopaudio.com/ ) or if the game is app supported putting that on a television is heaps better than making everyone crowd around an ipad.

[@beph13]

Totally agree with Zee on Sam's number 1, one's collection shouldn't be dictated by other's interests, if they really want to play a game, shouldn't they own it? The gamer room should be the way YOU want it to be. No need to waste money.