How do deal with nonGame Chatter?

[zipht]

This last game, two of the players kept chating about everything but the game. It didnt help that they both were sitting next to me.

Both of their actions really hurt my enjoyment of the game. How should I deal with them?

In all my years of GMing I have not had people just start talking about non-game stuff. I was thinking about talking to each of them and telling them that I did not appreciate the non-game chatter. And ask if they could do that before the game. but then they both are already repeat offenders here. We have been gaming for almost a year and they have done this before. Just this time it really got to me as I could see that the other players were having a hard time hearing me.

[Ozark Tim]

The spam is really getting convincing. This almost seems like a real person.

[zipht]

Haha.. no really I am at a lost here..

My game is made up of people that I do not know how to discipline.

Not that I really want my role to be that.

[rafial]

Perhaps you ought to give serious consideration to finding a new group of people for those games that you enjoy, but the rest of your current group clearly does not seem to. This does not mean that you can't continue to hang out with your old group for those games or activities that you all DO enjoy, or even just because you like socializing with them.

[Manicrack]

It might be that they chat because, for some reason they don't feel engaged.
Talk to them, either together or seperately, and ask them if they feel excited about the game or if they want something else out of it.
I am in no way saying that this is your fault as a GM, but sometimes players just don't say what they would liek or find exciting.
Also ask them politely to keep the non-game chatter to a minimum, telling them at the same time that it seriously hinders you running the game.

Another idea:
Next time this happens, jump them with a scene that requires their complete attention. Maybe even keep one or two bangs availible for this sole purpose each game.

Just a few ideas. I have to admit that I have not had the problem. Every time I've GMed, whenever out-of-game chatter started, it only lasted a minute or so.

-Kolja

[Thor]

Hey man, these guys are your friends, right? Your role as a GM is not to discipline them. Definitely not meaning to single you out, but the sooner we get rid of that idea, the better.

Talk to them. Tell them that you felt they were being rude to you. Ask them why they weren't feeling engaged. It's possible something else was going on, or they just weren't aware that they were being rude. If that's the case and they're cool, then they will stop acting that way.

If they weren't feeling engaged, then work out together whether that's a problem that can be fixed or not. If you can fix it and you're all reasonably happy, great! If you can't, then it's ok to stay friends and just not game together. But hopefully the latter is a remote possibility.