To Restart, or not to Restart

This week I managed to get out of baby jail briefly and get out to my local game club. But it was a borderline call - 30 or 40 minutes late for kick-off time. I went because it was an opportunity to get out and see some fellow gamers, and if I was lucky I thought I might catch another latecomer or the people already there might have started with a short game and be ready for another.

I wasn't lucky. In the event there were two games in session and two people playing the one that had most recently started, probably 20 minutes or so before I arrived, debated whether to reboot it for me and eventually declined, for the understandable reason that they'd already made several moves and the game was beginning to take shape. So I sat and watched two people play On the Underground for an hour and then left before they'd finished, which was a more fun than it sounds. The game made a surprisingly good spectator sport, and although I might be suspicious of playing it due to length downtime, that very same quality meant the players had the opportunity to chat amiably with me as they played. All in all, a pleasant way to pass sixty minutes although obviously I'd rather have joined in given the choice.

But I couldn't help wondering whether or not if I were in their shoes, I might have restarted for a new player. I don't think their decision not to do so was at all rude or out of order - if anyone's being rude it's me for turning up fairly late and assuming someone might be willing to re-rack a game for my benefit. It's just that I like gaming largely because I get to game with other people, and the chance to add more people is a pretty big incentive for me to begin again. So, as a matter of curiosity, where do you all stand on this issue?