I have never played an RPG and I'm not sure if I'm supposed to do anything special or not when playing.
This post tells me what I should bring but what on earth do I do when I get there? I'm that before I start any game, or campaign I'll know what books I need that is not my question.
What is expected of a player besides the obvious be polite, respectful, and a good sport…etc. Is there anything that experience players hate seeing in new players at the table, if so what and how can I keep from aggravating the group/GM?
Best Answer
As a GM, there is one thing I hate that new players do above all other things:
Don't Be Afraid To Ask Questions Or Speak Up
One of the things that new players do a lot is... nothing. They don't feel comfortable yet, so they don't say a lot. That's to be expected, and it's okay.
But then you get the ones who won't ask questions when they're confused, won't speak up when they have an idea, and won't let anyone know that they're bored and not having fun.
Don't do that. If you're confused by a rule, how a spell works, or if you can use an ability to spy on an NPC, ask. Ask every question you can think of. I'll happily spend half the night answering questions that help you get into the game. I want you to be able to do things, and am much happier answering questions that help you do that than I am if you just sit quietly because you're confused or unsure what to do.
If you have an idea for the party, speak up. Maybe it's not a good idea. Maybe it's an obviously genius idea that they never thought of because they've been in the game too long. Who knows until you voice it? The entire point of the game is to interact with the other players, so please do it when you have something to say.
And of course, if you don't feel like you can do anything and aren't enjoying yourself, I want to know that! There's lots of things the GM can do to help you out, if you tell us. But we're not mind readers, and we really don't like finding out later that you're unhappy when we could have done something about it had you said so earlier. (This can be done by passing a note or asking to talk in private, if it's something you don't want to voice in front of the group.)
Group Specific Stuff
Beyond that, it's a hard question to answer. Group dynamics and expectations vary wildly between groups. In some groups, you should wait your turn to speak and do things politely. In other groups, you're just expected to interrupt when you have something to say, and not doing so is treated as quiet agreement.
Some groups are quiet, others get very animated. Some expect people to only talk in character, others are assumed out of character. Some groups will do a lot of talking and try to solve mysteries or deal with things peacefully, and others shoot first and maybe ask questions after the loot is counted.
There's numerous examples of things like that, and as I know nothing about your group, I can't really say what they expect you to do. Except that they want you to ask questions and get involved. :)