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View Full Version : Setting up a group is hard...



Pika...
2009-09-08, 02:57 PM
So for the last few months I have been trying to set up a D&D group to continue 3.5.

At first I wanted to play, and managed to get two other players and a DM.

The DM then ended up with issues.

I became the dafualt DM.

I ended up OK with that, and one of the players invited his brother to the first session.

By the time we were ready for the next session the two brothers dropped, and the store management went back on what they told us about needing to make our gmes "open".

So we spent a month or two looking for a new location and players.
We got lucky.

We FINALLY got a second session in. Everyone seemed to have fun.

Turns out that two of the players (the other original player and his brother) have monthly rotating schedules which are not predictable. (One with the squirrel he want to make, and the other with an elf ranger) :smalleek:

Also, the old potential DM has completely dropped out.

Now I am not sure if the other two players (the monkey PC with new horns, or the orca guy who PO'd a bakc KRAKEN) will ever be back.


So, now I guess it's just me again. >_>

This management and scheduling stuff sucks.

Lycan 01
2009-09-08, 03:06 PM
What store do you work at that regulates your hobby? :smallconfused:


I have odd luck with groups. Used to, I didn't have enough players. Then, I had too many players. Now, I have two groups which are falling apart...

Group 1: My home group. Made up of me, an old high school buddy, a neighborhood pal, and my GF. Give or take my roommate and my best friend depending on what weekened, as well as the occassional newbie. All in all, a good group. Very fun, very reliable... But we can't meet anymore. Everybody has gone off to college, and the chances of us all being at home at the same time with a free afternoon are about once every 2 months, it seems. :smallfrown:

Group 2: My college group. Me, me roommate, a college buddy, and my GF. College buddies' big bro, a veteran DnD player/DM, has asked to join, although he won't be able to play very often, it seems. At any rate, that's still 3 reliable players. Well... maybe not. My GF and my roommate are starting Rush (toned down Fraternities/Sororities) stuff in a few weeks, at which point they'll only be free a night or two a week, and rarely on the same night. Bah... Also, my roomie and our buddy are both chemistry majors, so they've always either got a night class or homework. So yeah... Good group, but very random chances to play... :smalleek:

Myou
2009-09-08, 03:07 PM
My sympathies....


My first game never started - the DM lost interest and one of the players never even made a character. I spent about a week making a character.

My second game never started - the DM changed his mind and wanted to play a different campaign. I spent about a week making a character.

My third game lasted one session before the DM gave up on it. I spent about a week making a character.


My fourth game I ran myself. :smallannoyed:

Temet Nosce
2009-09-08, 03:10 PM
It happens. My advice would be to try playing instant chat online games, as it gives you access to a much larger number of players and DMs in a much more convenient way without losing the feeling of getting together to concentrate on the game (in fact I've found that games conducted this way tend to be more RP heavy).

Now, online games will still often fail but it's easier to get them going, easier to keep attention on the game, and easier to schedule things.

Pika...
2009-09-08, 03:15 PM
What store do you work at that regulates your hobby? :smallconfused:


I have odd luck with groups. Used to, I didn't have enough players. Then, I had too many players. Now, I have two groups which are falling apart...

Group 1: My home group. Made up of me, an old high school buddy, a neighborhood pal, and my GF. Give or take my roommate and my best friend depending on what weekened, as well as the occassional newbie. All in all, a good group. Very fun, very reliable... But we can't meet anymore. Everybody has gone off to college, and the chances of us all being at home at the same time with a free afternoon are about once every 2 months, it seems. :smallfrown:

Group 2: My college group. Me, me roommate, a college buddy, and my GF. College buddies' big bro, a veteran DnD player/DM, has asked to join, although he won't be able to play very often, it seems. At any rate, that's still 3 reliable players. Well... maybe not. My GF and my roommate are starting Rush (toned down Fraternities/Sororities) stuff in a few weeks, at which point they'll only be free a night or two a week, and rarely on the same night. Bah... Also, my roomie and our buddy are both chemistry majors, so they've always either got a night class or homework. So yeah... Good group, but very random chances to play... :smalleek:

I do not work at a store, but apparently the management there suddenly changed their mind on things. >_>


p.s. By the way, be careful with the GF and that sorority stuff dude.




My sympathies....


My first game never started - the DM lost interest and one of the players never even made a character. I spent about a week making a character.

My second game never started - the DM changed his mind and wanted to play a different campaign. I spent about a week making a character.

My third game lasted one session before the DM gave up on it. I spent about a week making a character.


My fourth game I ran myself. :smallannoyed:

LoL.

It seems not even trying to run yourself helps. :smallfrown:

Pika...
2009-09-08, 03:17 PM
It happens. My advice would be to try playing instant chat online games, as it gives you access to a much larger number of players and DMs in a much more convenient way without losing the feeling of getting together to concentrate on the game (in fact I've found that games conducted this way tend to be more RP heavy).

Now, online games will still often fail but it's easier to get them going, easier to keep attention on the game, and easier to schedule things.

Well, I do not use chat programs because due to my disability I can not keep up on them.

Plus, I am looking to make a long-term "group", not just a gaming session.

Also, I kinda feel online games defeat the purpose of the interaction provided by pen and paper games.

Pika...
2009-09-08, 03:19 PM
Oh yeah, I and I think I am currently out of resources for finding players.

Dug every last member within 25 (sometimes more...) miles of my location on Pen and Papaer Games.com, put fliers over my local stores, tried here and on the WotC forums, etc.

Animefunkmaster
2009-09-08, 03:22 PM
Have you searched through any potential Meetup groups (http://www.meetup.com/)? Meetup.com is pretty slick, I found a group in my area that needed players (recently moved, myself) and within a week we all got together to do some meet and greats over nachos, rootbeer and halo. Good way to meet people.

woodenbandman
2009-09-08, 03:24 PM
Wow man. Hard stuff. Have you tried places where they hold drama classes and/or math classes? Those places are probably gold for finding players who don't even know they want to play yet. You'll probably get a good split of grognardiness and/or powergaminess from either side, but if you can get them to cooperate, that might get you some players.

Pika...
2009-09-08, 03:25 PM
Have you searched through any potential Meetup groups (http://www.meetup.com/)? Meetup.com is pretty slick, I found a group in my area that needed players (recently moved, myself) and within a week we all got together to do some meet and greats over nachos, rootbeer and halo. Good way to meet people.

Yup.

Only one group in my area. Tried them out, but were a bit extreme and and far too experienced for me. Simply did not fit in.

Pika...
2009-09-08, 03:27 PM
Wow man. Hard stuff. Have you tried places where they hold drama classes and/or math classes? Those places are probably gold for finding players who don't even know they want to play yet. You'll probably get a good split of grognardiness and/or powergaminess from either side, but if you can get them to cooperate, that might get you some players.

Get some drama classers and math geeks in the same room? O.o


Has the makings for a musical love story...

Temet Nosce
2009-09-08, 03:30 PM
Well, I do not use chat programs because due to my disability I can not keep up on them.

Plus, I am looking to make a long-term "group", not just a gaming session.

Also, I kinda feel online games defeat the purpose of the interaction provided by pen and paper games.

Ah, yeah. If you're in it for the social thing online is less useful. I'm unsure what your disability is, but if it's related to text you might give voice chat a shot provided you can deal with online games focusing more on the game and less on social interaction (although there are exceptions to that).

As for the group thing... I still know some of the people from groups I played in over half a decade ago (and some of those groups lasted over a year).

Lycan 01
2009-09-08, 04:09 PM
Hm... Do you have any friends or family that might be interested in it? Do you attend High School or College? You'd be suprised at where you can find some players... Btw, friends of a friend are good place to look, too... My GF's best friend's fiance ended up being on of my best Call of Cthulhu players... :smallconfused:



PS: Thanks for the tip, but I'm not too worried. The Tribes (women's clubs) at my college are heavily regulated, and the one she wants to join is known for being all about community service and friendship, rather than the party scene like a few of the other Tribes are known for. If she has to join a Tribe, I'm very happy that its that one. Thanks for your concern, though... :smallsmile:

Pika...
2009-09-08, 04:26 PM
Hm... Do you have any friends or family that might be interested in it? Do you attend High School or College? You'd be suprised at where you can find some players... Btw, friends of a friend are good place to look, too... My GF's best friend's fiance ended up being on of my best Call of Cthulhu players... :smallconfused:

New semester in college, but it has been a bust so far.

As for friends of a friend, tried it with all the "current" players I have/had, and even went so far to contact people I used to play with to see if they knew anyone looking for a 3.5 game.

Again, my resources are a bit empty at the moment.

I have a bi-weekly game at the moment, but as soon as this campaign/adventure ends when they switch over to the new Star Wars Saga Edition I will be leaving (for various reasons, but mainly for travel time to a game/system I do not care much for).



PS: Thanks for the tip, but I'm not too worried. The Tribes (women's clubs) at my college are heavily regulated, and the one she wants to join is known for being all about community service and friendship, rather than the party scene like a few of the other Tribes are known for. If she has to join a Tribe, I'm very happy that its that one. Thanks for your concern, though... :smallsmile:

Glad to hear it.

Lycan 01
2009-09-08, 04:39 PM
I don't blame you. I hate SWSE. :smalltongue:

Hmmm... Does your college have any sort of gamers clubs or anything of the like? My college doesn't, but I heard many colleges in my state have game groups for Warhammer 40K and other table-top things... That doesn't help either of us out much, though. :smallannoyed:


The Play-By-Post games here on the forum aren't that bad, mind you. They're about as reliable as real life games, with players quiting and DMs cancelling every now and then... But they're also easy, not very demanding, and the PM system is perfect for passing secret notes. You should try it... I'm actually going to be setting up a Call of Cthulhu game soon, if you're interested! :smallbiggrin: (Technically, its a game based off the Discovery Channel show The Colony, but I'm using the CoC system for it...)

Katana_Geldar
2009-09-08, 06:51 PM
About the single most difficult thing you can do is find a time and place for a group of people to meet on a regular basis. I used to do this a lot in my last job, and it's enough to make you tera your hair out.

Gaming-wise, I started with one player and went from there. Star Wars Saga works rather well with one player.

Lycan 01
2009-09-08, 07:31 PM
Star Wars Saga works rather well with one player.


I will admit, this is true. If I had to pick any one game I DM/GM (besides a homebrew Superhero game designed for 1-on-1 and other small group sessions...) for a 1 player game, it'd have to be Star Wars Saga. I've run Solo games with it on more than one occassion, and they tend to work out pretty good. But for big group games and playing in general, I hate SWSE. :smalltongue:

ShadowsGrnEyes
2009-09-08, 10:11 PM
i guess i'm really lucky in that while i am in a realatively small area. . . we have a relatively large population of table top gamers. (this might have somthing to do with it being a 2 college town)

My best advice is try hitting magic card tournaments or comic swaps. it's a different kind of gamer but you'll find alot of overlap. I'm sure the local comic shop or card shop will know when the nest nearest tournament will be, try going to one of those carrying your dmg or phb and asking around. You might be able to meet some new people that way. The local comic shop is where MOST of the players in my community met at some point. . .

Pika...
2009-09-08, 10:18 PM
i guess i'm really lucky in that while i am in a realatively small area. . . we have a relatively large population of table top gamers. (this might have somthing to do with it being a 2 college town)

My best advice is try hitting magic card tournaments or comic swaps. it's a different kind of gamer but you'll find alot of overlap. I'm sure the local comic shop or card shop will know when the nest nearest tournament will be, try going to one of those carrying your dmg or phb and asking around. You might be able to meet some new people that way. The local comic shop is where MOST of the players in my community met at some point. . .

Eh. Go to a few on a regular bases.

Tomorrow I even have my weekly 40K escalation league. The thing is, as mentioned in another recent thread, is that all my local stores are pushing 4.0. At best one group wants to play 3.75, but I am not a fan of it either.

Gamgee
2009-09-08, 10:22 PM
If by some odd miracle your in Thunder Bay, Ontario and want to join the "Loony Toons" group adventuring around the Star Wars Universe circa Kotor Era send me a PM. This is an open invite at the moment for anyone. Although it's unlikely and Ill have to use my local store to find more players.

Thankfully our local store goes out of its way to promote games. They have a bulletin board in store you can post notices to recruit or look for whatever. Then they have online forums for online games, and for meeting up for local games.

Edit
They also aren't shoveling 4.0 down our throats, but they don't have much 3.5 stock left. They had a big discount blowout 75% off 3.5 and D20 Modern books.

ShadowsGrnEyes
2009-09-08, 10:31 PM
:smallbiggrin:Then dont play at a store. go meet people at the events, find others who arent interested in 4.0 then play at home, play in a park, play at the local community center, play in the unlocked but empty rooms of your college! you dont need a store! you dont need a table even!

my husband played a game for 2 years when he was a teenager with his best friend. They parked their car in a public parking area near the pier(had a good view) and played on the hood. You dont need a store to play dnd. You dont even need a building. . . unless you live somewhere where it snows, if you live somewhere where it snows play IN the car.