Good ways to join local home games

[GoodbyeSoberDay]

Hi Playground,

tl;dr version: What are some good websites where one can find local recruiting D&D campaigns other than penandpapergames or obsidian portal (and don't say local gaming stores)?

My previous RP group dissolved due to inactivity (and the one before that ventured off to various parts of the globe). I've been looking for a new group; I thought this would be easy, but I've yet to have success using my previous methods.

First, I went to local gaming stores. None of them have bulletin boards/postings or anything like that. The only promising thing in the gaming stores are organized events like D&D Encounters and Pathfinder Society. I'm planning on going to a PF Society event and looking for someone with a home game LFP, since that's what I'm after.

Then, I went to websites such as pen and paper games and Obsidian Portal. I'm still in the process of scouring Obsidian Portal, but most of the campaigns either seem dead, not recruiting, not near me, or not my system of preference (3.5/PF/3.P); every time I find a promising group it's either nowhere near me or the GM's philosophy... grates a little too hard. And before you say I'm being too picky, I could just spend that live RP time doing work (or more likely playing SC2 or Skyrim), so I am in a position to be picky.

Anyway, I live in Seattle, a big nerdy metropolitan area, so I know there's gaming going on that I could be a part of. What are your ideas?

[Silma]

Well, you could always come live in Greece. We are looking for a couple of players for my new campaign. :smalltongue:


On a more serious note, it probably won't be what you are looking for, but you could try D&D Insider Virtual Table. It's pretty much a classic pen and paper game through the internet. The maid downsides are that
1. you have to pay to get D&D Insider
2. the virtual tale is still on beta, and you might not be included in the beta testers (I was lucky I guess)
3. it's kind of hard to find a campaign that suits you AND interests you.
The link is here just in case you find it interesting.
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/tool.aspx?x=dnd/4new/tool/characterbuilder

Or you could just find a couple of friends that play RPG, and teach them how to play D&D, hoping they might like it. I mean, who knows? You might even find very serious players.

[MlleRouge]

First of all, I support your decision to be picky; bad gaming is worse than no gaming.


As for your question, I'd try college campuses. I'm sure you have them around, and I have amazing results just asking around the hallways at mine. I'm in an area where gaming is pretty uncommon on the whole, so that's almost my only option. It works well, though.

[Raum]

What are your ideas?Check out Yahoo groups and MeetUp groups for Seattle. May also be worth checking the University for hobbyist groups.

[Toofey]

I have had good luck working through Meetup's D&D group's message boards. Also I think I got some people through craigslist.

[Ravens_cry]

Try local gaming stores, that's how I got into it.

[Krazzman]

Google is you friend buddy.

We in aachen have a forum for Pen and Paper (and other rp stuff like larp).

[Tyndmyr]

Ask your local gaming store if you can host a game of 3.5 or whatever your game of choice is. It ain't a home game, but it can build a group that can become one.

Make lots of friends at the game store. Organized play is pretty aright for this, but casual gaming can be good too.

Go to events for related hobbies. Find out who all is into D&D. Again, make friends, and house games tend to start naturally after that.

[TroubleBrewing]

When we were looking for a group, all of the members tossed up a "Looking for players in the chicago area" bit into our signatures.

We got quite a few responses in a short amount of time.

[Dr.Epic]

Well, there's always this forum. Just scroll down to the Recruitment section. Though I should warn you finding an RL game this way will probably be difficult, but on over the internet will be easier to establish.

[Tyndmyr]

When we were looking for a group, all of the members tossed up a "Looking for players in the chicago area" bit into our signatures.

We got quite a few responses in a short amount of time.

*looks at his sig*

Good idea. I just started a group doing exactly that. Works quite well.

[TroubleBrewing]

*looks at his sig*

Good idea. I just started a group doing exactly that. Works quite well.

Worked well enough that it's not in my signature anymore, if proof is required. :smalltongue:

[Jay R]

What are some good websites where one can find local recruiting D&D campaigns other than penandpapergames or obsidian portal (and don't say local gaming stores)?

<snip>

First, I went to local gaming stores. None of them have bulletin boards/postings or anything like that. The only promising thing in the gaming stores are organized events like D&D Encounters and Pathfinder Society. I'm planning on going to a PF Society event and looking for someone with a home game LFP, since that's what I'm after.

All that shows is that nobody has started using those gaming stores for that purpose yet. Somebody has to be the first - why not you?

Prepare a posting describing what you want, in detail, go to the store, and ask the store owner for permission to post it. (It's polite to be buying something when you do.)

Do the same thing with a local college. Go to the student union and ask permission to post an announcement. Nearby rec centers or community centers might be good, too.

Make sure that your posting is specific. If you want to play 3.5e, don't ask for gamers, or role-players, or even D&D players; ask for 3.5e D&D players. If you don't want to play with kids (or adults), list an age limit.

I also recommend asking your friends if they know any gamers. Friends of friends are more likely to be compatible than strangers.

Look for online players online. Look for real-world players in the real world.

[GoodbyeSoberDay]

While I encourage you all to keep posting general advice, I no longer need it for the time being. P&PG pulled through yet again, albeit after a worrying pause.