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Anxe
2012-03-11, 02:27 PM
I've noticed that in my gaming group; I, as the DM, am typically the one organizing the meetings. I am not the typical host of the meetings, as one of the players has a house that is more central between our various houses. I still feel like the DM is the typical host and "leader" of the group in organizing when people meet. Have other people had the same experience? Who organizes your weekly meetings? Etc. Etc.

kenjigoku
2012-03-11, 02:35 PM
I am the DM and organize the meetings in my group. Like you we play at a more central location at my friends house.

I tend to organize everything, the only thing that I have to check on frequently is if the house is available. Since we have a key to his place, he will let us play even if he is busy.

If your worried about conflict, the house owner calls the rules on who stays and who goes if people get rowdy. You can kick people out of the game if they are rowdy and bugging you.

Any other questions?

some guy
2012-03-11, 03:14 PM
When I'm the GM I organize the sessions. The location cycles through everyone's place (except for the ones who don't have enough space).

dsmiles
2012-03-11, 03:21 PM
I pretty much organize the gaming sessions no matter who DMs. :smallfrown:

Dsurion
2012-03-11, 04:55 PM
The hosting and DMing are always between myself and one other member of our group. The two of us really just run a game on and off whenever we feel we have something cool, and hosting is... well, wherever is most convenient at the time. I don't like being at his house because of constant distraction (small child), but my room is pretty small, and fits a max of 5 at a table. Any more and we feel like we're competing for air :smalltongue:

It's almost always me doing most of the organizing and working out the fine details, with the other guy spreading the word.

We don't really get to play too often, so neither of us really have any gripes about the situation.

jackattack
2012-03-11, 05:40 PM
The DM frequently acts as the organizer because he is the one person the group can't do without. And he has an advantage in that he can put forth dates that he already knows are good for him.

It's also important that the game be organized around when the host will be home, but I suspect it is easier to find an alternate site than an alternate DM.

AsteriskAmp
2012-03-11, 05:50 PM
I'm a DM, but I don't usually organize the sessions. A player consistently does that, he calls me, asks me if a given day is ok and calls the other players. Also, our gaming venue is my former school and a former teacher of us is a player and he opens up the multimedia room for us to play. So essentially 3 out of 4 players are almost essential for a session to happen.

Anxe
2012-03-11, 06:45 PM
I am the DM and organize the meetings in my group. Like you we play at a more central location at my friends house.

I tend to organize everything, the only thing that I have to check on frequently is if the house is available. Since we have a key to his place, he will let us play even if he is busy.

If your worried about conflict, the house owner calls the rules on who stays and who goes if people get rowdy. You can kick people out of the game if they are rowdy and bugging you.

Any other questions?

Nah. I was just wondering if my group was normal for this type of thing.

Skyrunner
2012-03-11, 06:53 PM
I usually host the games. Of course, I'm a host in the sense of 'server host', not 'house host' >.>

DrBurr
2012-03-11, 07:31 PM
I'm the current DM of my group and usually I organize sessions and find a location on top of planning during the week. Actual hosting rotates between 2 houses, mine and one of my players. We use to rotate between 4 houses but 1 of our members left the group and the other's house is too far for rush hour traffic. Even when I'm a player though I usually organize sessions.

Katana_Geldar
2012-03-11, 09:50 PM
When I was in my regular group I was the host as in I was asking whether a particular day was good for people, but I never actually hosted the game at my house as it was impossible. We had several venues we could play at, but one of our rules was the owner or organiser of that venue set the terms.

If it was the church hall, we paid them back or bought them dinner. If it was at someone's house, it was their rules.

Sad thing is the games aren't happening any more since I have moved away. :smallfrown:

navar100
2012-03-11, 10:57 PM
If a player can't make a session, the game can usually continue on without him for that day. If the DM can't make a session, there is no game. By necessity the game revolves around the DM's schedule trying to accommodate the players' as well of course. For this reason games tend to be played at the DM's house and the DM schedules the game. This is not universal, just the most likely scenario. There's nothing wrong with this; it just is.

Traveler
2012-03-11, 11:00 PM
Our group is small and nearly makes a perfect triangle when you try to map it out. So because of a lack of center, we pretty much spread the hosting around as needed. Oddly enough though, the DM hosts the least amount of times.

Mystify
2012-03-11, 11:23 PM
I've always considered it the DMs responsibility to manage when and where you meet. He(or she) is the one who is the clear leader of the group. I supposed there is nothing saying it has to be that way, but it makes the most sense to me.

Kol Korran
2012-03-12, 03:53 AM
we tend to organize games together. someone puts an email "so when can we meet? i can meet on the X, Y, Z" and everyone feels in when they can meet, and we meet then.

as to the place, we usually game at one of two houses. either because one guy has to take care of his disadvantaged pets and there is no one to replace him, or the other guy taking care of his kids when his wife works.

we game where someone needs to be there.

we don't hold the DM responsible for anything more than providing a good time at the game itself.

Dumbledore lives
2012-03-12, 05:11 AM
I pretty much organize the gaming sessions no matter who DMs. :smallfrown:

Same for me, though I also am always the host, because everyone knows my house, and it is relatively simple.

Talesin
2012-03-12, 07:15 AM
We play at the same time every week in the same location. The guy who organises it, or used to as its just fallen apart, wanted it at his house as he's got most of the stuff there and I don't think he can drive.

He usually DMs but when we take a break we still play at his house. Its just always been the way.

Pink
2012-03-12, 12:29 PM
Let's see.

First, Organizing. Three of the games I play in are weekly, regularly scheduled games. Of these I GM two of them, and technically organize them, but our schedule is so regular it's more along the lines of me sending everyone a txt saying "playing at 9, everyone good?' and cancelling if we're too short on players, but for the most part absences are told to me in advance. The third game is not organized by the GM, one of the players serves as the contactor. I also GM a full-day game every couple monthes which I organize, and there is another evening game I GM that is very inconstant because it depends of two people who are quite busy, so they are the organizers for that one cause it depends more on them.

Hosting. I rarely host for the games I run. For quite a while I was just unable, now its mostly because of habit or convenience. We usually play at one central location, usually the player's house that works best, and the occasional back-up location. For the game I play in, we usually just play wherever works best, lately its been the GMs place, but if a player needs to watch their kids we might play at their house or something.

Jarawara
2012-03-12, 12:32 PM
About 11 years ago I switched my game to an online format. Now I don't really have to do more than just send out a few emails and show up online.

The upside is: I don't even have to clean my game room anymore.

The downside is: I haven't cleaned my game room in 11 years...

CigarPete
2012-03-12, 01:20 PM
We generally play at the DM's house, though we have also played at mine. It's travel for someone no matter how it plays out. We use Doodle to coordinate dates though, putting up a new one for each month, generally playing as long as 4/6 players and the DM are available.

Anxe
2012-03-12, 01:46 PM
So it looks like generally one person does take on the typical role of organizer, but that person isn't necessarily the DM. The organizer does appear to be the DM more often than would be dictated by random chance, but it is definitely not universally the case. The physical host of the game appears to be based on convenience instead of who the organizer is or seniority within the group or other such methods.

Neat! Thanks everyone! I think I got the answers I wanted. Course, everyone can continue to post about their groups as well.

eepop
2012-03-13, 11:49 AM
I host but haven't DM'd in awhile, but I think both are because I am willing to cook for the two meals we have during our session.

Pizza delivery is nice and all, but when you can have fresh BBQ there's just no contest.

DropsonExistanc
2012-03-13, 06:37 PM
Due to space and travel considerations, we usually play at the same place now no matter who's running. Kitchen tables are nicer than basement floors.

As for organizing, that's usually me. I'm the most phone-chatty, and I have nothing at work that keeps me from texting for more than the time it takes to sell a box of space marines. The 4 (total) participants include my SO and myself, so we can generally verbally relay info faster than messaging, and I can answer for both of us, which helps. I hate waiting for messages :smallyuk:

MesiDoomstalker
2012-03-13, 08:28 PM
Currently, my boyfriend hosts, despite being the most inexpeirenced player (his first game ever!). First, he is the only one who has a house avaible and big enough when we have games. Second, he is obssessed hosting in general so he gets to play host and the game at the same time.

Come summer, I'll be going back to my dad's house which is much roomier and closer to everybody than my cramped apartment. Plus everyone in my group loves my dad and he lets us play. So it will probably switch between my dad's house and my boyfriend's house.

Dawnchaser
2012-03-15, 09:56 AM
I'm the DM for my group, and we typically move between my place and one of my players place. I do all the planning and the logistics, and I usually decide on what we are eating that night, as we make it a true social event with dinner and all that thrown into the mix.

We actually use a facebook group for notes on the campaign, status updates, and all that stuff. It's really nice as some people go on trips or are not around locally they can still keep up with what is going on in the campaign.