Game getting nowhere

[Frog Dragon]

So I've been preparing to DM a game in my homebrew setting. I thought I had it cleared that the date of the first session is 27.12 I called one of my friends to finish his character in time as I'm going in an area where I can't access a computer from 22.12 to 26.12 so naturally I was rushing to get stuff finished today. And then my friend said (we're all 12-13 years old) that his parents had informed him of a trip elsewhere. (He had previously though the date was free for him) So I was like "****!" I had planned the game for 27th of december and it turns out there are now only two players free for the date. This game has been planned for a long time and preparations have taken an eternity. Apparently the next free date for him is somewhere after third of january.
So, I ask you at giantip. How do you people ensure that the date is free for everybody? The normal gaming group is around six people and i ahve trouble managing four and myself! (The fourth one was originally supposed to enter the game later.) So what should I do with this?

[Tsotha-lanti]

Man, it was easy as anything up until we were all 18. What the heck do kids have to do? We'd play most days after school, most weekends, etc., and it really is no concern if you can meet and play on a specific day, because it's just one of many.

Moreover, what's one week?

Nowadays, er... we've thought about coming up with a date once or twice a month - something like "every 2nd Sunday of a month) - which everyone would know to keep clear of work and family and drinking.

[Kurald Galain]

Any of the following:

* Have a set day, e.g. every other friday, so people remember
* If after you've picked a date with the group, people suddenly tell you they can't come, play without them
* Posit that you'll play any session that 4 out of 6, or perhaps 5 out of 6, players are present.

[Frog Dragon]

Man, it was easy as anything up until we were all 18. What the heck do kids have to do? We'd play most days after school, most weekends, etc., and it really is no concern if you can meet and play on a specific day, because it's just one of many.

Moreover, what's one week?

Nowadays, er... we've thought about coming up with a date once or twice a month - something like "every 2nd Sunday of a month) - which everyone would know to keep clear of work and family and drinking.

We have all sorts of crap going on here on christmas break. People are visiting their relatives and such. Apparently I picked a really crappy time for my game. I hope it will be easier when school starts again. The problem seems to be that we agree on a date. And then someone's parents come up with something and said person can't play on the date. It's likely a problem with my players simply not informing their parents clearly enough so it can be a date that suits both them and their parents.

[Tsotha-lanti]

That was my point - what does one week matter? Christmas is usually family time - just do all that stuff, and play again in January.

[Frog Dragon]

The problem is it's been delayed long enough.

[UserClone]

The problem is you're being impatient. Really, though, there have been games that last months, even years IRL, let alone how long PbP can take. So, as has already been so succinctly put, what's one more week, other than another week you could be preparing NPCs and/or plot hooks and/or encounters/encounter locations?


My RL group tries to meet every Friday evening at 5-6 pm. We've pretty much all set up our days off to work with this day, so it pretty much fits for us. We started out on Tuesday mornings, then went to Tues. evenings, and now we're at Fridays. Meeting every week is a hefty challenge, though, and we usually end up with 2-4 sessions a month, on average.

[Inyssius Tor]

Yeah. I think the only thing you can do is try to be more patient. You can't really force your players to be less busy, so... that's all there is to it.

OR ("Two things! The only TWO things you can do are..."), you could try a different kind of game, one that doesn't require all of your players to be present for every session. Something like the West Marches, for example.

[Frog Dragon]

he problem with imapatience isn't only with me. One of my friends is also annoyed at the constant delay.

[UserClone]

Have you considered trying a solo campaign with that other player on the side, just to fill in the gaps?

[Thorin]

Set a fixed day and time (or morea than one).
Tell your parents to let you know early if they plan something to do those days with some days ahead.

Im 21 and the six of us (that play the campaign) can only play on Sundays from 20 to 24, because we all work/study/play sports/have girlfriends, etc

[AslanCross]

This happens to me all the time. My players are all students, and while I'm a teacher, they're actually busier than I am. I usually just get substitute players, but that doesn't seem to be working in your case.

That said, scheduling during the Christmas break doesn't seem to be a good idea. You really will have to just schedule at a later date and tell the players to stick to it. Take every possible hindrance into consideration.

I know how it feels. Sometimes I badly need my fix too.

[holywhippet]

Eh, it happens. My group has players unavailable because:

a) They are sick
b) They are on holidays
c) Other games/activities conflict
d) Some kind of personal/family emergency
e) They are working overtime

Have a stock of board games for when you don't have enough players for a proper game.

[hotel_papa]

Seconded, on all accounts. I've been running a campaign since April, one group on Wednesdays, the other on Sundays, and I gotta tell you, the waiting and delay is on your side. Use the extra time to flesh out NPCs, design dungeons, and try prepare for the myriad of ways your party will derail your business. Also, the longer the wait, the more anticipation from the PCs.

That being said, they now have no excuse to not come prepared, as well. E-mail them for their character ideas, come up with backgrounds that you can work into your plot. And if you have only a few characters, then side quest away!!

I know your pain, though. My Sunday game is canceled today because of weather, two people didn't show up last week, and had to be canceled due to finals the week before. They're fiending for it, though. Which I can use.

[Who_Da_Halfling]

My game is on hiatus for the break, due to us not all being on campus anymore, but generally we schedule our sessions week-by-week, so we just sort of decide on a day and time that works for most everyone. Sometimes one player or another can't make it, in which case I usually (as the DM) either run the character for them (I don't like doing this, as I have enough to keep track of as the DM), or let the party run the character, which seems to work well enough for them. I personally like this option best, since I was always asking them what they wanted the character to do anyway, and I just eventually handed them the sheet and had them go at it.

Scheduling way in advance works better for older groups who actually have essentially ultimate authority over their time (I have had some of my players decide not to do homework so that they could come). When your transportation/free time are open to the whims/authority of another person (like a parent), you really need to check with them at all times for stuff like this.

That said, it does just seem like the holidays were a bad time for this (really, two days after Christmas?). Just wait for January. I know I'm having a hard time waiting, but on the other hand it gives you more time to plan things out (I know I've got a couple adventures lined up for my group).

-JM

[RavKal]

Well, our group has an understanding that we try to play every other week on saturday nights. At first, this was a little difficult to manage, but it's getting to the point where everyone keeps those days clear.

And if they don't, we get by with a combination of luck and kidnapping them from their houses.

[Frog Dragon]

.

That said, it does just seem like the holidays were a bad time for this (really, two days after Christmas?). Just wait for January. I know I'm having a hard time waiting, but on the other hand it gives you more time to plan things out (I know I've got a couple adventures lined up for my group).

-JM

The date was because it appeared free for everyone. We we're basically setting for the earliest date when everyone was ready. Currently I've been trying to contact my friends to see if fifth of january is free.

[valadil]

You need a regular day. Once a month or whenever everyone is free is never going to work long term. We do wednesday night. If a player can't make it, tough. If two can't make it we skip.

Of course we're all 25-30 so it's a bit easier to make our own schedules.

[WickerNipple]

My advice is pretty much... get used to it.

You'll never have free time again like you do now - I'm lucky to manage to schedule one game a month.

Set a date, fix it in stone, do the best you can with the people you can get at the time. And hope it all comes together.