Alternating Campaigns -- one group, two (or more) campaigns

Q

Quasqueton

First Post

• Mar 18, 2004

• #1

I like DMing. I like watching the PCs explore my campaign world -- I like creating new people, places, and things for the PCs to discover, interact with, and battle.

I want to continue DMing, but I also want to play a PC some. One or two of the Players in my group have offered to DM some and let me play a PC. This is great, but most of my group can't play more than the once a week we currently gather. So this means we'd have to put my campaign on hold (at a convenient break point) for the time we play in another campaign. Or we'd have to alternate game days back and forth.

Those of you who play like this, in different campaigns with the same group: how do you do it? Alternate weekly? Alternate montly (every four game sessions if played weekly)? Alternate only at adventure breaks (regardless of Real World timing)? Something else?

Do you find it difficult to change back and forth between characters (those of you who run PCs in both campaigns)? What about if the different campaigns have different styles and/or house rules and/or systems (like D&D vs. Arcana Unearthed): does this make the transition back and forth to the two campaigns easier or more difficult?

Any other thoughts or concepts that need to be considered when alternating campaigns?

Quasqueton

 

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Zappo

Explorer

• Mar 18, 2004

• #2

We have at least three campaigns going on at any given time. It isn't difficult at all, provided that each campaign gets played at least once a month. Otherwise, you start forgetting and/or confusing facts and campaign events. Ruleswise, there is no transition problem.

 

Altalazar

First Post

• Mar 18, 2004

• #3

I've almost always done that when I've been active gaming.

I'd alternate running and playing. Sometimes I'd run Friday and play Saturday. Sometimes it would be an alternate week thing. Alternating gives both DMs a break and can help keep both campaigns fresher than if they were every week (but you don't have to give up gaming every week!)

Of course, then there was when I was alternating running AD&D and Shadowrun - then I probably could have used a break.

 

S

S'mon

Legend

• Mar 18, 2004

• #4

We do it, it works well although my players wouldn't let me reduce the rate of my regular campaign sessions so other stuff happens around it. I think other campaigns should be as different as possible from the core one - eg my main campaign is homebrew near-core D&D, the other 2 are Midnight and OGL Conan, each with a very different feel.

 

AlphaOmega

First Post

• Mar 18, 2004

• #5

Ever since 3.0 was released, and no matter the group, I've alternated. I think its vital to keep things fresh. Depending on how often you play... I've found the ideal setup is two weeks (campaign A) two weeks (campaign B). Also one game D&D based and the other not also helps. It provides a clear distinction and makes is hard for ideas, NPCs or plots to be mixed up.

 

I

Inconsequenti-AL

Breaks Games

• Mar 18, 2004

• #6

I think it's a good idea.

One of my groups has 4 GMs who take turns at GMing - total group size is 7 full timers and a couple of part timers. We tend to switch roughly every 2-3 months.

Some of the campaigns are 1 off's.... however, most are set up to be continuous. GMs simply put in convenient break points where it either ends the game or allows for an easy pick up later.

We really like it. Keeps things from getting old and means the games we play tend to be quite 'punchy', which is good!

We tried alternating sessions of 2 different games, but found that rather confusing.

 

S

Shallown

First Post

• Mar 18, 2004

• #7

We did this for a while inmy group and I enjoyed playing in a game with people I normally am GMing. The only problem I had was when the alternate GM didn't getthier act together and such. It was a little annoying. Since no one could maintain a consistent campaign I just keep running mine now. There is also the fact that we are trying to beat a real world Deadline of a player, possibly two, leaving soon. So we are keeping my game going.

When we ran it what worked best was running from a stroy arc begging to end. USually this was 2-3 months then switch to the alternate game. And do the same. It allows for some development and roleplaying/getting into character over that time. You just recap when you switch back and within 1-2 sessions everyone is back in character.

When this campaign is over another GM is wanting to run whcih I am fine with and look forward to not having to worry about getting crap ready other than my usual over preparing I do for my characters any way.

Later

 

Pseudonym

Ivan Alias

• Mar 18, 2004

• #8

I alternate between running a 3.5 game and playing in a T20 Traveller game every other Saturday. In the event that we need to skip a week (this Saturday for example) we just continue on the following Saturday with the game that got skipped.

 

Last edited: Mar 18, 2004

Kid Charlemagne

I am the Very Model of a Modern Moderator

• Mar 18, 2004

• #9

I game with two groups. The Sunday group (which games every other week) tends to switch off DM'ing duties, mostly between two DM's with a third occasionally running something short. We switch every 6-12 months or so, I'd guess, sometimes going longer when its me DM'ing.

The Saturday group (which games almost every week) goes with a 3-DM rotation. It works pretty well, since we've got lots of people who want to run stuff, and some players who only play in one or two out of three games. The downside is that it is sometimes tough to remember details from previous games if you don't play for three or four weeks.

 

eris404

Explorer

• Mar 18, 2004

• #10

Kid Charlemagne said:

I game with two groups. The Sunday group (which games every other week) tends to switch off DM'ing duties, mostly between two DM's with a third occasionally running something short. We switch every 6-12 months or so, I'd guess, sometimes going longer when its me DM'ing.

The Saturday group (which games almost every week) goes with a 3-DM rotation. It works pretty well, since we've got lots of people who want to run stuff, and some players who only play in one or two out of three games. The downside is that it is sometimes tough to remember details from previous games if you don't play for three or four weeks.

Click to expand...

Which is why I take detailed notes. If someone isn't writing stuff down, a lot of the details can get lost. But otherwise, I enjoy our group's rotation schedule. It gives us lots of variety and many more chances to try different things, whether new characters, settings or a completely different game.