Being a rant about the sorry state of my roleplaying existence

[Ranes]

Welcome to the boards.

Sorry to hear about your game. Funny how it makes a great story though.

I haven't lived in Manchester for twenty years but they had games that bad then and I'm sure they still do. UMIST D&D Soc saw some excellent games though. Anyone know if that's still going? It's probably changed its name by now. Oh well. Ramble over.

Best of luck finding a better game.

 

[Deadguy]

Hi Eluvan! And welcome to these boards.

As you have notived Unviersity clubs - indeed any clubs - are a bit hit-and-miss when it comes to games. I won't count myself out here - I reffed for several years at the University of Nottingham RPGSoc, and I had good years and bad years; I am surprised I didn't put more people off the year I ran a rigid Harnmaster game in a Palladium world!

Still your experience does sound particularly horrible. However your advantage, unless you are unlucky, is that will still be a reasonable number of role-players at (and around) Uni, so take the chance to look further. Other groups might still be recruiting or accepting players. And there are almost certainly groups in the city, so check out if there's a noticeboard in your FLGS.

Don't let it put you off though. I had a similar lousy start when I began university. It was the only time I ever gave up RPGs. Luckily I met another RPer the following term and got involved. Never looked back!

 

[Pigeon]

When I went to Uni in sunderland I had a similar experience, but at least the GM was ok - just the rest of the players were idiots. The GM later took me aside and told me that the freshers week was always dreadful and what usually happened was the best players/GM's got picked off and asked to join private games for a few months untill only the idiots were left in the official gaming society. Then by december when the society had almost folded due to lack of interest, everyone returned to it.

I actually only went to a couple of games and then kind of met up with a gaming crowd that had nothing whatsoever to do with the official society. My advice would be to put a ad in the student paper or bulletin board asking to join a group. Or attend another society where the odds are that there would be one or two gamers such as a sci fi society. There are bound to be a fair few gamers at Bristol Uni. the other thing you could do is ask at the local gaming shop (if there is one).

 

[Eluvan]

Well, that's all heartening. Thanks for the advice, guys. I think I may indeed have a look round for other players. And, in the meantime, I think I might take a look at the PbP forums here...

 

[Fauxargent]

My experience with university groups are very mixed.

When I started at Bath University (back in 84 (gulp)) newbies were made very welcome (during freshers week or at any other time), everyone took a turn DMing and it was great fun (3 nights a week). Twenty years on, I still regularly game with the people I met there.

When I moved to Reading Uni (in 92), despite there being only a few players I was told that as a campaign was underway they didn't want any new players. I don't know if it because I was older (a mature student doing a PhD) or because they were just a closed circle but they made no attempt to welcome new players.

 

[DonAdam]

College is often a great opportunity to recruit new players. I've taught quite a few people in the past few years; I taught about 10 people just a few weeks ago. Look for people with other nerdly interests like sci fi and fantasy and work from there.

 

[Tinker Gnome]

Wow, it seems like my players somehow found you. I feel very sorry for you.

 

[Doug McCrae]

I had a somewhat similar experience when I first came to uni. The first few games I got into weren't as good as my school group had been. Luckily there were quite a lot of rpgers at Glasgow uni. I discovered games I enjoyed/fitted into a lot more. That was in 1990 and I'm still gaming with people I met at uni.

 

[cignus_pfaccari]

Wow. That sounds like going to a game in a store (which I've had horrific experiences with). The last time I did that, the Shadowrun game had about 12 people in it, exactly four of whom seemed able to play a character competently. Not even roleplaying (I'm not throwing stones, for my house is glass), but they couldn't even build their characters to do what they were supposed to do. A guy who was trying to go for a sniper had NO stealth skills, for example. Oy.

Brad

 

[Chimera]

Well, I just got back from the single worst roleplaying session there has ever been, ever.

Bah! Pishposh! And Balderdash!

About 20 years ago I played a game in a game store run by a younger guy (say, 17-ish). Me and one other player. Lots of clues that we shouldn't have been playing with this guy, like everyone else in the store avoiding him like the plague he proved to be.

His "world" consisted of ONE town, one road and one dungeon. That was it. Every monster was something we could NEVER hope to overcome. Everyone and their brother was out to screw us over and treat us poorly. Heck, even the town guards tried to rob us for no apparent reason.

About half-way through, the other player made excuses and left. I did everything in my power to convince the guy he that he was not making a fun game and that he should change his attitude, but he failed to get it. I eventually just told him I wasn't playing anymore and walked away from the table. He honestly didn't understand why I didn't want to play! (Yes, he was that clueless!)

The next week, there he was, trying to recruit new players. Only this time, there were several of us (me, the other guy and some people who hadn't been there the previous week, but were apparently 'experienced' with this guy) to warn away any potential players.


Walk away, don't play with them again. Don't get their stink on you, or REAL gamers won't want to play with you. You'll be tainted goods.

Don't worry, you'll find a better game.