Collectivism in Gaming

[Professor Murder]

I admit that the title is likely more provocative than I intend, but then again, perhaps not.

Does your table share the financial burdens of running a TTRPG?
These may include but are not limited to: Books, Minis, Printing costs, Dice, Tokens, Cards, Stationary, VTT fees, food/snacks

 

[Irlo]

Informally, yes. Esp. snacks and drinks.

Nearly everyone has their own dice, though.

In the old days, players would chip in for published modules. Now, players use 3D printers to make minis and accessories and there’s content sharing on D&D Beyond.

 

[Thomas Shey]

To a limited degree. Since we play entirely digitally these days, some costs are minimal (most physical items are no longer necessary, or even usable).

 

[pogre]

Nope - not even close. We each invest what we want in the game. I have players that drive three hours one way. Players who spend tons of money on D&D Beyond subscriptions. I spend tons of money on books, minis, terrain, etc. I have a player who does not even own a book.

I don't expect my players to drop a dime for the game. There is no sense of quid pro quo. I am just happy to run the game for a few hours on Sundays - my players don't owe me anything.

 

[soviet]

No. People buy their own books (if needed) and have their own dice. People will often bring snacks to share but it's not an expectation and people will just as often bring food or drink just for themselves.

 

[J.Quondam]

"Collectivism"? No.
"Sharing costs"? Yes, to a degree. Typically just snacks/food at a f2f session, though. Dice, and other supplies have typically been self-supplied; and players in most groups I've gamed with have usually owned whatever books they personally need.

 

[bloodtide]

Yes, and I'm hardcore about this.

For drinks and snacks, my default is bring your own. I will NOT be draining my stores to give you anything other then water. You want something to drink or eat, buy it and bring it yourself. Also, bring your own ice...just buy a bag on your way over. Some of my groups pool together for drinks and snacks. Bring $10 worth to share, so typically a case of a drink and a bag or two of snacks. Two groups are a bit more elaborate, and plan out meals.

You show up with some dumb excuse that you were too busy or don't have the money or something, and yes I will let you have no drinks or snacks.

A typical game I keep supply lite. I'm a classic "make my own stuff" and not buying the fancy store bought stuff. I will use what I like. You don't like my non-lego block dungeon, fine, shell out $200 for the Official Fantasy Dungeon Set, and bring it over and we will use it. You don't want to use a Porky Pig bobble head for your drow assassin, feel free to buy and bring over your own miniature.

For some games we will buy the more fancy stuff, with each person paying part.

I also sell things to players that "can't" go to a store.

 

[Mad_Jack]

Most of the folks I've gamed with over the years have been of the old-school-ish variety, where the expectation was generally that each person brought to the table the stuff they were going to use for the game... Picking up your own copy of the PHB and your own set of dice was generally considered the initial investment cost of getting into the game. (At the very least, not owning a set of dice if you were a regular player would get you some serious side-eye.)
However, I've generally given a set of dice to everyone that I've taught to play over the years since I got old enough to have the extra money to do so.

For the most part, the DM bought all the setting/monster books and whatever minis were in use, since they were the ones that would be making the most use of them and may well be using them to run multiple groups. (It was also pretty difficult to navigate the logistics of community property since it was incredibly common to drift in and out of different groups all the time.)
However, it was also generally accepted that if you were involved in a game when Christmas or the DM's birthday came around it was basically a sign of respect for everyone in the group to chip in to get the DM the latest book they wanted (or something else to use for the game).

For me personally, I bought all the books because I wanted my own personal copies even if I wasn't running or playing in a game, and painting/collecting miniatures was always its own separate hobby.

When 4E came around, I got into a weekly campaign at the FLGS. By then I'd amassed a decent collection of the DDM prepaints and decided to bring them with me to the store since they only had a small box of figures to play with.
I only played in that game for a couple months, but I left my minis at the store for other folks to use since I wasn't going to need them. Technically, I still own them and could take them back if I wanted, but they're basically out on permanent loan.

 

[heks]

with food, i usually cook dinner for the table but folks chip in with ingredients.
as to the games, themselves, i generally try to have at least one copy of whatever rules set we're using for the table (the cost of which is usually split by the players) and a bowl full of dice but folks still tend to bring their own dice.
(that being said, my gaming groups have tended to organise around the notions of collaboration and collectivism, naturally.)

 

[J.Quondam]

You don't want to use a Porky Pig bobble head for your drow assassin, feel free to buy and bring over your own miniature.

I now sincerely hope we see "Porky Pig bobble head" in the upcoming PHB as a race/heritage option.