Does having a plethora of games negatively impact the ability to find games?

[tarrant12]

Hi all, I'm fairly new here (made an account a while back but never used it). I was hoping to get some opinions on something that I've been thinking about for a while now.

Does the wide availability of many many different RPGs make it more difficult to find a game?

I’ll preface that a bit with some of my own experience. I recently moved from the bay area where my primary group was to the Phoenix valley. When I moved I wanted to get a game started up of Anima: Beyond Fantasy or Hell On Earth: Reloaded for Savage Worlds. I posted ads at my FLGS and lightly searched online as well. A majority of the people who I reached out to either didn’t know the game systems and were not really willing to try and learn something new or what was more common was to be told in return “Oh I’m only looking to play BRP/D&D/ORE etc” and I responded in the same way saying I wasn’t really looking for those games to play. After about a year of looking I finally decided “what the heck, a game is a game” and got into a Pathfinder game which I enjoy well enough. If either the individuals that I reached out to or myself had been more willing to try any of the plethora of games available I would have had a game together MUCH faster.

Has this happened to anyone else? I love having so many interesting settings and systems available to me but I can’t help but wonder if it doesn’t hinder finding a group at some level.

 

[Morrus]

Not in my experience. It's hard enough finding people nearby who game at all, let alone those who are fussy enough to pick and choose.

 

[Sword of Spirit]

Start out by joining whatever group is playing something you can stomach. Once you have insinuated yourself into their company and probed their weaknesses, you can seduce them to your own favorite game...

 

[Argyle King]

While Sword of Spirit used different language than I would have, I agree with the general idea. Having people to game with at all helps, and being on good terms with a group (I believe) would make them more open to trying something different as opposed to them trying something different with someone they don't know.

Teaching the game is an option as well. You can't (and shouldn't) force rpgs upon someone, but introducing someone to a game might help.


edit: If need be, online games are an option as well. I've played in a few games on www.rpol.net when I haven't been able to find a face to face game.


http://www.rpol.net/

 

[Vyrolakos]

Start out by joining whatever group is playing something you can stomach. Once you have insinuated yourself into their company and probed their weaknesses, you can seduce them to your own favorite game...

Yup. Exactly this!

 

[Umbran]

My personal experience is that there is a bunch of players who will only play one chosen game, and that's it. For them, it doesn't matter how many other games there are, you won't get them to play them. Outside of that group, though, it doesn't seem difficult to get people to try new or different games, so long as they aren't in the middle of a long-term campaign.

 

[Janx]

My personal experience is that there is a bunch of players who will only play one chosen game, and that's it. For them, it doesn't matter how many other games there are, you won't get them to play them. Outside of that group, though, it doesn't seem difficult to get people to try new or different games, so long as they aren't in the middle of a long-term campaign.

I think there's a few contributing factors.

A) What the heck is " Anima: Beyond Fantasy or Hell On Earth: Reloaded for Savage Worlds"

I'm aware of Savage Worlds, but have never heard of those other things. Posting ads for sub-markets of game is really pushing your luck.

B) if it ain't a top tier product like D&D, there ain't as many people playing it, let alone heard of it as you think

There are a lot of people who don't look at other games and don't frequent forums to have even heard the product names.


I think SoS has the right of it. Find a group who is playing something you'd be willing to play. make friends. When the time is right, offer to GM your game.

But absolutely do not make mention that you'd rather play your game, or how your game is different or better. That'll turn off people from your game for using their table to insult their game by foisting your crazy new ideas on them.

 

[Mark CMG]

Does the wide availability of many many different RPGs make it more difficult to find a game?

It might negatively impact the ability to find players for a specific game but positively impact the number of games available for those who are more flexible.

 

[tarrant12]

It might negatively impact the ability to find players for a specific game but positively impact the number of games available for those who are more flexible.

That's what I'd generally assumed as well. Once I jus went with the flow per say I found a game I'm quite content with, in time I may offer to run a game of my own.


I figured anima was obscure but I didn't think that hell on earth was very obscure. It's the "wasted west" future of the Dead lands world..

I find its difficult to break through people's desire to play their chosen game sometimes. I've also had the experience of "if I've never heard of it it can't be any good." Which can be sad when trying to pitch a game

 

[Mark CMG]

That's what I'd generally assumed as well. Once I jus went with the flow per say I found a game I'm quite content with, in time I may offer to run a game of my own.


I figured anima was obscure but I didn't think that hell on earth was very obscure. It's the "wasted west" future of the Dead lands world..

I find its difficult to break through people's desire to play their chosen game sometimes. I've also had the experience of "if I've never heard of it it can't be any good." Which can be sad when trying to pitch a game

You may find one or two players in that PF group that would play it some time and they might have friends outside of the PF group who would join in to. Good luck!