Getting People Together is Difficult

[MadMaxim]

I'm usually the DM of the group I'm in and it has been a couple of months since we last played so everyone is really itching to roll some dice. There are usually 5 players, but 2 cancelled this time, but I always run with a minimum of 3 players. I've been busy with exams at law school so I've been unavailable for games as well, but people are cancelling because of dates and housewarmings now. I'm just wondering whether any of you also have trouble getting your games running because real life is happening? I don't have anything against people doing anything else with their weekends, but we're always playing on Saturdays, so people know to keep it free if possible.

 

[Rechan]

Always.

 

[Center-of-All]

Almost never. Aside from one player who's hit-or-miss, we always manage to get the group together.

 

[DrSkull]

I found scheduling to be a huge headache.

In the end, I decided to treat my game group like a club, rather than like a social occasion for my friends. I don't ask when people want to play, I tell people when the game happens (and I'm not always DM, often, but not always). I'm always polite about it, it's not a power-thing, its an efficiency thing.

I set up a fixed time when I'd host games. I went with every other week, since wives and girlfriends are more understanding of twice a month rather than every week. I chose Sunday nights 4-10, because that's the time most people are likely to be home anyway.

The game goes on whether I feel like it or not. Even if I'm not in the mood every single time, I want a regular game, so it's up to me to make sure it goes on. If too few people show, those that do show up will play something else, test other rules, play board games or miniatures.

While I like to have 3 players, there are campaigns I've run, when I've said, if I person shows up, I'll DM. Playing with 1 or 2 isn't bad at all, if its the right 1-2.

I also try to keep recruiting new people all the time. People get new jobs, have young children, move out of town etc., so it's better have more people playing than not.

 

[Kheti sa-Menik]

My group is fairly constant. We have only have 3 players + 1 GM though, so if one person doesn't show, it can make things tough. Everyone is pretty regular, though sometimes in the summer absences are a little more frequent due to family stuff, trips, etc.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

My group currently has about eight players. However, we usually only get five to show up at a game. Once, only three people showed up (including the DM). Two of our players have a habit of going on trips around the world for a month with little warning, too.

We got a new player two months ago, and at least two group members (probably three) have yet to see him.

Finding people is hard enough. Finding people with matching play styles is even harder.

 

[C.W.Richeson]

Different groups have had more or less of this problem. My current group has zero problem, because it's so important to everyone to get together and have fun.

In the past my perspective has been that if folk are regularly making other plans then they're not respecting my time and the time of others. I'd be happy to reschedule the game with the group or do something else with the friend, but gaming requires a certain minimum commitment.

 

[NewfieDave]

My current group members are all co-workers, which makes it easy to communicate about when we can play. Unfortunately we work very different schedules - and all of our schedules change from week to week - so it's been a once or twice a month campaign thus far.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

This is an issue for my group from time to time. I have 5 players. The session before last got cancelled at the last minute. 1 player was interstate and another cancelled on the night (due to uni exams, which is understandable). We were still going to play with just 3 players but the third player didn't show up (despite e-mailing me the day before to say he would be there).

Our most recent session had to be rescheduled due to 2 players being away. The other 3 players were ok to play but I decided to reschedule to next week (we play every 2 weeks) in the hope of having everyone there.

This is the first bit of rescheduling I've had to do in a little while but it does happen semi-regularly. Exams, work and or holidays all seem to get in the way from time to time. The fact that we play once a fortnight does make things a little easier from a rescheduling perspective at least.

Olaf the Stout

 

[FATDRAGONGAMES]

We've had this problem off and on over the years, but the last twelve months have gotten out of hand. We've played D&D exactly three times in that period. Nobody wants to play unless we get the entire group together, and that is getting nearly impossible. I'm about to institute a 75% play policy- if we get 3/4 of the group to attend we will play. If that doesn't work I'm going to be begging to join a new group.