Bring back that lovin' feeling...

[ashockney]

I've gamed with my gaming group since 1987.

Many of us are now married with kids. The most we can muster is one gaming day a month, for a full 10 - 12 hours. We play mostly D&D, but we've played Magic, Champions, and dabbled in a few others games such as fantasy football and poker.

Many of are members have spent countless hours on hack/slash CRPG's like EQ, EQII, Diablo, Dungeon Siege, and Neverwinter Nights.

Right now, and for at least the last six months, I couldn't BRIBE my group to play D&D. They have almost no interest whatsoever. They'd rather watch football, play poker, play magic, or completely blow us off to get some good "leveling" time in on EQII.

Have you ever hit the skids with your gaming groups? What did you do to rejuvinate and get everyone excited again?

 

[Davelozzi]

While I can't say that this has ever happened to me, I'd try to lure them back in to RPGs first with some sort of one shot game in a genre you guys haven't played much.

 

[99necron99]

Yup

About 5 years ago, everyone in our tight group started moving away, having kids, getting married, working real jobs...and scheduling time together was a pain. Honestly, I think we were quite bored - Look for traps, search the room, I swing with my longsword, blah, blah, blah. ANOTHER ring of protection +1? Oh goody. Each of us had well developed campaigns, multiple characters with 30+ levels, and the 2nd edition D&D experience was pretty disappointing. We had played every Sunday night for 16 years.

We played stuff that didn't require leaving the house instead. Asheron's Call, Anarchy Online, Star Wars, Counterstrike. It was fun, but eventually we all burned out on this too. You come to realize that Online games are not a substitute for real personal interaction, just an excuse for not having any.

A few months ago, my friend called to say they were starting an Eberon campaign - I had no idea what he was talking about. So I took a look at the 3.5 rules, and the new classes, and I liked what I saw...so here we are I can feel the old excitement again, and the rules are so different it's like being first level again.

Once life gets more predictable, you can start planning a night out. Just tell the wife, the kids, the boss, or whomever, that there is ONE night a month/week that I reserve purely for myself - hopefully they will understand, and if they dont, screw 'em. So now me and my buddies (all pushing 40) get together twice a month, play DnD, cook steaks, drink liquor, and play DnD some more until we are satisfied.

That beats the h3ll out of Everquest

 

[MerakSpielman]

There's nothing wrong with playing other games. Take a break from D&D.

I'd recommend hosting a LAN party, but that's just me.

 

[DungeonmasterCal]

Kinda going through this sorta doldrum with my group, too. I was (am) burned out as a DM. Add to that the fact that my life doesn't allow a once a week or even regular once a month game, I've run maybe 3 games since January, so I've put my main D&D game on a peg for an indeterminate amount of time. I run once a month for my son and his friend, but that's it.

A couple of my players have offered to run CoCd20 and another D&D game, and I've gotten to play in the latter precisely twice. There's only one guy who can make any game, any date and it bugs the snot out of him when the rest of us can't. Another guy can make most games, despite the fact that he's married, has 3 kids (one a newborn) and lives 2.5 hours away. Everyone has different family dynamics, and that works for him and his family, but I can't do that sort of thing personally.

My core gaming group has been together since 1987 or so. We've gained new members, lost old ones, had some come back over the years. But now I think it's largely beginning to unravel, as we get to play more and more infrequently. It's sad, but often the inevitable result of becoming RESPONSIBLE ADULTS (insert dramatic music here). I wish I could play every week...heck...once a month on a regular basis would be a treat. But I don't see it happ'nin.

 

[knifespeaks]

5 years of EQ bought me back to tabletop rpg's. There isn't a computer game built, or one that even is in the works that can match the complexity of a 'pen and paper' rpg - players can interact with everything, in any imaginable way with traditional rp gaming...that's what I love about it.

As far as regaining interest, well....I don't know your friends personally, so I don't have any real help for you, other than to point out that there comes a time when it isn't about the game anymore, it's about spending time with real people who you enjoy being with. I guess you would have hit that stage a fair few years ago - just start working on a new campaign, because I guarrantee you that after 5 years of crpg's, the urge to interact with real people in a friendly, non-confronting environment will get return.

I can't play with my old group anymore, so I just went and found some people and joined their group - meeting new people is always a great thing. Gaming is a more social activity than the critics realise.

 

[jester47]

Just tell the wife, the kids, the boss, or whomever, that there is ONE night a month/week that I reserve purely for myself - hopefully they will understand, and if they dont, screw 'em.

boss and whomever shouldn't be demanding that much time from you.

Wife and kids? I would be careful on who you say screw'em about. A wife and children are a good thing. It might be better to involve them in your old/new hobby... but that is just an opinion of this man.

Aaron.

 

[Aust Diamondew]

I hope I never become a responsible adult sounds like it's a drag. Then again the irresponsible adults generally get sent to prison.
Maybe theres a middle ground.

Anyway, my group has taken breaks from d&d and roleplaying all together before. But after a while we start back up. It sucks though that your guys would rather spend more time playing EQ2 than a pnp RPG. I recommend waiting awhile, a month or so, then calling up your guys again. Let them take a rest. Also you might want to consider looking for a new group if they don't come around and/or you don't feel like waiting till they feel like playing.

 

[Kilmore]

Let your friends know that you are getting a new group together. Invite your classic posse, but also fish around for some new talent who would appreciate the years of experience you have amassed. After you play a few sessions, mention the experiences of the new group to the old timers. Some may join in (or at least express an interest), and it will probably become clearer which players intend to hang up their dice.

 

[ashockney]

Thank you all for your very considerate responses.

I'm a little scared at the overall tone of "hang up your dice" or "hang in there". I'm not sure I have the patience to wait five years.

Likewise, I've been good friends with this group for a very, very long time.

Do any others have ideas on how to pull folks back to the table? I know the last big hiatus we took as a group (for M:TG), we came back together for DnD when I ran a veritable "play anything" campaign. I had a highlander character, Elminster, Spawn, and Vampire Hunter D. All in the same party! (Don't ask me how, but it actually worked...)

I think the guys are pretty fed up with 3rd Edition. We burned out last on a high-end Epic campaign.

Our group, like others described, have at least 10 major campaigns. Most players in my group have 3 or more 20th+ level characters. There's definitely a been there, done that factor at work here.

What fresh ideas have you used to breathe new life into an old group of gamers?

I've got the entire EQ RPG. I've got the entire Arcana Unearthed RPG. I've got all the 3.5 Ed books, and the Complete series. We've done the FR, Greyhawk, and homebrew. Did combo of the above work for your groups? Really rekindle the old flame?