Bring back that lovin' feeling...

[Ry]

I agree that a one-shot in an unusual genre is the way to go; even if it ends up being 2 or 3 sessions, it'll give them something different, and remind them why they like it. Once upon a time, my group just lost its enthusiasm for the game; they started suggesting board games and other ways to get together. I realized my group was burned out on my gritty fantasy epics, and so I roped them into playing a one-shot adventure of the Marvel Superheroes Adventure Game. I highly recommend it for a very different play experience. The cards take a minute to get used to, but it's easy and fun.

Make a quick, straightforward scenario, nothing dark or requiring serious character development. Use quick and easy mechanics that everyone can enjoy, and provide the snacks. Make some fun stereotypes for NPCs. Don't worry if you don't finish the game in one night - don't try to rush anything, just have the adventure memorized and focus on keeping everybody happy.

We didn't try to be serious, and we just had a blast. After that, my problems getting a game night together disappeared. See if it works; worry about getting into another big campaign after.

 

[MerakSpielman]

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.

There's a plethora of ideas out there for unusual campaigns, but in this case I think you'd be better off ditching High Fantasy entirely. See if you can find an RPG that NONE of the people in the group, including yourself, have ever played. Give it a whirl.

 

[Herpes Cineplex]

There's a plethora of ideas out there for unusual campaigns, but in this case I think you'd be better off ditching High Fantasy entirely.

I was just about to post this, but obviously, I was beaten to it.

D&D is a fun game, yes; but it's not the only fun game out there. If you guys are losing interest in playing yet another high (or low) fantasy RPG, play something else! Play a science fiction game, or a superhero game, or a horror game, or a modern-day spy/intrigue game, or anything but another game that looks and feels like playing D&D again. There are lots of choices out there, I'm sure there must be at least one system that will get more of your group to say "Oh, hey, that does sound cool" and get excited about playing again.

I'd personally suggest something that doesn't even have d20-esque mechanics if you think everyone is seriously burned out on D&D, but you'll have to make that call yourself; at any rate, give fantasy a vacation and try out a new genre instead.

--
playing nothing but one game system is like eating just one kind of food
ryan

 

[Algolei]

I've been playing on and off since around 1979, and "going on hiatus" has been my SOP. When I haven't been willing to totally give up my AD&D, I've shifted to other games: MechWarrior and BattleTech mostly, but also 3.x D&D.

Some of my friends have had to be "left behind" in all this. They've given up enjoying the games I still love. But hey: Life is still life, and sometimes you have to let go in order to move forward. I'm in the middle of a hiatus right now, but I know I'll play again one day.

I'm patient for now, but if I ever need a gaming fix, I know I can find someone (maybe two or three) willing to play some type of one-shot game.

 

[hong]

Some of my friends have had to be "left behind" in all this.

Sounds painful.


Hong "... had their character sheets with fava beans and a nice chianti" Ooi

 

[Algolei]

Ehh, I've left bigger things behind. (You've been to Nutkinland! You've seen my posts!)

 

[hong]

Ehh, I've left bigger things behind. (You've been to Nutkinland! You've seen my posts!)

Put that way, it sounds positively biological.

Where is Nutkinland these days anyway? How far are they through the list of words beginning with N?

 

[diaglo]

Patience is a virtue seldom practiced.

give it time. good things come to those who wait.

it worked for me.. i'm currently refereeing an OD&D campaign again.

goto the Gamers seeking Gamers forum.

 

[exile]

Towards the end of this past summer, the group that I game with started to falter a bit; our numbers were down. One thing that led to a re-invigoration for us was changing up the DM seat. We had a variety of ongoing campaigns (D&D3.5E, L5R, M&M, SW, and some that I haven't even played with this particular group), but they were all really run by the same guy (who happens to be one of the best GMs I have played with. Still, we were losing players and interest, so I volunteered to run a game. Actually, I had volunteered to run it before things started to wane, which was great, because I had time to put my hype machine in place. I started sending out tantalizing little e-mails pertaining to campaign setting, theme, house rules, character background, etc. I made everyone feel that they had a stake in designing the game they wanted to play (even though I pretty much knew I was going to run the game that I wanted to play; in all fairness they did contribute a good bit to the finished product). This pre-game preparation went on for several months via e-mail, game sessions, and a website www.ghoulgamers.com (kind of a local enworld). I proceded to run the game at a furious pace for the four sessions that I had agreed to run, and they loved it.

Anyway, I'm rambling. The salient points. Change things up. New game. New DM. Make the hype machine work for you. Live up to the hype machine. Run for a short period (and leave them wanting more). Work with the players to create character backgrouds prior to the start of game play (and tie their backgrounds to one another, the campaign plot, and at least one subplot). Give the player's some say in campaign design (we had a lively debate regarding Forgotten Realms vs Eberron vs home brew- in the end we decided on FR, but not the Realms as you know them...I basically took the setting, turned down the high-magicness of it all, injected it with some Lovecraftian horror and pulp action...pulp is so in these days).

I'm rambling again. The salient points have even grown long and non-salient. Good luck in shocking your game back to life.

Chad