Campaign Duration

[MoogleEmpMog]

I'm curious how long a typical ENWorlder's campaign runs, and how long the typical ENWorlder would LIKE campaigns to run.

If you participate in campaigns of varying lengths, pick an duration that seems average.

 

[Aust Diamondew]

Lately up to 6 months, in times past over a year, but we'd also be running a lot more than 1 game at a time. In high school we had more free time.

 

[HellHound]

1 Year is my average - so the very top edge of the 7-12 months category.

My current campaign has been running since January of this year, and has spanned about 8 years of game time.

 

[thorian]

Our group's campaigns last many years. Our main two campaigns are over 10 years.

 

[el-remmen]

3 to 5 years.

I like them to last 3 to 5 years.

 

[Stormtower]

I tend to enjoy campaigns that have time to ripen, so at least 18-24 months is a good starting point, assuming an (almost) weekly game.

I'd enjoy shorter campaigns only if there was a specific goal in mind - for example, playtesting a friend's modules or some such, or a really kick-butt series of published mods. cough*Goodman*cough

 

[Crothian]

I think about 2 years or so but it really depends on what our goals are. I'm running Shackled City right now and I'm planning on it ending about 18 months from when we started. But that's really a continued campaign that lasted for a year before it.

I'm also running a Changeling Campaign that has been going on for about 15 months. I have no idea how long it will last. It could easily last many more years.

D&D campaigns seem to last a couple years or a bit less for us. But the non D&D game seem to last a little longer. Of course though there are always the campaigns that never go anywhere like my 2 week Star wars game or the two week Buffy game or that three week modern game.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

I'm not sure how to vote on this. Using a mathematical average it would be 25+ months. I played in a campaign for 10 years (technically still going another 10 years later, but without me). In a more recent group I rana campaign over the course of four years, alternating campaigns with a second DM.

My most recent campaigns have been getting shorter and shorter. One year, and then six months, both stopped because players/DM bailed.

 

[Doug McCrae]

6 months to a year is a good length, playing once a week. Level up every 2-3 sessions.

For us D&D doesn't really work beyond 14th level, we start around 3rd level, play every week and like fairly frequent level ups so that completely dictates campaign length.

 

[drothgery]

Hmm... I picked 12-24 months, but going over the tabletop campaigns I've been in...

(6 weeks) Sep 2007 Star Wars Saga game (goes on hiatus after next week; will be back)
(19 months+) Dec 2005 - Aug 2007; D&D 3.5 Eberron game (so far; on hiatus, resumes in two weeks)
(10 months) Feb 2005 - Nov 2005; D&D 3.5e Eberron game
(8 months) Jun 2004 - Jan 2005 D&D 3e/XPH Dark Sun game
(10 monts) Aug 2003 - May 2004 d20 Modern/Future game
(11 months) May 2002 - Apr 2003 homebrew D&D 3e game
(~9 months) Fall 2001 - May 2002 homebrew D&D 3e game (I joined the group after the game started, and don't remember exactly when I did)

(~2 months) Summer 1998 Earthdawn game
(~3 years) Fall 1995 - Spring 1998 homebrew D&D 2e game at college (alternate weekends while classes were in session)
(~4 years) Fall 1994 - Spring 1998 homebrew D&D 2e game at college (alternate weekends while classes were in session)
(~3 months) Summer 1994 homebrew D&D 2e game run by my sister's boyfriend

It's probably worth nothing that most of the campaigns I've played with my current group have had more 'table' time, being played pretty much every week year-round (except when interrupted by holidays, vacations, business trips, and family emergencies), than the games I played in while I was an undergrad, which were pretty much ever other week while classes were in session.