Failed Campaigns

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

In 2e I had countless campaigns that fizzled after a few sessions. I remember I so badly wanted to run an Underdark campaign, but when I finally did, it just didn't grab the players' interest in that first session, and it went nowhere.

I did so much world building for a Traveller game (I know what kind of beer was popular in the subsector!) only for my players to go "absolutely not, no thank you."

Sometimes I miss having so much time to game with that I could just spin up a campaign, no matter how niche or random, that sounded cool and see if it stuck.

That's a fun way to world build, but a terrible way to get a game to stick.

If I were to start a new campaign today, I would begin by asking with what everyone is interested in and then take those building blocks back and build a bespoke campaign around that, where I know there's going to be interest from the start.

 

[payn]

I did so much world building for a Traveller game (I know what kind of beer was popular in the subsector!) only for my players to go "absolutely not, no thank you."

I added a pub game for the Trojan Reach in my Traveller called Astro-Puck. Its like shuffle puck but instead of a board the pucks have anti-grav engines and hover as you toss them across the field. My players loved it so much it was hard to get them out of taverns to actually adventure.

 

[The Shadow]

Sometimes I miss having so much time to game with that I could just spin up a campaign, no matter how niche or random, that sounded cool and see if it stuck.

Sigh... Brother, you just said a mouthful! I spent so much time gaming in college I don't know how I found time to get a degree!

I added a pub game for the Trojan Reach in my Traveller called Astro-Puck. Its like shuffle puck but instead of a board the pucks have anti-grav engines and hover as you toss them across the field. My players loved it so much it was hard to get them out of taverns to actually adventure.

Did you have a mini-game to play Astro-Puck or something? What was holding their interest?

 

[payn]

Did you have a mini-game to play Astro-Puck or something? What was holding their interest?

I did athletics dex and/or gambler skill checks to score rounds. They often challenged other travellers to build a rapport, gain info, etc.. They just kept going back to that well it was rather funny.

 

[The Shadow]

I did athletics dex and/or gambler skill checks to score rounds. They often challenged other travellers to build a rapport, gain info, etc.. They just kept going back to that well it was rather funny.

It's always great when PCs latch onto a detail like that! Gives a game character.

Even game mechanics can become beloved aspects of a campaign. In one Fate game I was in, only one character had a stunt to help heal mental or psychic wounds (which were a serious issue in that world). His technique was to ply them with drink. This became a running gag:

PC: "I just can't handle what happened!!"
Timios, holding out a bottle: "Alcohol."

On one memorable occasion, when my character Shade had gotten a bit too up close and personal with the serpentfolk deity/hive mind, this happened:

Shade: "Hisssss..."
Timios: "Alcohol."
Shade: "HISSSSS!!!"
Timios: "Hmm." ponders "More alcohol!"

 

[Eyes of Nine]

If I were to start a new campaign today, I would begin by asking with what everyone is interested in and then take those building blocks back and build a bespoke campaign around that, where I know there's going to be interest from the start.

So much this! And tbh, when my players are involved in the world building with me, they buy in even more. Also, when the core loop matches what they are into. My one group is really into mysteries being revealed and hates (most of them) learning the rules. So we stick with 5e and I use published APs because my brain isn't good at creating mysteries... yet

 

[schneeland]

I had a few campaigns that failed to kick off, but for the most part, these are not a huge problem, since I tend not to do too much world building up front (I might need to revise this, if I ever commit to run Throne of Thorns or Enemy Within).

Most campaigns that died failed due to outside circumstances - irrespective of my being player or GM. The saddest campaign death, though, was a really long and great D&D3.x campaign across the Forgotten Realms that ended when the USB drive with the GM's notes was fried due to the use of an incorrect PSU. I still mourn this loss from time to time, since this was probably the best D&D campaign I ever played.

 

[thullgrim]

If I were to start a new campaign today, I would begin by asking with what everyone is interested in and then take those building blocks back and build a bespoke campaign around that, where I know there's going to be interest from the start.

I wish my players would give that kind of feedback. I get a chorus of 'whatever you feel like running'.

Sometime I feel like there is a disconnect between the game group I want and the game group I have...

 

[Old Fezziwig]

I wish my players would give that kind of feedback. I get a chorus of 'whatever you feel like running'.

For me, it's just not D&D if there aren't a couple rounds of nice-guy chicken before the campaign starts.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I wish my players would give that kind of feedback. I get a chorus of 'whatever you feel like running'.

Sometime I feel like there is a disconnect between the game group I want and the game group I have...

It definitely requires training, but you can start with something as simple as what races and classes they want to play.

If no one thinks they want to play a monk, poof, there are no such monasteries in easy travel from where your campaign starts, or maybe the whole world. Repeat with every choice they're thinking of. And then ask what sorts of monsters they like and which they think are overdone.

If I just went off of what my Discord and in-person players are currently playing, for instance, I would have a fairy tale/piratical setting, with harengon, hexbloods, goblins, elves and eladrin -- and no other peoples. There would be thieves guilds and bards colleges but no wizard schools; rather, spellcasters would learn one on one from masters. That pretty quickly gives me a picture of what the world is like and what adventures my players are interested in, which further develops things as I start making rival groups of pirates, covens of witches and so on.