Gaming Group Reaches 30 Year Milestone

[Silver Moon]

I never imagined that the weekly gaming group that I started back in college would still be running three decades later, but we've managed to hit that milestone. Here are the stats:

30 Years Player Time
17.4 Years Character Time
158 Modules
1197 Games
20 Gamemasters
37 Players Total
4 Adventuring Teams
130 Playing Characters

I have been the primary DM, having run 88 modules (53% of the games). Four others among the current group have run a total of 48 modules (33% of the games). The remainder were run by folks who are no longer with of the group.

 

[pming]

Hiya and Congradulations!

Right now I'm with my 2nd longest running group...core 4 players plus me....going on about 10 years now. Previously my longest group hit about 18 years before life kicked our collective asses and more than half the group wandered away to parts unknown'ish.

But 30 years? Nice work man! Hopefully in another two decades I'll still be with the same group (awesome group, obviously).

^_^

Paul L. Ming

 

[edemaitre]

30 years of RPGs

Congratulations!

I've also been role-playing for 30 years, but even though I've been running the same homebrew campaign settings for most of that time, I've moved around (New York to Virginia to Massachusetts) and had more gamer turnover as people go off to school, start or join other groups, get married, have children, or move themselves.

Based on my numerous binders and computer files, I've played with approximately 100 people, who have generated a total of about 400 Player Characters over the years! Sure, the rules, technology, and game styles have changed repeatedly, but the experience of having fun with friends around a table creating a shared story (at least when things go smoothly) remains the reason to keep going!

 

[theredrobedwizard]

... get married...

People quit gaming because they get married? Really? I can't really even process that. :S

 

[Silver Moon]

People quit gaming because they get married? Really? I can't really even process that. :S

Not our experience. Of our 37 players we've probably had 20 or so that were couples. We've also had several of both genders who play without their spouse or significant other.

 

[Starman]

I'm jealous. I feel lucky when I get more than three sessions with a game.

 

[Eridanis]

That is fantastic. Congratulations!

 

[AeroDm]

I am amazed that you've kept track of all the characters for 30 years. I don't think I could come up with my own last 10, much less anyone else's last 5.

 

[Lanefan]

I am amazed that you've kept track of all the characters for 30 years. I don't think I could come up with my own last 10, much less anyone else's last 5.

That's why record-keeping is essential!

Our crew have been going about the same length of time and we've got pretty meticulous records of what characters were played when and in what campaign, their race, class, name, player, and what adventures they were in.

The one thing we didn't track until about 15 years ago was how many sessions we played.

[MENTION=8530]Silver Moon[/MENTION] when you say 1197 games, does that mean 1197 sessions? Also, has this all been in one game world or setting with different DMs taking the helm now and then, or has each DM had his-her own world?

Lan-"rolled up in 1984 and still - in theory - active today"-efan

 

[Silver Moon]

T[MENTION=8530]Silver Moon[/MENTION] when you say 1197 games, does that mean 1197 sessions?

Yes, we play most Sunday nights from approximately 7:30 to 10:00PM. The total module count is now on #158

Also, has this all been in one game world or setting with different DMs taking the helm now and then, or has each DM had his-her own world?

All but 50 games (11 modules) have been on the same campaign world. The primary setting is a small continent that is approximately 400 by 600 miles in size and divided into nine semi-autonomous lordholdings operating under an elected monarch. Each DM has their own sections of the continent carved out for adventures. The original party is situated on their own island off the coast of the southernmost lordholding; their first spin-off team is in the capital city of the northernmost lordholding; the most recent team is in a forested region of the easternmost lordholding.

The other campaign is a different world entirely (a wild west setting using hybrid D&D/Boot Hill rules). I originally planned to have a cross-over module between the two worlds, but it never happened. Four of us have been DM for modules using that setting, which we played six to ten years ago. I plan to revisit that world at some point in the next year.