Paul Farquhar
Legend
Lack of human contact. I I'm okay playing D&D online because I have family who fulfil social needs. If I didn't...
Generally Discouraged (In-Person Gaming)
AnotherGuy
Hero
Face-to-face is priority for us.
It is a social affair, someone cooks and it usually runs for most of the day (11am - 7pm).
Recruiting for face-to-face or online is challenging.
It is a social affair, someone cooks and it usually runs for most of the day (11am - 7pm).
Recruiting for face-to-face or online is challenging.
Mezuka
Hero
As far as RPGs are concerned we will continue playing online since our group was forged from people who don't want to meet in person for just 3 hours after a full day of work. They prefer being already home when the game ends. I understand them but I would prefer to play in person.
For board games, I have a few friends I play with face to face once a month Sunday afternoon.
For board games, I have a few friends I play with face to face once a month Sunday afternoon.
R_J_K75
Legend
I have run into this problem as well with our last group. Even though everyone lived within 5 minutes where we played, we tried to start earlier after everyone got out of work, a little later so people didn't have to rush right over, and nothing worked. People showed up late or not at all and seemed the game began starting later and ending earlier and earlier. What started as a 4-hour game dwindled to 2-1/2 to 3 hours. Everyone worked full time on-site throughout the pandemic so after a 8-10 hour work day a lot of the players were already mentally checked out by the time the game started. We tried Saturdays but no one wanted to commit to them regularly due to other commitments. In hindsight its not only who you play with that makes a successful gaming group but also when you decide to play. Scheduling games can get quite difficult and frustrating at times.
My wife and I have dogs. They're good companions, but they don't stay focused long enough to play an entire session. Haha.
They did overhear my wife and I talking about gaming and asked if I would run a game for them, so it kind of came up naturally. But it was definitely a random encounter.
I do play online - three games in fact. The groups include people with whom it's not practical to see in person due to living out of state (or the country). While I do appreciate the groups, I'm just feeling very disconnected from everything. The enthusiasm, involvement, etc., just isn't the same as an in-person experience. Not to mention I have all this terrain, miniatures, and other physical components I'd love to get to use.
Sadly, I'm a librarian, which you'd think would make this the perfect option. Contrarily, in my position in management, I'm no longer allowed to host events - which would be crossing over into the realm of another department and would mean that I would have to do the event "on the clock" and it's frowned upon for me to fraternize with the public in the way gaming would require.
I check from time-to-time. I live in a pretty small area. I think the closest person I've ever found on a looking for group was around 3 hours away.
What? That sounds horrible. Tell them you want a demotion.
Both, I guess? If there's a suggestion I haven't tried, I'd certainly welcome it. But I think I'm seeking more ways to help me process mentally and emotionally what's going on.
That's exactly where I am. In my new position I'm isolated from anything more than a couple conversations with my co-workers during the day, don't really have any friends to go grab a beer with or watch a game, and my family is all busy doing their own things - including my mother's quest to find literal buried treasure (that's a long story).
The COVID isolation really brought to surface that my only meaningful social outlets were gaming and going to the local karaoke bar, which closed down. So you can see what's going on.
Yeah, I tried promoting the Organized Play game on various social media. I didn't try Reddit - but I'd be surprised if our local gaming had any kind of presence on there. It's certainly inactive on Facebook.
I know!
My previous position was a children's librarian - and because of those obligations, I couldn't exactly run gaming events and try to make casual friends with the kids.
It's actually disappointing on many levels. I obviously love libraries, but I can't use the library (the only one in town) because when I enter the door to come in and find a book or attend an event, I'm a manager. I'm sought out for any crises that may arise, I'm pulled in to work wherever I'm needed, and the regular public recognizes me as staff and asks me for help.
If you're familiar with the concept of a "third space" in society, this is one that I don't have. One of the only ones that is free to use and doesn't ask much of the people to come in and gather there. And in a small town with limited options, we have also bars, stores, and churches. And we can't discuss my relationship with the last one on these boards.
Alas, I don't have any suggestions I don't think I've seen. Depending where you are, it might be difficult to get people to do anything in public, because pandemic; the known difficulties with finding gamers do not seem as though they would go away, or make things easier. I live in an easy drive of three or four (depending how you count) good game stores, that I know of. I started tables at two of those places, and had no trouble filling them, and now--after playing for years--still from time to time have to tell people they're full. Now, I'm far, far happier with 5e than you are, but even so this is so unlike what I gather your experience is, that I do not think I can offer experience-based advice.
I mean, "move somewhere else" or "try the most popular game" don't seem helpful (and to be clear, I'm not offering them).
It really does suck when a hobby ceases to bring joy.
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