GMs: How long is your typical campaign?

[karlindel]

My typical campaigns have been a few months long. I have run a few full length campaigns taking 1-2 years. I have also run a number of mini-campaigns lasting about 6 sessions, as well as a lot of one-shots.

 

[Hussar]

I'm straddling the middle two options honestly. My campaigns have almost always run from 6-18 months. I've had the odd one go 2 years, but, that's pretty rare.

In answer to Lanefan's question, to be honest, I've never had a GROUP last more than a couple of years until very recently. Most of the groups I belonged to split up after 6-18 months due to school, drama issues, or moving. I've personally moved an awful lot over the years, so, the idea of trying to keep a five year campaign alive was just completely unfeasable.

Honestly, Until I got well into my thirties, I've never been in a stable enough situation, nor have anyone I've gamed with, to ever presume that a campaign would last so long.

 

[Nebulous]

I prefer relatively short campaigns, a few months to a year at the most. I like to switch things up, bring in new characters or game systems, and it's harder to do that when you're dedicated to a long, long story. And from past experience, the end of those long stories is rarely achieved for various reasons.

 

[Wombat]

A lot of this depends on the players, the GM, general interest, and what happens in the outside world, but my campaigns are usually in the 1-5 year range.

 

[stephenwendell]

...let's call it The Chronicle of the Codpiece God....

LOL I enjoyed your other campaign names, too. I might let that style inspire me for my next campaign-like endeavor.

The longest campaign I ever did was 2 years long. On average, my campaigns last 1 year... Unless you count the fact that my campaigns follow the same back story and exist in the same game world that has been altered by the last games PCs actions. If that's the case then I started my "Campaign at age 12 and it's still going.

I'd count that as a life-long campaign. Keep it up!

 

[TerraDave]

My 2ED campaign went off and on for about 7 years. The 3E one 3.5 years (3.5 for 3.5, hmm), though that linked back into the earlier 7 year one. Thanks to a gap in between, this meant one charecter was being played 18 years after being created. (I also did a short 2E one and a short 3E one as well in the meantime and played in some short CoC games).

Each iteration has made me all the more warry of ambitious plot lines. I am hopping the first 4E won't go longer then 3 years, and will be episodic in nature. But we will see.

 

[Hereticus]

GMs: How long is your typical campaign?

Our WW Vampire: Dark Ages campaign went about ten years... it started in Constantinople, went through the four Transylvania books, and into the modern world. A year before 9/11, we had a similar attack on Chicago's Sears Tower.

Most other games lasted over a year. However games are always changing by people moving or losing interest, or new people arriving.

For "typical", I put 1 to 5 years.

 

[stephenwendell]

To get back on topic, my current campaigns will be 6 years each (leveling 5 times a year, once every 5 sessions) because I realized that if I keep running 15+ year campaigns, I'll never have more than another two or three before I kick off from old age.

Now there's a sobering thought. Can't keep the campaigns too long, I might die before getting around to everything I want to play.

I hear you talking, Agamon. After 4E came out, I did the math:

If you play one 4-hour session every week and you get in an average of 3-1/3 encounters each session, you can level up every 3 weeks. That's a 30-level campaign in 90 weeks or a year and nine months.

But me I can get about two 4-hour sessions in a month and my average is not more than 2-1/2 encounters per session. So my group levels every couple months, which means we're in for a 60-month campaign.... That's 5 years!

No, you can't be on vacation next week, man. We've got to finish this campaign before 5th Edition comes out!

 

[kenmarable]

I always hope and aim for 1-2 years, but real life seems to keep them typically closer to 6-8 months. Back as a teenager we could pull 2-4 years with PCs weaving in and out, but now that just doesn't happen anymore.

But I keep hoping.

Plus, I just started my kids off on a 4e campaign, and since the oldest is 9, they aren't going anywhere for a while.

 

[fuindordm]

Every time I plan out a campaign and run it, it ends up lasting 2-4 years. I don't always manage to finish it, though! I'd like to learn the trick of running a successful shorter campaign just to experience closure for once...

Ben Hraxbane