How do you keep (online) players in the group?

[Starfox]

I'd try to build a pool of contacts by running shorter projects before beginning the Grand Campaign (TM). Once you have a couple of friends you are confident and comfortable with, you can try more ambitious projects.

Actually, online gaming might work best as a series of shorter arcs that combine to a Big Picture, but where each sub-arc is more or less independent.

 

[Kafen]

I'd try to build a pool of contacts by running shorter projects before beginning the Grand Campaign (TM). Once you have a couple of friends you are confident and comfortable with, you can try more ambitious projects.

Actually, online gaming might work best as a series of shorter arcs that combine to a Big Picture, but where each sub-arc is more or less independent.

I would let the players know they are completing the short story arcs, too. It gives a sense of completion to the players which helps to keep their attention in the long run.

 

[Hussar]

/snip

I wonder if Hussar's approach would really work. I've done the opposite myself, try not to piss off the players too much so they'd stay but they seldom did. Maybe being a hardass would scare off the poor players before they jump into the group and mess things up.

Obviously, I can't speak for anyone else, but, it's certainly worked for me. Being a right jerk at the outset scares off anyone who's particularly flakey, and anyone who actually makes it through the fairly high barrier I place in front of play is generally willing to commit to the game.

I know we all don't want to come off as a jerk (believe it or not, I really don't. ) And it's beaten into us pretty hard that we shouldn't be mean or nasty to people. But, I found that if I was nice and warm and fuzzy, people just figured they could walk in and out without any consideration for the other people at the table.

My three strikes rule about not attending is about the only thing I've enforced. And, really, if someone is so inconsiderate that they cannot spend the ten seconds to send an email saying, "Hey, can't make it tomorrow" well, I feel no pain in being inconsiderate and showing them the door.