How long does your TTRPG gaming sessions usually last?

[Siriak]

4 hours is the average. They can range from 3 to 5 hours depending on the natural pacing of the adventure and how the players and I are feeling.

 

[Nytmare]

Currently four (if we're lucky).

Fifteen years ago? Six hours.

In college: six to twelve.

High school two to six?

 

[uzirath]

Currently, three hours is typical. I used to run longer games, 5-7 hours, with occasional all-nighters. But I was much younger then, with far fewer responsibilities.

A few of my players and I did get away for a gaming weekend at a family cabin just before COVID-19 and got to play for ~18 hours over two days. Even then, though, we didn't run sessions for much longer than three hours—roughly three sessions per day with meals, hiking (well, snow-shoeing), and social time in between. (It was quite rewarding to get a session in right after breakfast!)

 

[jasper]

If you are talking about actual play time, 3.5 to 4 hours. I try to start around 6 PM but between bs and late arrivals start time is around 620+. And by 9:30 if at the game store, I getting input overload and start wrapping up the session.

 

[Blue]

3-4 hours. Not like in high school or college where we'd do 10-14 hour marathons every weekend. Now we play weeknights after work.

Online has increased the playtime a bit - lack of commute means we are more likely to start on time,and we can play a little later.

 

[Shiroiken]

Adult gaming is much more complicated that it used to be. Back in high school 6-12 hour sessions were fairly common. In college 6 hour sessions were the norm, with the occasional all nighter. Nowadays we plan for 4 hours, sometimes run over to 5, but sadly 3 hours are not uncommon. Worse is the weeks we can't get enough players together...

 

[Lanefan]

First off, brilliant move @atanakar for allowing multiple votes in this poll!

I voted on behalf of the sessions I DM, which in theory are supposed to be more or less 4-and-a-half hours (thus my votes for 4 and 5) but in practice range from 3 to 6. We often start a bit late and often run well past the in-theory end time, particularly on long weekends or if no-one has anything going on the next morning.

The sessions I play in are often shorter - maybe 3-4 hours - due to players getting tired early. (I'm not one: all too often I've just poured myself a drink when the game shuts down, so I hang around and gab for a while)

 

[atanakar]

Far less votes than I expected. Average 3-4 hours.

 

[Ringtail]

When we were meeting in person, the average time was about 4 hours. My Saturday group sometimes ended up going 5 or 6 as we all arrive unfashionably early, though this isn't the norm. That group has skipped Roll20 however. My Friday group played about 4, but surprisingly the move to Roll20 has us playing less, closer to 3 1/2 hours instead

 

[GMMichael]

How long does your TTRPG gaming sessions usually last?

Usually two outcomes:

- Longer than I've prepped for, or
- Not even getting through the first encounter I planned.