How often have you gamed in the past year?

[Ahnehnois]

I realise that this is a pretty small voting sample, but, about a solid third of people responding are playing every two weeks or less. What I wonder is if this holds true for the larger gaming public, and, if it does, how has this changed over time?

Given this past year, I'm guessing some of the people with lower playing numbers are weather-related; I lost quite a few session opportunities to snowstorms during the whole "polar vortex" phenomenon.

If there's a real macro-level change, it might be attributable to an aging player base.

 

[Teataine]

We have two regular weekly sessions. Sometimes one or both get cancelled, but that's rare. For a few months we had three sessions weekly, but that has proven to be too much. Plus some conventions with 1-4 sessions in addition to the regular games. So definitely more than once per week on average.

However, 3-5 years ago I was lucky to get a single session per month.

 

[Campbell]

The only time we see significant cancelations is around finals. Of course that's primarily because nearly everyone in my group is either working on their Masters or Bachelors degree.

 

[Nikosandros]

I play twice a week, but the average is lower, because I don't play during the month of August and I normally skip a couple of session between Xmas and New Year's Eve and at other more or less random times during the year.

 

[Lord Mhoram]

I realise that this is a pretty small voting sample, but, about a solid third of people responding are playing every two weeks or less. What I wonder is if this holds true for the larger gaming public, and, if it does, how has this changed over time?

I will say of my group, and 3 others with friends that I don't game in but have the same frequency, I'm the only one that hits boards and follows this kind of thing - so my vote is pretty much the same as at least 15 people who didn't.


Plural of anecdote is not data and blah.....

 

[Hussar]

Well that was kinda my thought. Back in the day you were assumed to be playing a heck of a lot. But then there were nowhere near the number of other entertainment options. Now with so much competition for your free time, I wonder how that impacts game design.

 

[Argyle King]

Currently:

-DMing a face-to-face GURPS Supers game; typically one day a week, and 3 out of 4 weeks per month.
-player in a face-to-face D&D 3.5 game which is weekly
-usually a player for D&D Encounters, but I've been cutting back recently in favor of other activities
-I'm a player in a play-by-post GURPS Dungeon Fantasy game

 

[saskganesh]

Only about once a month this year, I prefer biweekly.

If my game tanks, I'll take a break and then find another group, another game. There's lots of choice.

 

[Gilladian]

Face to face: until about 6 months ago, pretty much weekly. Since then about 4-5 sessions. But we started a new campaign just this month, of which I have high hopes.

Online; play-by-post at least 2-3 posts a week pretty much the last two years. Hard to say what that means for "play" compared to face to face - we've completed 2 "adventures" and the third is winding down.

 

[Vaprak001]

You aren't half way to dead yet, no reason to give up on an awesome hobby!

I am playing every thursday from 1900-2300, or more like 2000-2230 since we end up just talking about random stuff for the rest of the time. I have started DM-ing about once a month as well, but those sessions are usually much longer and includes a dinner break.

We usually played friday and saturday every forthnight, but it got more and more difficult to get the group together on weekends, so we moved the game day to a thuesday or thursday.

It's actually amusing, but I probably game more now (I am 36) than I did when I was a teenager. Probably because the people I game with have cars and we have a place to play now unlike earlier.

Actually, at 42 I am probably literally half way to dead!


...but no, I'd never give it up; started at aged 7 and its been such an important part of my life. Its just now I have a pregnant wife and three other kids under 5, a very hectic job and I've moved location 7 times in the last 10 years including three different countries! Worst thing is I now live in the Middle East and I'm not even sure its legal here! Whereas some men have a secret stash of 'health' magazines, I have my hidden pile of 1e/2e sourcebooks and modules to read!