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Message: <blockquote data-quote="MNblockhead" data-source="post: 9215800" data-attributes="member: 6796661">Set expectations, check in frequently, and calibrate. That's the only thing that works for me and I've been playing with the same players for years. In my experience, many of the issues the OP discusses are not only issues with new groups. People change over time or they think that want, or want to try, "A" but as they play they find they actually prefer "B." When I'm getting ready to start a new campaign, I throw out some ideas for game systems and campaign ideas. I explain the nature of the system, giving an overview of the rules. I describe the setting and tone. I discuss whether it is a very open ended sandbox or a whether it is heavily story driven, or even a bit of a rail road. As we play, we touch base, and ask ourselves, are we still having fun? Are we not feeling engaged by the story or would we like a bit more direction in our sandbox? Also, I only run one long (8-hour) session once per month. So at the end of every session, I'll ask the party where they would like to go / what they are thinking of doing next. I generally have plenty of time to prepare for a change in direction. But during a session, if things go in a direction I'm not ready for, I simply state that fact. I don't get upset or blame the players, I just say, "guys, I'll need some time to prepare for this, I'm happy to do so, but either we'll need to end the session now or perhaps you can do somethings in what I have prepared based on last session and I'll be ready for the new area or change by the next session. And, finally, I have no problem saying "hey, this isn't working for me. I'm not having fun running this campaign any more. Happy to run something different.".  I'm too old and have too little time to be guilted into running something I don't enjoy or don't feel ready and comfortable to play.  But, similarly, I realize my players are in the same boat. I don't lay blame or try to cajole them into playing what I want to run. I may be disappointed if I have to give up on something I am personally excited to run, but which isn't working for the players. Luckily, there are so many systems and settings that I'm excited to try that I'm fine scrapping a campaign and starting a new one‑-just give me a month to prepare.  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":-)" title="Smile    :-)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":-)" /></blockquote>

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