Is "finding the right players" a solvable problem, or just luck?

[Lanefan]

Solvable problem all the way, though the solving process might be a little bumpy.

First off, run games only for people you already know from somewhere else - work, school, the gym, ENWorld, wherever - rather than total strangers.

Second off, run in-person only. It's impossible for anyone to "read the room" over a VTT, even more so if you're not using actual video feeds (which hog bandwidth).

Third off, run only for people who are actually interested in playing. If Joe from work is keen, that's great; but if he insists on bringing his spouse who doesn't know D&D from M&Ms and isn't interested in learning, big red flag. Keep him, punt her.

Fourth off, expect there to be some arguments and in-game shenanigans while the players get used to each other. You'll have some player turnover in the early going, so be it - let it ride. This is the bumpy bit. Eventually you'll shake down to a more cohesive and stable group.

Fifth off, even if your table is full, always keep the next replacement player in mind and never truly stop recruiting. Better to have a "waiting list" than to run out of players.

I'll go a step further: The players you have XX months/years later aren't the same players you have at session 0.

Because people change. What people want out of a game changes. What people want out of their free time changes. Life changes.

In effect, player turnover without the actual people changing. Very good point.

Flip side is that you-as-GM will slowly change as well. You might go in wanting a deep-drama serious game and a year later real life's provided enough drama of its own and you're yearning for some gonzo silliness, but don't want to change campaigns as the current one is otherwise rocking hard.

 

[aramis erak]

In my experience, the right players are a mixture of luck and training...

 

[aco175]

I have had a different series of games based on life places. When we were kids we played with the neighborhood kids and everyone made up stuff and some of the kids liked it more than others and some became longer players and others played a few times or when it was raining or something. Later on in high school I had a few other from town that played and we ran a few things as my world grew and others from the next town could play as well. It was still small and most of the neighborhood kids stopped playing or moved away and such.

Then there was an Army group that I played with. Again mostly people in my direct unit and we mostly played when we ran out of money to go out on the weekend. Some had a more stable group and we played a year or so. There was also a semi-group at the local game shop that I tried playing with but could not commit due to being deployed. And MagicTG became a thing at this time.

After coming home, there was the old, local group that was still playing of some people I played with in high school and now my little brother was playing. Several people came and went from this group and we are now playing with my father, brother, and son. It has been an evolving group but dwindled over time. Never really looked for new players. Had a few one-offs that came for a week or two and faded away.

My point is that many times finding players depends on luck of where you are and where in life you are. Today might be easier to find players online and in groups at places instead of just the neighborhood kids, but these are the friends you have and like to do things with. In the Army, I could have reached out to a larger group of people instead of the 20 people in the barracks hall which most were the same rank and more friends than not. Today, I am not going to abandon my family that I play with, but I like playing with them anyways. Maybe someday my father will not be able to play anymore and my son moves away from college. Not sure how I will want to play at that time.

 

[cranberry]

Someone above dismissed session zero, but imo, it's the most effective way to convey what kind of game you'll be running, and give the potential players an opportunity to bow out if it's not what they're looking for. I tend to let everyone in unless they are an obvious red flag. What constitutes a red flag, of course, differs from GM to GM.

I don't take it personally if someone realizes after the fact that the game or my GMing style isn't for them and leaves.

So, I'm more of a big tent person, and willing to give people a chance before deciding they aren't right up front, and I'm willing to deal with issues as they arise.

If you set too strong a filter, and can't find enough players that are the perfect fit, you may be the issue....