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

[RenleyRenfield]

I am late to this, but hey = anytime I look for new players = this helps = C.A.T.S. method of session 0 (link)

It does not guarantee I find the perfect player - but it does take those players i do find and let them know pretty much day 1 if our playerstyles and rpg desires are compatible...

 

[Neonchameleon]

But how do you sift in a way that makes sense? How do you develop that personal barometer?

One part practice, one part visualisation and knowing which skills you are looking for. You don't just want good players but ones that vibe with the game you want to run. And a big part trying rewarding certain things and seeing how they respond.

 

[Desdichado]

It is very much a solvable problem. After all, I solved it!

That's not how data works. There are things that can help encourage a solution, but it's not a guarantee that you can even FIND the right mix of truly compatible players in a given area, especially if your tastes verge on the esoteric or eclectic.

 

[Brendan Byrd]

Luck seems to be a running thread in this forum, which I know I shouldn't be surprised at, but that also makes a lot of sense. I wish it did not need to be so luck-based, or random chance.

< silly humour >
If the games you play involve math rocks…

At least ”luck” and “random chance” are constants.
< /silly humour >

 

[TwoSix]

One overlooked aspect: BE the kind of player that other good players want to play with.

 

[GrimCo]

I think it also depends on do you run online game or face to face one, and if it's second, do you play in public space or private space (usually DMs place).

I run only f2f games and mostly play at my place. So, when you are invited to a game, you are invited to my home. Behave like a guest and you will be treated like a guest. Because of it, i put heavy emphasis on vibe check with new people i'm not familiar with. Sometimes, people just don't click. You can't put your finger on precisely why, someone just didn't sit well with you and that's that. Other reason is, this hobby eats decent amount of free time. You hang around for 3-4-5 hours with your group every week, or every other week. Don't know for others, but for me, if i'm spending that much time with someone, i wanna spend it in a group that has decent chemistry & similar sense of humor.

Online gaming is more forgiving since social aspect isn't that pronounced. In my experience, in online games, people focus on the game itself much more.

 

[Scott Christian]

I've been thinking about this a lot and have started building something around it. Curious whether others have developed any reliable signals or methods for compatibility before session one, or whether it's mostly still vibes and luck.

I also use my home to run and play in games. For me, it is about screening prior to that. I played in a short campaign. It was one where we were all paying $25 a session to play. Some people at the table I kept, others I didn't. I think this is key. The group I had, knew that before inviting anyone over, they needed to ask. Most of the time, no problem. If they were to join our group, it warranted a discussion among all of us. This took almost a year to get to a great place.

But even now, there will be complications. New players want in because they are a friend of someone at the table and think it sounds fun, and we have to decide... Is this going to work? Then they show up as a "trial" run for a few sessions.

I have said no several times to co-workers. It's painful.

We are now capped at seven players. And for some of us, that is too much. But, we all get along, have fun, and enjoy the same playstyle. And in part, that is because of the screening I did, and later, we did, early on.

There have been other times I let people invite me, and I decide if I am a good fit for that table. I am very fortunate in the fact that almost everyone I have played with through a campaign has been good. I am lucky, and I understand that may not be the norm. But for me, the coin has just always seemed to land on the right side.

 

[Jacob Lewis]

You can't "solve" a probability with infinite and incalculable variables, but you can take some appropriate steps so they may favor you. It all comes down to the size and composition of the pools you either have access or limit yourself to. People who cohabitate comfortably within walled gardens for gamers are more likely to have issues and opinions about what they want and expect. New and casual gamers, on the other hand, then to be more interested in enjoying new experiences, fitting in, and having fun.

The first thing you have to do is be honest with yourself about what you really want in a player, and what you're willing to compromise just for an opportunity to have a game. At some point, you learn that being the GM isn't about having total control, and that letting go means enjoying ultimate control.

"Session Zero" isn't meant to be a screening process to find the right people. It's usually either a negotiation, an interrogation, or an orientation for people you've already invited to have a seat at your table. You're attempting an elevator pitch for the whole show when you have only an outline with some notes in the margins about a few key scenes. A lot of players show up with the mindset that this is just time set aside for character creation and getting GM approval. They're just sitting through the required seminar so they can claim a piece of the promised time-share.

But somehow, "Session Zero" has become internet shorthand for "Problem Solved!" Take this step and everything will work itself out. It doesn't actually help you find (or shape) good players to fit your needs. Its just an informal contract filled with promises and agreements that eventually get lost, forgotten, and broken the longer the game continues. By that time, your group will have already determined its own trajectory through shared experiences, circumstances, and fate.

Personally, I have always preferred players who cared more about sharing the experience with others than the actual game. If you find those people, you can have just about any game you want.