Players getting "flaky"

[Ostler]

How do you handle "flaky" players?

I have 2 players that have recently said they want to continue to play in the campaign I run but the want to play on a different night. We have been playing on Wednesday nights for a year and a half. We started playing that night because everybody could consistantly attend. Now 1 of the players wants to start doing something else Wed. nights, and another player has decided to work Wed. nights. They want to move the night we play. This is a problem because one of the other players in only available Wed. nights. So now I'm stuck with the choice of not moving the game and losing 2 players, or moving the game and losing 1 player. I'm not happy with either, and it's likely that the time they want to move it to (Sunday afternoons) will mean more missed sessions.

Anyone had a problem like this? How do you deal with "flaky" players? Any ideas what I should do?


p.s. Neither of the players is a signifigant loss, one is a huge meta-gamer, the other a Powergamer/munchkin. Unfortunately, it would be hard to replace them since the campaign is currently 18th level characters.

 

[Crothian]

I'd just tell them you all agreed to this day to play on and that's the way it stays.

 

[Old Fezziwig]

I think if you really feel the way you seem to feel about the players, then I'd keep it the way everyone agreed to schedule it. It's fair, and the term "significant loss" just looks like a flashing red light to me. Just my opinion, I could be wrong.

Best,
tKL

 

[Sanackranib]

accomodation

As DM's we all try to accomodate the players. If it comes to a choice accomodate the more consistant better players over the flaky ones. as a DM I don't even hide that the players who are consistantly there get preferential treatment and more xp. if the flakes don't like it then they have a choice, show up consistantly like everyone else or find a differnt game. I put in too much time to DM for flakes.

 

[Fenes 2]

We recently had to shift our playing night in one campaign from tuesday, where it was scheduled since 1992, to friday, because one of our players and co-DM started night school. If no compromise can be reached, then you have to decide what player(s) is/are more important to you, and stay with them. Sometimes players have to leave for a time or the forseeable future due to scheduling conflicts.

(One of our players is in the army, and will miss another 18 weeks next year, so he missed the last half year of our campaign.)

 

[jdavis]

Throw it out for the whole group to decide. if two people want to change but everybody else says no then they should get the picture without anybody being the bad guy.

 

[Umbran]

Wanting to change a schedule does not make a player "flakey".

Life happens. Needs and wants change, oportunities come and go. The world doesn't remain static, so you shouldn't expect your game schedule to remain so either.

 

[Drawmack]

I have never delt with moving the game night except when a new game starts. However I played in a group one time that met on saturday's. It was a large group with 12 players. There were 3 of us who made it consistently the rest of the people missed off and on for different reasons. When more then 3 people would miss a saturday session the DM would move it to friday night instead of canceling. I made it very clear that I could not attend friday nights under any circumstances. One time the session got moved and it was the week when we finally got an item I had been searching for, for three months. Then the party didn't want to give it to me becuase I missed the session. I ripped up my character sheet and walked out. The next day everyone called, individually, to appologize. I told them to get lost and went about my way. The party suffered a TPK the next week because they didnot have a thief to detect traps and the DM refused to change the adventure because as far as he was concerned they had pushed me out with their actions. Two weeks later we started a new game with a no night change rule, you either made it on gameday or you didn't play. I think you should keep the night. I mean there is you and how many players? All of these people will have to rework their schedules for these two players, who by your statement are probably more of a distraction then anything else.

 

[mythago]

Wow, Drawmack. I mean, yes, they were jerks about the item, but the DM doesn't sound like a swell person either in this story.....

I would say that a game stays on the usual night, unless there is some compelling reason to move it that doesn't mess with the other players. If *everybody* says yeah, I can make the new game time, then change it--otherwise, sorry, the game was there first.

I have done temporary moves when one player has a scheduling conflict IF I have notice AND all the other players can handle it.

 

[jmucchiello]

I wouldn't call wanting to change the game night after a year and a half flaky. Things change. If you were talking about a month or two into the campaign, that's a bit weird. But real life is not static. No matter how good Wednesday use to be for everyone, it isn't any more.

Still, this sounds like a group decision kind of thing.

Drawmack: I'd say the DM in that story was the flake. He knew you would not be available on Friday and still held a session that was important for your character that day? Shame on him.