What would you change about your gaming group?

[Rubeus Hagrid]

My group consists of my wife, our best friend, his fiancee, his ex, and my sons. Its pretty much perfect.

 

[Clint]

More Slutty Goth Chicks.

I hardly ever laugh out loud when reading forums. Thanks.

I'd have all my players magically adapt to my own weird gaming style, in a perfect balance of give and take where the story is thick and the world perfectly shared. They'd understand the delicate balance between a strong character and an effective group, effortlessly passing the spotlight back and forth between each other, and providing a contrast to each other's strong points. They'd nibbling on the right story seeds while spend minimal time on the inconsequential parts. They even gently prod me with perfect story ideas both in game and between sessions.

I'm happy with who I've got, though.

 

[Agamon]

Well, my current group is about as close to perfect as you can get, but as a DM I have the following list of changes I would apply to all players in general:


- They they all pay equal attention for the entire session, and when their character is not directly involved with what is going on they would always wait patiently and quietly.

- They would all take careful notes on NPC names, town names and other general info so I do not have to repeat myself or entertain requests for INT checks in order to remember something.

- They would all always be on time.

- They would all always carefully read all materials I give them and study them - and not act surprised about a development or house rule when they had access to it for weeks.

- They would try to creat fun characters that fit the setting and not ask that the setting be changed for their pet character idea.

- They would not blurt out what they think might happen next (and ruin the surprise for everyone) when their character has no way of knowing this.

Wow. Me too. To a tee. Well except that last one, I haven't had that happen, they're usually all equally surprised by my shinanigans.

 

[Gossamerblade]

I've been playing with pretty much the same group for ten years and they played together for about ten years before that. There are three different DMs alternating nights with different styles.

All of these guys are true gamers who develop wonderfully different characters for each campaign. Although we know each other's playing styles, we still manage to keep everyone on their respective toes.

The only things I would change would be for everyone to be on time and to have a real babysitter on hand. Having to change a diaper or kiss a boo-boo in the middle of a battle really ruins the mood.

 

[BluWolf]

I have been playing with the saem group for about 4 years and frankly, lately it has gotten very tired. Most sessions end with the same sense of frustration and disappointment, whether I'm DMing or playing.

The other DM has all but given up on roleplaying. He is pretty good at it but you have to pull his teeth to get him to do it as a Dm or a character.

Another player has been playing for over ten years and she still doesn't know how to run her characters or how the rules really work.

The youngest guy there is just there for synchophant loud color commentary.

The party wizard shows up sporadically and when he is there he spends most of his time reading spell descriptions and making spell lists. every half hour he blurts out "hey guess what I can cast now?"

Meta gaming has seriously crept in to the group.

If it wasn;t for the fact that I'm moving away for good in a few months I would hang it up for awhile.
I do have to add that thye area a great group of people and fortuneately are good friends outside of the game. I just wish the game had not grown so stale.

 

[gustavef]

My only change right now is to play more often then once a month, (at best).

Maybe if I played more I would have other issues. But for the most part, everyone is having a good time.

-gustavef

 

[The Furious Puffin]

A party of people who's playing style gelled together nicely

Seriously - my/our group started about 4/5 years ago (Cannot remember exactly it sort of ramped up from someone saying hey guys one day) and the group had about 9 players, not all of whom played at the same time (we usally played with 5 + DM). However, due to differences over game style the group has been cut back to 4 (including the DM) and is about to disappear as we all go to Uni, as the final memebers of the group develop style problems with each other.

What I would love is a group that could settle on a playing style/method that we *all* like and run with that.

 

[Corinth]

Wishes For My Group

Here's mine:

1. Red-Haired Woman stops playing Mary Sue characters, stops cheating on the dice rolls, pays attention when I speak, acquires a few new hobbies, stops telling me about her character when she's bored and stops treating me like a dick in a jar.
2. Rodent stops cheating on his dice rolls, stops acting like a spoiled brat, plays to genre, stops antagonizing the other players, stops playing Mary Sue characters and stops annoying his girlfriend (Red-Haired Woman).
3. Wuss Man bothers to call or email me beforehand to notify me about his absences, instead of saying jack before or after. Oh, and he gets a backbone.
4. Everyone acquires a manual if they don't have one, and then bothers to READ THE ING MANUAL and remember how the rules work.
5. Repressed Catholic Boy remembers to call or write and tell me that he'll be late or miss a session, puts more effort into making his character fit into the rules and gets a backbone.
6. Everyone pays attention when others speak, so that no one has to repeat anything that's said or gets confused about what goes on.
7. Fighting Game Fanatic remembers to call or write when he's going to be late, and remembers that boinking his girlfriend is not an excuse for being late.
8. That everyone know what their schedule is out to four weeks from the current date so we can schedule the next session with the ease that ought to occur with such things.
   [/list=1]

 

[I'm A Banana]

About the blurting thing. I'm not bothered by it, but sometimes, it surprises ME that they think of these things.

Like...Characters are sent on a mission by a king to activate an item. They gotta meet interesting people and solve their problems. First three people they meet are somehow connected to the element of Earth. Then they meet a big minotaur that destroys the town.

Quest continues. Next three people are somehow connected to the element of Air. Then they meed a big bird-centaur that destroys the town.

Player pipes up: "Every time we finish an element, some big disaster happens."



Sometimes it works to my benefit, though. Sometimes, their ideas are better than my own, and then I steal them and act like that's what I was playing all along.

Said player has an amazing knack for this, not just in D&D....like...


(SPOILER)

She's playing Final Fantasy X. She called that Sin is Jecht right about the time the pilgrimage started.

(/SPOILER)

I mean, COME ON!!!

 

[Ace]

Now that is a really good question. I don't have a current group worth a hill of beans. Most of my gamers are aquisition gamers (level up, get the stuff, get a kingdom etc)
I am a roleplayer primarily interested in character building so our styles are incompatible.

The situation is bad enough I have decided not to game until I have a group I like.

I could game on-line but i need a social outlet

If I were building a group I would swap out four of five of them for some good roleplayers.

Just an afterword, Lor- Was this a pretentious post.
I have to come up with a better way to write this stuff