World of Warcraft killed our gaming group!

[Dragonbait]

This one guy, whom I love immensily, has like 278 family members that make it a point to hold their parties on Game-Day Friday. Punkass.

You game with Jason too? Man, he's been cheating on us with another group? Bastard!

Then, around 6, we would start playing. For an hour or two, until someone would say that they he didn't feel like playing RPG any more, and the session would either end right then or he would leave, and the session would end a quarter hour later, when the DM felt that he couldn't go on without that player.

Sounds like you have more than just one problem with the group. I think WoW did not kill it, but rather it killed itself if this is a common occurrence.

In all my groups, I know of only 1 person who got hooked on MMO's and stopped playing RPGs. She disappeared for over a year, then we communicated with her, which was a big mistake. She came back and was unable to get along in groups, or with other plays (even though it was a mixture of old and new players by this time). Good riddance to her.

 

[Ahrimon]

Well, we have a three-day-convention coming up in november, and our local gaming club has members (Or at least forum users ) from "der falschen seite Kusels"

Look us up: www.karota-ev.de - I'm known there as "Menschfeind"

Tell me more about this 3 day convention.

I'm the only WoW player in my group. Raiding until 5am hasn't stopped me from going to game days. Drinking until 5am has though. hehe.

The biggest hit on our game group is work responsibilities. We've had to take 4 months off before due to RL.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

just one problem with the group. I think WoW did not kill it, but rather it killed itself if this is a common occurrence.

The thing is: It's always the same player. And he's one of the WoW addicts.

I hate to say this, but, Flexor's point did flit through my head as I read this as well.

Go ahead. Say it. Get specific. Off with the gloves. I don't care. Because I'm not the DM. The two guys with the WoW addiction are.

I do admit that both seem to have a burn-out, and would take any excuse to stop playing (one of them runs us through a Vampire chronicle, and shortly after the other guy quits, or if we're playing at less than full strengtt, he would in variably say something like: "I'd like to cut here because I want to have XX along for this."

What ails me most is that they just don't say: "Sorry, I can't go on, it's no fun for me, Let's end this so we won't waste your time. What ails me even... moster!... is that the current Vampire storyteller used to be petered off by people who would do it. Come to think of it, he's also petered off by another party/krewe member's powergaming, and I've seen him do much worse (when it was my gaming group). The more I think about it, the more I think "good riddance". It's interesting what you put up with in order to continue roleplaying.

If your game gets dropped through lack of interest, perhaps its a good idea to step back, take a breather and brush up on some DM'ing tips.

As I said: I'm just a player there. The group I DM runs strong, people are enthusiastic (and I'm not even that great a DM in my estimation. I think I give them what they want, though).

My advice, try online gaming like OpenRPG. You can be pretty sure of keeping a group together. Anyone who goes through the bother of going to OpenRPG or Fantasy Grounds is likely not a casual gamer in the first place.

Not for me. I prefer to sit at a table (or something similar) with the other players in sight range. I'm a bit old-fashioned at times.

Hey there Kae'Yoss ... seems like a long time since I saw you post last. Even before the crash. It's nice to see you again.

I did appear again after the crash, but not for so long. I guess I got turned off a bit after I though that this place got quite harsh - people being banned for days without a warning first. Then I found out that that isn't the general policy, so I'm just petered off at a certain moderator now, but not at the place itself.

Thing is, with the decrease in roleplaying action (as the sundays rounds were often cancelled or cut short, with an hour or two of actual gaming at most), I showed up here less and less. I guess I'll come back here more often, though.

 

[mmu1]

Great advice. People get mad at a game for giving their players something that is apparently more fun than what they are getting at the RPG table. Maybe people would be better off examining what is lacking in their game than being mad at lines of code?

This would be better advice if WoW actually (aside from external trappings that make for superficial similarity) had something in common with tabletop D&D.

IMO, losing someone to WoW is no different than losing someone because they'd rather watch football - it provides, on a fundamental level, a completely different experience, rewards completely different behavior, etc.

 

[Hussar]

But, would you then get angry at football? If not, then Flexor's point is not so far out.

Kae'Yoss - Heh, I'm trying to be tactful here. I have no idea of the specifics of your group, so, I'm just going with what's here. Sounds like the group just has some very different priorities. Move on and get new players. But, yeah, it is true what we'll put up with just to play. Having just excused myself from a campaign I can feel your pain. First time I've ever done it, but, I just stopped having fun in that game. Kept going with it for a few months before I finally decided to end it. I think it's still groovy with the DM. We talked back and forth and parted amicably.

Gaming life would be a lot easier if people would actually take the time to communicate. For a group of people whose hobby centers on playing a role and being able to express that role verbally, there's an awful lot of butt heads out there.

 

[Infernal Teddy]

Tell me more about this 3 day convention.

Well, three days (Okay, 48 hours) of solid gaming, fri 19:00 till sun 19:00 at Kaiserslautern University. RPG's, CCG's, Miniatures gaming (Mostly Warhammer / 40K / Warmachine).

We run it twice a year, spring and winter. The upcoming con will be our tenth as KaRoTa. You're welcome to sniff around at our website, or join in the chatting at our forum.

EDIT: Also, we have a weekly gaming night in KL

 

[Kae'Yoss]

But, would you then get angry at football?

Don't start with football. I'm still amazed that I didn't start a genocide after seing the whole nation acting brain dead.

Kae'Yoss - Heh, I'm trying to be tactful here.

Keep trying, one day you might succeed.

Just kidding.

I have no idea of the specifics of your group, so, I'm just going with what's here. Sounds like the group just has some very different priorities.

Nothing bad with that. As such. But I have no use for anyone for whom trying not to waste other people's time is not a priority. If you don't want to play any more, just say so. But don't cancel game after game, or cut them short if you just happen to actually attend.

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

This would be better advice if WoW actually (aside from external trappings that make for superficial similarity) had something in common with tabletop D&D.

IMO, losing someone to WoW is no different than losing someone because they'd rather watch football - it provides, on a fundamental level, a completely different experience, rewards completely different behavior, etc.

They are similar in that they are both fun pursuits to pass the time. If the D&D game isn't equalling the "fun factor" of another game there is no point in getting mad at the other activity, either figure out what your game is lacking in comparison or get a new player.

And as WoW player I have to state that the type of enjoyment I get out of it is closer to what I play D&D for than what I watch the NFL for. Both are there for my fantasy gaming fix, they just address different aspects of it.

 

[mmu1]

They are similar in that they are both fun pursuits to pass the time. If the D&D game isn't equalling the "fun factor" of another game there is no point in getting mad at the other activity, either figure out what your game is lacking in comparison or get a new player.

The point I'm trying to make is that not everytime someone abandons a game for another activity it's a sign that the game was lacking something... or that you could introduce that missing element into a tabletop game, even if you wanted to.

Though personally, I'd just look for a new group, or new players, too.

 

[Man in the Funny Hat]

I won't buy anything WoW. I think because of this, Blizzard has seen the last money from me period.

Plus I doubt that it would help: They want to play their raids and feel important in their guilds.

Yes. It's all Blizzards fault. They OWE you. The very gall of some companies...

Blame your PLAYERS.