Your game sucks...

[Kzach]

How 'fickle' are you?

This question is directed at a certain sub-set of the gaming population. Those who engage in joining random groups of players both online and offline. For those lucky individuals who have been gaming with the same people for the last twenty years, this obviously doesn't apply to you.

So, do you join groups and leave them on a the drop of a dime?

I sure as Hell do. Given that it's random groups of people I've never met before, if I sense or experience conflict, my first reaction is generally to get the heck out of Dodge. Now, depending on the group, I'll also tolerate a fair bit of crap, but only if I think it's worth it. But if your game sucks? *POOF* I'm gone.

How about you? Just how much are you willing to tolerate in order to game? Do you give people second chances? Third, fourth, fifth? Do you game even if you don't really like the setting, system, campaign? What is your breaking point?

 

[Halivar]

I have never gamed with a random group of people, so there's a social element that keeps me from really being able to leave a sucky game.

 

[Aeolius]

... if your game sucks? *POOF* I'm gone.

I come at this from the perspective of a DM who knows that his game is not everyone's cup of tea; underwater, light on melee, loads of hags, and did I mention underwater? That being said, I am always open to criticism, so long as it can lead to improvements in my game.

Of the games that you have "poofed" from, what reasons drove you over the edge? What means could have been taken, to retain you as a player?

 

[Oryan77]

For the past 8 years I have been the DM for the group that brings random people in. I only just recently joined a random group for the first time. As a player I'm pretty easy going, so as long as the people are nice & I can have fun, I see myself sticking around. I'm not a big stickler for gaming styles and all of that (as a player).

As the DM, I'm much different. I don't tolerate crap and I won't hesitate to persuade problem players to leave the group (or just not invite them back). At this point, I've dealt with so much crap from so many players that I'm just worn out when it comes to DMing. I still love to DM, but I find myself no longer being tolerant to any play style or attitude that conflicts with my own play style.

 

[Traveon Wyvernspur]

I've been in 3 gaming groups in the past few years. First one I left even though I liked the people, I didn't care for the DM's way of DM'ing or the game system (it was Savage Worlds). I left it after about a year, basically combats took way too long and we only played like 1x every month to month and a half anyhow. Second one I put together by talking to people online at different gaming sites and actually DM'd it from level 1-30 (4E) in a rapid paced campaign because I knew I was moving within the next year. I liked the group a lot and if I hadn't moved I'd probably stick with them for a long time. Number three is a new group I just joined after my move down to Las Vegas that is running Pathfinder (my first foray into the Pathfinder system, but I had played 3.x before so not too different). I'm enjoying the DM, people I play with and system thus far, so I feel it may be a good group that I will stick with for a while.

So to make a long story kinda short, I'm usually one of those guys that likes to find a group or groups and stay with them for a long period of time unless something happens that I become completely annoyed with or for some reason have to relocate.

 

[Kzach]

Of the games that you have "poofed" from, what reasons drove you over the edge? What means could have been taken, to retain you as a player?

Not enjoying the game. Finding a particular player annoying. Finding the DM to be unprepared or does something I consider a cardinal sin (it's admittedly a long list). Conflict with any of the people at the table or conflict amongst them. Body odour. Lack of roleplaying. Too much roleplaying.

Maybe I should change my nick to "Goldilocks"?

 

[Bullgrit]

After my very first gaming group, guys who were already my friends, in 1980, I've joined and started new groups several times.

For joining:

At least twice I dropped out of a group after the first session because the group/game just wasn't to my liking. No insult to the other Players and DM -- not everyone has the same tastes. I was polite and stated that the game just wasn't my style.

Another couple I dropped out of after several, (but less than six), game sessions. Although things didn't start out obviously against my style, (like the two above), small issues just didn't get better, or things started turning against my style. Again, I was polite and said I just didn't enjoy the style.

Another time, when I started a group, (as DM), one Player sabotaged the game to the point that I gave up even wanting to DM. That sabotaging Player took over as DM, and a few game sessions later I dropped out, taking half the group with me. (We who dropped out together formed a group and played together for years after.) I never told that guy anything; I just stopped going.

I've never had a Player drop out of one of my games for style or game issues -- unless they lied and just used Real Life as an excuse. Although I have had to drop some Players from my game over style or game issues.

Gaming styles vary greatly. It's no crime or insult for someone's personal style to not match a game group's. Joining a new game group is like dating: you're not going to find a great match every single time.

Bullgrit

 

[Pentius]

I am very much critical of the first impressions from the group, which usually happen before the first session. Usually this means analyzing the introductory post(whether it's an online messageboard or a FLGS bulletin board) for red flags. Possible red flags include:

-System/setting I don't care for. A good DM can make anything work, but I have no guarantee the DM is good.

-Egregious misspelling/grammar errors. A typo or two is fine, but if I have to translate your words into English before I can read them, I'm not responding.

-Any derisiveness of other systems or playstyles.

-Any mention of being "Real ____ers" or playing "True___". Ime, if you feel the need to tell me, upfront, that you are a Real Roleplayer playing True D&D, then you are probably a Real Jerk.


On the other hand, once I do decide to respond to such a recruitment, I am very reluctant to leave a group. I will bow out if some of these red flags show up in play("Ugh, this guy took a 20 in his prime stat, and he has Expertise. Was really hoping he'd be a Roleplayer."). However, a stray two-blade Drow Ranger or an insufficient amount of Doctor Who references isn't going to scare me away at that point.

 

[S'mon]

I mostly create groups, I don't kick people out on the drop of a dime, though recently I have unsuccessfully asked one player to leave; maybe I'm too polite because he's still there. The result is that I'm not enjoying the campaign as much and won't run it as long as I originally intended. I'm good at kicking out players who are actively hostile or obnoxious, but this guy's main problem is that he's polite enough but absolutely will not roleplay in what was advertised as a high-roleplay campaign, and his presence sucks some of the fun out of the game.

 

[delericho]

After the first session, I'll decide whether to commit or not. If I'm in, I'm in. If not, I'll bow out gracefully.

However, even with long-standing groups, I have a small number of deal-breakers. If these elements show up, I'll walk. But they're the big, obvious things that I suspect most people wouldn't accept - if I've committed to the game, it does take a lot to drive me away.