How long does it take for an average group of 4 to get through one chapter in an AP? So far my group has done 5 sessions in Burnt Offerings and I can imagine 2 more depending on certain factors. So do other GMs try to impose limits? What's the typical burn out time for players and GMs? Do other GMs get bored and try to push players through to get to the next phase? Just to clarify I'm having a blast (I play on roll20) and I don't think my players are near burnt out yet.
It depends on how much combat encounters are in the AP and how they are broken up. Lots of small encounters with minor monsters will eat up a ton of time.
Roleplaying content lasts, as written, a bit shorter but, depending on the GM and the group, can grow substantially in time commitment, too.
So, the answer is: It varies. I've played through modules in as short a time as eight to ten weeks of sessions (which about translates into 24 to 30 hours of play with that particular group), but some have lasted way longer.
It depends on how much combat encounters are in the AP and how they are broken up. Lots of small encounters with minor monsters will eat up a ton of time.
Roleplaying content lasts, as written, a bit shorter but, depending on the GM and the group, can grow substantially in time commitment, too.
So, the answer is: It varies. I've played through modules in as short a time as eight to ten weeks of sessions (which about translates into 24 to 30 hours of play with that particular group), but some have lasted way longer.
Idem... I'm a GM for three different groups and the time to complete a single book are those indicated by magnuskn.
This means that it takes from ten to twelve months to complete an Adventure Path.
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To reiterate what others have said, it all depends on the group play style and layout of encounters but 20-30 hours of play time per book is about average from my experience with the first chapters of Second Darkness, Skull & Shackles, and Reign of Winter. I haven't been part of a group yet that has played more than the first chapter of an AP but I imagine that the play time is probably pretty consistent across the books.
When I ran Shackled City in 3.5 it took us about 200 hours to complete so 150ish hours to complete a modern AP with less material and a smoother running system seems about right.
I like to play at pace, and see the plot push forward. So above 25 hours a chapter I get a but grumpy
I like to play at pace, and see the plot push forward. So above 25 hours a chapter I get a but grumpy
I guess that's the heart of my question. At what point do you and the players "get grumpy" and what to do about it without derailing the whole AP? Attention spans are not what they once were.
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For the games I play 20-30 hours is about right. This depends on number of sessions too, if the sessions are really short it feels like it takes longer because more weeks pass whereas long sessions make the play time seem shorter. If you play 8-10 hour sessions 20-30 hours is gonna seem REALLY fast, if you only play 2-3 hours it's gonna feel like forever.
Kingmaker Chapter 1 took about three months for my group, playing once a week for 4-5 hours each week plus one special extra Friday session. So that's ~40-45 hours, give or take.
Chapter 2 took about nine months, but there were a TON of extra additions, expanded sidequests, and extra stuff I threw in, so I imagine going more "by the book" would have taken only at most half that time. So ~70-75 hours, -ish, maybe less, compared to our actual ~150.
Yep depends on the group and the book as well,
I'm running Skull and shackles with 3 players, book 1 took us 12 3 hour sessions.
Book 2...a whopping 30-40 odd weeks of 3 hour sessions, as Orthus said my campaign consisted of extra side quests and I decided on a more sandbox feel.
I would say the rest will be a lot less than this though but it all depends on my players, they tend to do what they want and do odd things now and again which are so good they throw the game in new directions.
On average I would say somewhere between 10-12 3 hour sessions for us (I have done a few others and found this to be a bench mark).
I keep track of campaign statistics, such as this one, and for my group it's usually 6-8 sessions of 4.5 on average, which equals to roughly 30 hours per chapter. We play, on average, 4 times in 5 weeks, meaning a year of gaming per AP.
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My group completed the first two parts the World Wound Incursion in one 8 hour playthrough. I expect to do much the same for parts 3 and 4, then spend about 6 hours on part 5. Parts 3 and 4 seem a bit short though, so I might be able to knock 2 hours off those parts. So if all goes according to plan, WWI will take around 20-24 hours to finish.
Really depends on the group, and the AP.
The group I play in chews the fat a fair bit, plays once a week, is averaging like... 4 years per AP with Shackled City and Kingmaker.
The group I run for has plowed through Legacy of Fire and Jade Regent in about 5 months each, playing twice a week.
We're going a pretty steady pace with RotRL. But I'm also one of those GMs that prefers running focused games with little chit chat. If the players are doing things in game and staying motivated then I don't rush them. But as soon as I smell even a hint of floundering I start cracking the whip (in a good way;).
Our group is older (all of us are 40+) and there are 6 players + 1 DM. We're playing our first AP (Carrion Crown) as we typically play custom campaigns. We just started chapter 5 of CC and it was our 44th session. We play every other week and try to get in about 4 hours of actual game time per session. There is a lot of cutting up at the table.
All of that is to say it takes us a little more than 10 sessions per chapter and roughly 40-45 hours per chapter. We know we're slow, though. *grin*
We're working through rise of the runelords, (3 down...) and its taking about 30 hours per adventure, although it does vary depending on the actual adventure as some have more interesting rp opportunities than others.