I need some input on a potentially campaign-ending situation. I've recently started a campaign with my wife and friends, but it grew kinda big, and is starting to get out of hand. Not so much the game, but the real-life situation. We game on sunday nights, and are supposed to be wrapping the game up at a decent time(around 9pm) since most of us get up around 5am-ish the next morning. Since the campaign started, we've had players arrive later and later and later, to the point of getting to the table around 8:30-ish (and we wanted to wrap at 9).
We have spoken to the players. We have tried different things, for example, we had a rule that we start at 7pm, and anyone who isnt there will have their character proxied by the DM until they arrive. This didnt work at all, as only 2 of the 7 players were there by 7pm the following few weeks.
I'm honestly about to just end the game and call it a day. The players are having a good time, but honestly, and this is going to sound VERY stupid, but their good time is actually getting in the way of the game. When 6 people are sitting in one room waiting on the other 2 to arrive, conversations start. By the time the other players arrive, everyone is in full blown coffee-break chat mode and I have to "interrupt" them and remind them that there's a game going on, and we've only got an hour left.
So, here's where you guys come in. What would you do? Kicking the late players isn't an option right now, because it's not the same players each time. It seems to be an overall group problem. HELP!
Perhaps reschedule your game to a Sunday afternoon game? Or to another evening when the players do not have to get up early?
Alternatively you could schedule long sessions during holidays instead of the weekly sessions.
I completely understand what your going through. We had a similar situation where due to work schedules two players would routinly be absent, again it was due to their jobs so we couldn't be mad at them.
Our solution was to have an alternate game in place when they couldnt show up. It worked out well, they dont feel bad for having to cancell and we arnt held hostage to their schedule, plus we play on either friday,sat or sun which ever is most conveinant for all.
I second the alternate game suggestion. A card game or party game. I have also run alternative time line games for players who do show up. So when only 2 out of 7 shows, you run a 'mini game' of how those two met up or their continuing adventures after the rest of the group has retired.
You have to be willing to ignore continuity, which, can be a problem. However, at least you can get some gaming in before everyone else shows up for the last hour.
Well, things worked themselves out, in a way. We wound up moving the game to friday nights as opposed to sundays. We just have too much going on on sundays (band practice, family dinner, visits, etc) and decided to not run on that night anymore. In the process, 2 of our players had to step down (who were going to anyway due to the problems listed in the OP), leaving us with 5 players who can consistently make it, on an evening where no one has to worry about getting up early the next day.
I hated like hell losing 2 players like that, but it got to the point it was either change nights or drop the game completely. Besides, several of us game with them on another night, so we can still share the hobby.
Thanks for your help and understanding!