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I'm in Idaho. I'm 50, my children have all grown and moved on with their lives. I have no gaming group any more. I'm alone, with closets full of hex and graph paper, cardboard miniatures, modules, rule books,and an empty feeling inside that I don't think will ever be filled again.
I have a lovely wife, a wonderful friend and companion for 32 years. She is my everything, but she never was interested in playing.
The only gaming I get to do is here, on the pbp forums, and it's not the same.
I miss playing with friends
I miss my friends
I feel for ya. I live in southern Indiana along the Ohio River. I am 33 and forever single.
My previous group moved away, got married, and have young kids. The only gaming I get to do is over VTT (refuse to do pbp as it is too boring and slow). I could possibly be able to play with people face to face, but my observations show their playstyle is incompatible with my own. Even though they play a lot like the people I group with over roll20. But at least with the online play, I can divide my attention between the game and farting around on the internet, and just come off as the silent shy type person (which isn't far from the truth).
I miss playing with physical people, instead of no-faced internet people. I know they are real people, as I can definitely hear them over my headphones; but looking at a screen isn't the same as looking into a face (even if we did end up ever using webcams).
Most of all, I miss rolling physical dice. My poor dice haven't seen real use in 10 years, and I miss holding them in my hands and hearing them roll. My silver and copper swirl dice, and my icy blue semi-transparent dice... How I miss being able to use them. A dice roller program just isn't the same.
Where is everyone based?
I'm in El Cajon, CA. US.
Central New York State, USA. South of Syracuse.
Northeast New Jersey.
South West Ohio
Northwest Missouri.
If any mid-western oldies ever find themselves in south-eastern Michigan, I know a couple people (me included) who are always up for a pick-up game.
You're in my neck of the woods. We just ended my campaign two weeks ago, and started a new campaign where I get to play for a chance. Five players + GM. But if I find myself without a group at some time, I might be in the market for a pick-up game as well.
Northern Manitoba, Canada.
I play using Fantasy Grounds II these days for the tabletop and use Ventrilo for voice. Works real well for the groups I play with.
I don't know many people who live in my area. SE Indiana, 1 hour drive west of Cincinnati OH, 1 hour (or so) drive NE of Louisville KY, 1.5-2 hour drive south of Indianapolis IN. Just far enough away from anywhere that might have a large group of potential gamers, and be fairly inconvenient for drive times.
How many run published adventures, compared to those that make up their own? Right now I am running Carrion Crown, which is my first real attempt at a published adventure. I can honestly say that it just doesn't feel right. Always went for things of my own creation. But my wednesday online group who I have played with for over a year now, just decided to switch from 3rd to Pathfinder, and they wanted a horror campaign (which I am not too fond of, but the old DM had to step down and I decided to take his place, and that was their choice of adventure).
Still working on my campaign setting. Getting things converted to Pathfinder and fleshing things out a bit more. Trying to get the races right, and so on. Maybe one of these days I might get to run a game in it. But I would rather try for an in-person with players that I mesh with.
I don't know many people who live in my area. SE Indiana, 1 hour drive west of Cincinnati OH, 1 hour (or so) drive NE of Louisville KY, 1.5-2 hour drive south of Indianapolis IN. Just far enough away from anywhere that might have a large group of potential gamers, and be fairly inconvenient for drive times...
I can't remember for sure, but I think there is a PFS group pretty close to there. PFS isn't my favorite way to play (though it is better than sitting home watching TV). But it is very useful way to find groups and individuals.
I watch and listen to the folks around the table. Most people don't really game the way I do. Not a problem, I'm only at their table a few times a year. If I like the way they game, I ask if they would be interested in joining our group (or I suppose if they have a group I could join). Our last 2 players have been located that way and we have been very happy with the way they melded into the group.
Where is everyone based?
I'm in El Cajon, CA. US.
I live in San Jose, ca, but work in Valencia CA.
I'm from Greenbelt, MD (just outside of Washington, DC) and live between DC and Baltimore... for the next couple of months, at least.
Like a lot of the "old-timers" posting, I've lost most of my gaming group to various vicissitudes. Most of them either moved away or grew apart, leaving me to be with my wife, kids, and coworkers. Between all them, I don't really have much time for a lot of friends, anyway. Oh, well.
I started playing PFS at local game stores (even opened one venue near my house specifically so I wouldn't have to drive too far!) to satisfy my need for gaming. That eventually led me to a group of older gamers for an AP (we're about to finish book six of Wrath of the Righteous). While the AP has gotten a little silly, and we definitely have a focus on defeating combats, I enjoy the group and get to play PFRPG once a week. Sometimes my wife will let me sign up for a local mini-con or something, too. For the most part, though, Tuesdays from 5:30 until 9:00ish seems to be enough; I've got more than enough work to keep me busy the rest of the week.
It's all like Wrong John Silver said- we just don't have that kind of free time.
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Conway, Arkansas. 50 with a 20 year old son who plays when he can. I don't get to play with my group much at all anymore, as we're all responsible adults (allegedly). I started a Tuesday night group for my son and six of his friends, and that's a hoot. I'd forgotten what it was like to be in my early 20s and playing The Great Game. They're a very enthusiastic bunch who are all becoming victims to 30 years of gaming and dirty tricks on my part.. LOL
My core gaming group has been more or less the same since around '95. Started with them in 2nd edition AD&D (though I personally started with this when I was 10) and we've moved to 3.0, 3.5, and then to Pathfinder. My partner's son is gaming with us now.
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This thread is really... comfortable :D It's nice to read posts that fit your experiences and gaming style. I'm in Bakersfield, California myself.
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Meetup.com and local PFS. That's how I found most of my current group. I did put up a thread on these forums too but the guy from these threads isn't in my game anymore unfortunately.
I don't know if these work for all areas of the country and I can't guarantee you'll get old-timer gamer buddies but at least they're live players. I've done PbP in the past and gamed with some friends through email but I agree with Terqy - it's not the same.
Recently I finally got a gaming room. I had one as a kid and then again in my first apartment, but then I started dating my future wife and we moved in together. For the past 2 decades I've been in cramped quarters with my family (wife, 2 little girls) and haven't really had dedicated gaming space.
Well just a few weeks ago we bought a new house with 2 stories and a finished basement. In said basment is a modest room that isn't a playroom or a den or a workroom I'm using the corner of or whatever. It's MY gaming room.
I can't express the joy and peace and serenity it brings. I have a SEPARATE area to work on minis, terrain and molding modular dungeon pieces. I have the rest of the house for board games with the girls or video games with the wife. This gaming room is calm, cool, and sublty lit with shelves full of books, a big desk for me to work at AND a folding table for gaming.
Guys I'm truly blessed. I have live players; one of them's an old-skooler like me; I have my own gaming room again. I can't WAIT until the next session this weekend! I wish everyone in this thread that kind of luck.
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I've lived in West Yorkshire most of my life, and I've been based in Leeds for the past 17 years.
Although I've played 1st ed AD&D since 1978 when I was 13, my main group finally assembled about 20 years ago around 2nd ed. We moved through 3.0 to 3.5, but despite encouragement from me and another player the DM doesn't want to change to PF. In theory we play weekly but in practice we miss as many as we make through adult responsibilities.
I'm playing PF (Kingmaker) with another group, and we started playing around a table but have now shifted to playing over the Internet using Fantasy Grounds and Skype. Although it's a very cool gaming tool, I can't help but feel that there is now a lot less role-playing than when we played around the table. Is it because we're looking at the map grid instead of the faces of the players and DM? Or am I imagining the whole thing and it's really because this part of the campaign is just fights and kingdom building?
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Hate to break the trend here but ive got a strong home game going over 5 years now. I also have a fun beer and pretzels group going on 3.5 years at the moment. The twin cities has a very active PFS and meetup group so finding a table is easy and gamers are always looking.
I tend to be a bit of stand out though compared to the usual gamer. In the right mind set ill play with anybody in say a PFS game. I even have fun on average at those PFS games. Though when im searching for a regular group I never ever under any circumstances start a long term campaign with people I dont know. I run one shots and go to meetups to meet gamers and gauge compatiability. Once I find a core I find they like to stick with likeminded folks. Then you are golden.
Very happy home owner in the Nordeast MPLS area of the twin cities.
I've moved from group to group as groups broke up over the years. Have a group now made of the remnants of former groups, combined with a newbie.
Overall, real life is mostly what gets in the way of regular sessions, but we still do it.
I'm in Western Massachusetts. I'll be 41 soon, my dad is 69, and a couple friends in their mid 30s round out our group. We pretty much always enjoy game day no matter which game we're playing. I just wish there were a few more around, we could use one or two more.
I tried looking through meetup. Hasn't produced any results at all. This was last summer, so maybe I can make an attempt again. *goes to check the site*
And nothing I could feasibly do...
I'm in two face-to-face games right now, both PFRPG.
I'm GMing a weekly semi-homebrew/semi-published campaign, "Champions of Old Korvosa". Here's my campaign journal and my campaign website. I've known all the players individually for years, but this is the first time we've all played together. We're all guys in our 40s or 50s, and most of us are married and with kids. (Our professions are: IT manager, college administrator, auto mechanic, software engineer, and freelance graphic artist.)
My other group is playing Skull & Shackles. One of the players in my game is the GM, and he and I are the only overlap between the groups. Due to scheduling, that group meets irregularly, usually once or twice a month. I've been playing with that group for close to 15 years, and I've played with some of them for longer than that. I've been friends with one of that group since the late 1980s! That group is a bit more mixed: two players are women, and two players are still in their 30s.
I was also playing some PbP on this site. I was really enjoying it, but two of them folded suddenly, and the third is on hiatus. Two of the people in the game on hiatus were finalists in this year's RPGSS (Mike Kimmel and Robert Brookes). I'm really hoping it gets back off the ground soon.
Southern New Mexico here. Had a full group for over 25 years, with us gathering mostly once a week barrin exceptions.
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Another way to find players might be comics shops. Depending on how social you are you might strike up conversations with the owner and see if they are into gaming, know anyone who is, or would let you post a flyer for a game.
I had a core group since 7th grade that I hung with through college until I was 30(so what, nearly 20 years). Then I moved to MN from IL and after a couple years of no gaming at all I began piecing together a new group.
My first attempt was running 3x for a group of adults who'd never played RPGs ever. Helping me in this was my wife (thank god for her!) and my one current old skooler in my gaming group. I met him through my wife's Mom's Club and did some board gaming with him. Needless to say - the new people game was a disaster and ended quickly.
Next I tried meetup groups and played a little but I didn't seem to gel w/anyone. My new buddy here introduced me to some of his friends and together we've done some recruiting here and there; online, word of mouth, PFS games, etc. At times its felt like less of a hobby and more of a part time job. Currently I'm in 2 groups gaming with a total of 8 guys.
Its not easy finding new players in adulthood, in my experience. There's family, work, sometimes school too that keeps schedules inconsistent. My biggest issue though has been socially. I'd meet a gamer, maybe we'd even have a good PFS session together, then I'd ask to sit in on his home game or maybe have him around for mine. Suddenly it's like the Sims when 2 characters have negative reactions: the guy I'm talking with goes rigid and nervous, puts up a hand and waves me off saying the table's full or whatever.
Now I completely get it - sometimes you have a stable of like 9 people in your gaming group or whatever or you've got physical space restrictions so I can't come to your game. But I've just invited you into mine and you've just got done telling me you wished you gamed more. Let's face it; you just don't want to hang.
Meeting new people is hard and gets harder as we get older. Not all gamers grew up into social extroverts who can glad-hand in public and mingle at parties. Heck, some of us don't even get invited to parties anymore. But even then I'm not asking for new players to be my best friends.
I've recently put together a combo megadungeon/West Marches style campaign. Though my regular players are LOATHE to hear it one of the reasons for this was so that PCs could rotate in and out w/out much hassle. So I say to all gamers in MN, reading this thread, who might be looking for a game: take a few minutes, make a guy, and sit in on a game. It's beer and pretzels, you'll have a laugh and get to rip it up a bit. If it's not your thing or you don't like me or my style, fine - there's no commitment here. But if you like it and want to come back then great; I'll add you to the roster.
Hopefully there are similarly minded folks in Idaho, or Indiana, or wherever its tough to build a game. If not, maybe WE can be those guys.
One of the best ways I ever saw to get gamers was at a comic book shop I used to work at years ago. A GM requested some space in the corner on a Saturday, brought all his own gear including a table, and bought a brand new DMG (back in 3x). He didn't have ANY players booked that first Saturday; he just showed up and hung a sign reading "PRODUCT DEMO".
On his table he laid out a battle mat, painted minis, hand-built terrain pieces and dice. He had pregens stacked to the side and his books out as well. Eventually some kids came over and asked what he was doing. They sat, messed about with a couple combats and told their mom. He had a few more bites that first day and that was that.
By word of mouth and physical presence this guy grew a game. They'd meet every Saturday to "demo" 3x material. Many of his players actually bought the gear he was showing off at the store so we kept hosting him. A few regulars developed out of this, they made friends with one another, and this GM still games with a couple of these folks in a home game years later.
Shiny things like minis, terrain and new books will attract players. Hopefully this works for others too!
Went to the local used book/magic card game shop yesterday after not being in there since August 2013. He expanded the shop in size, and now has some comics and minis for sale, as well as tons of board games. Also saw a large amount of White Dwarf magazines, 4 D&D4e books, and some Pathfinder books (bestiary 3, inner sea gods, dragon's demand, one of the player companions, and a part of Mummy's Mask). Thinking of going in there again this weekend and ask if anyone buys the Pathfinder books.
While I know there are some in town that play RPGs, the ones I overheard last year, I wouldn't be a good fit with. Maybe I could get a group that way. I don't have high hopes about that, which could be a good thing. It means I could be that much more pleasantly surprised if anything good comes of it, and less disappointed if nothing does.
I drive an hour to my game. It wasn't so far at the start, but that's where it is now and I don't regret it.
Also, yeah, I don't think the FLGS is a great way to find gamers. It's a great way to find gamers who aren't already in a group, but often there's a reason for that. You can probably find one or two people new to the area that way, but maybe not a whole table's worth.
One of the best ways I ever saw to get gamers was at a comic book shop I used to work at years ago. A GM requested some space in the corner on a Saturday, brought all his own gear including a table, and bought a brand new DMG (back in 3x). He didn't have ANY players booked that first Saturday; he just showed up and hung a sign reading "PRODUCT DEMO".
On his table he laid out a battle mat, painted minis, hand-built terrain pieces and dice. He had pregens stacked to the side and his books out as well. Eventually some kids came over and asked what he was doing. They sat, messed about with a couple combats and told their mom. He had a few more bites that first day and that was that.
By word of mouth and physical presence this guy grew a game. They'd meet every Saturday to "demo" 3x material. Many of his players actually bought the gear he was showing off at the store so we kept hosting him. A few regulars developed out of this, they made friends with one another, and this GM still games with a couple of these folks in a home game years later.
Shiny things like minis, terrain and new books will attract players. Hopefully this works for others too!
Now THAT's a plan!
Also, it really pays off to be a leader in a situation like this. Be the one people are coming to. Be willing to boot people--in a friendly manner--if they don't work out for the group. Make no qualms about advertising what sort of game you want to play, but keep it friendly and open and inclusive (NOT elitist or exclusive). Do that, you can build a reputation, and grow a stable, enjoyable group.
@ Mr Silver: I tried doing that w/my current sandbox game. Not town guard but just "if you're not w/the party, you weren't in the inn when the adventure started." For some reason though I can never seem to end at a logical point for the party to be back at the freaking INN though!
We've had 6 sessions so far. One ended w/the party in the megadungeon; another w/the party traveling through the wilds to get to a forest shrine; a third in the middle of a tomb; the last session ended w/the death of the PC paladin in the wilds near the megadungeon.
How do you hex crawlers/sandbox types do it where at the end of every session you say "... and you return to town." and make it make sense?
In the recent campaign I've been in, we're privateers, so we just take our home with us.
Mark, here are some other guidelines:
* Never start a combat in the last hour of play. That will guarantee that you're going to be stuck wherever. The BBEG should be met and combat started in Hour 3.5 of a 5-hour game. Once the BBEG is defeated, the way back home is quick, simple, and unaccosted.
* Make sure home base is safe, secure, and happy to host the PCs. It should be a town where the PCs honestly don't have to worry about people stealing their stuff. That way, they'll be back.
* For the period of time where you're going to see a greater amount of ins and outs of players from the campaign, the campaign should always, always involve adventures within a few hours' travel of the home base.
* The best campaign for this sort of setup should be similar to a series of one-shots. Think of pacing it like a TV show, not like a movie. There can still be development, over-arcing themes, all that, but it's all broken down into bite-sized chunks.
* Make sure you advertise this as the setup of the campaign. It'll be about adventuring on the Isle of Kortos, based in Absalom, for example.
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...
How do you hex crawlers/sandbox types do it where at the end of every session you say "... and you return to town." and make it make sense?
Jimmy-Joe-Bob is at the game table this week but wasn't last week. Arthur-Daviston was here last week but isn't this week.
J-J-B was guarding the horses/camp/whatever. Since A-D has some unmentionable intestinal disorder, he went back to guard the horses and sent J-J-B up to assist with the raid/mission/recovery/investigation.
Easy peasy. Yeah, takes a little cooperation and acceptance from the group, but most don't have a problem with it.
Has anyone had a campaign where the players have outright asked the DM to be more lethal? It's one of the things that crops up with my group sometimes; some campaigns, the players are not satisfied unless a PC dies every session. But, then, these are mostly people who started back in the AD&D days, so I'm wondering if it's just a group quirk.
Group quirk, if my experiences are anything to go by.
The groups I hang with want character development, side plots, and stuff; not easily accomplished if you'll be randomly offed every other week. Dramas can plan for that sort of thing, RPGs, less so.
That's not to say that the spectre of death can't hand in the air; more challenging is good. More deadly is a side effect of more challenging. But more deadly for deadly's sake is no good.
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My group tends to expect some PC death. In a year long campaign that just wrapped up, there was a total of seven PC deaths. Two of the PC deaths came on the very last session as the building they defeated the BBEG in crumbled around them. So in reality, more like five PC deaths for the campaign.
I'd say that's probably on the low side for a typical campaign of mine. I get a hot hand on the dice at times, and we play with the critical hit/fumble decks as well as a modified instant kill rule.
If there are zero PC deaths for an extended time, I would probably get bored as a player. Even more so if there were several times a PC or more should have died, but the GM saved them.
Went to the local used book/magic card game shop yesterday after not being in there since August 2013. He expanded the shop in size, and now has some comics and minis for sale, as well as tons of board games. Also saw a large amount of White Dwarf magazines, 4 D&D4e books, and some Pathfinder books (bestiary 3, inner sea gods, dragon's demand, one of the player companions, and a part of Mummy's Mask). Thinking of going in there again this weekend and ask if anyone buys the Pathfinder books.
This sounds exactly like the shop in my hometown. Where are you from, if I may ask?
Went to the local used book/magic card game shop yesterday after not being in there since August 2013. He expanded the shop in size, and now has some comics and minis for sale, as well as tons of board games. Also saw a large amount of White Dwarf magazines, 4 D&D4e books, and some Pathfinder books (bestiary 3, inner sea gods, dragon's demand, one of the player companions, and a part of Mummy's Mask). Thinking of going in there again this weekend and ask if anyone buys the Pathfinder books.This sounds exactly like the shop in my hometown. Where are you from, if I may ask?
Sent ya a PM on the exact name of the town. Mentioned earlier that I am in southeast Indiana (at least I am sure I did). But figured, in the very slim chance that we live in the same town, I would be more specific in a PM.
Not sure why I am being that paranoid about saying the town I live in.
Adjule, let's say you are just being cautious for your family.
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They'd have to make it through my dogs. :) Though my 150 pound golden retriever may end up smothering them while trying to give hugs and kisses. She's nearly done that to me a few times.
Duke is my Chow/Sharpei mix rescue. He just wants to make sure you aren't a cat or a squirrel in disguise.
EDIT: We now return you to your previous program.
When I was a kid we had a golden retriever that loved anyone that came to the back door of the house. Everyone's best friend. But if a man tried to walk in the front door she instantly went in to this snarling, snapping, frenzy. Women or kids could walk in the front door, but not a man. Totally bizarre.
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Duke is my Chow/Sharpei mix rescue. He just wants to make sure you aren't a cat or a squirrel in disguise.
EDIT: We now return you to your previous program.
That would be an interesting mix to see, I must admit. I have a chow/GSD mix and she is the sweetest in the world, but super protective. My husky can be a giant ass, though she is sweet to me (always has to be around me). Also afraid of little kids for some unknown reason. Then I have a retriever mix who will wag her whole body instead of just her tail.
What was this thread about again? :p
I get nostalgic pangs to play a simpler game again, one where players describe what they are looking for, instead of just rolling a d20, adding a bunch of numbers to it, and ask "What did I find?" Ones that are more descriptive of their attacks instead of saying "I swing my sword at it." Of course, that's more to do with the players themselves (with a bit of help from the system) than the actual system as a whole.
I've had to deal with "I swing my sword at it" since my 1e days, so that's no surprise. No nostalgia for me there.
The people I used to play with got a bit cinematic with their attacks. Though the further we got into 3rd edition, the more it became "I swing my sword at it." I sometimes get a bit more descriptive of my attacks every now and then when I play. But being the only one doing so, I usually get discouraged and just say "I attack X". I haven't even bothered to try after the first month of playing my Wrath of the Righteous game. I am just there to see the end of the storyline, really. Which at the rate we are going, shouldn't be too much longer (8 months and almost done with book 4. So I am guessing we will be done by the end of this year).
Of course, over the years of not playing, my playstyle mutated into something more akin to trying to make a sorta facsimile of a fantasy life simulator. Which is strange. And definitely not in line with anyone I have come across. Of course, I blame my MMORPG playing habits that I developed after leaving tabletop: crafting and wanting to go out and find the materials to make stuff. I really only leveled any character to be able to get to the higher tiers of crafting and to survive the creatures in the areas where the higher tier materials were located.
The ultimate character concept that I would love to play, would be a gnoll paladin who rides a hyenadon (for thematic reasons, as it would just make sense that he/she would ride one instead of a horse) who started life as a blacksmith/armorsmith/weaponsmith. But that seems to be an impossible dream (gnoll is almost never an available race, and sometimes the Paizo write-up in the ARG just makes groan). Maybe one day, I will be able to live as that character on game nights.
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@ Mr Silver: I tried doing that w/my current sandbox game. Not town guard but just "if you're not w/the party, you weren't in the inn when the adventure started." For some reason though I can never seem to end at a logical point for the party to be back at the freaking INN though!
We've had 6 sessions so far. One ended w/the party in the megadungeon; another w/the party traveling through the wilds to get to a forest shrine; a third in the middle of a tomb; the last session ended w/the death of the PC paladin in the wilds near the megadungeon.
How do you hex crawlers/sandbox types do it where at the end of every session you say "... and you return to town." and make it make sense?
That's the advantage of all the adventures being in the same city. : )
I like city adventures a lot more than wilderness adventures, and I like wilderness adventures a lot more than dungeon bashes!
DM: Tonight people, and probably for the next four years, we'll be playimg The Worlds Biggest Damn Dungeon! Cool, huh!
Me: .....
DM: ...what are you doing with that baseball bat....?