Quote from: Spinachcat;902474I prefer sausagefests for home campaigns.

I've not been lucky with mixed groups in home campaigns, far too much relationship drama spills over into the game. Which is a shame because a couple times the girlfriends/wives were better gamers than their husbands/boyfriends. I don't need that stress during my fun time.

For me, mixed groups have worked far better for LARPS and certainly for convention events. Perhaps being in a public environment / gaming with strangers makes people less likely to dump their drama on the table.

I hate to say it to you, but this is the entire reason I started a private gaming club.  It sounds like a dickish thing, but if I'm going to host any kind of game at my house I want people to understand that causing drama will get them ejected- by the police, if need be.  All of my gamers have invested into this group, they've financially supported it, and there's a degree of loyalty and support.  Because of this, the biggest 'argument' I've ever seen between them was more laughing and picking at each other than a real 'drama' situation.

We do try to do one game at the FLGS once a month with other people, just to see what's out there and learn the meta and find new guests to invite over.  Every now and then, we do find a loon or a creeper, and we just make a mental note of it.  One of my preferred tactics is to introduce myself to new players, shake hands and ask for names- and I'll write down those names in my notebook, and if they're scummy/weird/obnoxious?  I'll make a note of it so I can avoid them later.

Right now, ours is entirely focused on WH40k, but a couple of the guys have played some D&D to break the pace and we're very likely to start some Dark Heresy.  Not sure what sort of room that is in the local game community, as everyone in the area seems to have a hard-on the size of a polearm for Pathfinder.

Quote from: Krimson;902469That is certainly true. I have seen different sorts of play styles but nothing I could call specific to gender.

I've noticed that the women I've played with seem more interest in interpersonal and social roleplaying like romance and relationships and tend to flesh out their characters more in that sense. I know its cliched and its not universal but its been a tendency, IME. And usually once they introduce those aspects the guys get onboard pretty quickly so might be less a gender difference as willingness.

Quote from: Shipyard Locked;902047Irrelevant. Whoever shows up and isn't an ass can play. My main thing is group size - I want 3 to 5 players, and get quite uncomfortable if outside that range.

Yup.

Quote from: Crüesader;902483I hate to say it to you, but this is the entire reason I started a private gaming club.  It sounds like a dickish thing, but if I'm going to host any kind of game at my house I want people to understand that causing drama will get them ejected- by the police, if need be.  All of my gamers have invested into this group, they've financially supported it, and there's a degree of loyalty and support.

Sounds awesome. Do you guys do $20/mo and spend it on beer, chips and minis?

Quote from: S'mon;902460You really can.

Quote from: Gnashtooth;902449You can absolutely pick your friends, and this choice is a reflection of your character.

Fixed that for you

Quote from: Xisiqomelir;902494Sounds awesome. Do you guys do $20/mo and spend it on beer, chips and minis?

We spend it on 'whatever we need'.  Sometimes it's food, sometimes it's sodas, sometimes it's gaming supplies.  Beer is your own responsibility.

Quote from: Gnashtooth;902449You can't pick your friends.

Of course you can. There's even a proverb around here that says "you can't pick your bosses, coworkers and relatives, but friends are a matter of choice", so it's proverbially untrue:).

Quote from: Krimson;902444I think the highest ratio of girls to guys while playing a game was 3:2 in one of my old groups. I did run a game of Star Wars RCR for the local Fan Force years ago, and I'm sure most of the players were women though I wasn't counting. I was more impressed at GMing for a group dressed as Jedi.

Well, that's a good start, right there;).

Quote from: JesterRaiin;902322...you, of course, entertained the idea that it might be about "I prefer all-male group because it allows me to apply certain, specific conflict-managing accessories, rather forbidden in all-female or all-kids groups", rather than "women are too stupid to understand certain rules", right?

Can't claim that I had, no, given that I'm at a complete loss as to what "conflict-managing accessories" are permissible in all-male groups but are forbidden to all-female groups.

Quote from: Ravenswing;902536Can't claim that I had, no, given that I'm at a complete loss as to what "conflict-managing accessories" are permissible in all-male groups but are forbidden to all-female groups.

Oh, the answer is easy. It has been, in fact, already posted in the very same comment you're responding to. :cool:

BTW, why do you avoid "all-kids" part and focus on "all-female" only? You did it earlier, you do it right now.

Most of my groups in recent years have had women players; and while I wouldn't say that mixed-gender groups are better than all-male groups, I would certainly say they are different.  The style changes; an all-male group tends to be a lot more 'laddish'. On the other hand, groups with women in them tend to have more levels of inter-personal roleplay.

The last steady group I was in had a pretty even spread with respect to genders and ethnic background. It was certainly the most stable and long term goal (form a great company) oriented group I've played with. Previous ones that were more monochromatic or male dominated tended to peter out rather soon but that's all anecdotal. I think coming from different places in life informs people in different ways and can improve experiences working towards a common goal.

With my students majority female groups tended to be the most successful. To generalize:
-All male: fairly decent with a bit too much Leroy Jenkins.
-All female: fairly decent with a bit too much turtling.
-Majority male: dysfunctional clusterfuck with the boys not listening to the girls and the girls hanging back and not helping the boys to get their revenge. Also easily the most PvP.
-Majority female: well-oiled killing machines.

I've been GM for all-female, all-male, and mixed groups. I've had good and bad experiences with all of them.

Honestly, the essential qualities any player should have are regularly showing up to campaign sessions, not being a toxic human being, a willingness to have fun, and yes, a modicum of personal hygiene. Anything else (rules mastery, natural born thespian, etc) is just gravy on top.

Quote from: JongWK;904671I've been GM for all-female, all-male..... groups. .........

Duh. Recent controversies have shown us that at least one of these must be wrong, since you yourself are either male or female (I presume)

Quote from: JongWK;904671Honestly, the essential qualities any player should have are regularly showing up to campaign sessions, not being a toxic human being, a willingness to have fun, and yes, a modicum of personal hygiene. Anything else (rules mastery, natural born thespian, etc) is just gravy on top.

[Looks for something controversial to start a flame war over, finds nothing, and moves on]