I agree that it's about priorities and making time.  My sweetie and I have an understanding that Sunday afternoons and evenings are sacrosanct for teh gamings, and in exchange I do whatever she tells me to all the time the rest of the time!

Also, consistency is a big deal.  A weekly or bi-weekly game time that everyone can rely on is key for the real life long-term planning.

Good suggestions.  I've had similar problems, born in 62, been gaming since I think 76 or 77 (whenever I got my white box DnD).  I've got three kids under age 12 and have very little time these days for gaming.  I just had to make it a priority and my wife is okay with me getting together with the gaming group once or twice a month for some Runequest.  It is definitely more work to get everyone together these days but it has always been worth it.

Good luck.

I'm not sure at what age you are considered old for a gamer but I'm 30 (going to be 31 on may 5th) I know that Clash is atleast 3 times older than me.

I now have a daughter (Izzy, 4 months old) and I do have less time to game. My gaming style is in the process of changing. Since becoming a father and moving  to gamer hell (small town with no gamers) I basically get a one shot game in here and there when I can drive to Minneapolis (an 1 hr + away). I'm looking into getting into some online gaming and I have Thursday evenings open for gaming in minneapolis but no takers for that night.

I'm thinking of starting up a gaming club here in Hutchinson and seeing if I can't bait in a few curious locals.

Quote from: ReimdallI agree that it's about priorities and making time.  My sweetie and I have an understanding that Sunday afternoons and evenings are sacrosanct for teh gamings, and in exchange I do whatever she tells me to all the time the rest of the time!

Also, consistency is a big deal.  A weekly or bi-weekly game time that everyone can rely on is key for the real life long-term planning.

You get GAMING in exchange!?! I just get to do what she wants. :haw:

Children sap the life out of individuality and the ability to actually have free time to do what one enjoys in life (besides baby sitting) My wife and I feel so lucky to be be free and not have to do the baby sitting and money spending that comes with raising children...My passion is gaming and helping others in my  area to enjoy the same passion.

Recently I tried to help a company that produces a product called TOS+ or "The Only Sheet" They were pretty nasty to me and seems to be a group of folks who (comically) cannot find it financially feasible not to charge 5 dollars for a lost product key. Those types of gamer supporters have blinders on IMHO and cannot see the forest for the trees.

Good Gaming

Quote from: McrowI'm not sure at what age you are considered old for a gamer but I'm 30 (going to be 31 on may 5th) I know that Clash is atleast 3 times older than me.

The coelocanth and I thank you as representatives of the Living Fossils of the World.

QuoteI now have a daughter (Izzy, 4 months old) and I do have less time to game. My gaming style is in the process of changing. Since becoming a father and moving  to gamer hell (small town with no gamers) I basically get a one shot game in here and there when I can drive to Minneapolis (an 1 hr + away). I'm looking into getting into some online gaming and I have Thursday evenings open for gaming in minneapolis but no takers for that night.

I'm thinking of starting up a gaming club here in Hutchinson and seeing if I can't bait in a few curious locals.

If you don't have games, make gamers! It's what I've done, and it works.

-clash

I did run into this problem a couple of years ago -- the old group was full of parents with busy schedules and it got harder and harder to get people to show up. Not only that, but the group met every Friday night, started late and played into Saturday morning... I would be dead tired the next day which was unfair to my wife and kids.

I had to leave the Friday night game (which was too bad because I had played with some of those folks for a dozen years or so) and find another. I ended up finding a group at a local game store which has become much more reliable and more suitable to my schedule.

The main reason for this is simply that we game on Monday nights now, from about 7-11 pm. Pretty much everyone makes it every week and I don't feel like crap the next day.

And for the record -- born in '70 and started gaming in '78.

Quote from: McrowYou get GAMING in exchange!?! I just get to do what she wants. :haw:

For this alone (not to mention the legion of other things), I would throw myself under a bus rolling on wheels of razorblades and vomit.

People have poker nights, they have netball nights, they have their French evening class, whatever.

People have all kinds of regular weekly evening commitments.  Kyle is right, if you decide that gaming is an important hobby to you, like poker night or netball for others (which ain't that important, but important enough to enjoy doing once a week or so) then you make the time.  If not, not.

And if not that's cool, most of us can only manage one or two evening things a week, but most of us can manage that.  If people aren't, it's usually IMO because actually gaming isn't that big a deal to them, and like netball there are some hobbies just require a commitment that others don't.

You enjoy netball, you join a local amateur team and you show up week in, week out, barring family emergencies and the like.  It's not work, it's a hobby, but because you enjoy it and because it requires a bit of commitment you make the time.  RPGs are the same.

So, that's my answer, you make the time if necessary dropping your netball, your French class or whatever.  And, and here's the rub if you don't live in a major city, you find some others with similar tastes.

We eventually make time for the things that are important to us. It's as simple as that. If you really wanna game, you'll game.

I have several problems relating to this.

I'm an RPG writer, but I hardly ever get to game. This is something I never wanted to happen and something I regret hugely. I never wanted to become 'one of those people'. I hate the disconnect between writing and playing and it sucks, but writing is now my only 'GMing' outlet, most of the time.

My old gaming group is now scattered, with families and a multitude of reasons why they can't game, even when I try to plan meet ups in advance. For my part I'm a poor self-publisher/freelancer and can't afford to go to them. What I do have is a house, with plenty of space for gaming, but nobody seems able to find the time or energy to visit - which sucks.

When I DO get to game there's such a huge weight of expectation upon it that even good sessions feel anticlimactic as they can't possibly reach the dizzying heights I want them to because I finally get to game.

The really weird part is that I'm also jonesing for miniatures game play, something I haven't been into since I gave up 40k more than a decade ago now. I'm in love with the Red Blok for AT-43 but just can't justify buying a game I'll never play, however pretty its neo-communists are.

This really, really sucks goats*.

*Mutant star goats with enormous spiny penises that shoot poison instead of love juice and leave without waking you and then never call.

Quote from: GRIM...then never call.

Damn, that's the worst part too.... the bastards

I feel ya though. I got a new job finally working in my former "other" hobby, Photography. I finally have a job I love, but the schedule forced me to give up my former group, Another of my fellow players who works with me and I have talked a bit about getting together and gaming, but it hasn't panned out yet. We both have SOs and I have a 2yo as well, so weekends are family time, and weekdays are work days.... it can be hard coordinating it all. Hang in there, it'll work out one way or another and an opportunity will present itself. In the mean time, what I've been doing is DLing and checking out stuff like PIG's Miami Nights, and Mean Streets... light stuff that might work as one-shots or just easy to jump into campaigns that don't rely on lots of prep. Hoping that will get us jump-started.

Quote from: GRIMI have several problems relating to this.

I'm an RPG writer, but I hardly ever get to game. This is something I never wanted to happen and something I regret hugely. I never wanted to become 'one of those people'. I hate the disconnect between writing and playing and it sucks, but writing is now my only 'GMing' outlet, most of the time.

My old gaming group is now scattered, with families and a multitude of reasons why they can't game, even when I try to plan meet ups in advance. For my part I'm a poor self-publisher/freelancer and can't afford to go to them. What I do have is a house, with plenty of space for gaming, but nobody seems able to find the time or energy to visit - which sucks.

When I DO get to game there's such a huge weight of expectation upon it that even good sessions feel anticlimactic as they can't possibly reach the dizzying heights I want them to because I finally get to game.

The really weird part is that I'm also jonesing for miniatures game play, something I haven't been into since I gave up 40k more than a decade ago now. I'm in love with the Red Blok for AT-43 but just can't justify buying a game I'll never play, however pretty its neo-communists are.

This really, really sucks goats*.

*Mutant star goats with enormous spiny penises that shoot poison instead of love juice and leave without waking you and then never call.

We empathise, GRIM. We all do. It happens.

I only have a couple players left myself. The rest have gotten married, had kids, moved across the continental United States, and of the ones that remain, most of 'em aren't gamers. Suddenly, the gaming scene became slim pickings.

Personally, I've made do with the few gamers I have, but I absolutely understand your situation.

P.S. Mutant  star goats are our friends....:emot-flowers: