I'm not sure if this belongs in the off topic thread, but I don't think so since it's gaming related.


As I am getting older (and my friends who I gamed with are getting older), it is harder and harder to find time to game.  I'm lucky if I can get a session in once every couple of months, and that's just not realistic for any type of continuous campaign.

I suppose my question to everyone is, "Have you been in a similar situation, and if so, how did you resolve it?"  I'm one of those "resist change" kind of guys, so the idea of finding a completely new gaming group is a bit worrisome.  Especially since I've been playing my own games for so long that I don't have any other systems except Earthdawn, and AD&D 1st and 2nd ed.  So good luck finding a group there.

Any advice?

Quote from: Acta Est FabulaI'm not sure if this belongs in the off topic thread, but I don't think so since it's gaming related.


As I am getting older (and my friends who I gamed with are getting older), it is harder and harder to find time to game.  I'm lucky if I can get a session in once every couple of months, and that's just not realistic for any type of continuous campaign.

I suppose my question to everyone is, "Have you been in a similar situation, and if so, how did you resolve it?"  I'm one of those "resist change" kind of guys, so the idea of finding a completely new gaming group is a bit worrisome.  Especially since I've been playing my own games for so long that I don't have any other systems except Earthdawn, and AD&D 1st and 2nd ed.  So good luck finding a group there.


Any advice?

I dunno. I run mostly my own games and play twice a week - sometimes three times - and I'm old enough to remember President Eisenhower when he was President. I have no trouble finding players because I make 'em. I've been doing that since 1977.

Quote from: flyingmiceI dunno. I run mostly my own games and play twice a week - sometimes three times - and I'm old enough to remember President Eisenhower when he was President. I have no trouble finding players because I make 'em. I've been doing that since 1977.

Make 'em? :confused:


You're not one of those guys who makes character after character and role-plays with himself and "invisible" friends are you?

Have you ever visited Dragonsfoot? There are a ton of early edition players over there, maybe you could find someone to hook up with.

As for time constraints, I'm of the opinion that virtually anything is doable if you force yourself to make time for it. It may involve sacrificing involvement in other activities, but if you want it enough then then you'll need to do what's required to make it happen.

Quote from: Acta Est FabulaMake 'em? :confused:


You're not one of those guys who makes character after character and role-plays with himself and "invisible" friends are you?

Pfft!

I find non-gamers who might be interested and ask them if they want to game. Most don't but enough do that I never lack for players.

-clash

Quote from: Acta Est FabulaMake 'em? :confused:


You're not one of those guys who makes character after character and role-plays with himself and "invisible" friends are you?

I figure he's breeding them.

Admittedly my search would be much easier if I were single.  Kids and their activities (sports, etc) takes up a lot of time.  Not that I regret that of course.  The oldest kid is your typical student-athlete and his idea of gaming is pretty much limited to FPS and sports games on the Xbox.  The youngest is just learning how to read.  And even when he's older, I don't want him to game because it's my interest.  He'll have to be interested as well.  He's off to a good start though.  He LOVES me reading the Spiderwick Chronicles to him.

Quote from: Acta Est FabulaAdmittedly my search would be much easier if I were single.  Kids and their activities (sports, etc) takes up a lot of time.  Not that I regret that of course.  The oldest kid is your typical student-athlete and his idea of gaming is pretty much limited to FPS and sports games on the Xbox.  The youngest is just learning how to read.  And even when he's older, I don't want him to game because it's my interest.  He'll have to be interested as well.  He's off to a good start though.  He LOVES me reading the Spiderwick Chronicles to him.

I bred one!

He's a Junior at BC now, and studying to be a game designer. We never forced him to be a gamer - he just loves it.

-clash

Is gaming the only hobby where people find it difficult together as they grow older ? I know a lot of team based social activities where it's participants find the time to meet up as they grow older. Why is it any different with rpgs ? Not being snarky, just curious.

Regards,
David R

My suggestion (if you haven't done so already) is to look into virtual tabletop applications such as OpenRPG, Fantasy Grounds, Screemonkey and the like... It is not too hard to find online players from around the world to play in your tabletop campaigns online. They've got die rollers grids (if into tactics) electronic minis, character sheets, and most of the things you can get from sitting around the table-- save for the pizza and beer.

The anonymity of this format (I have found) also improves roleplaying because you are not trying to pretend that "Bob" sitting next to you is some "hot chick."
Virtual tabletop gaming eases you into your role.

Other options include PBP, PBEM, and the like..etc.. But virtual tabletop is best at emulating traditional tabletop games.

In sum,

• Do you really want to game?
• If you really want to game, decide when you want to do it, and set aside that time.
• Until you get a full game group, use that game night to search for and meet with potential gamers, or at least chat about gaming to keep your enthusiasm up.

In detail,

You make time for things that are important to you. If you don't make time, it mustn't be that important to you.

For example, I have a gamer friend who used to game once a week. He then had a daughter, and changed to fortnightly. Was it because of his daughter? Nope, he began volleyball, which took up two nights a week.

So before his daughter came along, he was away from home one night a week, two a fortnight. Now he's away from home five nights a fortnight. He's out more often. "I can't game weekly, I don't have the time", he says - yes, he does have the time, it's just that volleyball is more important to him than gaming now.

And that's alright, it's nowhere written that gaming has to be the most important thing to you, or even of any significance at all to you.

Decide what's important to you, and you'll make time for it.

Also ask yourself whether you really want to game, or just to hang out with particular friends, with gaming as the excuse to hang out with them. Because if you just want to game and don't care who it's with then honestly you could be gaming every single day; if you want to hang with particular friends, then obviously making a time they can all make it is going to be difficult.

Now me, I enjoy gaming in and of itself, it's not simply an excuse to hang out with particular friends. So I set aside one night a week for it. That's Game Night! "I'm going to game on Mondays - now I have to find some people who also want to game on Mondays, and who seem nice to hang out with." And if I don't know enough people to get the group going, I still set aside that Monday - it's Game Night, remember? If I have just one player, then that person and I will get together on Monday and either game one-on-one, or at least talk about gaming. That helps keep us both interested and keen. Game Night goes ahead, no matter what.

If I have no-one, then I use those Mondays to do my searching for gamers. I'll ring up old gamer buddies, or friends and ask them if they know anyone who games or used to game. I'll search online for game clubs and groups. If there are none, I'll search in related areas - if someone's regularly playing Diablo, for example, and is involved in online forums and so on all about it, well that's a related area, "hey mate roleplaying is just like that only instead of the computer handling things there's a gamemaster, and you're not restricted to this linear path." Or if I know someone who's doing medieval studies at uni and is in the SCA, again that's a related area and they might be keen. I just keep on doing game-related things, because Game Night goes ahead, no matter what.

It all sounds rather serious and a bit too much like a job, I know. But lots of people have hobbies to which they commit themselves - sports, martial arts, and so on. The volleyball team doesn't forfeit the match and all go home just because one person's absent, the karate class doesn't fail to go ahead because only one person showed up, alone with the sensei. They just go ahead and make the best of it. And that's how they get better, and have fun, and that's why sports teams fizzle out far less often than gamers' campaigns...

Have a look at Getting a Game Group and Keeping It.

I been playing since 1975/76ish I had played with Arneson and Gygax and that crew a little way back in the day. I love 3.5 D&D D20 stuff. I been running a campaign now for almost 8 yrs. and thankfully it's been a great time. I do not allow children to play (under 21) unless there is a family member here. I run every other weekend on Saturdays for about 12 hours or so. I use all d20 stuff I can as well as core. We are nearly all epic levels now and they love the continued plots and ever changing game that makes D&D such a great game.
We do need more women involved though! They add a whole new aspect to role playing with a bunch of guys at the table as well.

Quote from: lotharlocnarI been playing since 1975/76ish ...

Dear god.  You've been playing my entire life, give or take a few months.  I was born in January of '76.

Quote from: JackalopeDear god.  You've been playing my entire life, give or take a few months.  I was born in January of '76.

I started gaming in November of 77, after my 21st birthday. Mu Mom bought me the cirrent edition of D&D as a gift.

-clash

Quote from: flyingmiceI started gaming in November of 77, after my 21st birthday. Mu Mom bought me the cirrent edition of D&D as a gift.

-clash

Sh!t.. Some of you guys started gaming before I was even born..
I was born in '78 and didn't start gaming until the early-mid 90s.