long or short campaigns?

Imperator · October 25, 2007, 03:04:50 AM

I have voted for long campaigns, but actually both forms have great advantages to be found.

I agree with Maw in what can be considered a long campaign for our group (about a year of weekly sessions, with the chance holiday here and there). Most of our games run around that. We consider a medium campaign something between 3 months and 1 year (more like 6 months - 1 year, actually), and short is anything shorter than 3 months.

Anthrobot · October 25, 2007, 06:02:26 AM

Quote from: SeanchaiWhat do you consider long and short?

Seanchai

How long is a piece of string, mate? What do you define as long running for a campaign? I'm pretty unfocussed as a GM. Consequently my longest campaign lasted two years before I got the urge to run a different system. Some GMs are much much more focussed and just keep going. I've seen a Justice Inc game that has been running for ten years and a Dragonlords game that outgrew its gamesystem it went on for so long.

Caesar Slaad · October 25, 2007, 08:53:30 AM

I love long campaigns when the right group dynamic and PC configuration are there.

But I also like trying different ideas and notice people's excitement and expectations drift, as well as dealing with real life issues.

Tim · October 25, 2007, 10:29:15 AM

Quote from: Christmas ApeI'm gonna go with "Irrelevant to my opinion" for $200, Alex. Others are welcome to be wrong in their terminology.

I wasn't trying to say your opinion was wrong, just expounding on my own.

Anyway, what makes a campaign a campaign? The number of sessions in the real world, or what goes on in the game?

Seanchai · October 25, 2007, 11:04:26 AM

Quote from: AnthrobotHow long is a piece of string, mate?

Bigger than a witch's heart, smaller than an elephant's love life.

Quote from: AnthrobotWhat do you define as long running for a campaign?

I don't - I didn't ask the question. Which is basically pointless unless you give your terms some kind of definition.

Seanchai

Christmas Ape · October 25, 2007, 11:36:50 AM

Quote from: TimI wasn't trying to say your opinion was wrong, just expounding on my own.

's cool. That's just kind of a hobby around here, so I thought I'd reply as if such were the case.

QuoteAnyway, what makes a campaign a campaign? The number of sessions in the real world, or what goes on in the game?

For my money, a combination thereof. At least 10 sessions, and at least two separate arcs with their own climaxes. There is a continuousness of experience; a campaign stretches beyond whacking Lord Whozit for his naughty demon summoning and goes on to the aftermath thereof while introducing a new foozle to hunt and new mooks to whack.

If graphed, the action of an adventure looks like a ramp. The action of a campaign looks like waves.

Bradford C. Walker · October 25, 2007, 06:36:05 PM

Long campaigns are best. Ideally, played once a week for four to six hours at a stretch. RPGs work best with campaigns that last a year or so at a stretch, more if possible.

Rezendevous · October 25, 2007, 09:00:28 PM

I put short, but the ideal for me would be a series of linked short campaigns or adventures with mostly the same PCs and a lot of recurring characters, where players could come and go as their needs dictated.

I like long campaigns in theory, but in practice (for me at least) they've been hard to pull off.

Pierce Inverarity · October 25, 2007, 11:25:43 PM

Long campaigns, by Maw's definition. Both as a player and as a GM.

TheQuestionMan · October 26, 2007, 03:06:10 AM

I prefer long Camapaigns, but then I am biased as I have been enjoying Playing and GMing GURPS Fantasy (The Chronicles of Yrth) for the last 20yrs.

Short Campaigns are great for a break fromn the Long Campaign, but we solved this long ago by Alternating Campaigns (1st and 3rd Friday for Long Campaign and 2nd and 4th Friday for Short campaigns.)

So far so much fun.

QM

Anthrobot · October 26, 2007, 04:18:57 PM

Quote from: SeanchaiI don't - I didn't ask the question. Which is basically pointless unless you give your terms some kind of definition.
Seanchai

Sorry, I assumed a knowledge of roleplaying and a bit of common sense from the members of this site when I asked this question. Next time I won't presume that of you and factor that into how I take your replies.

Koltar · October 27, 2007, 12:32:56 AM

Quote from: AnthrobotSorry, I assumed a knowledge of roleplaying and a bit of common sense from the members of this site when I asked this question. Next time I won't presume that of you and factor that into how I take your replies.

Okay you two - go get a room.

Long means long

Short means short.

Whats the big Deal?

Anything longer than 3 sessions I'm thankful for.

My current groups is about to have game session 58 of a campaign that we've been doing since April of 2004.

- Ed C.

Seanchai · October 27, 2007, 01:59:55 PM

Quote from: KoltarWhats the big Deal?

There's no big deal.

But, for example, in my group, a long campaign is about four to six months. I have the feeling that many would call that short. So...which should I vote for, short or long?

Seanchai

Koltar · October 27, 2007, 10:28:20 PM

FINE.

Ed's definition then...

SHORT CAMPAIGN = one that lasts 6 months or less of real calender time and having to match up everyone's schedules.

LONG CAMPAIGN = A campaign that lasts at least 6 months, and possibly at least a year of matching up schedules and arranging meeting time.

If a campaign is between 6 months and a year long - the closer it is to a year, then its a LONG campaign, the closer it is to 6 months, then it is a SHORTER campaign.

- Ed C.

Anthrobot · October 29, 2007, 05:16:36 AM

Quote from: KoltarFINE.

Ed's definition then...

SHORT CAMPAIGN = one that lasts 6 months or less of real calender time and having to match up everyone's schedules.

LONG CAMPAIGN = A campaign that lasts at least 6 months, and possibly at least a year of matching up scgedukles and arranging meeting time.

If a campaign is between 6 months and a year long - the closer it is to a year, then its a LONg campaign, the closer it is to 6 months, then it is a SHORTER campaign.

- Ed C.

Ah! The voice of experience!:)