There are definitely risks bringing together a bunch of randoms on the internet. There are a lot of weirdos out there. That being said, there’s a balance between playing with total strangers and only playing with close friends.
My previous campaign I ran for 3 close friends, 2 of whom weren’t really that into RPGs, so they were often the cause of scheduling problems. After that campaign ended, I started my current one with the 1 player from the last campaign who was the most into it. He said he knew a bunch of people who would be as enthusiastic about ttrpgs as he was, and proceeded to source 4 other people, all of whom are fantastic players. So I didn’t know them, but they all knew each other, and a friend vouched for them.
Exactly. The two groups I have joined have all had a core set of people that have played together for years, or are possibly related from what I can tell. I think the most important thing is the commitment, and being consistent. I have a Thursday evening game, and a Sunday evening game now, and I make sure and show up for each. All my family and friends know my gaming nights and that if they call or text me it’s going to have to wait. There are cancellations for various reasons, but that’s just normal. Everyone has lives and family that might take priority, but what I am talking about is just chit chat. Point is, in my opinion, the key is being available and ready to play on a consistent basis. We have had a lot of churn in one group, but it’s mainly some extra people who want to play and then decide it isn’t for them I guess, or don’t like our gameplay style, or who knows. But the core group of people, which I think I am now part of, are still playing consistently. I say take the plunge and at least get some experience out of it. Change groups if you need, but put some time into playing and it will be worth it in the long run.
There are definitely risks bringing together a bunch of randoms on the internet. There are a lot of weirdos out there. That being said, there’s a balance between playing with total strangers and only playing with close friends.
My previous campaign I ran for 3 close friends, 2 of whom weren’t really that into RPGs, so they were often the cause of scheduling problems. After that campaign ended, I started my current one with the 1 player from the last campaign who was the most into it. He said he knew a bunch of people who would be as enthusiastic about ttrpgs as he was, and proceeded to source 4 other people, all of whom are fantastic players. So I didn’t know them, but they all knew each other, and a friend vouched for them.
Exactly. The two groups I have joined have all had a core set of people that have played together for years, or are possibly related from what I can tell. I think the most important thing is the commitment, and being consistent. I have a Thursday evening game, and a Sunday evening game now, and I make sure and show up for each. All my family and friends know my gaming nights and that if they call or text me it’s going to have to wait. There are cancellations for various reasons, but that’s just normal. Everyone has lives and family that might take priority, but what I am talking about is just chit chat. Point is, in my opinion, the key is being available and ready to play on a consistent basis. We have had a lot of churn in one group, but it’s mainly some extra people who want to play and then decide it isn’t for them I guess, or don’t like our gameplay style, or who knows. But the core group of people, which I think I am now part of, are still playing consistently. I say take the plunge and at least get some experience out of it. Change groups if you need, but put some time into playing and it will be worth it in the long run.