Campaign 'surveys'? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Campaign 'surveys'? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
mearrin69
03-10-08, 12:48 PM Hi guys,
I didn't find what I was looking for with a couple of searches so thought I'd ask: Anyone have handy any surveys you've used to gauge player interest in various aspects of future campaigns?

We're trying to figure out what future games we'd like to put together and putting them on the spot with 'what do you want to play' questions isn't working for most. Figured a non-scientific survey might be the way to go.

We play more than D&D too, so any examples of how you narrowed down genre/system would be helpful too. Any examples of other methods of finding out what people want to play would be most appreciated as well. Thanks!
M
Seth
03-10-08, 01:01 PM I have never set up a survey sheet for it, but I usually just ask some of the players what they would like to see in the campaign or more specifically if there is anything they would like to try out.

I end up taking their ideas and I ultimately determine which ones I think would function the best, or at least be more playable, and go from there.

I imagine a questionnaire with around ten questions on it would suffice. Depending on how detail oriented your group is you could have more if you saw fit.

I do apologize for not having a ready form to link to you.
Kobajagrande
03-10-08, 01:05 PM You have a very small target group. Don't do the survey, do the in-depth (group) interview.
quistaran
03-10-08, 03:13 PM I've had this problem myself. Often when put on the spot players don't really have any idea what they might want to play.
What I've done in the past is give the group a few options, things I would be interested in running (which is as important a consideration as what the players want to play through.)
Given a few options players will generally gravitate towards one or another of them, and an initial idea can act as a starting point for other ideas.
Often players either haven't really thought of what they might want to play or are interested in so many things they would gladly play through nearly any scenario in any system.
Etarnon
03-10-08, 03:54 PM For years, I tried to ask the What do you guys want to play in 6 months? And surveys, and all of that.

It never worked for me.

What works is putting my heart and soul into a game, and running it, and saying look, here's what i want to play.. who is in?

Most of them join, and have fun.

Over and over, that's been the process.

Imagine someone saying: Gee, what movie would you like to see made?

See what I mean? They aren't doing the writing. All you'll get as responses to that question are "A western" "A Sci Fi." Nobody is gonna come up with a plot ready made, because they aren't screenwriters.

Likewise, most players do not have the time, energy and enthusiasm for the level of work it takes to be a really good DM, which is ha;f to 3/4 of a writer, anyway.

Gaming is entertainment, new experiences, in a genre. Players come for the drama, the new ideas, the imaginary experiences.

So....Pick a genre, pick a game system, and do the best you can, and run with it.

Good luck.
CmdrCorsiken
03-10-08, 06:45 PM Most of my players would have no interest in even a short questionare. As the primary GM, I typically present two or three two-sentence campaign concepts. I'll do this when it becomes clear to all that the current campaign is a few sessions from the grand finale. I let them consider the options for a week or two, and when they come to a concensus, I proceed with development of the concept they prefer.

This is a quick, no-preasure way of guaging player interest. After several years and campaigns, my players, without having to say it outright, have given me clear indications of the kinds of stories they like the play.
WilliamTanner
03-10-08, 07:34 PM My present plan is to have a quick session index card questionnaire with the following questions (in order):

What did you dislike most about the evening?
What is something that you disliked that you have an solution for?
What is something you enjoyed but you would still have tweaked?
What was your favorite or most memorable aspect of the evening?

Nothing too deep. 5 minutes tops, while winding down the session. I hope it will give me an extra point of view or otherwise help me guage how well I am keeping the interest of the players and helping to provide a satisfying experience for each of them.

I'll find out..
mearrin69
03-11-08, 06:22 PM Thanks for the responses guys. And I think you've given me an idea for how to handle this.

What about, as a combo of a couple of the ideas above, handing out a handful (4-5 or so) of cards with short campaign synopses and letting the players vote on the one or ones they like best - maybe even rank them in order of preference.

I'm thinking just a paragraph with genre, plot hook (a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...It is a time of civil war. Rebel spaceships...), and some info on play style (gritty, combat heavy, talky, etc.)

Think that'd work? I agree that a survey might not really work well - and we already know that asking directly doesn't get much.
M

BTW: Good point about 'what movie would you like to see made'. :) Someone asks me what I want to play and I'll give them a list of about ten things in a couple of minutes...but I know at least a couple of our group's players would just cross their eyes if you asked. Maybe that's why I like to DM ;)
sakuradm
03-11-08, 06:50 PM I usually use surveys to decide to incorperate specific bits into the game... like having children, player to player relationships in the game, and so forth.
FarSouth
03-11-08, 07:58 PM You could also present them with a list of a dozen or so "central concepts" - not necessarily complete campaign synopses - and simply get them to tick the ones they're interested in. Very easy for them to do, and they don't have to rank them.

Then have a look at the results and create your campaign by combining the most popular options, making sure you include at least one of the "ticked" options from each player. That way no-one will ever feel they're playing their "third choice" campaign.
Thamius
03-15-08, 03:02 PM Roleplaying Tips (http://www.roleplayingtips.com), a weekly e-mail newsletter, has addressed this issue on several occasions. Go to the archives and look down at the main topics, then go to the ones that look like they could be helpful. A quick runthrough led me to #305, 264, 183-184, 150, etc. Use the search tool for "surveys" to get lots of good links and advice.

I strongly recommend all DMs sign up to receive the weekly e-mail for free! Each edition has a main article, a number of reader-supplied tips, a special section for on-line aids that are out there, and much more.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
mearrin69 03-10-08, 12:48 PM	Hi guys, I didn't find what I was looking for with a couple of searches so thought I'd ask: Anyone have handy any surveys you've used to gauge player interest in various aspects of future campaigns? We're trying to figure out what future games we'd like to put together and putting them on the spot with 'what do you want to play' questions isn't working for most. Figured a non-scientific survey might be the way to go. We play more than D&D too, so any examples of how you narrowed down genre/system would be helpful too. Any examples of other methods of finding out what people want to play would be most appreciated as well. Thanks! M
Seth 03-10-08, 01:01 PM	I have never set up a survey sheet for it, but I usually just ask some of the players what they would like to see in the campaign or more specifically if there is anything they would like to try out. I end up taking their ideas and I ultimately determine which ones I think would function the best, or at least be more playable, and go from there. I imagine a questionnaire with around ten questions on it would suffice. Depending on how detail oriented your group is you could have more if you saw fit. I do apologize for not having a ready form to link to you.
Kobajagrande 03-10-08, 01:05 PM	You have a very small target group. Don't do the survey, do the in-depth (group) interview.
quistaran 03-10-08, 03:13 PM	I've had this problem myself. Often when put on the spot players don't really have any idea what they might want to play. What I've done in the past is give the group a few options, things I would be interested in running (which is as important a consideration as what the players want to play through.) Given a few options players will generally gravitate towards one or another of them, and an initial idea can act as a starting point for other ideas. Often players either haven't really thought of what they might want to play or are interested in so many things they would gladly play through nearly any scenario in any system.
Etarnon 03-10-08, 03:54 PM	For years, I tried to ask the What do you guys want to play in 6 months? And surveys, and all of that. It never worked for me. What works is putting my heart and soul into a game, and running it, and saying look, here's what i want to play.. who is in? Most of them join, and have fun. Over and over, that's been the process. Imagine someone saying: Gee, what movie would you like to see made? See what I mean? They aren't doing the writing. All you'll get as responses to that question are "A western" "A Sci Fi." Nobody is gonna come up with a plot ready made, because they aren't screenwriters. Likewise, most players do not have the time, energy and enthusiasm for the level of work it takes to be a really good DM, which is ha;f to 3/4 of a writer, anyway. Gaming is entertainment, new experiences, in a genre. Players come for the drama, the new ideas, the imaginary experiences. So....Pick a genre, pick a game system, and do the best you can, and run with it. Good luck.
CmdrCorsiken 03-10-08, 06:45 PM	Most of my players would have no interest in even a short questionare. As the primary GM, I typically present two or three two-sentence campaign concepts. I'll do this when it becomes clear to all that the current campaign is a few sessions from the grand finale. I let them consider the options for a week or two, and when they come to a concensus, I proceed with development of the concept they prefer. This is a quick, no-preasure way of guaging player interest. After several years and campaigns, my players, without having to say it outright, have given me clear indications of the kinds of stories they like the play.
WilliamTanner 03-10-08, 07:34 PM	My present plan is to have a quick session index card questionnaire with the following questions (in order): What did you dislike most about the evening? What is something that you disliked that you have an solution for? What is something you enjoyed but you would still have tweaked? What was your favorite or most memorable aspect of the evening? Nothing too deep. 5 minutes tops, while winding down the session. I hope it will give me an extra point of view or otherwise help me guage how well I am keeping the interest of the players and helping to provide a satisfying experience for each of them. I'll find out..
mearrin69 03-11-08, 06:22 PM	Thanks for the responses guys. And I think you've given me an idea for how to handle this. What about, as a combo of a couple of the ideas above, handing out a handful (4-5 or so) of cards with short campaign synopses and letting the players vote on the one or ones they like best - maybe even rank them in order of preference. I'm thinking just a paragraph with genre, plot hook (a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...It is a time of civil war. Rebel spaceships...), and some info on play style (gritty, combat heavy, talky, etc.) Think that'd work? I agree that a survey might not really work well - and we already know that asking directly doesn't get much. M BTW: Good point about 'what movie would you like to see made'. :) Someone asks me what I want to play and I'll give them a list of about ten things in a couple of minutes...but I know at least a couple of our group's players would just cross their eyes if you asked. Maybe that's why I like to DM ;)
sakuradm 03-11-08, 06:50 PM	I usually use surveys to decide to incorperate specific bits into the game... like having children, player to player relationships in the game, and so forth.
FarSouth 03-11-08, 07:58 PM	You could also present them with a list of a dozen or so "central concepts" - not necessarily complete campaign synopses - and simply get them to tick the ones they're interested in. Very easy for them to do, and they don't have to rank them. Then have a look at the results and create your campaign by combining the most popular options, making sure you include at least one of the "ticked" options from each player. That way no-one will ever feel they're playing their "third choice" campaign.
Thamius 03-15-08, 03:02 PM	Roleplaying Tips (http://www.roleplayingtips.com), a weekly e-mail newsletter, has addressed this issue on several occasions. Go to the archives and look down at the main topics, then go to the ones that look like they could be helpful. A quick runthrough led me to #305, 264, 183-184, 150, etc. Use the search tool for "surveys" to get lots of good links and advice. I strongly recommend all DMs sign up to receive the weekly e-mail for free! Each edition has a main article, a number of reader-supplied tips, a special section for on-line aids that are out there, and much more.