The problem is this: The group he is trying to make the game for (including himself) are notorious for being undependable and whimsical. I'm more of the, "Once in, always in" type and I like my games to be structured and, well, dependable.
So what am I to do? I've been dying to play a good campaign (I started planning my character the moment he told me about the game) and I don't want to set myself up for another disappointing one hour session where everyone messes around and then says, "Meh, I don't think I wanna play this after all..." (the first time that happened I was the DM and I'd spent a week preparing).
I guess it all boils down to:
-How can I find a good gaming group to join (should this one fail)
or
-How can I get this group to NOT fail
Play with more people, keep in touch with the ones you like playing with, and your group will evolve over time. In the short term, just be clear about what you like and don't like in your game (without being an ass).
At the end of the session, say, "I liked talking to the kleptomaniac kobold, and I liked the bit where my character background came up; probably my least favourite bit was the introduction for John's new character, it would have been nice to have something that fit the story more." Use the personal pronoun "I" ("I liked", "I thought", "I enjoyed") and make sure to balance the negative with the positive.
The game may or may not change as a result but it won't be for lack of you being honest and helpful about how it could be better.
Hope this helps
I was the DM and I'd spent a week preparing).
A week isn't that long at all for preparing a campaign.
A week for a One shot adventure is the norm though, A campaign takes alot more time though.
A week isn't that long at all for preparing a campaign.
A week for a One shot adventure is the norm though, A campaign takes alot more time though.
I prep in 2 hours for a (5 hour) one shot. I havn't DM'd 3.5 so it might be different, but in 4e i can just flip to the back of the MM, pick a few creatures of the appropriate lvl for encounters(30 minutes), draw up a map of the dungon (30 minutes), and write out some plot hooks (30 minutes), then i give it a once over and add details.
Once i took a 5 minute break to make an encounter when the party went a different direction then i expected. It wasn't the most interesting one (no traps/little terrain/ect), but it worked.
I do my campaigns similarly, i probably put 6 hours in for the first time, and 2 hours for every other session (my first campaign).
-How can I find a good gaming group to join (should this one fail)
Have you tried Pen And Paper Games? They're a pretty good resource for finding gamers in your area.
Me as DM since there were an abundance of players around here and no one to DM for 4E
One friend from the previous group that I knew I could trust not to flake out and was also hungry to chuck dice
One friend I knew, but never gamed with and is the most thorough player I've ever met, even drew out his pathway on a map of the area of all the places his character had previously searched for his family/tribe!
Four players (now friends) I met after placing a Craigslist ad, and yes I was specific about reliability, maturity and body odor, hence they contacted me because they fit the bill and lived up to my requirements. (after all, I have kids and they were entering my house, it's only respectful to be clean)
I tried the notice at my FLGS and the only ones to respond to that, ignored the BO part of it and I asked them not to come back. (they have since ripped down my sign, but no biggie since I already have a great group)
Hope this helps.
A slight problem with the meetup.com (again, my experiences, your city may vary) is that there is a large player to DM ratio, and that established groups tend to clique up. Good enough for fishing for players I guess, but you don't always know what you're going to get; I've heard rumors about some difficult individuals who have been kicked out of several groups.
You could also try here. It's the section of the Wizards forums dedicated to helping people find gaming groups. I don't have any experience with it though, nor do I know anyone who does, so I don't really know what you should expect going in there.
You could also try here. It's the section of the Wizards forums dedicated to helping people find gaming groups. I don't have any experience with it though, nor do I know anyone who does, so I don't really know what you should expect going in there.
Actually, I did find my current DM using that. Though I think I got lucky. :D