Planning Games

Burnttoastking
Burnttoastking
edited March 2012 in General Discussion
So for a very long time I was in charge of organizing games, I'd call everyone up try and work out which day of the week would be best for everyone. We all have a pretty fluid schedule so often times it would be on different days. Now my gaming group tends to run anywhere from two to four games at once, with different GMs, I'm generally one of them and have been for a few years now. At one point I got fed up with planning the games, too many of the players were unwilling to bend even a little when it came to scheduling. An example is one of our players couldn't make it till 9 o'clock, that's a pretty late start time for us, since we don't like our games running much past 1am, however the 9 start time was a one time thing, when I was trying to get another player to agree to that time, they flat out refused to participate in the game because they had work at... get this... 11 o'clock the next day.

So I got fed up with it and announced to the rest of the group that I would no longer be involved in scheduling games, I've been doing it for years and in my opinion its someone else's turn. Now one of my players is saying I still should schedule the games since I'm a GM and thus should be responsible for when the game happens. My argument is that the GM is in charge of creating the game, not necessarily deciding when the game should happen. They disagree, so here's the question I pose to you all, should game planning fall solely on the shoulders of the GM or should it be a burden that's shared.

Comments

  • kenurion
    kenurion
    Posts: 80
    Bummer! I don't think it's a question of should or should not. Sounds like your players are sticking this with you whether it's fair or not. If you push it, my guess is sessions will happen a lot less frequently if at all.

    It also sounds like your group is pretty rigid about having all players present for the full time. Is this true? Have you tried just setting fixed sessions and playing with whomever shows up? If a player is late, fine, if a player doesn't show up, fine. Either you give the character avian flu for the missing duration, or you or another player takes over the character.
  • Burnttoastking
    Burnttoastking
    Posts: 3
    Well, my games actually tend to be entirely centric on the whole group being there. I run small groups, three players and one GM character, and the whole plot is with them. Unfortunately, groups and games are dependent on all three players and myself being available. So yes, we are very rigid on all of us being there.
  • AnthonyDluzak
    AnthonyDluzak
    Posts: 69
    I don't think it matters who schedules the gathering - but I think it should just be one person who does so, whether its the GM or a player.

    In your particular case, other than relieving you of the scheduling frustrations - your overall problem will not be solved. But, after years of you doing it, everyone else just expects you to. Someone in your group must value the game as much as you do, and should be willing to take over. You should just try and talk it out with everyone as a group calmly. Perhaps if you offer a bonus XP for the person who helps out, you may get more willing participants. I know if someone threw in a 10% XP bonus for helping, I'd be on it.

    Good luck, my friend!


    _May your die always roll high and your figures never topple_
    -Anthony
  • Black_Vulmea
    Black_Vulmea
    Posts: 277
    I'm the referee, not the cruise director.

    Mike aka Black Vulmea
    "_Le Ballet de l'Acier_":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/le-ballet-de-l-acier - swashbuckling adventures in the age of the Three Musketeers and Captain Alatriste
    Featured Campaign of the Month - August 2011
  • JaymesBolton
    JaymesBolton
    Posts: 278
    In my group with have a couple different games a week under different GMs. Luckily our schedules are pretty fixed so games happen at the same specific time, day and place each week. But we do leave the responsibility of scheduling to each particular GM. If a player cant make a game they have to inform the GM (preferably min 48hrs in advance when possible) who then informs the players of either canceling that weeks session or arranging something else.

    Now your situation is a bit different since your schedule is not fixed and you are the sole person organizing everything. My suggestion, if you are burned out about it, is have everyone elect someone else do do the scheduling for a bit to give you a break. I am sure you can find someone to do it for at leas a couple months and give you some breathing time. Then you can decide to continue to allow the person to do it, have someone else do it, take over yourself again or organize some sort of group scheduling process. As a suggestion give the person some sort of minor but effective reward for helping out making your game easier.

    Good Luck.

    -Jaymes

    "Changing History":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/l5r-changing-history
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