Threforfar Campaign
So, in the year 2000, I restarted my Threforfar campaign after about a 6 or 7 year haitus. The campaign has been enjoyable (the curious can check it out at http://www.cris.com/~wubba/tff/tffy2k/tffcamp2k.htm) but it seems to have run its course. I think the open plot lines could probably last for another 10 sessions, but I think life has changed so much for the players over the last 5 years that getting everyone together has become something of a chore. We are just shy of a huge climax in the plot and this just feels right as a natural stopping point for things.
The question is: Where do we go from here?
I have some players who are the reason I restarted the game at all, but they have become so swamped that they don't really have the time to dedicate to the hobby that I'd like to see. I suspect I won't invite them to play again. At least, not immediately.
I don't want to quit playing nor do the other players who have put in the time and really stayed with it.
I might keep the current game going (depending on what happens next session) and just work around those who are too busy to make it.
I am leaning toward ending with the next session and, since a few of the players will be returning, leaving everything that happens after a mystery. This way, when the "new group" starts, they won't know everything that has gone before. For all they know, their characters could be dead... or something else. Heck, maybe they'll even run into their old selves. This is the option I'm leaning toward presently. Inviting back the current players who are active and maybe trying to find one or two more players to round out the group. I would probably leave the old "naughty" players open to play cameos, but that would be up to them taking the initiative.
Speaking of cameos, a lot of my old old school players who played back when we were kids, would likely love to get involved in this regard.
And, of course, the problem with all of this is the stage of life I find myself and my players in. Back in highschool, college, and soon after college, we would play almost once a week for 20 hours. We loved it. Now, getting everyone together 3 or 4 times a year for 12 hours of playing is a challenge. Geography and the constraints of adulthood make things difficult.
How to solve this? My current thought is experimental (at least for me). I am thinking of putting together a hybrid game that is part online and part face to face RP. Online, we work through intimate character scenes and background and possibly highly political plot stuff. In person, we do the stuff that is high adventure or a big event. This way, I could have the core group of players who are there most every session. Then, I can get a "supporting cast" of old gamers to play a lot of the periphrael roles and, if they can make a session, I'll work them in with the others for that particular session. Heck, this might even be a good way to work in my current "naughty" players.
Hmm... anyway.... I am rambling.
The question is: Where do we go from here?
I have some players who are the reason I restarted the game at all, but they have become so swamped that they don't really have the time to dedicate to the hobby that I'd like to see. I suspect I won't invite them to play again. At least, not immediately.
I don't want to quit playing nor do the other players who have put in the time and really stayed with it.
I might keep the current game going (depending on what happens next session) and just work around those who are too busy to make it.
I am leaning toward ending with the next session and, since a few of the players will be returning, leaving everything that happens after a mystery. This way, when the "new group" starts, they won't know everything that has gone before. For all they know, their characters could be dead... or something else. Heck, maybe they'll even run into their old selves. This is the option I'm leaning toward presently. Inviting back the current players who are active and maybe trying to find one or two more players to round out the group. I would probably leave the old "naughty" players open to play cameos, but that would be up to them taking the initiative.
Speaking of cameos, a lot of my old old school players who played back when we were kids, would likely love to get involved in this regard.
And, of course, the problem with all of this is the stage of life I find myself and my players in. Back in highschool, college, and soon after college, we would play almost once a week for 20 hours. We loved it. Now, getting everyone together 3 or 4 times a year for 12 hours of playing is a challenge. Geography and the constraints of adulthood make things difficult.
How to solve this? My current thought is experimental (at least for me). I am thinking of putting together a hybrid game that is part online and part face to face RP. Online, we work through intimate character scenes and background and possibly highly political plot stuff. In person, we do the stuff that is high adventure or a big event. This way, I could have the core group of players who are there most every session. Then, I can get a "supporting cast" of old gamers to play a lot of the periphrael roles and, if they can make a session, I'll work them in with the others for that particular session. Heck, this might even be a good way to work in my current "naughty" players.
Hmm... anyway.... I am rambling.