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May. 8th, 2002 06:28 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
the_rckIt's looking like there may be major changes coming in the two campaigns I run on Saturdays. I'm losing players from both, and one of them has a scheduling problem that should have been easily fixed but seems to be causing more trouble than I expected.
I can't say that the problems with the Amber game are unexpected. I was afraid when I accepted the couple that a breakup would cause problems. I knew, however, that the woman wasn't very interested in the game, so I expected that the resulting difficulties would be small. What I didn't expect was that the relationship would end due in part to mental illness (severe depression and anxiety, I believe. I haven't asked for details, and he hasn't offered) on the guy's part. He's unemployed and unemployable and has nowhere to live but her apartment. He wants to continue to play as long as he still has a place to live locally (I have the impression that he's estranged from his family, so it's not like he has any place to go). She hasn't kicked him out and isn't yet threatening to do so, but…
I feel bad not offering assistance, but I don't know him all that well. We had mutual acquaintances as undergraduates, and he found out about the game through a comment I made on the Amber e-list rather than because I mentioned it to him specifically. I just don't see that I can offer what he needs.
Anyway, Lisa's departure (which she says might just be temporary, but I'll be really startled if she ever comes back) combined with Justin leaves me with four players. I might lose one more if Lisa can't handle living with him any more, and then there's the scheduling problem.
Every summer, Scott's job kicks into high gear, and they start requiring overtime. If this summer's like last, he'll be working six day weeks and alternating which weekend day he works or has off. Sadly, he's scheduled to work the Saturdays that he would normally be running his Traveller game. This isn't a big problem. We can swap easily enough; I'll just be running two games on those Saturdays until fall.
But Matt won't play in the Amber game if it's not on the same weekends as his Vampire campaign. I suggested that we switch weekends for that as well; it would even be a good solution for me so that I don't end up trying to GM 8-10 hours in one day. I don't know yet if he'll take me up on that or if he'll just drop out. I had to tell him that while I understood his reasoning (wanting some Saturdays commitment free) quite frankly adapting to my husband's needs and desires was more important to me than adapting to Matt's. Matt has a tendency to go into a snit without much provocation, and talking to him while he's like that is useless. Past experience suggests that he'll become more reasonable in a day or two. If he doesn't, I'll just run without him.
The evening GURPS game has two problems also. The first is that I'm losing two players this summer. Justin has played his last session already, and Tony could disappear at any time. He and Michelle have to be in Philadelphia in August; they're just waiting to move until he finds a job. The other problem is that the campaign is old. There's a lot of history, a lot of weight to the story and characters.
I think that should settle fairly easily. I asked the four players who'll be staying around what they'd like to do. Three of the four (the exception being my husband) said they're interested in a new campaign. We didn't get very specific about what we'll try, but I threw a couple of ideas out there. Lewis mentioned that a couple of his fellow residents are looking for games to join, so if I want another player or two, I can probably find people.
I can't say that the problems with the Amber game are unexpected. I was afraid when I accepted the couple that a breakup would cause problems. I knew, however, that the woman wasn't very interested in the game, so I expected that the resulting difficulties would be small. What I didn't expect was that the relationship would end due in part to mental illness (severe depression and anxiety, I believe. I haven't asked for details, and he hasn't offered) on the guy's part. He's unemployed and unemployable and has nowhere to live but her apartment. He wants to continue to play as long as he still has a place to live locally (I have the impression that he's estranged from his family, so it's not like he has any place to go). She hasn't kicked him out and isn't yet threatening to do so, but…
I feel bad not offering assistance, but I don't know him all that well. We had mutual acquaintances as undergraduates, and he found out about the game through a comment I made on the Amber e-list rather than because I mentioned it to him specifically. I just don't see that I can offer what he needs.
Anyway, Lisa's departure (which she says might just be temporary, but I'll be really startled if she ever comes back) combined with Justin leaves me with four players. I might lose one more if Lisa can't handle living with him any more, and then there's the scheduling problem.
Every summer, Scott's job kicks into high gear, and they start requiring overtime. If this summer's like last, he'll be working six day weeks and alternating which weekend day he works or has off. Sadly, he's scheduled to work the Saturdays that he would normally be running his Traveller game. This isn't a big problem. We can swap easily enough; I'll just be running two games on those Saturdays until fall.
But Matt won't play in the Amber game if it's not on the same weekends as his Vampire campaign. I suggested that we switch weekends for that as well; it would even be a good solution for me so that I don't end up trying to GM 8-10 hours in one day. I don't know yet if he'll take me up on that or if he'll just drop out. I had to tell him that while I understood his reasoning (wanting some Saturdays commitment free) quite frankly adapting to my husband's needs and desires was more important to me than adapting to Matt's. Matt has a tendency to go into a snit without much provocation, and talking to him while he's like that is useless. Past experience suggests that he'll become more reasonable in a day or two. If he doesn't, I'll just run without him.
The evening GURPS game has two problems also. The first is that I'm losing two players this summer. Justin has played his last session already, and Tony could disappear at any time. He and Michelle have to be in Philadelphia in August; they're just waiting to move until he finds a job. The other problem is that the campaign is old. There's a lot of history, a lot of weight to the story and characters.
I think that should settle fairly easily. I asked the four players who'll be staying around what they'd like to do. Three of the four (the exception being my husband) said they're interested in a new campaign. We didn't get very specific about what we'll try, but I threw a couple of ideas out there. Lewis mentioned that a couple of his fellow residents are looking for games to join, so if I want another player or two, I can probably find people.
