Game Master Guidance: Scheduling, the Hardest Part of Playing RPGs

As important as the storytelling and mechanical responsibilities are, you can’t have a game without players. One of the most consistently difficult parts of running roleplaying games is getting all the players together. People have busy schedules and even the simplest RPGs require a significant amount of time and effort on everyone's part. It falls to the GM to set up the game and that it happens at a t time and place that works for everyone. Getting a game together might seem like a daunting task but it’s easy enough as long as you regularly communicate with your players.

First things first, set up a dedicated channel of communication for the RPG. Individually messaging everyone or putting it in a larger group chat will only make things unnecessarily difficult. Make sure to establish with your players how long you intend for the campaign to last. They’ll need to know if they’re volunteering for a few sessions or committing to something much larger. You don’t need to know exactly when the campaign will end, you just need to have a general idea of its length. Some of the players not might be able to work with what you have in mind, so you’ll have to make adjustments accordingly. Don't be afraid to scale back or otherwise modify your plans if it will make the campaign easier to see to its conclusion.

Next, schedule the game. As the GM, you should be the one who initiates this. While this depends a lot on what the players’ schedules are like, I find one method has a lot of success. Ask everyone what dates and times they’re available to play a session. Try to do this at least a week beforehand, if you can manage that.

Pick the most convenient one for everyone and confirm that this works. Don’t go through with this until everyone confirms it. If a player isn’t sure if they can come, ask if they can get a definitive answer. If they can’t, have a backup plan of what to do with the rest of the group if that player can’t show up.

Once you’ve laid a groundwork with your players, get everything you need ready. Try to make everyone’s character first. This can be a time consuming process, so you don’t want to be doing it when the group has gotten together to play the game. After the players are ready, gather all the dice, pencils, sheets, books, and other materials you’ll need. Put it in one, easily accessible spot. You don’t want to be scrambling for these items as the players are showing up. If you need a computer, tablet, or other electronic device, make sure it’s fully charged or your gaming area is near an outlet. The more ready you are on the day of the game, the more you’ll actually get to play the game.

Next you need to find a place to play the game. Find a spot that’s easily accessible for everyone participating. Make sure it’s somewhere you can comfortably play an RPG for an uninterrupted stretch of time. Meeting up at your or one of the player’s house is ideal but might not be possible for a number of reasons. Another good option is a comic book or game shop, which often have dedicated areas for such games. However, you will have to work around the store’s closing time. You might not also live near a shop or one that provides this service. Doing the game online is always an option but I personally find that the experience loses a lot when you take this route but it might be your only one in a lot of circumstances.

Gathering the players to play an RPG is arguably the most difficult part of the hobby. Finding a good group is hard enough before you have to accommodate for their schedules. When going through this process, remember that people have lives outside of roleplaying games. They might want to be a part of your campaign but just can’t find the time to do so. Ideally, you’ve assembled a group that’s enthusiastic enough about what you have planned that they don’t mind the major commitment RPGs require. A good GM approaches these matters in a patient, mindful, and understanding way. If you don’t have a certain level of consideration and planning when setting up sessions, it's unlikely that you'll get to play many of them.