Thursday 14 April 2011

Do you run multiple campaigns simultaneously?

Every Thursday me and the boys get together to roll some polyhedrons in our weekly 4e game. This is all well and good - I like the system although it definitely has its drawbacks, but at least one player has been wanting to play some Pathfinder. I'm really up for this, as I'd probably prefer Pathfinder to 4e to be honest, but we have a year and a half invested in the current D&D campaign. I have a dilemma. 

However, every last Thursday of the month we play a new game just to mix things up, so I've been thinking about running a monthly mini Pathfinder campaign. Since the two games are fairly similar it should be easy enough for the players to pick up, but since it's a fantasy game I don't want to be giving them more of the same.

So I ask you, friends. Do you play multiple simultaneous campaigns? Would you play two versions of the same game at the same time? Please let me know.

9 comments:

  1. For me, all my gaming for the last 10 years or so has been in play by post settings, so I'm usually in four to five campaigns in some combination of player and DM. I hedge towards player because my schedule/computer/internet connection rarely give me the necessary resources to manage the online mapping that's so critical to most play by post games---and I don't tend to play the ones for which it's not crucial.

    At present, though, I am actually running two versions of the same campaign. Since it's a sandbox-themed game, though, the players in both parties started with the exact same opening scene and first encounter but haven't done a similar thing since!

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  2. Until last week I was running 2 4E campaigns (dropped one due to trying to sell and buy a new house-we'll pick it back up once the move is done). They are set in completely different worlds. Even the styles were different. One was plot and story driven; the other is a true sandbox.
    Before that I was running the 4E game and a Dragonstar/Shadowrun game as well.

    My wife recently ended her two Gamma World games (3rd edition, not the new version). She ran both groups in the same campaign world, but seperately from each other; other than rumors and stories the two groups never mixed.

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  3. For several years me and my friend traded off gm duties every other week. But the campaigns/games were very dissimilar & distinct: Earthdawn vs Feng Shui, GURPS Traveller vs. Deadlands, 7th Sea vs. AD&D

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  4. Currently, I am in a Pathfinder game, a Doctor Who game and a Vampire (the Masquerade) game, while running two games myself (one of which is also Masquerade).

    And I find being in and running a game in the same system has really helped me to up my game. The developments in one game spur me on to new and interesting twists and ideas in my current game.

    We even run them in the same 'world' having developments in one game possibly effect things in the other game. But that was just because I have a great working relationship with the other GM. But overall, I think being involved in another game of the same system can only help in how you look at the system.

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  5. Yup, I run two separate games in my AD&D campaign world - one tabletop, one online. I've got my solo OD&D game w/my wife. I've been running a Modern OD&D game on the OD&D board and I'm playing in a Gangbusters PbP and Chainmail/Carcosa PbP.

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  6. I referee games of Swords and Wizardry and Lamentations of the Flame Princess, same adventure, two different systems, play-by-post. I haven't played tabletop in years (decades actually) but in play-by-post it's a snap. I also play in two Call of Cthulhu games, and a OSRIC game. ...I am so Old School.

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  7. I run 2 to 3 campaigns of T&T at any given time, and then I am working through my Spacers "Against the Saucers" campaign every month or two.

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  8. Hi Scott:

    On a note unrelated to your post, I'd like to pass on the Stylish Blogger Award to you (I explain why at: http://clashofspearonshield.blogspot.com/2011/04/stylin.html). It is one of those awards with "rules" attached:

    1. Share seven things about yourself in a blog post
    2. Select at least one other blog you think deserves this award, and offer it to that blog
    3. Contact the blogger(s) you've selected and let them know about the award

    Of course, I'm sending this to you since I think your blog is cool and deserves it, so you are welcome to simply accept the award (just download the image from my page) and show it proudly on your blog even without following the three "rules" above – they're really there just for fun!

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  9. @Bard Thanks very much :) ! That;s awful nice of you. Will make a post right away.

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