Which table concerns do you consider the most significant?

Which table concerns do you consider the most significant?

  • Conflict due to player personalities/behaviors

    Votes: 50 73.5%
  • Conflict due to player psychological/medical issues

    Votes: 16 23.5%
  • Conflict due to variance in player ages

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Conflict due to variance in player experience

    Votes: 3 4.4%
  • Conflict due to variance in time allotment for each player’s turn

    Votes: 3 4.4%
  • Conflict in playstyles/preferences

    Votes: 39 57.4%
  • Difficulty obtaining players

    Votes: 14 20.6%
  • Disinterest at the table

    Votes: 16 23.5%
  • Disinterest in system/rules/character abilities

    Votes: 7 10.3%
  • Disinterest in the hobby

    Votes: 4 5.9%
  • Disinterest in the setting/scenario

    Votes: 7 10.3%
  • Dispute over “realism” vs. “story” emphasis

    Votes: 5 7.4%
  • Dispute over combat emphasis

    Votes: 2 2.9%
  • Dispute over exploration emphasis

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Dispute over GM rulings/authority

    Votes: 11 16.2%
  • Dispute over GM/referee existence

    Votes: 4 5.9%
  • Dispute over narrative direction/control

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Dispute over player agency

    Votes: 10 14.7%
  • Dispute over roleplaying emphasis

    Votes: 5 7.4%
  • Dispute over rule interpretation

    Votes: 5 7.4%
  • Dispute over setting selected

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Dispute over system selected

    Votes: 2 2.9%
  • Game is ancillary to socializing

    Votes: 8 11.8%
  • Lack of downtime/relaxation for non-game activities/socializing

    Votes: 3 4.4%
  • Medium not conducive to play (in-person, virtual tabletop, game location)

    Votes: 8 11.8%
  • Outside/real world/personal issues/conflicts carried into the game

    Votes: 22 32.4%
  • Player attrition (school, medical, jobs, moving)

    Votes: 14 20.6%
  • Scheduling/availability issues

    Votes: 28 41.2%
  • Surplus of players

    Votes: 4 5.9%
  • System fatigue

    Votes: 10 14.7%
  • Other (describe below)

    Votes: 4 5.9%
  • Player distractions (cell phones, tablets, game devices)

    Votes: 19 27.9%
  • GM burnout

    Votes: 11 16.2%

This is the fourth in a series of polls gauging the overall temperature of the community and how well they are enjoying the games they play. Thanks for all the great responses and discussion so far!

This fourth question drills down and expands on some of the previous feedback on how happy folks are with their current tables. The great news is that most folks are really happy with their groups, and that is wonderful to hear. There was some additional feedback on some of the issues folks were experiencing as well, so like the system drilldown, let's take a look at the issues you consider the biggest problems at the gaming table. The poll is anonymous and generic, so don't worry about what other folks think. There is no to need elaborate any further in the comments unless you want to.

This question is a little different from the last long poll list in that there is a limit of 10 choices (I kinda wish I had done that for the previous one too, but oh well). This way, you can be sure to zero in on the items you think are the biggest threat to a happy table. I realize a lot of tables are happy, so even though these 10 may seem minor to you, you might feel you still need to address them to keep things copacetic.

Clarification 1: If you have problems with multiple tables that are fairly alike, you can list them together here. However, if you find the issues with different tables to be substantially different, prioritize the one where you have the most complaints or the one you would like most to improve, whichever best suits your situation.

Clarification 2: This question is about problems you personally have at the gaming table, not what your l your overall group thinks. Again, the poll is anonymous.

If you have a more complicated take or additional criticisms you want to elaborate on, feel free to comment below!
 
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Reynard

Legend
Supporter
Those are pretty much my top two as well - followed by scheduling issues and real life intrusions.
For scheduling I have found that with adults, the easiest thing to do is pick a consistent day, time and location and just stick to it. Nothing fails as hard as "when are we playing next?" Yes, you lose Fred if he can't make Wednesdays and that is the best day for everyone else, but them's the breaks, Fred.

Real life intrusions aren't worth worrying about. They are inevitable and take precedence. You just have to roll with them.
 

billd91

Not your screen monkey (he/him) 🇺🇦🇵🇸🏳️‍⚧️
For scheduling I have found that with adults, the easiest thing to do is pick a consistent day, time and location and just stick to it. Nothing fails as hard as "when are we playing next?" Yes, you lose Fred if he can't make Wednesdays and that is the best day for everyone else, but them's the breaks, Fred.
Yep, treating it like its bowling league night and everyone just makes some time for it has worked for us most of the time.
Real life intrusions aren't worth worrying about. They are inevitable and take precedence. You just have to roll with them.
Worry, no. They're just disappointing because they can have a real impact on getting together. And, you may infer that I treat all of the other issues on the list that I didn't mark (about combat/narrative/agency/etc) that so often drive bitter message board arguments as being very small potatoes in comparison.
 





Conflicts in player personalities, play styles and real-life intrusions would be my top three, too.
I have also picked "Other" since I was not sure where to put GM burnout.
And finally, I have picked disinterest in the system. It's less of a problem these days, but it has been in a number of groups when I was younger.
 

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