{"id":4787,"date":"2004-01-05T19:15:57","date_gmt":"2004-01-06T02:15:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp\/?p=4787"},"modified":"2004-01-05T19:15:57","modified_gmt":"2004-01-06T02:15:57","slug":"size_matters_2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2004\/01\/05\/size_matters_2.html","title":{"rendered":"Size matters"},"content":{"rendered":"

Game WISH <\/a>asks, <\/p>\n

What do you think is the best cast size for the games you\u2019ve played? What are the factors that go into your answer: genre, play group, gaming system, etc.?<\/p>\n

Basically, 4-5. The best games I’ve ever played or run have had groups that size. Large enough that there are enough possibilities for different interactions and strengths. Small enough that everyone gets plenty of face time with the GM and each other. Large enough that if someone can’t make it, it’s not a disaster. Small enough that you can fit easily around a table. I’ve found that number to work pretty well in most genres and groups I’ve been in.<\/p>\n

Six can still work, especially if you end up with groups of three or two. Seven, though, means lots of downtime for individual players, even if they’re all in a single swarm. It’s too easy for folks to get distracted, or resort to other passtimes to while away the hours. Plus it’s nigh impossible for the GM to subplot for that many, and group melees take for-frelling-ever.<\/p>\n

The only possible thing to bump above the 4-5 number might be an Amber game. The mechanics free up a lot of time, and it’s relatively easy to drag people in — or push people out — of the current spotlight. It’s still rough on the GM, though.<\/p>\n

Another problem with larger numbers is that the personal commitment drops. If you’re one of 7-8 players, it doesn’t seem like as much of a big deal if you no-show a session. (If you’re one of 2-3 players, on the other hand, it can feel like too heavy a burden, like too much is riding on you, and you may feel compelled to be there beyond what’s probably proper.)<\/p>\n

I currently have five in my Spycraft group, and that’s just peachy. I’d rather not have more. My previous effort for a supers campaign foundered under seven players (and my unrealistic desire to run heavy subplots for each of them). My Amber campaign ended up with 4-5, but was up at 6-7 at times, which was, in fact, probably too many. <\/p>\n

I do undestand, though, how the numbers creep up. It’s difficult to say no, and it’s often difficult to invite person A, who you really want, without inviting person B, whom you’re less sanguine about (even if they’re not spouses). And, of course, as a primary social gathering, the temptation is to invite in all <\/i>your friends, esp. if you’re only running one game … (Piece of advice: don’t. Accept the word of One Who Knows.)<\/p>\n

(via Doyce<\/a>)<\/small><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Game WISH asks, What do you think is the best cast size for the games you\u2019ve played? What are the factors that go into your answer: genre, play group, gaming…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_robots_follow":"","_seopress_robots_imageindex":"","_seopress_robots_snippet":"","_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_robots_breadcrumbs":"","_seopress_robots_freeze_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_custom_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_canonical":"","_seopress_social_fb_title":"","_seopress_social_fb_desc":"","_seopress_social_fb_img":"","_seopress_social_fb_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_height":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_title":"","_seopress_social_twitter_desc":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_height":0,"_seopress_redirections_value":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled_regex":"","_seopress_redirections_logged_status":"","_seopress_redirections_param":"","_seopress_redirections_type":0,"_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4787","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-gaming"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":12568,"url":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2008\/03\/24\/easter.html","url_meta":{"origin":4787,"position":0},"title":"Easter","author":"***Dave","date":"Mon 24-Mar-08 6:37am","format":false,"excerpt":"Had a very pleasant day, with a passel of folks coming over to chit-chat, eat, and play games. Jackie, Stan, Randy, Bruce and his friend Mark, Lee & De, Doyce...","rel":"","context":"In "Food & Drink"","block_context":{"text":"Food & Drink","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/category\/food-drink"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":129507,"url":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2016\/01\/18\/game-day-january-2016.html","url_meta":{"origin":4787,"position":1},"title":"Game Day – January 2016","author":"***Dave","date":"Mon 18-Jan-16 2:51pm","format":false,"excerpt":"Our Twelfth Night party was a resounding success (with many oohs and aahs over the new kitchen), and we followed it with a \"For the love of God help us eat leftovers\" Thirteenth Day game day.Two new games (among a number of others received by various attendees over the holidays)\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "~PlusPosts"","block_context":{"text":"~PlusPosts","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/category\/blogging\/plusposts"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/between-two-cities.jpgimgmax%3D660.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/between-two-cities.jpgimgmax%3D660.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/between-two-cities.jpgimgmax%3D660.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":135832,"url":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2018\/01\/12\/trying-figure-play-ancient-board-games.html","url_meta":{"origin":4787,"position":2},"title":"Trying to figure out how to play ancient board games","author":"***Dave","date":"Fri 12-Jan-18 11:55am","format":false,"excerpt":"We often have boards, sometimes pieces, and occasionally literary references to the games played in ancient civilizations, but actual rules? Those usually have to be reconstructed, and rarely without giant question marks in the process. That's true for stuff dug up in ancient graves, and stuff that was widespread around\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "~PlusPosts"","block_context":{"text":"~PlusPosts","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/category\/blogging\/plusposts"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/ancient-gaming.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":129645,"url":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2016\/02\/05\/the-war-on-dd-and-how-it-was-won.html","url_meta":{"origin":4787,"position":3},"title":"The War on D&D (and how it was won)","author":"***Dave","date":"Fri 5-Feb-16 7:08am","format":false,"excerpt":"Actually, the article doesn't really go into detail as to how the culture war against Dungeons & Dragons was won or lost, only that today D&D (and its fantasy mindset) have clearly won in culture, and fundamentalists touting the evils of FRPGs don't get segments on 60 Minutes any more.Which\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "~PlusPosts"","block_context":{"text":"~PlusPosts","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/category\/blogging\/plusposts"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":45301,"url":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2014\/09\/17\/all-the-ships.html","url_meta":{"origin":4787,"position":4},"title":"ALL the Ships!","author":"***Dave","date":"Wed 17-Sep-14 7:25am","format":false,"excerpt":"I've not had a chance to drill down into this completely, and a lot of these are from games (vs TV vs movies), but it's a pretty impressive compilation. Heck, there's even a good sampling of Babylon 5 vehicles in there (just above the bottom right).Go to the Deviant Art\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "~PlusPosts"","block_context":{"text":"~PlusPosts","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/category\/blogging\/plusposts"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/spaceshipchart.jpgimgmax%3D660.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":15632,"url":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2009\/08\/23\/game-day-and-night.html","url_meta":{"origin":4787,"position":5},"title":"Game Day (and Night)!","author":"***Dave","date":"Sun 23-Aug-09 12:12am","format":false,"excerpt":"Huzzah! Had over Bruce, Scott (new friend via Bruce), Stan, Randy, Tim, Doyce, Kate, and De -- with Kaylee and Rachel to play with Katherine. Played probably the most eclectic series of games we've ever done at one of these shindigs: Happy Birthday, Robot! Jungle Speed Formula De Unspeakable Words\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Gaming"","block_context":{"text":"Gaming","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/category\/gaming"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/08\/dice.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4787","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4787"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4787\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4787"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4787"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4787"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}