I played DnD and other rpg systems in person a lot in my youth, many years passed where it wasn't really possible to play and now I am trying to get back into it thanks to online play. My experience thus far has been pretty bad. The campaigns I have been in have all either dissolved after a few sessions or I have left as they were insufferably dull. Is this common or have I just had really bad luck?
I am not expecting Critical Role levels of game or anything. I just want some degree of characterization and attempts to role play within a decent world. Most games I have tried I don't know anything about the other characters or the player of the character. They are just some random body that is part of our random group that I have no idea why my character is traveling with. The games all eventually turn into the GM dragging us around with one player doing all the face stuff and everyone else waiting around until the GM tells us to roll a die.
I have tried both paid and free games and found little difference between them. Am I doing something wrong? Do I just need to rapidly cycle games into a draw a lucky group with actual people who like to have fun and enjoy storytelling? Or should I just give up the hobby? Maybe I like the idea of DnD more than actually playing the game?
When you're playing with strangers you can always end up in a group where the playstyles don't match up. A way to avoid this would be to discuss your expectations and play styles going into the game during session 0, that way if there are any conflicts between how players would prefer this game to go, you can at least air them first.
I wouldn't just hop into a group of strangers though. If you're able to get any IRL friends to play with you that's the ideal, but it might also be worth going to local game stores that hold one shots or adventurers league and see A) if you seem to mesh with any of the regulars or semi-regulars there, and B) if anyone of those folks has an opening in their game they want to fill. That way you've already played with them a couple times before you commit to a longer campaign.
This is not uncommon. D&D’s biggest strength is also its biggest weakness—it is a sandbox where you can build myriad types of game. That means some games are going to be bad. Some games might be good for some people, but not resonate with others. Some games might work out. And, of course, there’s the age old issue of games just falling apart due to scheduling—something which is far more common for adult players than when they were younger (which might partially explain why you had a different experience when younger). Getting a group you both vibe with and which stays together is not impossible, but it also is not guaranteed.
This is a particular problem when you play with strangers, particularly strangers online—you never quite know who you are going to get. That increases variance and thus increases the chances of an unsatisfactory experience.
The best solution is also the hardest - curate your own group by only inviting people you know you get along with. Generally you have to be open to inviting brand new players (finding folks you get along with is more important than gaming experience), and it very likely means you have to DM for a campaign to establish the group. But taking charge of the situation and getting to decide who is in your group is really the only way to tip the odds of a party you enjoy to your favour.
I played DnD and other rpg systems in person a lot in my youth, many years passed where it wasn't really possible to play and now I am trying to get back into it thanks to online play. My experience thus far has been pretty bad. The campaigns I have been in have all either dissolved after a few sessions or I have left as they were insufferably dull. Is this common or have I just had really bad luck?
I am not expecting Critical Role levels of game or anything. I just want some degree of characterization and attempts to role play within a decent world. Most games I have tried I don't know anything about the other characters or the player of the character. They are just some random body that is part of our random group that I have no idea why my character is traveling with. The games all eventually turn into the GM dragging us around with one player doing all the face stuff and everyone else waiting around until the GM tells us to roll a die.
I have tried both paid and free games and found little difference between them. Am I doing something wrong? Do I just need to rapidly cycle games into a draw a lucky group with actual people who like to have fun and enjoy storytelling? Or should I just give up the hobby? Maybe I like the idea of DnD more than actually playing the game?
Probably not going to be a popular opinion on this forum, but it sounds like the problem isn't TTRPG's in general but specifically D&D without a core group who shares what you want out of a game.
Someone can definitely make a nuanced, in-depth, maybe moving roleplaying experience out of a D&D game with the right group that are all on board with the story. However, D&D doesn't provide any tools or go out of its way to imagine virtually anything about the roleplaying experience beyond combat. When those great stories come up in D&D the come up in spite of the rules, not because of them.
There are dozens of roleplaying games out there that don't have this problem, and do engage deeply with the sort of roleplaying and storytelling considerations you're seeking. Rather than giving up on ttrpgs altogether, I'd encourage you to branch out into other games (not Pathfinder, real other games).
Again, no shade at D&D, plenty of folks can make the game work with the story they want to play in. But D&D doesn't do much to actively encourage what you're looking for in a ttrpg, so I'd recommend looking at alternatives before giving up on the hobby altogether.
The above complaints are some of the reasons why I personally have given up participating in online RP gaming. I came to the conclusion that I need the human interaction as much as, or more than, the gaming experience. Luckily, I live in the Seattle metro area, where there seems to be enough folks, who are willing to sit at a live table, that I can still have that face time with other people. It ain't all sunshine and daisies, because not everyone at the table wants the same thing from the game. At least I'm not staring at a screen, waiting for some faceless entity to wake up and do their thing, so I can do mine.
When you're playing with strangers you can always end up in a group where the playstyles don't match up. A way to avoid this would be to discuss your expectations and play styles going into the game during session 0, that way if there are any conflicts between how players would prefer this game to go, you can at least air them first.
I wouldn't just hop into a group of strangers though. If you're able to get any IRL friends to play with you that's the ideal, but it might also be worth going to local game stores that hold one shots or adventurers league and see A) if you seem to mesh with any of the regulars or semi-regulars there, and B) if anyone of those folks has an opening in their game they want to fill. That way you've already played with them a couple times before you commit to a longer campaign.
I really wish I could do the IRL game, unfortunately, I am moving around too much at the moment. I will try asking about my friend group to see if anyone is up for joining whatever online rp I try out next.
This is not uncommon. D&D’s biggest strength is also its biggest weakness—it is a sandbox where you can build myriad types of game. That means some games are going to be bad. Some games might be good for some people, but not resonate with others. Some games might work out. And, of course, there’s the age old issue of games just falling apart due to scheduling—something which is far more common for adult players than when they were younger (which might partially explain why you had a different experience when younger). Getting a group you both vibe with and which stays together is not impossible, but it also is not guaranteed.
This is a particular problem when you play with strangers, particularly strangers online—you never quite know who you are going to get. That increases variance and thus increases the chances of an unsatisfactory experience.
The best solution is also the hardest - curate your own group by only inviting people you know you get along with. Generally you have to be open to inviting brand new players (finding folks you get along with is more important than gaming experience), and it very likely means you have to DM for a campaign to establish the group. But taking charge of the situation and getting to decide who is in your group is really the only way to tip the odds of a party you enjoy to your favour.
Ha! I have been thinking this way a bit. Like having some kind of tryout one-shot to collect a solid group of players, or at least players who are more aligned with my rp interests. I will likely do this if I ever have the time to run the campaign I have been planning. Not sure if this would work as well if I wanted to be a player for the game though.
I really wish the sites to find games had more info on the players who have joined the game instead of just the GM profile. As you said, DnD is very much a sandbox. All players seem to have wildly different expectations for their DnD experience. It would be nice to have more than a session zero (which already requires some level of commitment) to help match the right GM to the right group. I have searched about but the best I could find is a brief profile about the GM of the paid game session on startplaying.games .
I played DnD and other rpg systems in person a lot in my youth, many years passed where it wasn't really possible to play and now I am trying to get back into it thanks to online play. My experience thus far has been pretty bad. The campaigns I have been in have all either dissolved after a few sessions or I have left as they were insufferably dull. Is this common or have I just had really bad luck?
I am not expecting Critical Role levels of game or anything. I just want some degree of characterization and attempts to role play within a decent world. Most games I have tried I don't know anything about the other characters or the player of the character. They are just some random body that is part of our random group that I have no idea why my character is traveling with. The games all eventually turn into the GM dragging us around with one player doing all the face stuff and everyone else waiting around until the GM tells us to roll a die.
I have tried both paid and free games and found little difference between them. Am I doing something wrong? Do I just need to rapidly cycle games into a draw a lucky group with actual people who like to have fun and enjoy storytelling? Or should I just give up the hobby? Maybe I like the idea of DnD more than actually playing the game?
Probably not going to be a popular opinion on this forum, but it sounds like the problem isn't TTRPG's in general but specifically D&D without a core group who shares what you want out of a game.
Someone can definitely make a nuanced, in-depth, maybe moving roleplaying experience out of a D&D game with the right group that are all on board with the story. However, D&D doesn't provide any tools or go out of its way to imagine virtually anything about the roleplaying experience beyond combat. When those great stories come up in D&D the come up in spite of the rules, not because of them.
There are dozens of roleplaying games out there that don't have this problem, and do engage deeply with the sort of roleplaying and storytelling considerations you're seeking. Rather than giving up on ttrpgs altogether, I'd encourage you to branch out into other games (not Pathfinder, real other games).
Again, no shade at D&D, plenty of folks can make the game work with the story they want to play in. But D&D doesn't do much to actively encourage what you're looking for in a ttrpg, so I'd recommend looking at alternatives before giving up on the hobby altogether.
I used to be more into non-DnD games like Deadlands, 7th Sea, Exalted, etc. I actually moved away from DnD in the past for the reason you mentioned. DnD is good for a very generic, Tolkien-esque fantasy experience but struggles to do anything else (despite the majority of the player base seemingly having a broader interest). One thing I forgot until I got back into DnD is how old-fashioned the game feels, both in design and setting.
There are some newer systems that I would like to check out at some point. The issue is more one of convenience. I can only do online games at the moment and I cannot find enough campaigns for other systems to play in. With DnD, it is relatively easy to get into a game, which is probably a pro and a con. DnD (thanks largely to dndbeyond) also makes it far more convenient to actually play than the other games I checked out.
We've been playing on Sundays for about 20 years. The DM is very good, but the gaming days are inconsistent.
I started another game about a month ago. We've only played twice so far. The players are fairly knowledgeable. One has even DM'd. I think the mail problem, is that the DM is perpetually stoned, and he relies on the module too much. I feel that the module is a guideline and the DM makes up the main part of the story.
It's a pity, because I really like the game and I'm told I'm very good at it, but it's very hard to find a good DM. So, do I go, just for the "social" aspect, or just move on? The DM and I have had a minor spat and he did with the entire group was well. I just don't like the idea of walking on eggshells.
I love me some Exalted and 7th Sea, but I was thinking more along the lines of Spire/Heart, Blades in the Dark, or the games from Magpie press. They're very different from even the ones you listed, but they have game mechanics for delving into a characters motivations, goals, and mental space in a way that DnD and games like it ignore. They've also become pretty popular, if Gencon and LetsPlay are any indication.
They do require a kind of different mindset so they're not for everyone, but may be worth a shot amd shouldn't be too hard to find a paid game for.
2 - Make sure everyone knows the kind of game they are playing -- silly, serious, a mix.
3 - have everyone create characters together as part of the zero session.
4 - Be sure everyone is able to commit to the date/time/repeat sessions.
5 - Do at least one pure roleplaying session before starting any module/adventure/story. No combat, just encounter and discussion. Get to know each other from a character lens.
over 40 years, through job changes, school stuff, life stuff, kids being born, kids off to college, my group of 7 has grown to a group of over 30 people, with spouses and kids joining in, and we are all very much set in our ways at this point, lol, but we still have a ton of fun because we are shockingly diverse in age, gender, ethnicity, and more. We get a new person about two, maybe three times a year, and sometimes they stay and sometimes they go. That's how we came up with the guidelines -- they aren't rules, and they can be ignored or used, because if you are going to play in one of our games, you have to be able to decide fast and roll quick and we move things along in combat and then slow down for role play which can take up a lot of time.
Some DMs want to do a story -- they *only* want to do a story, and they expect the party to go from story point A to story point B, and diversions are considered problems.
Our games are all about exploring the worlds of our DMs, and (from the Dm side) hoping the player's will bite into a story hook and go for a ride at their speed and in their way. We have different moods or vibes for different games, and such.
So, it seems like games of the sort you want are out there. Just keep looking, and figure out what you want out of a game yourself.
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Only a DM since 1980 (3000+ Sessions) / PhD, MS, MA / Mixed, Bi, Trans, Woman / No longer welcome in the US, apparently
Wyrlde: Adventures in the Seven Cities .-=] Lore Book | Patreon | Wyrlde YT [=-. An original Setting for 5e, a whole solar system of adventure. Ongoing updates, exclusies, more. Not Talking About It / Dubbed The Oracle in the Cult of Mythology Nerds
It is just life. All you can do is look around, engage in communities, and make contacts. That is the best you can do.
Most games I have tried I don't know anything about the other characters or the player of the character. They are just some random body that is part of our random group that I have no idea why my character is traveling with.
Then go with that as your character build. Be a mercenary or lost soul. Set your character to be motivate by personnel and selfish desires. And if the character grows to like the others then you have an arc.
One thing you won't get is a high rate of the table camaraderie; mainly because you are looking for a game session and others my just be looking for only that. If you want more of a bond with the other players, that will take more time and luck. But it is very possible. However, I think it would help to just look for some good sessions and roll with the game. Perhaps over 2-3 games that collapse you can find a group that can work out a schedule and play consistently. And if not, then brush it off and look for the next game. Again, life will get in the way, so the best you can do is just try to work through it and see what you can find.
The reality here is you are not starting off with a group that has already gelled together and incorporating a game into established relationships. Working the other way means there will more of that "interview on the fly" process. So the expectations just need to be set and then work from there. Good luck with your journey and wish you success in finding games you enjoy.
The games all eventually turn into the GM dragging us around with one player doing all the face stuff and everyone else waiting around until the GM tells us to roll a die.
This sounds like a player problem. There are plenty of ways to get involved when you aren't The Face (the charisma character). For instance, whoever is playing the wisdom character (cleric or druid usually) can chime in regarding whoever The Face is talking to "I (my character) scrutinize this person.. Wondering if they are selling snake oil or not.."
Obviously you are fishing for an insight check from your DM, which presumably you are good at. There are many ways to get involved other than combat using the skills you are good at. Could be a new player problem, or perhaps they are shy. At any rate, you should be encouraging and working with them.
Are you near any Friendly Local Gaming Stores (FLGS)? There might be a game held there that you can join in. Some stores have a Discord channel where people can meet to arrange games. Some let people post signs/ads for games. If nothing else, you can meet some like minded gamer types and maybe put something together that way.
2 - Make sure everyone knows the kind of game they are playing -- silly, serious, a mix.
3 - have everyone create characters together as part of the zero session.
4 - Be sure everyone is able to commit to the date/time/repeat sessions.
5 - Do at least one pure roleplaying session before starting any module/adventure/story. No combat, just encounter and discussion. Get to know each other from a character lens.
#5 here can really add a lot to the experience with a new group. This can be a big help toward making the characters feel a bit more alive and making the group feel more organic and cohesive.
PbP is difficult. Games die for any one of a long variety of different reasons - much more so than when a group of friends meet up in real life to play.
There's a type of game that, in my experience has a very high succes rate: Highly tactical, combat based games that use pre-defined combat maps and encounters. Those seem to have endless succes. Sadly, it's the least interesting aspect of the game to me, so I don't play in those, and I don't GM those either. Man, if I had a dollar for each time a player requested I use combat maps, I'd now have ... at least enough dollars for a decent burger meal.
In my experience, a good and succesful PbP game hinges on one very specific thing: At least 3, hopefully 4 players, who all want the same thing - and that thing being what the GM delivers.
As an example, I'm only really good at story telling. I'm mediocre at the mechanics, and absolutely awful at remembering stuff. I don't care about backstories, and I don't feel I'm there to facilitate character growth. Those things are fine, they just don't interest me in the slightest. I'm there to tell a good story - collaboratively. I'm good at that. But if you join my game for some other reason, well, you're going to be disappointed, and leave.
So as a player, the trick is to apply only to those games that seem to promise the thing you want.
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Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
I only tried playing online with a group of strangers once.
The majority of the sessions I play in are all online, and that is not the issue.
It was the group and how it was run. The single session was meant to be a One-Shot, but there was no session zero (understandable with a One-Shot), and the DM tried to make sure everyone was ready, but there was a single player that was not very computer literate, and seemed to have just transitioned to online play. Although they knew the rules of the game and how to play, every time we tried to do something, they got stuck with the online character sheet.
It turned out so bad, and that single player struggled so much, that we ended up with a partial adventure and only a single battle before we ran out of time and were done.
Left me with such a bad taste for playing with strangers, I have yet to go back.
I hope you can find a group that you vibe with and do not give up :)
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Breathe, dragons; sing of the First World, forged out of chaos and painted with beauty. Sing of Bahamut, the Platinum, molding the shape of the mountains and rivers; Sing too of Chromatic Tiamat, painting all over the infinite canvas. Partnered, they woke in the darkness; partnered, they labored in acts of creation.
I was one of those people who had difficulty with online play, but the owners of one particular site were willing to help me all they could [Trying to get older players involved]. Eventually, after having built myself a list of almost 300 computer commands, and growing [The creators never assembled one; they just knew those commands as they created them.], I decided that there was too much memorization work, little to no story development [My favorite part], way too much time spent [often upwards of 3 hours for a fight involving maybe 6 players] for me to enjoy the experience.
For those whom the system(s) that are out there work well for, more power to ya', have fun.
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I played DnD and other rpg systems in person a lot in my youth, many years passed where it wasn't really possible to play and now I am trying to get back into it thanks to online play. My experience thus far has been pretty bad. The campaigns I have been in have all either dissolved after a few sessions or I have left as they were insufferably dull. Is this common or have I just had really bad luck?
I am not expecting Critical Role levels of game or anything. I just want some degree of characterization and attempts to role play within a decent world. Most games I have tried I don't know anything about the other characters or the player of the character. They are just some random body that is part of our random group that I have no idea why my character is traveling with. The games all eventually turn into the GM dragging us around with one player doing all the face stuff and everyone else waiting around until the GM tells us to roll a die.
I have tried both paid and free games and found little difference between them. Am I doing something wrong? Do I just need to rapidly cycle games into a draw a lucky group with actual people who like to have fun and enjoy storytelling? Or should I just give up the hobby? Maybe I like the idea of DnD more than actually playing the game?
When you're playing with strangers you can always end up in a group where the playstyles don't match up. A way to avoid this would be to discuss your expectations and play styles going into the game during session 0, that way if there are any conflicts between how players would prefer this game to go, you can at least air them first.
I wouldn't just hop into a group of strangers though. If you're able to get any IRL friends to play with you that's the ideal, but it might also be worth going to local game stores that hold one shots or adventurers league and see A) if you seem to mesh with any of the regulars or semi-regulars there, and B) if anyone of those folks has an opening in their game they want to fill. That way you've already played with them a couple times before you commit to a longer campaign.
This is not uncommon. D&D’s biggest strength is also its biggest weakness—it is a sandbox where you can build myriad types of game. That means some games are going to be bad. Some games might be good for some people, but not resonate with others. Some games might work out. And, of course, there’s the age old issue of games just falling apart due to scheduling—something which is far more common for adult players than when they were younger (which might partially explain why you had a different experience when younger). Getting a group you both vibe with and which stays together is not impossible, but it also is not guaranteed.
This is a particular problem when you play with strangers, particularly strangers online—you never quite know who you are going to get. That increases variance and thus increases the chances of an unsatisfactory experience.
The best solution is also the hardest - curate your own group by only inviting people you know you get along with. Generally you have to be open to inviting brand new players (finding folks you get along with is more important than gaming experience), and it very likely means you have to DM for a campaign to establish the group. But taking charge of the situation and getting to decide who is in your group is really the only way to tip the odds of a party you enjoy to your favour.
Probably not going to be a popular opinion on this forum, but it sounds like the problem isn't TTRPG's in general but specifically D&D without a core group who shares what you want out of a game.
Someone can definitely make a nuanced, in-depth, maybe moving roleplaying experience out of a D&D game with the right group that are all on board with the story. However, D&D doesn't provide any tools or go out of its way to imagine virtually anything about the roleplaying experience beyond combat. When those great stories come up in D&D the come up in spite of the rules, not because of them.
There are dozens of roleplaying games out there that don't have this problem, and do engage deeply with the sort of roleplaying and storytelling considerations you're seeking. Rather than giving up on ttrpgs altogether, I'd encourage you to branch out into other games (not Pathfinder, real other games).
Again, no shade at D&D, plenty of folks can make the game work with the story they want to play in. But D&D doesn't do much to actively encourage what you're looking for in a ttrpg, so I'd recommend looking at alternatives before giving up on the hobby altogether.
The above complaints are some of the reasons why I personally have given up participating in online RP gaming. I came to the conclusion that I need the human interaction as much as, or more than, the gaming experience. Luckily, I live in the Seattle metro area, where there seems to be enough folks, who are willing to sit at a live table, that I can still have that face time with other people. It ain't all sunshine and daisies, because not everyone at the table wants the same thing from the game. At least I'm not staring at a screen, waiting for some faceless entity to wake up and do their thing, so I can do mine.
I really wish I could do the IRL game, unfortunately, I am moving around too much at the moment. I will try asking about my friend group to see if anyone is up for joining whatever online rp I try out next.
Ha! I have been thinking this way a bit. Like having some kind of tryout one-shot to collect a solid group of players, or at least players who are more aligned with my rp interests. I will likely do this if I ever have the time to run the campaign I have been planning. Not sure if this would work as well if I wanted to be a player for the game though.
I really wish the sites to find games had more info on the players who have joined the game instead of just the GM profile. As you said, DnD is very much a sandbox. All players seem to have wildly different expectations for their DnD experience. It would be nice to have more than a session zero (which already requires some level of commitment) to help match the right GM to the right group. I have searched about but the best I could find is a brief profile about the GM of the paid game session on startplaying.games .
I used to be more into non-DnD games like Deadlands, 7th Sea, Exalted, etc. I actually moved away from DnD in the past for the reason you mentioned. DnD is good for a very generic, Tolkien-esque fantasy experience but struggles to do anything else (despite the majority of the player base seemingly having a broader interest). One thing I forgot until I got back into DnD is how old-fashioned the game feels, both in design and setting.
There are some newer systems that I would like to check out at some point. The issue is more one of convenience. I can only do online games at the moment and I cannot find enough campaigns for other systems to play in. With DnD, it is relatively easy to get into a game, which is probably a pro and a con. DnD (thanks largely to dndbeyond) also makes it far more convenient to actually play than the other games I checked out.
We've been playing on Sundays for about 20 years. The DM is very good, but the gaming days are inconsistent.
I started another game about a month ago. We've only played twice so far. The players are fairly knowledgeable. One has even DM'd. I think the mail problem, is that the DM is perpetually stoned, and he relies on the module too much. I feel that the module is a guideline and the DM makes up the main part of the story.
It's a pity, because I really like the game and I'm told I'm very good at it, but it's very hard to find a good DM. So, do I go, just for the "social" aspect, or just move on? The DM and I have had a minor spat and he did with the entire group was well. I just don't like the idea of walking on eggshells.
I love me some Exalted and 7th Sea, but I was thinking more along the lines of Spire/Heart, Blades in the Dark, or the games from Magpie press. They're very different from even the ones you listed, but they have game mechanics for delving into a characters motivations, goals, and mental space in a way that DnD and games like it ignore. They've also become pretty popular, if Gencon and LetsPlay are any indication.
They do require a kind of different mindset so they're not for everyone, but may be worth a shot amd shouldn't be too hard to find a paid game for.
I generally have the following guidelines:
1 - Never hop into an ongoing game.
2 - Make sure everyone knows the kind of game they are playing -- silly, serious, a mix.
3 - have everyone create characters together as part of the zero session.
4 - Be sure everyone is able to commit to the date/time/repeat sessions.
5 - Do at least one pure roleplaying session before starting any module/adventure/story. No combat, just encounter and discussion. Get to know each other from a character lens.
over 40 years, through job changes, school stuff, life stuff, kids being born, kids off to college, my group of 7 has grown to a group of over 30 people, with spouses and kids joining in, and we are all very much set in our ways at this point, lol, but we still have a ton of fun because we are shockingly diverse in age, gender, ethnicity, and more. We get a new person about two, maybe three times a year, and sometimes they stay and sometimes they go. That's how we came up with the guidelines -- they aren't rules, and they can be ignored or used, because if you are going to play in one of our games, you have to be able to decide fast and roll quick and we move things along in combat and then slow down for role play which can take up a lot of time.
Some DMs want to do a story -- they *only* want to do a story, and they expect the party to go from story point A to story point B, and diversions are considered problems.
Our games are all about exploring the worlds of our DMs, and (from the Dm side) hoping the player's will bite into a story hook and go for a ride at their speed and in their way. We have different moods or vibes for different games, and such.
So, it seems like games of the sort you want are out there. Just keep looking, and figure out what you want out of a game yourself.
Only a DM since 1980 (3000+ Sessions) / PhD, MS, MA / Mixed, Bi, Trans, Woman / No longer welcome in the US, apparently
Wyrlde: Adventures in the Seven Cities
.-=] Lore Book | Patreon | Wyrlde YT [=-.
An original Setting for 5e, a whole solar system of adventure. Ongoing updates, exclusies, more.
Not Talking About It / Dubbed The Oracle in the Cult of Mythology Nerds
It is just life. All you can do is look around, engage in communities, and make contacts. That is the best you can do.
Then go with that as your character build. Be a mercenary or lost soul. Set your character to be motivate by personnel and selfish desires. And if the character grows to like the others then you have an arc.
One thing you won't get is a high rate of the table camaraderie; mainly because you are looking for a game session and others my just be looking for only that. If you want more of a bond with the other players, that will take more time and luck. But it is very possible. However, I think it would help to just look for some good sessions and roll with the game. Perhaps over 2-3 games that collapse you can find a group that can work out a schedule and play consistently. And if not, then brush it off and look for the next game. Again, life will get in the way, so the best you can do is just try to work through it and see what you can find.
The reality here is you are not starting off with a group that has already gelled together and incorporating a game into established relationships. Working the other way means there will more of that "interview on the fly" process. So the expectations just need to be set and then work from there. Good luck with your journey and wish you success in finding games you enjoy.
This sounds like a player problem. There are plenty of ways to get involved when you aren't The Face (the charisma character). For instance, whoever is playing the wisdom character (cleric or druid usually) can chime in regarding whoever The Face is talking to "I (my character) scrutinize this person.. Wondering if they are selling snake oil or not.."
Obviously you are fishing for an insight check from your DM, which presumably you are good at. There are many ways to get involved other than combat using the skills you are good at. Could be a new player problem, or perhaps they are shy. At any rate, you should be encouraging and working with them.
Are you near any Friendly Local Gaming Stores (FLGS)? There might be a game held there that you can join in. Some stores have a Discord channel where people can meet to arrange games. Some let people post signs/ads for games. If nothing else, you can meet some like minded gamer types and maybe put something together that way.
#5 here can really add a lot to the experience with a new group. This can be a big help toward making the characters feel a bit more alive and making the group feel more organic and cohesive.
PbP is difficult. Games die for any one of a long variety of different reasons - much more so than when a group of friends meet up in real life to play.
There's a type of game that, in my experience has a very high succes rate: Highly tactical, combat based games that use pre-defined combat maps and encounters. Those seem to have endless succes. Sadly, it's the least interesting aspect of the game to me, so I don't play in those, and I don't GM those either. Man, if I had a dollar for each time a player requested I use combat maps, I'd now have ... at least enough dollars for a decent burger meal.
In my experience, a good and succesful PbP game hinges on one very specific thing: At least 3, hopefully 4 players, who all want the same thing - and that thing being what the GM delivers.
As an example, I'm only really good at story telling. I'm mediocre at the mechanics, and absolutely awful at remembering stuff. I don't care about backstories, and I don't feel I'm there to facilitate character growth. Those things are fine, they just don't interest me in the slightest. I'm there to tell a good story - collaboratively. I'm good at that. But if you join my game for some other reason, well, you're going to be disappointed, and leave.
So as a player, the trick is to apply only to those games that seem to promise the thing you want.
Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
I only tried playing online with a group of strangers once.
The majority of the sessions I play in are all online, and that is not the issue.
It was the group and how it was run.
The single session was meant to be a One-Shot, but there was no session zero (understandable with a One-Shot), and the DM tried to make sure everyone was ready, but there was a single player that was not very computer literate, and seemed to have just transitioned to online play. Although they knew the rules of the game and how to play, every time we tried to do something, they got stuck with the online character sheet.
It turned out so bad, and that single player struggled so much, that we ended up with a partial adventure and only a single battle before we ran out of time and were done.
Left me with such a bad taste for playing with strangers, I have yet to go back.
I hope you can find a group that you vibe with and do not give up :)
Breathe, dragons; sing of the First World, forged out of chaos and painted with beauty.
Sing of Bahamut, the Platinum, molding the shape of the mountains and rivers;
Sing too of Chromatic Tiamat, painting all over the infinite canvas.
Partnered, they woke in the darkness; partnered, they labored in acts of creation.
I was one of those people who had difficulty with online play, but the owners of one particular site were willing to help me all they could [Trying to get older players involved]. Eventually, after having built myself a list of almost 300 computer commands, and growing [The creators never assembled one; they just knew those commands as they created them.], I decided that there was too much memorization work, little to no story development [My favorite part], way too much time spent [often upwards of 3 hours for a fight involving maybe 6 players] for me to enjoy the experience.
For those whom the system(s) that are out there work well for, more power to ya', have fun.