startplaying.gamesReviews of startplaying.games

The Good: A lot of GM's in a variety of timezones, pricing for both the luxury seeker or someone looking to play a little cheaper and get an experience without needing to do the prep yourself or deal with scheduling conflicts (they still show up, mind you; but I've noticed that 9 out of 10 times players seem more likely to show up and pay attention when they've invested money in it). I've learned systems I really wanted to learn, can reach out to a GM who runs a specific system to ask them questions or to run a starter set, and overall there's a really positive vibe within the community I've met. And their search engine, for the most part, is likely to find you a system and campaign you're looking for (I've not quite figured out their SEO for finding buzzwords in-site; but I've had some good luck using Google to narrow finds down too) The Mid: You won't know what you're getting for your money all the time. I've had a $40 game that felt like it should have been $15, the GM was extremely laxadasical and had no pregens for a system I'd never played in before and said "just bring any character you want, even 5e", which confused me a lot since I'd been very eager to learn and try Tales of the Valiant and it seemed like they'd really phoned that session's prep work in. The Concerns: I don't know how they vet the GMs. There is a review system in place; which can give you some insights on the GM, but sometimes all people will say is "Great game!" with not much else to go by. My general advice, do your own vetting just to make sure you're getting what you want.

Being a new player, I had difficulty finding a game irl. I started looking around the internet for groups, but found it really difficult to get into groups that expected someone to know all the rules. I was able to find StartPlaying and tried a free game. It went really well especially since it was for new players. The DM was very patient and was focused in making sure I didn't get overwhelmed with all the rules. I then tried a paid game and that was even better as the DM was great at creating a story that incorporated rules very smoothly. Over all I have enjoyed being able to not stress about being on a schedule and getting to join games with DM taht are professional and enjoy thier wirk.

I am a professional GM that uses Startplaying.Games and would be absolutely lost at sea without their support. I use the site to host and play games, and the support on each side is top notch. I think there are some improvements in player search that can be made and a few tweaks here and there but the team is always innovating and rolling out new tech and methods of accountability. SPG is the real deal. StartPlaying.Games changed my life and there isnt another place I would rather use to host or play games.

I've found several great campaigns, as well as one-shots, through Start Playing. Can't recommend them highly enough! Even got to experience new to me systems like Monster of the Week and Candela Obscura.

Easy to navigate and understand site to find a ton of amazing Game Masters and fellow players of so many different systems and games. Can find just about any group or game even a few fun niche ones! Reliable service with consistent happy results when I've used them!

Over the last few years, I've played more than sixty games using the StartPlaying service. I've never had an issue with payment or searching for a game, though I will admit I am selective with my Game Masters and usually stick to a few whom I've clicked with well. I plan to finish my current long-term campaign (over twenty games!) in about a week and am already considering looking for a new campaign. Most games list their tech or character requirements ahead of time, as well as potential content warnings and safety tools, a big plus for me. It's a good system in my eyes.

This site is perfect for anyone who wants to learn/play any number of table top roleplay games. If you're having trouble finding a group to play with or don't have a local game store SPG is here to help you find just what you need to get started. There are also tons of Game Masters to choose from so you can get just the right game to play in.

I play in games on SPG, and I also GM games on SPG, so I have experienced their site from both sides of the screen. It's very easy to get into, both as a player and a game master. The SPG support and tech teams are always on top of things when I have issues with the site, players, or GMs. It's a great way to find a game that you want, at a timeslot that works for you. The UI on the site is constantly improving, and they are always adding new features to streamline things. The people working behind the scenes on SPG are wonderful people and very, very passionate about what they do; they care about their players and their GMs. If I were to suggest ways for SPG to improve, it would be to get a better system that allows people to request custom games. Some GMs are out there looking for players for the system (especially niche) that they want to run, and there are players who want to play in that system. A 'match-making' system for players would be great for SPG!