LFG formalised

Okay. So from the ground up….

**The player**
Selects systems they’re interested in from systems + extra ones (for which there’s no system - extras defined by admins for consistency) + free format (for really obscure).

When a user selects a system they like they have a text box to describe experience, style, preferences etc. + can select from admin defined tags (horror, humour, dark, light etc).

**GMs (or potential GMs)**
Can browse the LFG list by system, seeing the list of users and their preferences.

**Integration**
LFGs shown on user profile.
Homepage to ask users without preferences to add something.
We don’t have enough games at the moment, but later we could do some matchmaking based on system and tag.

When GMs are browsing the list of LFG players maybe checkboxes to bulk PM them "Hey, I see you’re interested in… I’ve just posted an interest check in the tavern…"

Is that something that could/should be automated? I don't know if there's a way to put a checkbox in Games Tavern ads that says "Check here if you want to auto-send a notification regarding this ad to all players interested in your chosen system."

I guess that would require the ad to be tied to a game that's already been made and a system chosen, though.

I think if/once people start using it, and we have some data, this is definitely the sort of thing we should be doing.

Do you think it's worth the effort (I mean, it's YOUR effort, and you brought it up, so you probably do)? We could give it a shot, but it might need a trial period to see if the users would even use it.

I don’t know. I never know. It’s funny, but it’s never the features you expect that make the difference. Dark mode was only added because it was easy.

But the lfg thread was a clunky experiment, and it’s kinda worked despite being horrible to use. I reckon it’s worth a punt.

Yeah, it's definitely clunky, I won't argue. More than anything, I wonder if DMs will use it. I made my 5e game and put the ad up and didn't even think to check the LFG thread. From an economist's standpoint, there's no incentive to use a tool if there are plenty of customers for your good/service, right?

Very true, and it's not like pathfinder gms have risen to the demand. I look at it for 5e demand (which is scant), and maybe it helped with exposing the Witcher demand. It's mainly niche systems at the moment.

...yet people post to it. Especially new users. Perhaps one thing it should be reporting to DMs is what new users are looking for too (so we can find them a game quickly).

If there were an official LFG tool, how would we encourage (or remind) the DMs to use it? At least with the thread, it pops up so often at the top of the forum that it acts as its own reminder.

Dunno yet.

Most of the Pathfinder players found a game (I had launched one for them), they just haven't removed themselves from the list. This could be because they want MOAR Pathfinder, or maybe as a GM I should have removed them and let them re-up if they wanted more.

Or maybe because it’s a pain in the arse to do so. It took me a while to remove myself from the 5e list because it’s a bit more of a hassle than just unchecking a box.

If it is not just a list, you could add a timeout and remind players to reup themselves every few months (seems bit long?) or weeks (seems a bit short?). That way, if they have not showed interest in a while they are removed.

You could still send a message when a game they were previously interested in is made (not sure I like that whole strategy, but I can see the value for some). Maybe track if they show interest, or give them a way to opt out of future games if they have decided they are no longer interested?

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I did not see mention of this, but maybe there is value in a similar system for GMs to list games they are thinking about running and players can look at that and add their names as interested parties? Similar timeout strategies could be used.

The site was set up to do this, but we don't really use it that way.