If you have just wandered onto the site, you probably have a few questions about who we are, what we do, and why we are here. I will do my best to answer those questions for you here!
What is StartPlaying?
StartPlaying is the largest online platform for players to find games and Game Masters (GMs) for any game system and any virtual tabletop!
StartPlaying hosts thousands of GMs on our website so players can find the perfect GM for their group of friends, or make new friends along the way.
How do I become a GM on StartPlaying?
If you want to list your games and join StartPlaying as a Game Master, you will need to create an account, then create your GM profile.
How much does it cost to use StartPlaying?
If you are a player, your cost will depend on which GM and game you book with. All of our GMs set their own prices for their services.
For GMs: StartPlaying takes a 15% cut of any game bookings. But, you can charge whatever price you feel is fair for your services!
How do you vet your Game Masters?
We allow anyone to join as a GM but have rigorous requirements for game listings and only show verified GMs in Game Master Search. If you are a GM struggling to get listed in that GM Search, you can refer to these articles for help.
How does payment work on StartPlaying?
Players on StartPlaying are charged 1 hour after the start of a game. This gives our GMs a little wiggle room to be able to cancel a game if there are technical difficulties.
Players can leave or skip a game without being charged if they do so at least 24 hours before the session's scheduled start time. Sessions must also be explicitly scheduled on the platform for charges to occur.
GMs can see all payments in the Payouts section of their GM Dashboard. All payments are handled directly through the site and our payment processor, Stripe, so that no third-party apps are needed. Games must be in Active status, meaning they meet all requirements such as minimum player count and confirmed scheduling, for payments to be processed.
š Note: It is against our Terms of Service to pay for a game using 3rd party apps (Ex: Venmo, PayPal, etc.)
Managing Game Participation
Leaving or Skipping a Game:
Players can leave or skip a game without being charged if they do so at least 24 hours before the session's scheduled start time.
To leave or skip a game, players should either follow the steps outlined in support articles or contact the support team with the name of the game.
Game Statuses: "Active" vs. "Pending"
Active Status:
Indicates that the game has met all requirements to run.
Minimum player count is met.
The organizer has clicked "Start Adventure" and confirmed the gameās schedule.
Sessions can be scheduled, and players will be charged at the session time. Pending Status:
Indicates that the game has not yet met the requirements to run.
Minimum player count is not met, or "Start Adventure" has not been confirmed.
Sessions cannot be scheduled, and players will not be charged until the game becomes Active.