I am curious, do you find it easier or more difficult to maintain a long term VoIP online gaming group? I have been seeing an increase of posts on Facebook and G+ about players and GMs alike showing up for an online game and not enough players show up to run the game. Ultimately the games are being cancelled. For example, one such GM recently griped that for several weeks in a row there was a lack of players showing up for his online D&D 5e game. He then made the argument that his FLGS draws, on average, 50 players to the weekly encounters event. So then, why the low turnout? Maybe he’s a crappy GM! Though I suspect the probability of that is rather low. Is it easier for players to be less than fully committed? I have seen some that agreed to play at the VirtuaCon, but then didn’t show, but these were random people and not a dedicated gaming group.
I personally have found that organizing online games to be a positive and productive experience. I have never encountered an experience where I have not had enough players show up to play a game (as a GM). I have only had it happen twice as a player over the past year.
~ Modoc