Why do I charge players anything, and why do I use StartPlaying?
I’m using StartPlaying because it handles all the admin around things rather well, including having a mechanism to protect you as a player through accountability.
I charge a nominal amount per player — usually lower than most other GMs on that site — for a few reasons.
The biggest is that these adventures are not just modules I’ve purchased. I’ve created (or re-created) maps, developed immersive NPCs, invested in software for myself and the players, and more.
The second is that having a price point also reduces the risk of trollish players.
If you’re just joining StartPlaying, I strongly encourage you to use my referral code to get a discount on your first game.
If either the price or the credit card requirement of StartPlaying is a significant obstacle to you, reach out to me and we’ll see what we can do.