Years ago I learned a lesson ironically through playing but it helped me as a DM. I was always the DM but I got a chance to play and I was very excited. I had a blast at the game. I even called in sick at work to finish it. Now as it turns out, the DM was waging a vendetta against me. I wasn't even aware at the time. He unfortunately set out to "teach me a lesson". This is why my character died in the end. He was perplexed when he found out I was really happy in the end. He later admitted what he did was wrong but it was so funny because I was supposed to walk away with a bad taste in my mouth. But I never got to play in those days, so my experience was overall positive. The lesson: Individual Experience will Vary. Just because you feel everything wasn't the best, maybe even horrible, doesn't mean that's how the players feel. One Man's Junk is Another One's Treasure
SO TRUE. Everyone keeps saying no D&D is better than bad D&D. When I was younger, any D&D was absolutely fantastic. Any play at all was a great experience because it was rare.
This reminds me a bit of the software concepts of sprints, hourly time-boxes, daily standups and bi-weekly retrospectives. All your self-critical thoughts... just write them down and think about them in your bi-weekly retrospective. But for the other 95+% of your time just focus on doing "ok" and then during your retrospective you can worry a bit on how to improve your "ok"
I'm glad you had fun at the fest, but sad I couldn't make it to this one; maybe next year! This was an uplifting video; thank you for making it. As for individual videos on each GM role: I'd watch 'em!
The most important rule by far for both players and DMs is to have fun. You may very well be much better for your table than they are, because you are more fun for them. Pacing is extremely important. Nose out of books. Prep enough for the next session and a random encounter. Players and DM need to be familiar with their abilities. DMs must have good table control: settle disputes quickly and keep the game on track. The spotlight needs to be shared. DMs must be consistent and fair (no targeting or favoritism). DMs also need to be open to feedback from their players. A great DM takes a break when they need one.
I'm pretty okay with my DM skills. I've yet to have a player bail a campaign, fidget out of boredom or flat out call me a poor DM. I am waiting for that one player to complain that their dice hate them and accuse me of being superstitious for not letting them roll with mine. :D It'd be awesome to see a series on DM skills but I find it equally important to do one on player skills. I see so many 'Be a better DM' videos but so few 'Be an actual Player' ones.
I agree that player advice is really important too. I had a conversation with Justin Alexander of the Alexandrian. We discussed how most all the D&D advice is from the DM's perspective. That player facing advice is really important.
I just jump in. Sometimes it's a fumble and I'll fall flat on my face but everyone at the table with me knows it's not coming from malice. I have played so many different games and it's fun to learn a new system or see a different gm style.
I have kind of stalled on running games because of my lack of desire to prepare my adventures & also not really liking what I accomplish when I do DM. Had a once a month game I was GMing because I took it over from another DM & then another player asked to DM & I let them & that adventure took a couple of sessions. One of the players during that session said they would like to GM for a bit whenever it could be worked in & I told that person sure whenever you are ready let me know & you can jump in, about a year later that player let me know they were ready & I told them I would wrap up the current story line & they could take over & I would play the character I was playing prior to DMing. While that player was running the other player said they had an adventure ready to go & they'd like to jump in when the current storyline closed. During that time one of the other groups I play with had a gap & I had collected GM-Scotty's EZD6 so I did a 1-shot with that & it was fun, though I'm still not certain I fully understand the spell-casting rules. I feel like it has been years since I have GMed last & I want to but also kind of scared to because I do not want to prepare but also know I have had short-comings in the past from just winging it.
Thanks for sharing. It's great that you know so many people who like to DM. So at least you can keep playing when you take an extended break from DMing. Have you tried using my Get Even Campaign Prep method? The videos are all on a play list. It might make your prep less daunting.
@@direden I started DMing in 2E & would prep, then find out that the stuff I prepped never got used, I had to Ad-lib everything & I got into a habit of not preparing anything. It is really hard to set aside time to do it after so many years of not preparing. I may hunt down that playlist, but I can tell you at this moment I am resistant to it, so I may overcome that at sometime soon, but it won't be before midnight.
Years ago I learned a lesson ironically through playing but it helped me as a DM. I was always the DM but I got a chance to play and I was very excited. I had a blast at the game. I even called in sick at work to finish it.
Now as it turns out, the DM was waging a vendetta against me. I wasn't even aware at the time. He unfortunately set out to "teach me a lesson". This is why my character died in the end.
He was perplexed when he found out I was really happy in the end.
He later admitted what he did was wrong but it was so funny because I was supposed to walk away with a bad taste in my mouth.
But I never got to play in those days, so my experience was overall positive.
The lesson:
Individual Experience will Vary.
Just because you feel everything wasn't the best, maybe even horrible, doesn't mean that's how the players feel.
One Man's Junk is Another One's Treasure
Great story and example. As humans we are often harder on others and harder ourselves... than we ever Need to be.
SO TRUE. Everyone keeps saying no D&D is better than bad D&D. When I was younger, any D&D was absolutely fantastic. Any play at all was a great experience because it was rare.
This reminds me a bit of the software concepts of sprints, hourly time-boxes, daily standups and bi-weekly retrospectives. All your self-critical thoughts... just write them down and think about them in your bi-weekly retrospective. But for the other 95+% of your time just focus on doing "ok" and then during your retrospective you can worry a bit on how to improve your "ok"
Solid
I'm glad you had fun at the fest, but sad I couldn't make it to this one; maybe next year! This was an uplifting video; thank you for making it. As for individual videos on each GM role: I'd watch 'em!
The most important rule by far for both players and DMs is to have fun. You may very well be much better for your table than they are, because you are more fun for them.
Pacing is extremely important. Nose out of books. Prep enough for the next session and a random encounter. Players and DM need to be familiar with their abilities.
DMs must have good table control: settle disputes quickly and keep the game on track. The spotlight needs to be shared. DMs must be consistent and fair (no targeting or favoritism). DMs also need to be open to feedback from their players.
A great DM takes a break when they need one.
That's a solid list!
I'm pretty okay with my DM skills. I've yet to have a player bail a campaign, fidget out of boredom or flat out call me a poor DM. I am waiting for that one player to complain that their dice hate them and accuse me of being superstitious for not letting them roll with mine.
:D
It'd be awesome to see a series on DM skills but I find it equally important to do one on player skills. I see so many 'Be a better DM' videos but so few 'Be an actual Player' ones.
I agree that player advice is really important too.
I had a conversation with Justin Alexander of the Alexandrian. We discussed how most all the D&D advice is from the DM's perspective. That player facing advice is really important.
Yes please about this serious. Currently I’m growing by playing in different systems with different DMs
I try to learn from every game and GameMasters.
Sounds like a cool convention
I just jump in. Sometimes it's a fumble and I'll fall flat on my face but everyone at the table with me knows it's not coming from malice. I have played so many different games and it's fun to learn a new system or see a different gm style.
looks amazing! hope I can go next year perhaps
I have kind of stalled on running games because of my lack of desire to prepare my adventures & also not really liking what I accomplish when I do DM. Had a once a month game I was GMing because I took it over from another DM & then another player asked to DM & I let them & that adventure took a couple of sessions. One of the players during that session said they would like to GM for a bit whenever it could be worked in & I told that person sure whenever you are ready let me know & you can jump in, about a year later that player let me know they were ready & I told them I would wrap up the current story line & they could take over & I would play the character I was playing prior to DMing. While that player was running the other player said they had an adventure ready to go & they'd like to jump in when the current storyline closed. During that time one of the other groups I play with had a gap & I had collected GM-Scotty's EZD6 so I did a 1-shot with that & it was fun, though I'm still not certain I fully understand the spell-casting rules. I feel like it has been years since I have GMed last & I want to but also kind of scared to because I do not want to prepare but also know I have had short-comings in the past from just winging it.
Thanks for sharing. It's great that you know so many people who like to DM. So at least you can keep playing when you take an extended break from DMing. Have you tried using my Get Even Campaign Prep method? The videos are all on a play list. It might make your prep less daunting.
@@direden I started DMing in 2E & would prep, then find out that the stuff I prepped never got used, I had to Ad-lib everything & I got into a habit of not preparing anything. It is really hard to set aside time to do it after so many years of not preparing. I may hunt down that playlist, but I can tell you at this moment I am resistant to it, so I may overcome that at sometime soon, but it won't be before midnight.
Perfection is not truly obtainable. You should strive achieve the results you want every time. It's basically training until you don't get it wrong
Weird title for a video that didn’t include Guy from “How to be a great GM” 😂
True! 😆