What is Holding You Back from Being a Game Master on Myth-Weavers?

[Kuri_kun]

On 1/11/2024 at 8:58 AM, Yamazaki said:

I kinda disagree on this. Is it easy? No. Is it hard? Only if you let it. It doesn't have to be as difficult or challenging or thankless as it can be, but it certainly can get that way if you allow things to.

Now, does GMing look difficult?  Oh gods, yes, it looks like this daunting task that only the most creative, insane, and masochistic of folks would be willing to do. But if you take the time to learn how to prep effectively and efficiently, it gets easier. And with more experience, GMing gets easier. Also helps to run systems that suit your GMing style.

Im sure you didnt mean it this way but when I read that I cant help but feel undertones of superiority. The langauge you use there is quite accusatory and not conductive to addressing the issue of difficulty (real or perceived). That said what is easy or hard for you is not for everyone. Being a GM requires a large skillset and GMs of any experience have their strengths and weaknesses. You talk about effecient prep time but that is just one small part of such a large skillset needed to run a game.

Im sorry but to say that being a GM is only hard when you allow it to be is just wrong as situations develop all the time that no matter what you do they are thrust upon you and you have to deal with them. Dont get me wrong, prep can certainly help a lot of situations but it is nowhere near the end all be all tool to making things easy.

Perhaps what would help is a thread on how to be a better GM and the trials and tribulations that one might experience in taking on the role?

 

 

[cailano]

1 hour ago, Kuri_kun said:

Perhaps what would help is a thread on how to be a better GM and the trials and tribulations that one might experience in taking on the role?

 

 

I used to have a thread like that on another site and it was pretty well received. You should start one!

I actually thought we might get requests for GMing tips in this discussion but so far it doesn’t sound like that’s something holding folks back. Time constraints and assorted life issues seem to be the big roadblocks.

 

[Suzuki Stumpy]

1 hour ago, cailano said:

I actually thought we might get requests for GMing tips in this discussion but so far it doesn’t sound like that’s something holding folks back. Time constraints and assorted life issues seem to be the big roadblocks.

I suspect that if those two large blockers weren't the issue then you'd get plenty of requests for tips. I know I'd certainly welcome hints and tips on GMing were I in the position of dipping my toes into the water.

[TheDude2371]

Right now, it's finding the time to actually sit down and work on the following:

GreyPath (Pathfinder 2e) - This is my own AP, using several (at least five) modules from AD&D 1e, with two adventures from Dragon issues from wayback, interspersed with my own original stuff.

Campaign	System	Information	What's holding me up?
GreyPath	Pathfinder 2e	My own AP, using at least five AD&D 1e modules and two adventures from Dragon interspersed with my own original material.	Setting up the campaign, doing conversion work, and getting the Campaign Manager (Obsidian) set up.
JTF 404: Tip of the Spear	Savage Worlds SWADE	Special Operations RP. Basically a Tier 1+/Tier 0 unit using the best Tier 1 operators from Delta, DEVGRU, 24STS, and MARSOC.	Getting used to SWADE. Designing character creation. Campaign is somewhat set for the first two "seasons", working on up to five seasons. Also, a Wiki for JTF404.
Psychosis	FATE / FATE Accelerated hybrid w/house rules	Normal people caught in a far-from-normal situation.	Figuring out how to rework this campaign from the original GURPS and BTRC TimeLords systems, while putting paranormal abilities into the game.

 

At least I'm working on only three possible games. GreyPath is being worked on not only for MW, but also RL TTRPG play. In reality, the other two could work as well, depending on the group.

Right now, between RL, work, and everything else... it's tough to sit down and do this.

[cailano]

@TheDude2371 I feel your pain! I have so many ideas for campaigns in my head. If you look at my profile, you'll see I have several games in planning, although I recognize that I won't have time to run them all. Still, planning them out gives me a better idea of scope and helps me figure out which option I'm most excited about.

 

[ChaosCircle]

The main reason I haven't been running games on MW is life tends to happen and I tend to run homebrew concepts for grand strategy games.

That said, these sorts of games are inherently more unstable than standard PbP because of my failures at game design and automation.

 

Basically, there is always a few things than burn out a player or GM or both before the climax of the plot.

 

So I am working on a new concept but it's ultimately a lot harder since the closest model is a video game with roleplaying rather than traditional tabletop. It is a weird niche with fans but tbh I think almost all of them are on different boards that focus on Quests and such that play out like those videos games.

 

That said, I do randomly get a PM or a discord friend request from people on MW so maybe I should try again here.

[Guest]

I have always been the GM ever since my childhood. I love the game organisation, the encounter building, creating NPCs and all the bits that go with it. I joined MW to give playing a character a go, but if there's a serious lack of GMs here then I'd definitely consider it. Assuming that AD&D 2e and D&D 5e are one of the game system in demand of GMs. Though I'd love to GM a D20 or Everyday Heros (based on D&D 5e) too.

 

Is the balance of GM to Players the same across all RPG systems?

[eltorin]

In general, if I GM, I have to know the rules the best, and honestly, most times I don’t want to put that much effort into them. With PBP, it would be slightly different, and IRL, nowadays I GM exclusively (with the few systems I know that deeply), but the fact remains.

Edited January 21 by eltorin (see edit history)

[Papa Bear]

9 hours ago, eltorin said:

In general, if I GM, I have to know the rules best, and honestly, most times I don’t want to put that much effort into them. With PBP, it would be slightly different, and IRL, nowadays I GM exclusively (with the few systems I know that deeply), but the fact remains.

Heh. I generally feel that way too but somehow got into GMing a Song of Ice and Fire Adventure and I thought I knew the system but it turned out that I knew a different system in the same setting. But it avalanched and took off running so fast that I was like, "Oh well, let me get to reading" and it turned out to be a lot of fun, at least for me, until it died. We were dropping players so I assume it stopped being fun for them. We started with a very large group that I was able to split up into different side stories. It worked for a long time until it didn't.

Edited January 21 by Papa Bear (see edit history)

[gatorized]

I'm just completely drained of energy and creativity.

[cailano]

3 hours ago, gatorized said:

I'm just completely drained of energy and creativity.

Sorry to hear it. Life can suck it out of you sometimes.

[Havelock]

Primarily running a game here is out of the question since I have an off-site game I can't quite devote the attention to that I really would like.

 

There is always such and such idea of mine cooking, but will have to cancel the existing project first (most likely only when all the players stops or we get through the arc about to be launched and I find myself out of ideas going forward on the other side of it).

 

[yxanthymir]

Time is the main reason.

I really like to be a GM, but I don't know if I am a good one or not. I can only GM at most one game at a time, due time constraints.

[cailano]

For those who indicated in the poll that they don't feel they have the technical skills to run a campaign here on the Weave, I have a couple of followup questions:

1. What technical skills do you feel you're laking?
2. Would you want to run a campaign if you had them? Because I bet people would be happy to help you learn a few things.

[MrAndrewJ]

On 1/10/2024 at 10:50 PM, MrAndrewJ said:

My answer is "Other," with two interrelated reasons.

1. Anxiety. ...
2. I'd rather game with friends. ...

This is still on my mind.

"Anxiety" may be helped by taking small steps. I could look at all my notes, and put together what might be a single session worth of game. If it's run in play-by-post format then make that clear. If it's a hybrid situation then say so, too. "This is a one-shot with the possibility of more."

Both of those points would benefit from deliberately choosing to be more social. That's on me. The best way to have those friends is to make friends.