I could use some advice

[Agamon]

Funny. This month's Dragon deals with this subject. It has good advice, too, which basically states that a good DM should try and make the game fun for all.

Note I said a "good DM should". Otherwise, I agree with Dr. Midnight. If a DM is going to run a game a certain way and won't budge from that, than take it or leave it. Complaining probably won't help. A bad DM has the right to be a bad DM.

Personally, I'd never play in such a "game". If this DM wants to write a book, then that's what he should do. The characters don't have the annoying habit of doing things that goes outside of the tight confines of his story.

 

[Reynard]

>>If this DM wants to write a book, then that's what he should do. The characters don't have the annoying habit of doing things that goes outside of the tight confines of his story.<<

As a writer of fiction, I can say that this is not entirely true. Every once in a while, you get lucky and a character in a piece of fiction does something that you did not expect but is entirely appropriate. it is a neat feeling.

Sorry. You may return tou your regularlt scheduled episode of "Dr Midnight Vs the World."

 

[Daniel Knight]

There’s an important lesson for you here ForceUser… Never post on a forum that has people who are ready to brand you with insults, for asking for a simple bit of advice. It’s unfortunate that every community has its share of these people. And as for your question:

What's more important: being satisfied with your character or enjoying the camaraderie of the game table?

I think that gaming table camaraderie is more important. If though (like many polite people have mentioned), you aren’t enjoying this style of gaming – pull out. But give it a go. It’s good to try everything once.

Except bestiality.

 

[Dr Midnight]

Re: Re: I could use some advice

There’s an important lesson for you here ForceUser… Never post on a forum that has people who are ready to brand you with insults, for asking for a simple bit of advice. It’s unfortunate that every community has its share of these people.

Wow, I'm really the curly-mustachioed villain around here.

I perhaps came off a bit too strong, but I can assure you I'm not branding anyone with insults for asking advice. I'm slinging a thorny opinion for a topic I'm perhaps too sensitive about.

Welcome to the ENboards, by the way.

 

[nharwell]

As a former player who now only DMs, I'd suggest giving it a cautious try for a couple sessions -- but only if you really enjoy gaming with this particular DM and group. Your description reminds me of my own experience. In the past I played in a series of campaigns under a brilliant DM; he was bright, creative, and very detailed. Unfortunately, as he finished one campaign and moved to another, he became more and more controlling so by the last of his campaigns I played in, the players were basically characters in a book (or film) he controlled. If we didn't follow the "script", we would be punished in-game by NPCs. Needless to say, it was not enjoyable for me or for any of the other experienced players. Now he serves as an example of exactly what I try to avoid when I gamemaster. Consistency and detail are important, but the "plot" of the story you're creating should be JOINTLY written by the DM and players.

And in fact, Dr. Midnight is correct regarding the course of action -- there's very little you can do with such a DM except refuse to participate in his games. Perhaps you will set an example

 

[The Crimster]

Re: Re: Re: I could use some advice

Wow, I'm really the curly-mustachioed villain around here.

Please don't make yourself sound 'cool' when all you're really being is a garden variety jerk.

Once more I'll say this to you, Dr. Midnight: Don't take your own past bad player experiences out on ForceUser.

That said, have a nice day.

The Crimster

 

[Dr Midnight]

Yeah, that's me.

 

[maddman75]

I've done this before. Your DM could have something very cool up his sleeve. I wasn't as bad as him - I let them pick gender, race, and alignment. That was it.

Why did I do this? Was I a control freak? Was I wanting to micromanage the characters into a preplanned plot like I was writing a novel instead of running an adventure?

Not at all. Here's what I did - It was a 2e Ravenloft game. The characters started out as farmers, in Darkon. Thier farm was cursed - they barely had enough food to eat, things kept breaking, the livestock either died or ran away, etc.

You see, in the land of Darkon there's a curse that anyone who stays there more than a couple months believes that they have always lived there. This happened to the PCs, before the game began. Their farm wasn't actually cursed, they just didn't have any farming skills

A visit to a Vistani fortune teller gave them some hints, and they went up into the old attic. There was a chest with everyone's name on it. One chest had a book of spells, and the character discovered she could read these magic runes. Another found a suit of chain mail and a longsword, and somehow knew what to do with them.

From there they started following clues as to who they were and why they had come to this land in the first place.

Ultimately, the campaign died. While everyone had a lot of fun discovering thier characters, they didn't have that bond with them. We played only one more game with them before starting over.

 

[The Crimster]

I've done this before. Your DM could have something very cool up his sleeve. I wasn't as bad as him - I let them pick gender, race, and alignment. That was it.

Why did I do this? Was I a control freak? Was I wanting to micromanage the characters into a preplanned plot like I was writing a novel instead of running an adventure?

Not at all. Here's what I did - It was a 2e Ravenloft game. The characters started out as farmers, in Darkon. Thier farm was cursed - they barely had enough food to eat, things kept breaking, the livestock either died or ran away, etc.

You see, in the land of Darkon there's a curse that anyone who stays there more than a couple months believes that they have always lived there. This happened to the PCs, before the game began. Their farm wasn't actually cursed, they just didn't have any farming skills

A visit to a Vistani fortune teller gave them some hints, and they went up into the old attic. There was a chest with everyone's name on it. One chest had a book of spells, and the character discovered she could read these magic runes. Another found a suit of chain mail and a longsword, and somehow knew what to do with them.

From there they started following clues as to who they were and why they had come to this land in the first place.

Ultimately, the campaign died. While everyone had a lot of fun discovering thier characters, they didn't have that bond with them. We played only one more game with them before starting over.

See? SEE?? It can be done in a very cool fashion.

I only wish I had come up with that idea.

The Crimster

 

[Information]

Well, your DM sounds like my opposite from the Plane of Mirrors. Heck, I customize prestige classes for roles my PCs want to play.