D&D General A Rant: DMing is not hard.

[GrimCo]

Can we move away from driving?

I get why people say that playing other games is necessary. Back in the old days of internet and pre internet, only way you could learn stuff from other games was actually picking up game, learning it and then running it. There weren't in depth videos about design of game mechanics and how they impact games. Lot less information and less communication channels.

These days, with youtube, you can spend hour watching/listening about various systems, mechanics, how they interact, what is desired outcome from using them etc, while also doing something else in process (like house chores, commuting to school/work).

I think i can in single post explain to someone who never touched 7th sea, what are brute squads, what is their purpose in game, how they work mechanically and how one can implement them in D&D, some tricks with them, some specific situations when they are great (outside of what they are intended to do originally). So, sum up years of using particular mechanic in a digestible bite size piece that's easy to understand, absorb and then use in game of D&D.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

Is it too soon to propose name change for the thread A Rant: Driving is not hard

The most fascinating aspect of this is that people who have been on this site for years and have engaged in many similar disagreements, still persist, thinking that enough arguing and presentation of facts will actually change entrenched opinions.

 

[lynnfredricks]

When anyone can have their own unique, internal lists of opinions on what makes a session good or bad, I don't think the answer is a simple no.

The DM sets the tone for a session through the several roles they play as judge of the rules and 'player of the world,' but the rest of the players have an impact on it.

I think DMing definitely is hard if you set your bar high on management of specific kinds of play. Anyone can read up, play some games and give it a shot, much like someone who hasn't taught a class before can give it a shot.

 

[AlViking]

When anyone can have their own unique, internal lists of opinions on what makes a session good or bad, I don't think the answer is a simple no.

The DM sets the tone for a session through the several roles they play as judge of the rules and 'player of the world,' but the rest of the players have an impact on it.

I think DMing definitely is hard if you set your bar high on management of specific kinds of play. Anyone can read up, play some games and give it a shot, much like someone who hasn't taught a class before can give it a shot.

The important thing to me is to remember that everyone has to start somewhere and unless you go out of your way to make the game less enjoyable most people are okay with it and will still have fun. Beyond that there's a ton of advice out there for new DMs, what will work for one individual may not for another and the most important thing is to keep at it and seek feedback.

 

[Seramus]

The most fascinating aspect of this is that people who have been on this site for years and have engaged in many similar disagreements, still persist, thinking that enough arguing and presentation of facts will actually change entrenched opinions.

Some people definitely do, but it's mostly theatre to me. That is to say, all parties are presenting their arguments to the greater whole (that being whoever is reading). You state your cases, try to refute other points, but it's all for the audience.

The audience / future readers stumble across this thread now, in weeks, maybe in years. Hopefully they take away something useful.

 

[definiteFreakyFishGuy]

The most fascinating aspect of this is that people who have been on this site for years and have engaged in many similar disagreements, still persist, thinking that enough arguing and presentation of facts will actually change entrenched opinions.

I actually don't think there is an actual disagreement. It seems like both agree with the following statement:

"Playing other TTRPGs may OR may not improve your DMing."

The difference seems to be that one is putting a bit more weight on one side of the "OR," which at times gets interpreted as a more absolutist stance.

I am also assuming that the debate is fun for them, and it may or may not improve their DMing.