anyone else burned-out with D&D?

[alleynbard]

I'm a little burned out too. I think I might be starting a World of Darkness game soon, probably using mortals to start and see where it goes from there.

I also love Shadowrun and plan on joining a campaign of that in October.

 

[Gothmog]

Somewhat burned out on D&D and the fantasy genre, but not necessarily D20. I'm going to start a D20 Fading Suns game this weekend. There is also a Victory Point version of Fading Suns (which is what most of the older stuff is), but I don't care for it too much because the mechanics are somewhat arcane and the probabilities are wonky. If you haven't checked out Fading Suns, you might want to give it a try. Its a dark sci-fi/fantasy universe set in the dark ages after the fall of the Second Republic. The Church and nobles control most worlds, a new Emperor is on the throne, and the merchant League is trying to hold on to the last vestiges of tech and learning in the face of the Inquisition. The feel of the universe is a lot like Dune, with some portions of Alien (symbiots), Event Horizon (demons/ghosts), and Blade Runner (proscribed tech).

Another great game I can't recommend highly enough is Deadlands (NOT the D20 version). I've been playing and running this game since it came out in 1997, and I've never met anyone who has tried it who didn't like it after giving it a shot. Its just a rip-roarin' good time, and it plays NOTHING like typical fantasy, so its a great break for us from D&D.

I've found that broadening my horizons outside of D&D/fantasy/D20 has revitalized my interest in gaming. So don't be afraid to go outside the D20 world, there are a lot of truly great games you'll miss out on if you don't.

 

[molonel]

I'm not burned out right now, but I was burned out last year. I'd just finished two longterm campaigns, one of which ended so-so and the other of which ended with six months of rules bickering that sometimes left me sitting there with a beer in my hand wishing I was playing video games. I took over a year off. I didn't game at ALL. I just read, wrote and spent time with my friends doing something OTHER than gaming. It's partly the system. But it's also partly the very human desire for variety, and when you've dedicated so much of your time to one thing, and you've explored every option, avenue and combination, it gets to be old hat.

Take a break. That's my recommendation. Just take a break. Do something entirely different. Then come back to gaming when you feel ready. I'm now running a game right now of 10th and 11th level characters. Most of the group is new to 3rd Edition, and their enthusiasm reminds me why I enjoy this hobby so much.

If I'd continued pushing myself to play when I felt burned out, I probably wouldn't even be gaming right now.

 

[Psion]

Yeah, I'm a bit burned out on D&D. Gonna play Traveller d20 for a bit, and perhaps some spycraft.

 

[DragonLancer]

I'm not really burnt out but could do with a change of seat. I am always the DM because the other guys don't have the time, experience or inclination to run a game. That will change after my current game ends and one of them has offered to try running a game. Not sure if thats good or bad, but I will certainly enjoy the break.

 

[pogre]

I'm not burned out at all, but I understand your feelings. We do not play enough to get burned out - and I have to take a break in the Fall and Spring for coaching duties. I think these two yearly breaks and playing only once a week keeps it fresh for us. I've always been mainly a pseudo-medieval fantasy kind-of-guy anyway.

 

[Ao the Overkitty]

I know where you're coming from, for I am burned out to. But just on D&D. I'm guessing variety helps. I wouldn't know. We just play D&D and have for years. There was a very brief stint where we tried a d20 Modern game, but that fell through after only a month or two.

Right now, I'm sitting out of our weekly games and living off the variety of gamedays.
I love GMing and can handle running a single game of D&D at one, but I can't sit down to one as a player. I'm having fun setting up a Buffy game and possibly an All Flesh game.

I find just working on a campaign in another system refreshing, even if I know I won't get to run the game anytime in the near future.

 

[scourger]

D&D burnout

I've been there. My group is a precarious situation. We've had some rough spots since last year. It's only been in the past couple of months that I've considered running D&D again. I've been DMing D&D variants: Omega World, a Pirate D&D game, and now Spellslinger. I think the problem is that we play too much D&D, and other games we play tend to get turned into D&D (playing Star Wars to kill monsters and take their treasure in space was not fun for me). Stepping a bit outside the D&D fantasy genre seems to take the edge off the players' expectations and play styles. I just can't seem to get motivated to run a core D&D game again--even when I find material that I find really intriguing. I would love to run Judge Dredd again; it's just easier all around.

 

[Ranger REG]

You guys have got to pace yourselves. If you think are you're about to suffer a burn-out, suggest a change of game.

 

[Tinker Gnome]

I am only burned out on D&D cause of my group. Well, that is to say some games can be great, but others can suck because of short attention spans.