As a DM, what aspects of the game do you feel weakest in?

[Psion]

NPCs -- I think I have trouble making my NPCs seem distinctive.

Running published adventures -- I don't know what it is, but when I run a published adventure, I feel very confined, become excessively obsessed with meeting the authors intent, and miss a lot of details that become important later. I generally prefer running my own games, because I am more relaxed/flexible with them, and always know my own intent.

 

[djinni]

I have trouble keeping everybody on track. They're always wandering off, fighting each other, commiting suicide, or setting the town on fire.

Yeah. I have problems with it too. Too much discipline and it takes everybody fun off or other way, I'm too easy with my players and they start rampaging through session.

I'm afraid it has something with DM's charisma or the lack of it.
It's hard to improve but I'm trying - and even noticed some progress !

 

[Umbran]

I chose "other".

In today's world, getting a group of people together regularly takes a certain amount of skill and tenacity. It's like herding cats. I am not an agressive scheduler, and my games have suffered some because of it

 

[KnowTheToe]

Creating modules is a pain in the tookus. I never know how much to prepare in any given direction. The darn PCs are always getting in the way of story. It would be so much easier without players.

 

[John Crichton]

In today's world, getting a group of people together regularly takes a certain amount of skill and tenacity. It's like herding cats. I am not an agressive scheduler, and my games have suffered some because of it

I feel your pain. Getting a group together on a weekly/consistant basis is tough.

 

[Kerrick]

Adventures, and the writing thereof. I have a hell of a time coming up with adventures. Fortunately, there's Dungeon, and the free adventures on the WotC site... Even though I played for umpteen years without DMing, I collected them. I just recently got roped into DMing the FR campaign, so all of that collecting is paying off now (course, a lot of it is 1E and 2E, but hey...). I suppose I shouldn't be trying to coming up with world-shaking plots my first time around, but I still keep holding myself up against DMs like that for some reason.

 

[John Crichton]

I suppose I shouldn't be trying to coming up with world-shaking plots my first time around, but I still keep holding myself up against DMs like that for some reason.

Don't underestimate the power (and fun) of a non-earth destroying adventure. I find that it's just as fun saving a small village, defending a tiny outpost or solving a hundred-year old mystery. Saving the world is over rated IMHO.

Do what you like and what you feel comfy with.

 

[The_Gneech]

I have a tendency to create a vivid setting filled with fascinating characters, and then think, "Duh ... okay ... so what happens?"

I have a hard time coming up with just plain NEAT stuff ... like in LotR, the bit with "Drums ... drums in the deep..." That was just plain neat. Or in <i>Neverwinter Nights</i>, the town that was removed from time until the players showed up ... that's a cool idea.

So I end up drawing cave complexes with minotaurs in them. Ho hum.

-The Gneech

 

[Ace]

I don't play or run enough D20 stuff to really know the mechanics well. I tend to write very GURPSlike adventures and that doesn't cut it in D&D.

 

[BluWolf]

From Mr. Crichton

Don't underestimate the power (and fun) of a non-earth destroying adventure.

I have to agree with JC here. I like to run a group for a good 3-4 months before I try and introduce any huge over-arching campaign plots. It gives the characters time to build some identity and establish some history. Build a name for them selves or at least some in game goals.

For the players themselves it gives them a chance to see if this is the character they really want to play for ahile. Maybe their original concept didn't really gel with the group.

It gives me a chance to see what is really important to them as players and as characters.

I usually start dropping hints and clues when they 4-5th level.

Also, don't be afraid to throw some side plots (or quests for you CRPGrs) in there. Some VERY long campaign plots can start to become a little boring after 3 or months if the PCs don't get a chance to stretch their legs outside the story everynow and again.