Best DM Advice?
- Thread starter Baston Balmoral
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Orryn Emrys
Explorer
Though I have met surprisingly few dedicated game masters with more experience than I, I have sought out and read a lot of good advice over the years. This has, I believe, served to improve my game considerably, and helped me develop a complex and unique approach to DMing, tailored to my strengths and allowing me to constantly focus on eliminating my weaknesses.
I am a "the game is about the players, not the DM" propronent. One approach I have taken to facilitate this philosophy is to increase my awareness of the individual needs of the players.... It has become obvious to me that, whereas we are generally all involved in the game for similar reasons, the specifics tend to vary dynamically from gamer to gamer. Most of my players are "purisits", dedicated to the individual development of the character based on the PC's personal experiences and philosophies. Above and beyond that, however, I have an "artist", one who creates and develops the character for the sheer joy of artistic expression, an "escapist", who sinks herself deep into the psyche of the character to get away from "real life," an "architect", whose pride is in the unsullied construction and development of the individual, a "strategist", who attempts to approach his character's experiences with a directed goal, trying to construct a more effective character, and so on.
The trick is to provide a means by which each of the players individual needs is provided an appropriate challenge, creating expressive levels of satisfaction among the gamers as the campaign takes shape. Ultimately, my goal as a DM is to offer the players enough access to the inner workings of their characters to allow them to play the game on their own terms... while challenging them in ways that appeal to their individual needs. Once a player is firmly seated behind the eyes of his/her character, supension of disbelief is a breeze.
I realize that this isn't advice that I've received, but it's one of the many presentation philosophies I've developed for which I often receive funny looks from other game masters. In terms of general advice, I would be very curious to see how such concepts jive with other gamers' ideas.
And, of course, if my players have a good time, I have a good time. I tend to examine every idea I intend to implement in my game to ascertain that I am working toward that goal... not some private institution.
Best advice I've ever personally received...? Suspension of disbelief is the crux of a good game. Learn it. Live it. Love it.
I am a "the game is about the players, not the DM" propronent. One approach I have taken to facilitate this philosophy is to increase my awareness of the individual needs of the players.... It has become obvious to me that, whereas we are generally all involved in the game for similar reasons, the specifics tend to vary dynamically from gamer to gamer. Most of my players are "purisits", dedicated to the individual development of the character based on the PC's personal experiences and philosophies. Above and beyond that, however, I have an "artist", one who creates and develops the character for the sheer joy of artistic expression, an "escapist", who sinks herself deep into the psyche of the character to get away from "real life," an "architect", whose pride is in the unsullied construction and development of the individual, a "strategist", who attempts to approach his character's experiences with a directed goal, trying to construct a more effective character, and so on.
The trick is to provide a means by which each of the players individual needs is provided an appropriate challenge, creating expressive levels of satisfaction among the gamers as the campaign takes shape. Ultimately, my goal as a DM is to offer the players enough access to the inner workings of their characters to allow them to play the game on their own terms... while challenging them in ways that appeal to their individual needs. Once a player is firmly seated behind the eyes of his/her character, supension of disbelief is a breeze.
I realize that this isn't advice that I've received, but it's one of the many presentation philosophies I've developed for which I often receive funny looks from other game masters. In terms of general advice, I would be very curious to see how such concepts jive with other gamers' ideas.
And, of course, if my players have a good time, I have a good time. I tend to examine every idea I intend to implement in my game to ascertain that I am working toward that goal... not some private institution.
Best advice I've ever personally received...? Suspension of disbelief is the crux of a good game. Learn it. Live it. Love it.
blackshirt5
First Post
"Don't fry bacon when you're naked."
Although let's face it that's just good advice all around.
Although let's face it that's just good advice all around.
Desdichado
Hero
Drawmack: Yes, that's part of it. I'm just saying that unless the GM is having fun, it's unlikely that the PCs will either. What is fun for one GM might not be fun for another. You mention specifically creating custom magic items -- that isn't really something I get into as a GM. To me, creating a tone and feel for the campaign is the most important thing for me to have fun, and the tone and feel I want may not be what my players want.
To me it boils down to matching up GM and player tastes. I'm not a good GM in the sense that I can do any type of game for any type of player, but for players who want the same things out of a game that I like, I think I'm a bloody good one.
To me it boils down to matching up GM and player tastes. I'm not a good GM in the sense that I can do any type of game for any type of player, but for players who want the same things out of a game that I like, I think I'm a bloody good one.
Drawmack
First Post
Joshua Dyal said:
IMHO: this is the difference between a good GM and a master GM. I played in a long lived ravenloft campaign. The GM was amazing, we took him out of ravenloft for a session of classic CoC and he was horrible. A great GM steps up to the plate and provides a good game regardless of setting, rules, etc. The only way I have found for a GM to be able to do this, is for that GM to take joy in giving others joy.
Desdichado
Hero
I agree; I'll clearly step away from the title of Master GM if someone were to offer it to me! 
I'm only good in my element.
Granted, what I want from one game I run may not be the same thing I want from another game, so I do certainly have variety. Very few games give me absolutely no enjoyment whatsoever (dungeon crawls and hacknslashes, really.)
I'm only good in my element.Granted, what I want from one game I run may not be the same thing I want from another game, so I do certainly have variety. Very few games give me absolutely no enjoyment whatsoever (dungeon crawls and hacknslashes, really.)
Mathew_Freeman
Adventurer
When preparing adventures, don't attempt to write a story. Create a situation, and let the players tell their own story of how they overcame it.
Afrodyte
Explorer
Drawmack said:
I'm not sure about this. I think the best GMs know their limits and are honest with the players about them. Besides, I think that having "one GM to rule them all" gets sort of boring. I like a change of scenery every once in a while. That's why I play in several gaming groups as opposed to running the same group through different settings and systems. It can be fun with the right group, but I tend to respect those who understand their limitations.
Henry
Autoexreginated
Most of the DM advice I've received I learned the hard way.
The most important thing I've learned:
Know your Players.
Know why they're playing, what their styles are, and try to learn to mesh each of those styles into your campaign, if you can. At best, you find a way to do it in which each player has something to do in the game; at worst, the result is incoherent and no one enjoys it. But there is a middle ground, and knowing your players is the most important part of finding it.
Practice is also important, and in fact ALMOST as important. The more you DM, the better you get, because you learn what works and what doesn't.
The most important thing I've learned:
Know your Players.
Know why they're playing, what their styles are, and try to learn to mesh each of those styles into your campaign, if you can. At best, you find a way to do it in which each player has something to do in the game; at worst, the result is incoherent and no one enjoys it. But there is a middle ground, and knowing your players is the most important part of finding it.
Practice is also important, and in fact ALMOST as important. The more you DM, the better you get, because you learn what works and what doesn't.
