Constructive Criticism for Your GM

Fauchard1520

Adventurer
It's not easy giving constructive criticism. You worry about hurt feelings, awkwardness at the table, and (in the worst cases) ruined campaigns. I have a brief write-up on the subject over here, but I suggest we try a little exercise.
  1. Tell us what your GM does that annoys you.

  2. Write out what you might say to address the situation constructively. (Rehearsal can keep things productive and useful rather than argumentative.)
All clear? Go!
 

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Celebrim

Legend
One thing I prefer when getting feedback and therefore is a rule I impose on myself, is don't do this in the middle of a session. Further, as much as possible, bring up your concerns privately and not as some sort of 'Survivor' session where you are trying to organize the tribe against the GM.

If you don't like a ruling, think that the GM got the rules wrong, don't like where the campaign is going, think the GM said something jerky or hurtful, think the GM should do a better job at calling out bad behavior in another player, don't think you are getting your fair share of the spotlight, don't think that the GM is responding to your cues about where you want to go with your character, these are things to bring up after the session. Even the most sympathetic GM that is most open to criticism, is going to be a lot less empathetic if the player is derailing the game. No matter how reasonable your criticism is, if the GM gets the impression that you are the sort of player that enjoys arguing at the table more than they enjoy playing games, the discussion is going to get started on the wrong foot.
 

Flexor the Mighty!

18/100 Strength!
I ask for feedback all the time...usually its whining and mewling about how adventuring is too deadly so I ignore it and tell them to suck it up or roll up farmers.

but honestly I'll take criticism and give it all the consideration it is due. Unless I've been on the rye again.
 

One GM that I have has this problem particularly badly (as do I, to a lesser extent). I complain to him about it all the time.

The Problem:
Session 0: Hey, guys! I've got a cool campaign that I want to run, blah blah blah...
Sessions 1 through 4 or so: Exciting stuff happens...

Session 0: Hey, guys! I've got a cool campaign that I want to run, blah blah blah...
Sessions 1 through 4 or so: Exciting stuff happens...

Session 0: Hey, guys! I've got a cool campaign that I want to run, blah blah blah...
Sessions 1 through 4 or so: Exciting stuff happens...

...and so on.

The Solution:
Finish what you started for eff's sake!
 

R_J_K75

Legend
My gm is great he is always on time except when he passed out drunk. Im talking about myself.

You beat me to it, except I usually find that after 3-4 hours we usually quit cause everyones drunk. I guess when there 4-5 eighteen packs in the fridge for 6 players you can say were a drinking group with a D&D problem.

That aside, the one thing my DM (myself) does is, DM all the time. Everyone in the either cant and the game is just terrible or they wont. Sometimes I just want to play, but unfortunately Ive been stuck DMing for the better part of the last 20 years.
 



R_J_K75

Legend
I'm always fascinated to hear about the wide range of processes of play and social contracts that different tables adopt.

I think alot of it has to with geography and the culture you grew up or live in. As I generally play D&D, watch sports, BBQ, etc with long time friends from my neighborhood drinking was a big part of socializing.

To bring this back on topic and I forgot to mention in my OP, I wish I cold play more so I could learn from other DMs to make me a better DM. I think Ive become complacent at times, Thats not to say I dont try new things to become better but a little good old fashioned competition always helps.
 

These days, I don't really drink during gaming. In the last hour, when things tend to be pretty well set up, I will crack a bottle of cider, pour a glass of wine, or a wee dram of something. But I've really been trying to incorporate more improv into my games, and I find I get less mentally nimble if there's a bit of booze in me.

Anyway, onto the issue of constructive criticism, that can be tricky. It's important to keep things as positive as you can. Say what you want to see rather than what you don't want to see.

I've often put it in terms of my character. i.e., "I'd really like to spend some more time exploring my character's personality and interacting with the other PCs and NPCs," rather then saying "Our sessions are all combat all the time and I'm getting bored of it."

I see my table of booze hounds is not unique.
 

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