Delicate Subjects...

[wedgeski]

How would you approach them on such a topic? Or would you even bring it up? Is it better to sit quietly and hope things turn around or to speak up and risk hurting the person's feelings?

Andy? Jo? Is that you?

 

[StupidSmurf]

I agree with the whole "be discreet, tactful, and do it between sessions" camp. I'd also add "try to mix in a compliment or two, citing what is GOOD about the DM's game." A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, so they say.

 

[DungeonmasterCal]

Every few months of a campaign's run, I send emails out with a series of questions and elicit feedback from my players.

 

[Queen_Dopplepopolis]

Every few months of a campaign's run, I send emails out with a series of questions and elicit feedback from my players.

**Great** idea DM Cal! If I ever run a full-length campaign, I'm totally going to swipe this plan!

 

[DungeonmasterCal]

Thanks, Queen_D! Usually I get the pat "Oh, everything is just fine the way it is" answers, but sometimes there'll be a little gem that will cause me to adjust something. It's worked out pretty well so far.

 

[Mishihari Lord]

Be constructive and specific: give specific suggestions as to what would make the game more fun for you. "Your game sucks" is useless at best because it in no way helps the DM improve his game. "I would like combat to move faster and more opportunities to use my rogue's skills" gives him something to work on.

 

[S'mon]

Speaking as a GM (I run a Star Wars D20 game) I would rather know if my players were not enjoying the game.

Be tactful.

Be discrete.

Do it between sessions.

You also might want to talk to the other players, to see if they are also unhappy.

Most importantly, do it in person, not by email. Do see what the other players think, they may disagree. And remember the GM is entitled to say "no", and you are entitled to leave a campaign you don't enjoy.

 

[Keeper of Secrets]

Rather than approach the DM and tell him his game stinks (or whatever terms you wish to use) have a list of specific suggestions. Why does the game stink? Is it because the NPCs are awful? Is it because the game is not challenging enough? Or is it because the NPCs seem to be the spotlight? No matter what your specific complaint is, try to go to the GM with an answer to the problem rather than just unload what you feel is a problem.

I think you'll find it is easier to approach him this way and he will be much more willing to at least try.

 

[CarlZog]

Our group just went through this, and most of the advice you've already heard worked well for us.

I was dissatisfied with the way the DM was running the game. He doesn't have a lot of experience, and it showed. I emailed another player to see if it was just me; then the two of us checked in with a third player. We all agreed on the issues and eventually one of us approached the DM between sessions and described our concerns. Turned out he was pretty happy to quit and get back to being a player with no hard feelings.

We have enough folks willing to DM, so it wasn't an issue, but if he had wanted to continue, or we needed him to, I'd have been eager to implement some kind of regular constructive feedback mechanism.

Carl

 

[Oryan77]

Instead of just telling him what his faults are, let him know what you guys are looking for in a game. He should be able to pick up on that and say to himself, "Yeah, I need to do that more often". If his DM'ing is ok but you just don't like the campaign, just ask him if he'd run something more geared to what everyone else wants. It's possible he wouldn't want to do that and if so, either deal with it, DM yourself, or find another game. Any good friend should understand that not everyone will like to play in his game.

I had players try to get me to run a different campaign and that just won't happen. I love Planescape and I spend too much time learning that campaign to just throw it all away and spend time learning a new campaign. So they quit my game, which is perfectly ok with me. I don't expect everyone to like my campaign.