D&D 5E DM Bad Habits

[Blue]

1. I have a poor memory for names and when my players go all over out of what I have prepared I often forget to transcribe my scribbled in-session notes into my master notes files. I'm great for plot and such, but when three sessions later they want to go back and talk to an NPC I made up on-the-spot, I don't remember their name or mannerisms.

2. When different threads of campaign arc start to tie together it's very obvious to me because I made the big picture, but to my players that point A they just found out connects to point B they found out three months ago in real time is far from obvious. Part of me doesn't want to push, that figuring out how they go together is part of the player's job and it's sound self-congratulatory: "See how that plot with the dragons from your backstory works into this plot with the dwarves through the drow?"

3. This builds on #2. My players have a lot of freedom in what do do, and know I still have loads of fun when they do stuff I never expected and didn't prep for. Part of that means that when I put out new information and clues the players have to decide how to act on it. But if they miss a connection with an earlier bit of information or NPC or whatever, they may not think of exploring avenues that are very obvious (to me with my omniscient viewpoint). Sometimes this can leave the party unsure what to do next and it's improv side-quest time as they go do something.

I'm not talking so much in-an-adventure (try to leave three clues for everything and also fail forward on checks that would block the plot), it's more about the campaign arcs and how it fits together.

 

[MichaelArkAngel]

I need to be better at note keeping, period. Running a campaign with 6-7 players can get a bit daunting, especially when they all have their own "ideas, hopes and dreams" when it comes to the future of their characters.

 

[Jer]

I'm old now and need to sleep the night before my games. I have a habit of starting to get a little low energy towards the middle of the session now because I stayed up late prepping for the game instead of getting a good night's sleep.

I also need to work on my character voices. I used to be halfway decent, but now they all start to settle into "Irish old man stereotype" after a few minutes. Even the women. (I blame this also on my lack of sleeping before games, but it may be unrelated. I mean, I was never a Billy West but I could at least keep two or three character voices straight once upon a time).