DM Shortage?

[pogre]

Howdy,

I have the perhaps erroneous perception there is generally a shortage of DMs in face-to-face games compared to the number of players in a lot of areas.

This is the opposite of my experience locally.

The only thing I miss about 3.X is everybody wanted to play and few were willing to run the games.

 

[Hjorimir]

I don't know how to answer for my "area" as I don't need to look for DMs past the gang I normally play with. We have 10 players (not all in the same campaign) of which 5 are willing to run games and 3 of those tend to run long-lasting campaigns. So, for us, we've got plenty of DMs/GMs.

 

[delericho]

We have plenty of people willing to DM over here. But we also have plenty of people willing to play - including almost all of the same people.

The big issue I'm having at the moment is scheduling. Which sucks, but there's basically nothing I can do about it - I'm just too busy for gaming right now.

 

[TwoSix]

Yea, I don't know the local answer. My own groups rotate DMs, we only have one player who really doesn't feel comfortable DMing. So we have 9 willing DMs out of 10 total players.

 

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*

 

[Dausuul]

Another vote for "I game with the same group of people I've been gaming with for years, so I can't speak for my area."

We have five people, and four of us DM on at least a semi-regular basis. The fifth has been making noises about giving it a try, then backing off. I think he'll take the plunge eventually.

 

[akr71]

I don't understand this at all. If you want to play and know a bunch of people who want to play too, one person just steps up to the plate and takes the DM roll. There is no special club or membership dues - just do it. Then step back and let someone else take a turn, then someone else.

You'll make mistakes, some will enjoy sitting behind the screen more than others, but just do it.

 

[Dausuul]

I don't understand this at all. If you want to play and know a bunch of people who want to play too, one person just steps up to the plate and takes the DM roll. There is no special club or membership dues - just do it. Then step back and let someone else take a turn, then someone else.

You'll make mistakes, some will enjoy sitting behind the screen more than others, but just do it.

It can be intimidating, though, if you're in a group with people who have a lot of experience and skill, and you yourself have never done it.

In my group, there are two of us who've been gaming a long time and have lots of experience sitting in the big chair* (30 years for me, 15 for the other guy). There are two more who have less experience, but they're gung-ho extrovert types who are always up for a leap into the unknown. So all of us have no hesitation at all about DMing, we're comfortable and confident in the role.

And then there's the fifth guy. He's been a casual player most of his life; if there wasn't a DM available, he didn't game, and that was fine with him, he had plenty of other stuff going on. Since joining our group, he's slowly gotten more involved, and developed his level of system mastery from "near-zero" to "fairly competent." But it's taking a while for him to shed the idea that he's a casual player who can't handle complicated rules. It was a big milestone for him to even try a new character archetype; he's spent his entire gaming career playing stealthy skirmishers (rogues and monks), and only just now decided to give "front-line tank" a whirl.

As I say, I think he will eventually take the plunge, and I think he'll be quite good at it when he does. But I can totally understand why he's hesitant. He's contrasting himself with everyone else at the table. In his place, I'd be doing the same.

[size=-2]*Literally. Our game room has two padded, ultra-comfortable, leather-covered chairs and several cheap plastic ones. One of the comfy chairs belongs to the guy who owns the house, and the other is reserved for the DM. I just came off a two-year DMing stint, and while I'm very happy to be able to relax and play a character for a change, I sure do miss that chair.[/size]

 

[Kobold Boots]

I don't think there's a shortage in my area.

I do think that people getting out of their comfort groups and finding each other in any area can be a problem when everyone has a life to manage before the game can be organized.

Folks fall back on what's convenient because it's what's possible and easy to do.

KB

 

[Ranthalan]

Hard for me to say, I am a DM.