DMing Motivations & Aspirations

[Mark CMG]

As someone who has DMed a fair share over the years, I know that it is possible to become complacent at times. As I am currently starting a new campaign, with some players new to me and some new, even, to the game, I am taking stock of my motivations and aspirations in hopes of starting off on the best possible foot.

For this particular campaign, I am looking to DM a game that is more RPG-heavy than other recent games or campaigns I have run, and I am gathering the players with that goal in mind.

For this particular campaign, I am looking to DM a game that is less reliant on tabletop accessories (minis, battlemaps, etc.), so I am prepping the weekly games with that in mind.

For this particular campaign, I am looking to DM a game that is richer in description, so I am designing the encounters toward that end.

For this particular campaign, I am looking to DM a game that allows for more depth of character in both the PCs and the NPCs, so I am building the characters, and helping the players build their characters, with that thought in the forefront.

I will try to review these pledges regularly as I move forward. I am hoping that 35 years from now, these new players look back on their first games with the same fondness I have for the first games I played back in the mid-seventies.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

Sounds good, but with players new to you and some new to the game, be prepared that your expectations may be higher than the others are ready for.

 

[Mark CMG]

No doubt. Goals needn't be linked directly to expectations. It's important to keep them separate so that no matter the results you can continue to strive for your personal best.

 

[Treebore]

Just go for the fun. Everything else seems to fall in place just fine.

Don't let anyone focus on rules minutiae, just focus on keeping the game going.


Rules are to facilitate the game, not be the game.

Teach them that attitude and fun will dominate.


Good luck.

 

[Mark CMG]

Thanks for the well wishes and words of advice!


Any more general advice ofthis nature for getting the new campaign off on the right foot?

 

[shilsen]

Any more general advice ofthis nature for getting the new campaign off on the right foot?

Talk to your players.

95% of the DM-player problems that I read of on ENWorld are due to differences in expectations, and most of them could have been avoided with better communication. Let your players know what you expect of the game and what you want to do to that end. Find out what they expect/want of the game and see if you can find a happy medium.

 

[Mark CMG]

Talk to your players.

95% of the DM-player problems that I read of on ENWorld are due to differences in expectations, and most of them could have been avoided with better communication. Let your players know what you expect of the game and what you want to do to that end. Find out what they expect/want of the game and see if you can find a happy medium.

I agree, although in this particular case (and maybe I didn't explain this adequately in my first post) I am basically prepping any potential players toward what it is I am planning to run and letting them know there are no hard feelings if they would rather look for a different game elsewhere that is more to their own tastes. The most recent campaign, RHoD, was more of a series of encounters strung together with a plot, and rewarded based on the success rate of pre-determined points. Alongside this, I have run many one-shots, some for gamedays, that don't lend themselves to character development and heavy roleplaying. One of my more recent regulars is sitting this campaign out, though we will still be getting together for other board games and whatnot on other evenings. Anyway, the point being, that while I love running all different varieties of games and campaigns, this one is much more about what I wish to run from the get-go and the players either joining because they share the vision or joining because they are willing to play along and discover what that vision will turn out to be.

 

[Wraith Form]

Any more general advice ofthis nature for getting the new campaign off on the right foot?

Well, not that I'm implying anything, but...I just bought Castles and Crusades for 80% of the same things you listed off in the original post.

 

[Mark CMG]

Well, not that I'm implying anything, but...I just bought Castles and Crusades for 80% of the same things you listed off in the original post.

Heh. Naw. If I wanted that "early edition feel" I'd simply play the early editions. They were okay back in the day but I'm not interested in going back or simulating it. I think there is a mistaken belief that rules dictate style of play. I've always believed that the DM, and the players if the DM wishes it to be the case, dictates the style of game that is played at any particular DM's table. I suppose the rules, if written a certain way, can help grease the tracks, to make it easier for a DM to convince his players that a particular style of play is the norm at his table, but it has never really been a necessity from my point of view. I've always felt that the rules were meant to mechnically resolve situations to consequences but how those manifest themself in-game is up to the DM.

Without making this an edition/ruleset war, can you describe what it is about some rulesets that make you feel more in control of play style?