DMs -- How Open Are You to Suggestions?

[haiiro]

That being said, what are some of the ways that you have successfully gotten feedback from players? How many of you, as players, consciously attempt to keep tabs on things you like and do not? Do you write these things down? Is there a roundtable discussion at the end? Or do you simply approach the DM for a one-to-one?

As a DM, I usually ask my players what they thought of the session when we're winding down. If there's something specific that I'm curious about - particularly if it's something new, or a departure from our regular play style - I'll ask about that in particular.

Often the feedback is "I had fun," or "I can't think of anything I'd want you to do differently," which is fine. I've also gotten some surprising and very helpful feedback, both positive and negative, on a number of occasions.

As a player, I usually try to mention the things that I enjoyed the most at the end of a session. If there are things that bothered me about the session, I'm up front about them as long as I know the DM.

It doesn't matter the way critical feedback is delivered - it is never welcome.

I don't think this applies to everyone. I can take negative feedback pretty well as a DM, and I've generally found it to be well-taken by other DMs when I'm a player. When I've encountered a DM who runs a bad game and can't handle negative feedback, I generally just quit the game.

 

[Deadguy]

It's sad but true that reapersaurus articulates my attitudes rather well! When I am in the DM's chair I am very protective of my setting and game. This has led in the past to some blazing rows with players, when they were unhappy with the way things went (I've only very rarely had a phone slammed down on me - and twice was related to D&D!).

I know this makes me sound a veritable temperamental tyrant! I also know, from discussions with players about other players that they are generally very happy about my campaigns. Indeed I have had the ultimate compliment of one player adopting my setting and running the same adventures for a different bunch of players. I think that my players generally respect my desire for artistic integrity: it leads to a more coherent game with subtle plots.

I think that at least one of my players has learned the real secret of getting me to adopt ideas. They talk to me first about their ideas, eliciting my feedback. Then they compose an e-mail putting the ideas together, but making it clear that this is just a set of suggestions. Then I can give them further feedback, and in time we can adopt new ideas. In other words, it's my game, but I am happy to have a real dialogue over player ideas, provided they are prepared to work at the idea and wear a DM's hat when considering the utility of ideas.

Oh well, at least I am getting away from my knee-jerk reaction of No!

 

[demiurge1138]

I usually appreciate any new ideas I get, but I always go over anything new that a player creates for themselves with a fine-toothed comb. After all, I made myself a sourcebook after I had been playing DnD for about 1.5 months, so I'm used to players wanting some creative license.

The only time one of my players actually wanted something new for themselves was way back when I was a neophyte DM, back in November of 2001 (yeah, yeah, I'm young). My newest player was a bit of a "furrie", and wanted to play a kitsune-type character. Fine. I helped her create not only game stats, but a plane, history and culture for them. Now that she has to save her people from the iron fist of the Nine Hells, I'm sure she's learned her lesson.

Demiurge out.

 

[seasong]

For me, it varies.

I've run campaigns where 50% or more of the world is created by the players. I'm currently running a superhero campaign where the players have story tokens that allow them to create stuff on the fly, maximizing the improvisational nature of the campaign.

I've run campaigns where the players know nothing about the world except what I tell them, and there is no player-driven content at all.

It all depends on the feel I want to capture, and how much control I have to exert in order to achieve it. Some campaigns need the fog of war, others don't.

 

[incognito]

[snip]...some campaigns need the fog of war

Neat visual metaphor. Not that it changed my viewpoint any, mind you

I think there are games where player imput is critical. Unknown Armies is one of them - because ther is no skills/powers list. The players literally invent them. If the players and DM don't all sit down and brainstorm about the game, and the world, then player A) makes a secretary that types 140 wpm, and looks good in lycra, and player B) makes the human ginsu knife.

 

[Mordane76]

I've always been a homebrewer versus a stock campaign user, so I'm ALWAYS looking for ideas. I know a lot of people like to use WotC worlds, but even that strikes me as a little... I don't know. But I do feel what a lot of others are talking about -- there is only so much creative juice in this brain, and I find that work from my players is normally par. I try as hard as possible to make sure they understand that I have final say, and that even once final say is said, I still have final-final say once the object really hits play-testing.

Otherwise -- send in those submissions! If not... then DM goes gray by 25...

 

[pogre]

Only positive comments are welcome - just look at the Story Hour Forum (and by extension, some of the House Rules threads).

To some extent I agree with you, but there is a place for constructive criticism. My players have instigated several changes in my campaign by suggesting things in a positive way, e.g. it would be really cool if you did X or do you think the campaign could stand up to rule Y.

I have had players become Nobles, merchants, high clerics, etc. and they become a permanent part of the world in a meaningful manner. Occassionally I will even ask them what would their character do in this situation when deciding the direction of the church for instance.

 

[JoeGKushner]

I'm a little of both.

I welcome player feedback and encourage the players to help plot their own themes and campaign ideas right into the game with history, background, and future goals.

However, that doesn't mean I'm going to make things easy for them.

In my SL campaign, one of the players is a forsaken elf who wants to become a bladesinger. I told the player at the start of the game that he would have a very rought time finding someone to meet that goal as bladesingers in my game are so rare as to be almost unheard of. As a matter of fact, I keep reminding him that outside of a group of 'merchant's in Mithril, he's the only forsaken elf that the group has seen. He hasn't made any moves to make contact of find out more about 'em so he's SOL when he tries to go into that PrC.