FORKED - Game Fundamentals - Player Trust, Your GM, and Cake

[thecasualoblivion]

To me, the core of this is that there is a difference between a jerk player and a problem player, and a difference between a problem DM and a mediorcre DM. (jerk DMs flame out fast, and DMs are held to a higher standard in general) A jerk player or problem DM is going to result in a bad game. A problem player or mediocre DM will result in a less satisfactory game as opposed to a bad one.

I don't think a rules system can do anything to fix a jerk player or a problem DM, but a rules system can go a great distance towards minimizing the issues that result from having a problem player or a mediocre DM. Note that I say minimize, not fix. What I'm hearing from this thread is that some people hold RPGs to a higher standard than others, meaning that games with problem players and mediocre DMs are to be avoided to the same degree as jerk players and problem DMs.

 

[Majoru Oakheart]

I don't think a rules system can do anything to fix a jerk player or a problem DM, but a rules system can go a great distance towards minimizing the issues that result from having a problem player or a mediocre DM. Note that I say minimize, not fix. What I'm hearing from this thread is that some people hold RPGs to a higher standard than others, meaning that games with problem players and mediocre DMs are to be avoided to the same degree as jerk players and problem DMs.

I'm in complete agreement. I think maybe I have a higher tolerance for bad DMing, in general. The first game I ever played in when I was introduced to the game, it never even occurred to me that I could seek out a different game with different players. And to this day, the thought of putting the effort of going to every gaming store in the city to post my name on their "gamers wanted" list in the hopes that someone eventually contacts me and that they aren't a bad DM is something left to a final option. Putting up with mediocre or even bad DMing is easier than that.

I'd prefer to play with a DM who wasn't very good at improvising, did absolutely no prep for their game, had no idea what balance even meant, but ran the game precisely by (good) rules than one who was the best improviser in the world and decided to go entirely off improvisation and semi educated guesses.