Gaming: Should I continue?

[kenobi65]

I think the key here is time. You've got a normal workday, plus two hours of commute each day? That's 10 hours taken up with work. Then (if we're being proper and healthy) 8 hours of sleep. Figure at least two hours for the mechanicals (getting yourself washed, dressed, fed, basic house chores). That leaves you 4 hours in which to live your life on a weekday.

Four hours isn't a lot of time. It is no surprise that you've not a lot of interest in things that take up much time, but that don't enhance living itself (like game prep). Under such circumstances, there's nothing neurotic about just wanting to have some social contact without so much effort behind it.

OK, now, with a better picture, I agree with Umbran.

You're just running yourself ragged. DMing and game prep, while enjoyable, are, fundamentally more work.

My guess would be, if / when your life gets a little less zany, your interest in DMing will rekindle.

 

[Bront]

You enjoy being with your friends, and the activity doesn't matter. That's fine, perhaps you should take a step back from DMing, and ask someone else to take over for a while. As a player, you get much of the same joy as a DM, often with less paperwork and preperation, which is what you need to cut down on.

You do need some time. I'm an odd shift worker as well (4 10 hour days, 45 - 90 minute comute depending on traffic), and rarely get to do anything with friends, but we game twice a week, and it's very relaxing, even as a frustrated GM. But remove much of the prep work (particularly if someone else runs in your world, where he can help build it with you then), and you'll still have the enjoyable time with friends, and get some of your off time for doing other things.

If you have to, take a session off. Shouldn't be too hard with the holidays coming up.

 

[Kastil]

I've taken the occasional break in the game I DM. We're currently on the Holiday Break I always throw out so I have time to do the mundane Christmas things I do every year.

If I didn't have a game to play in as well, I'd be burned out real quick. I will say it's no fun always being on one side of the screen. A hiatus is always a good call.

 

[Umbran]

Did I mentioned that we just bought a house and moved in 3 weeks ago.

No, I don't think you did.

So, no, you sure aren't being neurotic. But you're in danger of becoming neurotic soon

 

[Henry]

Belen, good advice from Umbran and Old one, et. al. If your work schedule doesn't change soon, then you need to find a way to safely handle the stress of your 6 major changes in life right now. Heck, maybe the WotC delegate position is what needs to go. Seriously, I hope you get some good time to crash around the Christmas holiday. Does your new job have any break time coming up?

 

[Belen]

Belen, good advice from Umbran and Old one, et. al. If your work schedule doesn't change soon, then you need to find a way to safely handle the stress of your 6 major changes in life right now. Heck, maybe the WotC delegate position is what needs to go. Seriously, I hope you get some good time to crash around the Christmas holiday. Does your new job have any break time coming up?

Well, it was a promotion rather than a new job. I am now the managing editor for my publication. I am only taking two days off for the holidays, although I have a week long vacation to celebrate my 2nd wedding anniversary in February.

I have talked to my group and I may run a Chronicles of Carolina game in the near future or some other d20 modern game centered around Earth. It cuts the prep time, especially now thatr d20 modern has been added to e-tools.

 

[Einan]

Did I mentioned that we just bought a house and moved in 3 weeks ago.

I can usually spend some amount of work time on game prep. I do not take a lunch, so I usually use that time for things that I need to get done.

Ah. I remember that. New stressful job with longer hours and a nasty commute and the stress of buying a house and moving as well. That completely killed my enjoyment of DMing for a while. I ended a great campaign because I just couldn't take the idea of voluntarily adding more stress and pressure to my routine without some sort of tangible gain.

Then I got a new job, cut my commute in half, enjoy my work a hell of a lot more, and generally feel better about life. Now I'm back to DMing and feeling that it's something I actually enjoy.

Einan

 

[der_kluge]

I know all about levels of stress right now.

Bought a new house in October. Had our second children just a mere 2 weeks after that. Meanwhile, I was on the bench, which meant that I wasn't working - which was nice, but it also meant that my paycheck future was skating on thin ice. Add on to that in the last few weeks, my company wanted me to fly to New Jersey for a short-term assignment.


That was rough. But things have quieted down somewhat since then. My in-laws and parents have all left (they were all here for about two weeks in a row), and the baby is getting a pretty decent sleep in at night, and I have a new job. It doesn't pay as much as the last one, but we'll get by ok.

But D&D is the furthest thing from my mind right now, really.

I'll play again some day, but I'm in no hurry.

I might try to make the January and April NC game days.

 

[Rel]

BU, you're a good GM and it would be a real shame to lose you from the hobby because you ran yourself completely out of gas. You've got about a zillion things more pressing right now than being forced to worry if everybody is enjoying your game.* I agree with the others who say "take a break". At least from the GMing. In fact, it could be that if you stopped GMing and instead either earmarked that night for doing something else fun with your friends (or even spending a little more alone time with your adorable wife), you might start to enjoy playing in her game more.

I certainly hope to continue seeing you at the NC Game Days and the occasional DM Dinner at All Fun & Games but take the time you need to enjoy life and regain your enthusiasm. If not for gaming then for something else that makes you happy.

*To all you players out there, if you like the game that you're playing in, tell the friggin GM that! There is absolutely no better way in the world to stave off GM Burnout than to hear from your players that you're really having a good time and appreciate their efforts.

 

[fuindordm]

There was a while there when I felt burned out for the following reason: the DM's effort is never matched by the player's effort. I would come up with elaborate plots and interesting NPCs, which would fall to tatters when confronted by the players. Not that there wasn't good role-playing involved or that it wasn't fun, but I started to feel like I wasn't getting enough return for my mental investment.

What got me back on track was separating my writing urge from my gaming urge. I still DM, but I use a published setting (Eberron) and develop my plots around the players' actions and affiliations. I still put effort into making memorable conflict situations and NPCs, but focus more on the gamist aspects and let the RP take care of itself.

I also work on writing a novel in my totally original and complex setting that no player would ever appreciate as much as it deserves! The beauty of writing is that you're free to showcase whatever aspect of your world you find intriguing, and your characters won't say "This looks too dangerous, let's go do something else!"

Cheers,
Ben