Have previous DMs influenced your DMing style?

[dreaded_beast]

Last session, while DMing, I found myself doing something that irritated me a bit. I started speaking and performing mannerisms similar to that of my old DM. While my old DM, in my opinion is quite good at being a DM, I have a "personality conflict" with him and would rather not have anything to do with him any time soon.

Anyways, I started to find myself describing actions and running other minor aspects of the game in a similar style of my old DM. This was by no means intentional. I would rather find my own DMing style and not emulate another's, especially my old DMs.

I realize that this may be because I've only been DMing a short while, half-year, and that I am drawing upon my experiences from other DMs I have encountered. Mainly my old DM since I was in his game for over 4 years.

This ever happen to you or you ever experience something similar?

 

[Dagger75]

There is nothing wrong with being influenced by an old DM. You never DMed before and played for 4 years with 1 DM of course you would pick up some stuff he has done. Trust me in a few more months you will have you style.

Its then fun to watch your players DM and emulate stuff you do.

 

[haiiro]

There is nothing wrong with being influenced by an old DM.

Agreed -- it's natural.

I've been DMing for so long that I love getting the chance to play in someone else's game, and get totally invigorated by how differently they do things (if they're good, of course ). I played in two different events at this year's GenCon with absolutely brilliant DMs, and both of those games have given me a lot to chew on, style-wise as I think about my own approach.

 

[Teflon Billy]

I think you'd be crazy to not take away what you could frm every GM-ing style you come across.

If you can get something useful out of a reationship you abhor, you are further long than most folks

 

[MDSnowman]

I'm in agreement... I've never learned more about DMing than when I'm playing. My DM style was okay before I started playing in my recent D&D campaign... but after only six or seven months I've found my DMing has improved dramatically.

Now I run a Mutants and Masterminds game and all my players are raving about it. It's a good sensation and I owe a lot of it to my DM John.

Thanks John!!

I'm also about to play in a short term game with another DM and hope to plunder his skills and make them my own as well

 

[Wombat]

I guess it works both ways.

When I started gaming there were no other GMs in the district -- I was the first guy I knew of who had even heard of D&D. But that was 1976

Since then I've run across a lot of GMs for a lot of different systems. I have learned little tricks and specialties that some of them have had -- Rob (Golden Heroes) was always good about getting a folksy, small-town feel to every session; Ian (Paranoia!) taught me the wonders of playing aids (though his use of the air horn was a bit much and you don't want to know about his version of Cold Fun); Steffan (GURPS) taught me that rules can get in the way of a game, if you are not careful, and sometimes you need to wave them goodbye; and Claude (Over The Edge) taught me the fun of including outside, non-gaming friends as NPCs

 

[Keeper of Secrets]

I was certainly inspired by a great GM. This GM had a great personality for the job, had a great way of introducing stories and did a great job of integrating things into the campaign world. I really found myself taking so much away from my experiences with him that it was a great learning experience.

 

[Keeper of Secrets]

Now that I think about it, I guess considering what Teflon Billy said, I think a good GM does try and bring out styles and quirks of other good GMs they have seen.

 

[Leopold]

Absolutely. I've taken my own style and combined it with:

1. Far reaching plots form my first dm in my teen years
2. My ability to slaughter pc's and don't care about their complaints from my first REAL dm.
3. The ability to control the plot and give characters reasons to do things as well as killing them allot more from another DM I gamed with.

I look back and realized most of the DM's I've gamed with were very prone to kiling PC's and so am I. I view it almost as a challenge to NOT kill the PC's. My players think I'm a killer DM and I laugh at them as they die in droves.

 

[alsih2o]

I think you'd be crazy to not take away what you could frm every GM-ing style you come across.

If you can get something useful out of a reationship you abhor, you are further long than most folks

TB speaks truth.

Half the reason I play is to steal DM tips, styles, hints, methods and skills. If I am playing I am also watching, and planning on what to steal.

"amateurs plagiarize, professionals steal"