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Message: <blockquote data-quote="JeffB" data-source="post: 1729871" data-attributes="member: 518">True. But how do you get to that level? How do you go about becoming a "good DM" as far as adventure design goes? I suspect most of us learned the game and how to DM by using Modules as our building blocks. Good modules are an important foundation of  rearing "Good DMs" And I agree w/ BU, the market is over saturated with mostly player products..."crunch" if you will. Certainly there ARE DM products out there, but for the vast majority of D&D players who don't hang around ENWORLD/shop at Rpgnow and don't know there are good PDFs that could help them, it really doesn't matter. PDF's preach to choir, so to speak.The industry needs DM tools on the bookshelves, of which there are few.As a DM I get far more use out of something like MotP than I do Complete X, where I may just pick a PRclass or two for a NPC foe. And I get far more use out of a module that I can rummage through for ideas and encounters than I do a book on variant rules.My theory (and it's just a theory) is that the RPG industry (and specifically D20) tends to think that the vast majority of player's and DM's are as hardcore about D&D as they are, and I really don't think thats the case. But they target the hardcore player market with crunchy splats, 'cos thats where the repeat sales & money is. Basically abandoning that large segment of "casual" gamers, instead of trying to make products that will make the game go easier for them (and result in more fun for everyone) and thus they fail to "set the hook". Instead, most of those casual gamers drop out of the hobby as they get bored or frustrated, get older, have a family, etc. The Game designers should focus on retaining those casual gamers over time..to do that you need ease of use...not dumbed down, but ease of use...modules, toolkits, idea mines, easier rules that DMs can use to make sure players have a lot of fun and WANT to keep playing. Those DMs will learn from quality products that help them along in the formative years. But if they don't have them..you can bet your bottom $ they won't be in the hobby long. Look at all the "DM Burnout" threads here and elsewhere on the net that pop-up. The Industry is flooding the market with things that makes a DM's life more complicated for the most part (more rules to learn, extra thing things to adjudicate, exceptions to the rules, etc),under the guise of "options" that will make for a better game. Give it time and the DM WILL get overwhelmed.my 2 lunars...</blockquote>

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