How did you learn to GM?

A'koss · Jul 24, 2005

Also self-taught after sitting in on just one game... but since I started DMing around 1980 (and I was about 10 at the time), I'm just a liiiittle fuzzy on the details of those formative years.

Like anything, you learn by doing. I think if you have the opportunity to sit in on a number of different games and pick up on the tips and tricks of other DMs you'll "get it" a lot faster.

Cheers!

Taloras · Jul 24, 2005

Self taught for the most part. I played for 2 years before just running a game for friends. That game lasted about a month before i ended up moving. now im back, and running again. Im not that great at running, but the players seem to like it.

I prefer playing to running though.

Professor Phobos · Jul 24, 2005

haiiro said:
I posted a question this morning on Treasure Tables, my weblog for GMs: how did you learn to GM?

After the brutal and arbitrary death of my parents (Rocks fell, they died), I travelled the world, using my single-minded dedication and vast wealth to learn the secrets of NPC design, campaign structure, world building, pacing and improvisation. Finally I was contacted by an ancient secret society known as the League of Moderators and inducted into their mystical arts of creating mystery, fear, wonder and sadness.

Then, and only then, was I ready.

devilbat · Jul 24, 2005

I was able to play in a group that featured two very good, but very different DM's. One was a master at weaving a story, the other a magician with the rules. After a year of watching them, I gave it a try, and I've been the DM ever since.

Stik · Jul 24, 2005

My friends and I started in Middle School, and sort of taught each other. Through college and afterwards I played in other campaigns and learned whatever I could from every DM I gamed with. There's always something to be learned from any DM you meet, although sometimes it's what NOT to do.

Crothian · Jul 24, 2005

Same way I learned how to swim, I jumped in the deep end and just did it. It never occured to me it was supposed to be hard or challenging so without knowing anything I just read and ran games...did that for a few years. Then actually learned the rules and the games started to get even better.

ElvishBard · Jul 24, 2005

I learned to DM pretty much by doing it. Most of my friends had played D&D, and rather then being DM for me so I could grasp the rules they decided I should try being DM. My dad had DMed a few times with 2nd edition, and due to my being new to 3rd edition I was constantly mixing the two rules. Eventually, I got better and even though my friends didn't DM for me to show me how it works I got a good grasp on the rules and am now considered the best DM (which is their way of saying that I am going to be DM forever

.)

Ranes · Jul 24, 2005

I say self-taught, trial and error, although I got to learn from several DMs along the way, good and bad. As another poster stated, I'm still learning and the net - EN World in particular it has to be said - has been very helpful (so, thank you).

fusangite · Jul 24, 2005

I learned to GM almost entirely by trial and error, or rather, a lot of my friends and I learned by trial and error together. We had essentially the same gaming group as teenagers but different ones of us would run different campaigns for the same group of people. So, when a new device or idea hit one of us, it would run through all the campaigns. I especially remember when we were about 14 my friend Oscar realizing that dreams could be used as a device for hinting at the PCs. For the next three months, everybody was doing it.

Each of us had different insights and realizations about how to make RPG rules worked, based on our own individual talents so we learned faster than a single solitary GM would.

There were lots of mistakes, lots of longstanding misaapprehensions, lots of failed experiments. I loved them, for the most part.

Thanks for reminding me of those times; it's been enjoyable recalling how I learned.

Aust Diamondew · Jul 24, 2005

Practice. Like with everything else you just keep trying, which means you're going to screw up, fail and possibly suffer to at least some degree (usually quite a bit). I'm sure things I read online or in the DMG helped as well as my limited experiences of watching other people learning to GM helped. I'm good now, I'd like to be better.