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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Tyberious Funk" data-source="post: 578771" data-attributes="member: 9550">I wouldn't describe myself as a good DM, but I don't think I am too bad either.  I have had some moment of pure magic, but some downsides as well.  My general suggestions for running a good game are: Good characters - good DMs make interesting NPCs, but they also help players to develop and grow their own characters as well.  There is no point populating your world with interesting NPCs if the PCs are bland, boring and underdeveloped.  Look at character development as an important aim for all the principles in your story arcs.Good story - whether you are writing a piece of non-fiction, or plotting an adventure, many of the elements of a cracking story are the same.  Think of some of the great books you've read and the great movies you've watched and think of the elements you can borrow for your campaign.  Power, money, greed, romance, lust... these fit in to any genre and any campaign.  Flexibility - Good characters and a good story are all very well, but players have a habit of de-railing things.  Keep flexible enough to go with the flow... but at the same time, be prepared to get strick when things get a bit too out of hand ie, learn to give the gentle push back on track without making it *look* like you are pushing... you need to maintain the illusion of free willWork right and work smart - a lot of good DMs recommend plenty of preparation, but at the same time, some of the best sessions I've seen/played have been almost totally improvised.  I think there is a balance somewhere in between.  Don't go overboard with the amount of work you do before a session... work out the right amount of prep you need to do for a session and stick to it.  I've spent many hours preparing for a session only to watch my hard work go out the window when the players took an unexpected turn.  Learn to only prepare the important, key components of the story.  If you have extra time and want to put in the extra effort, work on some generic game things that can be used anyplace... eg, taverns that can be placed in any town, wandering monsters, random NPC traits/descriptions, interesting non-standard treasure hauls.I'd like to hear some thoughts from experienced DMs on the way to build a good *campaign*.  I can keep the intensity high for several months, and then interest starts to wane, and before long, we start talking about moving to a new game system and trying something a bit different.  Building long-term interest and excitment can be rather difficult.  Getting your players to come back for the next session is quite easy... getting them to come back for every session for the next 18months is a bit harder.</blockquote>

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