I hate to DM

[Psion]

I wish there were more people like you in the local area. Might make it easier to get a group together.

As it is, there is oft times a competition for players.

 

[Odhanan]

I have been gaming for 11 years. I have been stuck being the DM for 8 of them.
I hate DMing. I find it boring as hell and almost dread each week of gaming. I try to handle things like a story, like sort of dramatic "whos line is it anyway" and my gamers love it.
for 8 years i have been stuck DMing because everytime i quit people beg me to start another game. One of my players is in his 40's and 2 others are in thier mid 30's. I am 23. These arent newbies who want to run a game. They are solid experianced gamers who want me to run a game for them.
Since i hate GMing i would rather not, but when people keep asking i feel guilty so i run games anyway for them. Within a few sessions i hit a point where i want them all to die so i can stop GMing. I dont gip them though and some of my players are honestly geniuses who are experianced with gaming so they win through, and i am stuck running another session.
I am looking for advice from GMs. I used to enjoy running games. Now i view it as a social obligation that i would rather be drinking then running a game. When other GM's get sick of doing what we do, how do other GM's find whatever it takes to enjoy our job again?

You need to have a break. That's what you need.
DMing is supposed to be fun. If it isn't fun for you, there's no point in DMing. If nobody else wants to DM when you explain that to them, then they don't really want to play the game, do they?

 

[Monty Tomasi]

Quit complaining and just get on with it. Being a good GM is a rare talent and not being in the mood is no excuse. Now go out there and run more games.

 

[Nac_Mac_Feegle]

Quit complaining and just get on with it. Being a good GM is a rare talent and not being in the mood is no excuse. Now go out there and run more games.

But its his life to, not the players to choose how he runs it.

We have a GM who runs most of our games, and though I suck hugely when it comes to DMing I try my hand every now and then so he gets to sit on the other side of the screen and play, cos I know he loves to, just doesnt get much opportunity.

Just ask if someone can take a go at running a game, even a small adventure spread over a month or so will give you a much needed break, and if they all take turns at running one, it could be 6 months before your behind the screen again. If you dont want to GM again after that, then dont go back to it, but your friends should understand.

Alternatively, get a hot new girlfriend, you wont be DMing, and they wont like it, but you wont care . Nothing like new relationship sex to end a gaming career

Feegle Out

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

If you have talked to your plaeyrs and nobody is willing to take a turn, one way might be to just become a crappy DM. Kill their characters arbitrarily, don't give out XP or treasure, make them not enjoy playing the game in the same way that you are not enjoying DMing it.

I know its stupid, petty and will make for bad feelings, but if your players don't resepct your feelings, they may not be worth the social obligations you feel.

Of course the better track might be to not give in to the guilt and just stop DMing. It's no different that an abusive boyfriend/girlfriend who keeps guilting you into doing things you don't like. These people are manipulating your feelings to get what they want. Bad scene, get out now.

 

[Whimsical]

Fifty one Las Vegas RPG gamers listed in AccessDenied.net. Check with them to see if they will let you play with them. Add yourself to the gamer registry.

 

[WampusCat43]

After creating my own FR campaign from scratch and running it, I found the strain on my time to come up with something new each week was killing my desire to DM. Published adventures to the rescue. I started with some of Goodman Games' stuff, then moved to the Age of Worms. They have been just the thing so far - detailed enough that I can run them with little to no prep, but easily modifiable if I come across something that gets the creative juices going and "I've just got to try this out".

Different strokes, though. I've got a group that I can trust not to try and find out anything about the adventure online.