I just can't focus

[Piratecat]

Don't write; doodle. Draw a quick flowchart, and scribble in the corners. The only reason to take notes at all is so you don't forget the really brilliant ideas.

I can't write full room-by-room adventures worth a damn, but my best DMing is done off of one page of quick notes and improvised stats.

 

[buzz]

So talking to my players is something that just doesn't work.

I honestly don't understand how you can function as a game group if this is true.

Are they afraid of criticizing you in front of the rest of the group? Talk to them one-on-one. Are they afraid to say anything negative? Offer your own criticisms first to show them it's okay. Are they just bored with d20 and want to try a different system? Find out what they want to play and play it.

Are they unwilling to offer any feedback of any kind no matter what? Then don't prep anything.

Seriously, if the most you can get out of them is "non-interest", don't waste your time prepping adventures for them. Tell one of them to run an adventure for a change.

If they don't even want to do that... well, I don't see any point in gaming with them. Putting aside the idea that maybe you just don't like GM'ing... it seems likely that you see prep as so odious because you know full well that there will be no pyaoff.

Now, this doesn't mean that you shouldn't hang out with them at all. It's entirely possible that your group will just function better doing something else: videogames, boardgames, hanging out watching movies, going to shows, whatever. But if gaming is just not doing it for them... DON'T GAME.

 

[Scribble]

Don't write; doodle. Draw a quick flowchart, and scribble in the corners.

I am not!

 

[rythm_rampage]

Quote:

Tell one of them to run an adventure for a change.
Funny thing is: 5 Players/4 DMs
All of us like to spend our time playing D&D/D20modern and a friend of mine (Gold Roger) is just running a campaign in his own homebrew setting (wants to drop, dunno why). We never really get a break because when one campaign stops, the next one starts. I usually have like no prep really finished when I start a session, except for maps'n'stats and a very drawout of what's gonna happen (like A--> B --> C).
A problem I have (I guess) is that when I don't get feedback I think that the session was bad and when a session was bad I prepare even less and then I enter a vicious circle. My players usually say that the session was "ok" when I state that it sucked in my opinion but nobody ever complains.
I posted a thread here once about me tending to be evil and about a week later our DM stated that he wants to drop his campaign (yes, he's on Enworld and read and posted in the thread). I feel somewhat guilty.

 

[Turanil]

What can I do, I want to start the game next weekend :/

1) Improvisation
2) ENworld suggestions

I improvised almost a whole D&D campaign back in the days, and all went well. It even went better when I improvised monster stats. Something like: "the odious corpse raises from the grave and turns his green glowing eyes on you...". Players are horrified because they can't fathom what this monster is, but neither can I. Then: "make a Will saving throw!" Ah, okay you succeeded it so I don't need to know what it would have done otherwise. Then, the undead strikes, and I give him a BAB of +15 and 2d4 of damage plus roll a Fort saving throw (against what I have no idea). Then, when the PCs look wounded enough, the undead goes out of hp and dies. Of course the real point is to alway let the players believe that everything was planned!

ENworld suggestions: write down a few things in a new thread and ask for suggestions. It requires a full week however to obtain some results...

 

[rythm_rampage]

Well "next weekend" is not some kind of deadline but I want to start soon. I am really looking forward to GMing again.
Improvisation is a must in this campaign because I got no idea how my players will handle the situation. Will they try to run away or solve the puzzle ?
I always want to have a satisfied group but I can't remember someone coming up to me saying "damn that session was awesome !".

Well, well, well, asking Enworld is always good advice I guess.

 

[Kunimatyu]

Don't write; doodle. Draw a quick flowchart, and scribble in the corners. The only reason to take notes at all is so you don't forget the really brilliant ideas.

I can't write full room-by-room adventures worth a damn, but my best DMing is done off of one page of quick notes and improvised stats.

The Cat speaks wisdom.

Now, I'm a huge fan of world-prep (as in, you have a general idea what monsters populate what areas of your world, what locations are important to who, etc etc), but for a given session, you should just have a general idea of some of the things that can happen, and run with it. If the NPC/monster statting is really getting you down(and for some people, it really can), then use a published setting like Eberron or FR, and read through several monster manuals so you know what monsters are easy to put in what area.

Then, when it's time for the weekly game, you scribble a few notes down before you start, take a deep breath, and jump in. Also, this way, you're not going to flip a lid when the party doesn't do precisely what you want them to.

If this doesn't appeal to you...

Consider running a published adventure series, like Red Hand of Doom or Shackled City. All the monsters and NPCs are right there, so as long as you give it a brief read-over before you start, your lack of prep time won't be an issue.

But whichever solution you go for, I wouldn't worry too much about your procrastination. Honestly, if you were super-fired-up about prepping sessions, you'd do it spontaneously. If you're not interested in spending several hours every week preparing, find a GMing style(like the two above) that lets you not worry about prep so much.

 

[rythm_rampage]

Good news, I just had a serious talk with one of my players. He told me that because of my attitude (I'm usually always tired) I set an atmosphere that had no chance of developement at all. There was no reason to be excited about what would happen next.
It has always been a problem to me that I was always tired (school, DMing, Band practice) and I think I will start doing some sport, that might help. I think about starting with biking and then switch to running. It will take a while to see a result though, I guess.
If it helps and I still remember this thread I will post the result ^^

 

[buzz]

A problem I have (I guess) is that when I don't get feedback I think that the session was bad and when a session was bad I prepare even less and then I enter a vicious circle. My players usually say that the session was "ok" when I state that it sucked in my opinion but nobody ever complains.

I don't see how it's a "problem" to not be sure what to think given that you're not getting any feedback from your players. If all you're getting is "ok", what the heck else are you supposed to think? That everything was awesome?

You started off this thread talking about a problem you were having, and it seemed pretty clear to me that it's not all on your shoulders. Yet, as the thread has progressed, you've been backpedaling, reasserting over and over again that it's a problem with you, and everything is really okay, and you'll just go biking and the game will sort itself out.

Then you post some actual feedback from a player who has bothered to talk to you and... guess what? "It's your fault."

You also used the phrase "we never really get a break". Break? Isn't gaming a "break"? You're making it sound like hard work.

Maybe it's just me, but it sounds like your group is just plain bored with gaming right now. Regardless of your physical health, if you were excited about gaming, you'd be happy and prep would be enjoyable. If your players were excited about gaming, they'd be glad to do whatever they could to help you run a great game, or they'd be happy to let you take a break from GM'ing and run games themselves.

Stop blaming yourself. If gaming is too tiring and your players can't muster anything more than "ok" at the games being played, you need to just stop. No GM technique or advice is going to fix that. Neither is hoping really hard that "next time is going to be great". If the situation doesn't change, you're gonna see the same things happen over and over.

Gaming should not feel like work. Prep should not feel like something you have to force yourself to do. You shouldn't have to pull teeth to get player feedback. If you feel like you "never get a break", TAKE ONE. Step away from the table and pursue some other hobby for a while. When you're ready to game again, you'll find yourself scribbling adventure ideas like a madman and bouncing with excitement as you play.

And consider the possibility that you simply don't like the work involved with being a GM. It's okay. Sit on the other side of the screen for a while.

I would recommend posting a rundown of your latest session in the Actual Play forums over at http://www.indie-rpgs.com. You'll get great feedback.

 

[Philotomy Jurament]

For me, the biggest hurdle to preparation is all the detailed stat-work (especially for higher-level adventures, or anything where you're applying a lot of multi-classing or templates). Improvistation or just kind of making up the numbers is one way to solve that. Trying out a different system that has shorter prep-time requirements (Lejendary Adventure, Savage Worlds, C&C, et cetera) is another. Either one is likely to make you a lot more enthusiastic about preparation, because you get to concentrate on the fun stuff.

Also, I agree about the "doodling" approach. Brainstorm and work on part of the adventure that interests you. A lot of times that helps me get going. I may work on the climatic encounter, first, or flesh out the idea for a trick, a trap or a scene. Once you get going, it's easier to continue.