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ShortQuests -- individual adventure modules! An all-new collection of digest-sized D&D adventures designed to plug in to your game.

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jacob Lewis" data-source="post: 9881986" data-attributes="member: 6667921">What you're describing isn't the "Forever GM" problem. It's the "Forever Problem" for GMs. To be a Game Master is essentially taking on a service position that many people believe comes automatically with the games they bought. The games outright require that somebody must take on the responsibility to make their games work. For someone who just wants to play the game, that's someone else's job. They already paid for the book to play the game, why can't they just play it? Or they're not really that invested and figure the person who gets to be in charge of the game should also provide the game. Not all people are like that, of course. But a lot of them are, and that's just the way it has been since games were designed to force one person into that often thankless and difficult role of making the games available for everyone else to enjoy. Now there is this weird perception that GMs are people who were born to do this, that they need to run games because it is in their DNA. They crave it! They're celebrities! Why pay them when they're already getting the privilege of running their games, their visions, their masterpieces? Players and game stores are doing GMs a favor by providing them an audience or a venue!You're asking how to make people appreciate what you're doing, or what you're attempting to do. Some people will only appreciate what you can do for them, and sadly, it is often either what they feel they are entitled to or what they feel they shouldn't have to pay for.I suggest if you want people who appreciate you as a GM first, ask for payment. Even if it is only $5 a seat, you'll know that anyone at your table is there hoping for a better experience than what they expect from sitting at a random table with random people and random expectations. Once they're seated, it's up to you to make them feel if they got their money's worth. Good luck!</blockquote>

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