It's Not the GM's Job to Make Sure People Have Fun

[tomBitonti]

I don't think people are making the claim that the GM will take this advice too far, but rather that the players will take this advice as an entitlement to do nothing other than sit back and expect to be entertained.

Now, as to whether players sometimes forget that they have to make the game fun too... How many discussions have we had here about exactly that thing? Many many hours of writing have gone into this - so either some folks around here think the potential problem is real, or they like hearing themselves talk a lot.

Probably both, I suspect.

But here's the thing.....you can remind the GM that he has to work to make the game fun without making a blanket statement that it is the GM's job. Which rather implies that it is the GM's job, and not everyone's job. This is a case where you really can eat your cake and have it too. All you need is a bit less "sound bite" and a bit more careful wording. To wit:

It is everyone's job to make the game fun, but the power you weild as GM puts a special onus on you to consider everyone at the table. If you have a disproportionate amount of the blame when things go poorly, at least you also have a disproportionate amount of the praise when things go well.​

I am sure that better wording could be devised...that took me less than a minute.


RC

Haha, quoting you to quote what you quoted.

Language foul! Two minute penalty! (To the embedded quote!)

Here "job" is being misused. I think what is meant is "responsibility", but even that is a a misuse.

On such misuse one can stack many arguments -- but really the fault lies in the sloppy initial writing.

When I gather with friends for an afternoon of role playing, the GM is responsible for having an adventure ready. That is a result of his personal statement that he would be running a game on the particular day. Also, I as a player have a responsibility to have my player up to date and ready to use. That is also the result of a personal statement.

That is the same as us pitching in together to have dinner as a break, where we agree ahead of time as to who will be bringing what food.

In either case, if one of the parties doesn't satisfy their agreement, folks time is wasted, and friendships may weaken. If that happened, it would be a result of failing to act responsibly. (Pretty much what is expected of adults, and fits under "not being a jerk".)

As far as "having a responsibility to ensure that all have fun", that is a tall tall responsibility. I don't think that is a fair framework in which to present how players and GM should behave.