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

[Minicol]

Agree fully !

 

[Doug McCrae]

I think the 'passive player' is just a playstyle, there's nothing wrong with it, though it's not my choice. Both as GM and as a player, I prefer the players to have more of a say in the game's direction.

Players in an adventure path or more railroaded type of game should, imo, have a stronger expectation that the GM will entertain than players in other styles of games. The path/railroad GM should be using the biggest, most explosive set pieces he has, his most colourful NPCs, his most dramatic plot twists, and so forth, secure in the knowledge that the players won't avoid them.

 

[Nagol]

So if it's my job, what's the base pay, benefits, and other feature that are likely to keep me engaged and employed in this field?

Sure I have passion for the hobby, am engaged with my companions, and have a lot of fun at the table in the role, but if you're going to make it my job...

 

[Desdichado]

Dude, wrong thread. We're talking about the perks of professional GMing in the "what do you want your players to bring to the table" thread.

Basically, though, it's like a free-lance consulting gig. You get paid whatever you can negotiate with our players, of course.

 

[Cadfan]

Holy false equivalencies, FireLance!

A referee who attempts to maintain verisimilitude is no different than a gamer cockblocking the referee and/or the other players?

When players do obnoxious things and claim that "its what my character would have done" that's a problem because they have:

1. Created a situation in which verisimilitude will predictably be annoying.
2. Acted with verisimilitude.
3. Blamed verisimilitude for the unsatisfying (for other people) outcome, rather than their own creation of preconditions which were likely to make verisimilitude annoying.

This is not something that only players can do, nor is verisimilitude the only way to accomplish this sort of trick. In fact, its an annoying game that can be played any time there's an accepted causal element in between the preconditions which make an outcome likely or determined and the actual outcome. You may even see coworkers and family members play this trick on you at times.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Basically, though, it's like a free-lance consulting gig. You get paid whatever you can negotiate with our players, of course.

I've worked my way up to my players holding an annual lottery and the loser giving me his oldest child. I suspect one has rigged the contest, however, that isn't my problem.

 

[Umbran]

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.

Because folks who want passive entertainment so often prefer to haul themselves to a game rather than plop themselves down in front of the far more efficient and accessible purveyors of such - TVs and computers?

*shrug* Whatever floats their boats, I guess. I don't doubt there'll be some GM out there who likes that sort of thing.

Now, as to whether players sometimes forget that they have to make the game fun too...

I'd expect some do. But while the GM and players have some similar responsibilities, they are in different roles. We should be able to talk about them separately.

 

[Raven Crowking]

Because folks who want passive entertainment so often prefer to haul themselves to a game rather than plop themselves down in front of the far more efficient and accessible purveyors of such - TVs and computers?

It is possible that all of the people who have posted about the same here on EN World are either lying or mistaken, of course.


RC

 

[Umbran]

It is possible that all of the people who have posted about the same here on EN World are either lying or mistaken, of course.

Lying, I doubt.

Mistaken is a possibility. There are many possible reasons for a player to be passive. That they heard a piece of wisdom for GMs and took it to heart that they don't need to act at the table seems to me to be the least likely explanation for such behavior. It seems a boogeyman.

And, as has already been said, so they like to be fed a game. So what? Clearly, from all the "slippery slope" arguments about GMs who tromp on player initiative, there must be GMs ready to feed them their games. Seems a proper match, where they'd both be happy.

 

[Raven Crowking]

Meh.

You could make the same sorts of arguments for "unfun" DMs, with the same level of validity.

Neither is a good reason to go with "poorly worded sound bite" over "better worded statement", though.


RC