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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Kzach" data-source="post: 5591908" data-attributes="member: 56189">Absolutely. I started getting into BBS's and usenet discussion groups as well as local RPG communities where I was exposed to all sorts of new gaming influences and opinions. I think I started to lose confidence in my ability in the overwhelming overload of information about gaming theory and sought to compensate by experimenting with all these new additions. The more I tried to force myself into this mould of the 'perfect DM', the less spontaneous and creative I became at the table.What people loved about my games was that I was always so good at description. The places and people and items I described 'came to life' in people's minds. I think a lot of DM's these days (at least that I encounter) have also lost this ability, or have never had it. The focus has shifted towards the stats and the theory rather than the imagination and creativity.I think this is also where I have a lot of disconnects with what people are saying online about how 4e doesn't promote roleplaying and other attitudes and comments of that nature. I think I can now see why people may think along those lines; it's not so much the system as it is the zeitgeist of the gaming environment that surrounds and permeates their games. So much focus is put on the mechanics that I think a lot of gamers have lost touch with their creative sides.</blockquote>