Wormwood
Adventurer
Oooh ooh! I nominate the powergamer/munchkin!
Roll up a second character, just in case.
My players having more fun than me
- Thread starter Vague Jayhawk
- Start date
Roll up a second character, just in case.
Wormwood
Adventurer
Dude, I think everyone here has gone through that at one time or another.
I just started DMing after a six month break, and I can attest that both my game and my attitude are much better for the break!
Wisdom Penalty
First Post
Interesting post. I find your situation very surprising for two reasons:
1) You aren't having as much fun and yet your players are; normally when the DM isn't having fun, no one is. (Incidentally, that speaks very well of your DMing ability.)
2) You're the DM and aren't having fun. I really, really think 4e is when The Dungeon Master Strikes Back. I mean - I love 4e as a DM. I'm not sure I'll love it as a player. We're sorta opposites here.
At any rate, I wish you luck!
WP
1) You aren't having as much fun and yet your players are; normally when the DM isn't having fun, no one is. (Incidentally, that speaks very well of your DMing ability.)
2) You're the DM and aren't having fun. I really, really think 4e is when The Dungeon Master Strikes Back. I mean - I love 4e as a DM. I'm not sure I'll love it as a player. We're sorta opposites here.
At any rate, I wish you luck!
WP
cangrejoide
First Post
This.
Vague Jayhawk
First Post
I shared it here on enworld because I had to get it off my chest. I could not tell my players - yet.
To say that I am having no fun is a lie. I do appreciate people liking my game. That does go along way towards making me happy.
Maybe not a new game yet. They are having too much fun with this one. However a temporary shift in DMs is a good idea. I am sure the munchkin/powergamer would be happy to stand in for a while.
To say that I am having no fun is a lie. I do appreciate people liking my game. That does go along way towards making me happy.
Maybe not a new game yet. They are having too much fun with this one. However a temporary shift in DMs is a good idea. I am sure the munchkin/powergamer would be happy to stand in for a while.
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Innervation
First Post
I am in a similar situation. I've always been the default DM in my group, and when 4e launched, my players looked to me to take up the new rule set and whip up a campaign. Likewise, I've had players who lost interest in 3e come back and begin playing with the change-over. And, while I never got burned out DMing 3e, for some reason 4e DMship seems like a chore.
All my players are enjoying exploring their characters under the new rule-set, so I didn't want to terminate our current game because I'm bored. Luckily,one of my players has offered to DM. He has never DM'd before so I don't want him to get lost in a whole campaign of guestimating appropriate encounter and story design. I suggested this simple solution to fix my burn-out and his desire to 'test the waters:'
In my campaign I have inserterted portals for which I have no intended destination. My co-DM simply needs to give me enough advance notice that he has worked out a nice adventure hook, and I can divert the group to one of these portals. Hokey as it seems, it also opens some really great story-telling opportunities for both of us. For example, if he wants to DM and I have an upcoming fight with a BBEG I intend to be very challenging and memorable, I can have the portal -- and his adventure -- a vital preparation for that big fight.
Our first shift should be two sessions (two weeks) from now; if anyone is curious I can tell you how it pans out.
All my players are enjoying exploring their characters under the new rule-set, so I didn't want to terminate our current game because I'm bored. Luckily,one of my players has offered to DM. He has never DM'd before so I don't want him to get lost in a whole campaign of guestimating appropriate encounter and story design. I suggested this simple solution to fix my burn-out and his desire to 'test the waters:'
In my campaign I have inserterted portals for which I have no intended destination. My co-DM simply needs to give me enough advance notice that he has worked out a nice adventure hook, and I can divert the group to one of these portals. Hokey as it seems, it also opens some really great story-telling opportunities for both of us. For example, if he wants to DM and I have an upcoming fight with a BBEG I intend to be very challenging and memorable, I can have the portal -- and his adventure -- a vital preparation for that big fight.
Our first shift should be two sessions (two weeks) from now; if anyone is curious I can tell you how it pans out.
AtomicPope
Hero
I was going to suggest this but you're already on to it. I'm DMing a game right now that has nine people in it. They're all ecstatic. Their usual DM was so hell bent on DMing that he's been running campaigns that last about 1 to 3 sessions before fizzling out. A string of unintentional one-shots. It took a new system that he didn't know to stop DMing. Basically, I'm DMing because he didn't know how under the new system. My suggestion is - don't be that guy
Don't wait until it's too late then kill a campaign because of burnout.If you think you're getting burnt out then your probably are. One of the things I do to prevent burnout is to quiz the players on what they like. Find out what they enjoyed and feed off of it - like a psychic vampire. DM's need praise too. Everyone loves positive feedback. The players like hearing they've done a good job and so do DM's. If they're having fun then you're doing something right. Sure the system helps but your style is holding it all together.
I noticed you were anxious to go back to another version of 3e - don't. If your burnt out it's because of a lack of ideas, not the system. The players admittedly enjoy the system so don't take that away from them. Especially not after their rousing approval. If you do the game will suffer. You know what they like, so focus on wish fulfillment of for a while. Get in depth with player development and interaction. Changing systems and wish fulfillment will force you to start working as a DM again. Look at the new system as a fresh start. Most burnout comes from lack of motivation and ideas. The players can give you both. If you're not responsive to them you'll burn out quickly.
SweeneyTodd
First Post
If you do decide to keep DMing, I'd consider focusing on something that gets you jazzed about your setting, or a particular premise, something not very game mechanic-ish, and see if you can leverage that to get excited again. I've found sometimes that was something I needed; at least once or twice, switching settings or otherwise mixing up the game (in terms of the stuff I was presenting) got me excited to run sessions again.
Besides all that.... congratufrickinlations on having a stirred-up, excited group of players? I know I've had folks get jazzed about stuff in my games that I wasn't nearly as interested in as they were, and the good news is that it's not too hard to keep that energy while going "Okay, we've got some stuff you guys love, I'm going to introduce some stuff that I love and we'll mix it all together."
For example (not to put words in your mouth), if you've got players who are really getting excited about the 4e power system and using it for tactical combat, that means that you have some free reign to try all different types of adventures, or even a new campaign, as long as it has the type of action they're interested into. They're jazzed about high PC competence and ability to do neat stuff -- maybe go a different direction than you have in the past with challenges, come up with situations where they need to use all those powerz in unusual or creative ways to succeed.
Just kickin' some ideas around. Again, congrats, having a particularly jazzed-up group is always something to celebrate (and exploit for your own nefarious ends).
Besides all that.... congratufrickinlations on having a stirred-up, excited group of players? I know I've had folks get jazzed about stuff in my games that I wasn't nearly as interested in as they were, and the good news is that it's not too hard to keep that energy while going "Okay, we've got some stuff you guys love, I'm going to introduce some stuff that I love and we'll mix it all together."
For example (not to put words in your mouth), if you've got players who are really getting excited about the 4e power system and using it for tactical combat, that means that you have some free reign to try all different types of adventures, or even a new campaign, as long as it has the type of action they're interested into. They're jazzed about high PC competence and ability to do neat stuff -- maybe go a different direction than you have in the past with challenges, come up with situations where they need to use all those powerz in unusual or creative ways to succeed.
Just kickin' some ideas around. Again, congrats, having a particularly jazzed-up group is always something to celebrate (and exploit for your own nefarious ends).
weem
First Post
I would second the idea of getting someone else to try their hand at DM-ing. That's what I have done in the past when I have gotten burned out (not that you are necessarily burned out, but I'm currently having fun running 4e so it's as close to your situation as I can get). When I play other people's games, I see things I like, and things I don't, both of which help me as follows...
1/ I see things done I DON'T like and it makes me critique my own DM-ing skills - how would I do that better... or, in some cases, I see something I don't like and realize I do it but never noticed that it came off a certain way, etc - so now I can fix it.
2/ I see things done I DO like and it gives me ideas, and boosts my creativity. It also (as above) makes me realize I can do better with my DM-ing which is nice.
I want people to really enjoy themselves in my games, as it sounds like you do as well - but I even feel competitive about it, about being a "good" DM, especially when there are other options out there for my players - it's nice to hear that you are someones favorite/best DM, etc.
So as I seconded, I definitely think you need a turn on the other side of the DM screen. Take a break (as it would be), roll the dice, kill some things and enjoy it - it can really kick you back into wanting to DM, and enjoying it
1/ I see things done I DON'T like and it makes me critique my own DM-ing skills - how would I do that better... or, in some cases, I see something I don't like and realize I do it but never noticed that it came off a certain way, etc - so now I can fix it.
2/ I see things done I DO like and it gives me ideas, and boosts my creativity. It also (as above) makes me realize I can do better with my DM-ing which is nice.
I want people to really enjoy themselves in my games, as it sounds like you do as well - but I even feel competitive about it, about being a "good" DM, especially when there are other options out there for my players - it's nice to hear that you are someones favorite/best DM, etc.
So as I seconded, I definitely think you need a turn on the other side of the DM screen. Take a break (as it would be), roll the dice, kill some things and enjoy it - it can really kick you back into wanting to DM, and enjoying it
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