Opinions needed. What do you do?

[ExploderWizard]

Rule #1

"This is a written module nothing will deviate us from the path of the written module."

So to answer your question, no the players and their characters are in no way driving the adventure. Everything is going as written in the module and any attempts to think outside the box or push any variation or change is quickly and totally crushed down.

Find out if you are the only one who thinks the game isn't fun. If so, then you must decide if your time would be spent better doing something else.

If most of the players feel like you do then approach the DM tactfully and bring your collective concerns about the game to his attention. His reaction to players not enjoying the game will help you decide what to do next.

 

[Raven Crowking]

Just remember the Old West adage: Whoever complains about the meals first becomes the next cook. "These biscuits are burnt on the outside, and raw dough in the middle, but this sure is the way that I like 'em!"




RC

 

[cattoy]

I find another game and be happy.

what he said.

 

[pawsplay]

What do you do when you join a campaign and quickly learn that the DM is absolutely lazy and seems to go out of his way to the bare minimum?

Set things on fire.

 

[Nifft]

Run a campaign, myself.

Yep yep yep.

"Run the game you wish you could play." -- Someone in another thread, possibly even me.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Celebrim]

What do you do when you join a campaign and quickly learn that the DM is absolutely lazy and seems to go out of his way to the bare minimum?

I've always found that playing a fun character, and talking shop with the DM tends to lead to offers to have you take over the game. Generally, a lazy DM is one that would really prefer to be a player if given the oppurtunity.

I don't think I've ever set out to do that deliberately before, but in your case, that's what I'd advise.

 

[NeverCool]

I found long ago that trying to educate anybody, DM or player, on how a game 'should' be run is not only a waste of time, but downright egotistical. If others are enjoying the game, let them have fun and find one that suits you. If others are not enjoying the game, tell the DM and ask if he/she needs some help.

And if the DM refuses to accept that nobody is really enjoying the game, tell them you're leaving for another game, and they can join if they want. Don't do it behind anyone's back, and don't accuse anyone, just provide an alternative, and let people decide.

And I do know that refusing to play in someone's game, especially someone who is running an actually bad game because of inexperience and/or immaturity can make that DM feel betrayed. But no good friend would force you to falsely praise bad work just to please the source (kids excepted. I assume we are talking adults here).

 

[the Jester]

Rule #1

"This is a written module nothing will deviate us from the path of the written module."

So to answer your question, no the players and their characters are in no way driving the adventure. Everything is going as written in the module and any attempts to think outside the box or push any variation or change is quickly and totally crushed down.

I hate riding a railroad, and would probably offer to run a game myself.

Then again, I am primarily a dm, and barely take a player's seat at all.

 

[Scott DeWar]

Rule #1

"This is a written module nothing will deviate us from the path of the written module."

So to answer your question, no the players and their characters are in no way driving the adventure. Everything is going as written in the module and any attempts to think outside the box or push any variation or change is quickly and totally crushed down.

I hate riding a railroad, and would probably offer to run a game myself.

Then again, I am primarily a dm, and barely take a player's seat at all.

I have tried to play in a game like that (along with my regular dm and another player) and we ended up just going back to the same dm we were with before.

Setting fire as mentioned above, would be interesting and quite entertaining, still would be found socially unacceptable and i would greatly reccomend to not trying it.

 

[Engilbrand]

Offer to run. 4e is a blast to run. I happen to be a lazy DM, but I use that to my advantage. It means that I don't really railroad at all. Everything that happens in the game comes from the players deciding where they're going to go and what they're going to do. Most of the biggest things in the game have come from them making comments about something minor. "I want to meet the author of X book series because he must be important" turned into an entire subplot of the game with the author being a sibling. My entire game started with "My character knows one of the 7 Forbidden Dances and wants to learn the rest". Keep in mind that this is basically my first time really DMing. I took that and worked it into a campaign that has been a blast.
Being lazy is OK. Being a crappy DM isn't. I'm not a fan of modules. I ran them a few years ago for a little bit, and they work for people who don't want to really think about things very much or roleplay. (I know that you can throw stuff like that in.) Your DM, though, doesn't seem to understand that people aren't enjoying that. He needs to chuck it to the side. When you say, "My character decides to leave the building" he shouldn't just tell you that you can't. He should come up with something interesting on the fly.
If he doesn't want to do stuff like that, then you should run. If you don't want to run, and you don't want to quit, then you're probably just going to be unhappy.