Pay for this, pay for that? ...

[Brother Shatterstone]

Driddle, what about games that have free online play like Diablo and Diablo II?

 

[Wombat]

I wouldn't dream of paying someone to DM for me.

Then again, I wouldn't dream of paying a monthly fee for games like EQ or WoW either.

Sums things up for me rather neatly.

I have yet to see a single on-line game that I find even vaguely interesting, although I've watched several friends play them and I was suckered into a month's worth of Ultima one time.

 

[Dagger75]

As was mentioned in another thread, many people already pay out the wazoo for online games like Everquest, which serves the same purpose as a DM (a massively effecient DM)

HAHAH effecient, I don't think so. I have played UO, EQ and WoW. It cost $15 a month to play these games. Some people like to spend money and play pool, go bowling, watch the game at bars with friends, go to clubs or just go shopping you get the idea. Hell sometimes I do most of those. Going to a bar to watch a football game will usally set me back at least $25 with food and drinks And there are 4 of those of month when football season starts. Whats $15 a month. Hey thats just me.

As to paying a DM, are you crazy, thats just plain insane. Double standard, maybe but thats the way I feel. I am even the one that DM's most of the time. If I got payed I would take the money. I never felt like I needed to be paid though.

 

[James Heard]

I've been paid semi-regular fees (and occasionally asked people simply to pitch in) so that the game could have enough rulebooks at the table, enough snacks, so I could afford to run the game at a game store that had table fees for using their rooms, for the costs of the gas required for me to drive two hours to run a game, etc. I've paid for MMORPGs too, but they either suck or they're more addictive than cocaine and they suck. My EQ playing lasted right up until I visited a player who had been playing for lot longer, and he had 2liter bottles all around his computer desk so he wouldn't have to "get up".

 

[ThoughtBubble]

I get paid for DMing in fact. The people whos house we play at makes dinner.

I've recently started giving my DM money because he always has munchies for us. Plus, I occasionally buy game props.

There have also been figure exchanges, videos and comics as 'inspiration' and some high quality art given across games. Is it money? No, but it's definately worth something.

On the other hand, a straight up pre-game fee is something I have thought about on occasion. Mostly when I was in one of those "Not really motivated to DM" stints, and people were talking about how much they'd like to play in game X.

 

[Steve Jung]

I wouldn't pay a DM and I don't play those MMORPGs either. You can't compare a game server with a flesh-and-blood DM. The server isn't getting anything out of running the game. The DM should be enjoying himself. If he isn't, then it's a job and he would want to get paid a lot more than most would be willing to pay.

 

[the Jester]

I voted 'no/no' but honestly, I wouldn't pay a dm mostly cuz I prefer to dm myself.

If I had to I would reluctantly pay if it was the only way I could get a game together. But dammit, I do most of the work! And I already invest in those books, printing off tons of campaign stuff, etc, etc!

 

[the Jester]

But I'm looking at the question as, "if the only way you could play was to pay, would you?" And my answer is, hell yes--assuming it was a good GM and a fun campaign.

Had this been how I took the question, I would have answered yes to paying for a dm, no to online gaming.

 

[the Jester]

Had this been how I took the question, I would have answered yes to paying for a dm, no to online gaming.

On the other hand, I do pay to help support this site- that's almost like online gaming. (I actually did a brief pbp, but, sadly, I have to consider it a failure- neither most of the players nor I could really maintain a good posting rate/level of interest...)

 

[punkorange]

I've been payed to DM before, on a regular occasion. It wasn't that big of deal, it was at the local gameshop and the owner required everyone to pitch in $1 to pay the DM. Wasn't anything I suggested, just the owner's way of saying thanks I guess.

I've payed for online games because I understand the requirements that goes into the servers. As for paying a DM, I am generally the one to DM so it isn't a problem, but if I absolutely needed to play rather than DM and I could afford to, I would pay for a DM if it was a reasonable price.

I would also pay to sit under some of the big names in the industry, but I guess that's a different story.