Paying for game sessions?!?

[Wicht]

Ok, now I feel guilty for having contributed earlier this week.

 

[Fast Learner]

I didn't mean it that way, so much. There are just so many real things to get worked up about.

 

[RSKennan]

No, I was noting that Mr. Kennan is having his leg pulled.

Such trolling is shameful.

And I'm a stick in the mud.

I'm having my leg pulled? It makes sense, I suppose. I'm pretty trusting. Even so, certain posts, like those of RangerWickett ring true to me. It doesn't seem too implausible to think that some DMs could be charging money. Col_Playdoh himself DMed a game for a group of fans and was comped airfare, a hotel room, and I imagine meals in return. It's not quite accepting direct compensation, but it still sets a precedent.

 

[the Jester]

Then you realize the GM goes from being one of a group of friends in a group activity, to a service provider.

There's nothing wrong with that, but it really does change the dynamic, and you need to anticipate that.

Good point, but as a parallel, how many of you are friends with a cook at a restaurant you go to? Or a bartender? How many of you are friends with your internet service provider?

Now- is the service from that bar, restaurant or ISP better or worse for having a friend as your service provider?

 

[Sanackranib]

pay to play

What I'd like to know is if there are any DM's out there who have to pay their players to show up every week.

Any one willing to confess?

Now THAT"S harsh. I've met a few truely awlful DM's in the past but I never yet have met one that had to pay to have people LET him run!

 

[Piratecat]

A few comments. First of all, I think the Bugaboo's DM Friends Network (tm), which for a fee taught you how to be a better DM and charge your players for it, was one of the funniest jokes ever played here. It was freakin' brilliant, and I regularly joke that I charge people to DM.

But the truth is, I pay to play every time I go to a con. In my regular game my players kick in for soda, I know groups with annual dues, and if I didn't have a place to play I'd gladly pay for a regular gaming space. I can also see players kicking in for DMing material, assuming that money is tight.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

Then you realize the GM goes from being one of a group of friends in a group activity, to a service provider.

There's nothing wrong with that, but it really does change the dynamic, and you need to anticipate that.

There are many good reasons to not want to change the dynamic of the group. The opposite is also true.

Few people would be interested in changing the dynamic of a group that seems to be working. That is a self-selected group.

Many gaming groups fail because the participants are not 'business-like' enough. Anyone who has ever a sport seriously should appreciate that a bit of professionalism does not need to take the fun out of an activity.

 

[jasper]

what! you want to be paid to have fun!
If you not having fun dming and creating the adventure, why are you gaming.

 

[herald]

I don't see what the problem is for paying someone who had a fully stocked campaign for thier services. My only concern would be that the players in the game had the story line actually tailored to thier characters. i.e. don't set up agame for us that we find out that were actually the "b" team while other more importaint NPC's actually go out and save the world.

 

[Desdichado]

Maybe you missed my somewhat obtuse comment in the aforementioned thread -- nobody actually does this, to the best of my knowledge. This is a bit of an in-joke to long-time posters, as an infamous "troll" named Bugaboo once raised a big brouhaha (as noted by CH) on this very subject amongst those who didn't immediately get the joke. Now, a lot of folks continue the joke any time it's mentioned.



Anyway, when the original mention spawns a longish thread and poll, I guess it seems like it's time to spill the beans.