Player, or DM?

[freebfrost]

So, do any of you ever have a problem playing or dm'ing and thinking that the other DM is doing all wrong. Or is that just not an issue to any of you.

Sometimes.

You tend to get that way after running games for 25 years.

It can be hard to bite my tongue at certain points, to be sure, especially if the DM has just completely missed something... but I won't cross that line. They are the DM for that game, so the onus is on them to run their game. Not that I won't give out some advice off-stage if I think they will be receptive to it.

 

[Sammael]

So, do any of you ever have a problem playing or dm'ing and thinking that the other DM is doing all wrong.

Yes, I do have this problem. I try to control my urge to tell the other DM how to run the game, but I sometimes... just... can't...

 

[palleomortis]

At least you try. I'm sixteen with a 14 year old brother. Let's just say that he doesn't even try to control it. Needless to say, his characters seem to die more than anyone else's.

 

[howandwhy99]

IMO,
Players are sort of the writer/design folks.
DM's (referees) are like editors/developers.

The players dream and create and drive the game. The other poor soul is there to make sure it all makes sense at the end of the day. Both are very challenging jobs, but in very different ways. I like both, but am getting pickier about what I will play for the longterm. I'm less experienced at running things, so I think I am more apt to run a variety to see all the ways things are done.

 

[Darkness]

So, do any of you ever have a problem playing or dm'ing and thinking that the other DM is doing all wrong.

Most DMs I've played with weren't very good. Many of them even were really, really bad. So... Yes.

Not that it's often a problem; I'm the DM the vast majority of the time and the others who DM sometimes these days aren't bad.

 

[der_kluge]

I chose player. I ran a 3.5 campaign last year, but given my schedule nowadays, and the fact that I've played more in 3rd edition than I have DM'd it, I went ahead and chose player. I really don't see myself DM'ing again for several more years, probably. Just too much time investment.

 

[Goblyn]

Most of my 3e experience has been playing, but I've been DM for the last ... while now.

 

[Arnwyn]

I DM 99.99% of the time.

It seems to me like there is a ration of about 10:1 DM to players.

My experience says the exact opposite - way more players than DMs. My players, for example, refuse to DM as it is "too much work".

 

[Darkness]

My experience says the exact opposite - way more players than DMs.

Maybe he meant in EN World.

 

[Arnwyn]

Maybe he meant in EN World.

That would be a much more reasonable assessment!