Player, or DM?

[DonTadow]

I love Dm'n but I still get the urge to play once a month. I either go to the gaming club and play one of my npcs in LEgend of the Shining Jewels or I do a Greyhawk adventure. It abalances me out and gives me other ideas for npcs.

The only thing I hate about not having a consistent group to play with is that I can't pick the people I play with. I hate getting stuck wit hthe bonehead kid who endangers the party because he runs into rooms without scouting.

 

[ElvishBard]

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.

I have a rather large problem when other people DM. I enjoy being a player, but my friends don't have maps or monsters ready when they DM, and the plot is go slay a monster that may or may not have been bothering the town for no real reason other than to do something. Plus, they have a slight problem with giving magic items out. I dislike having our 2nd level party have epic items already and have the DM throw goblins at us and wonder why we win so easily .

 

[Roadkill101]

The group I game with, currently meets every other week. We have 3 different campaigns, each with it's own DM, of which I am one of. Though I chose both, up until 3.0 D&D was released 98% of my experience was as DM (which is a lot considering I started gaming in January of '82).

 

[Orryn Emrys]

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.

This a big problem for me. I've almost exclusively DMed throughout my entire career... I haven't even played a campaign character, i.e. a PC who develops over the course of several levels or, at the very least, months of weekly play, since my very first foray into D&D back in '85. Over the years, I've played a little from time to time, and I've enjoyed it in brief spurts... but I quickly become dissatisfied with the presentation of the game, and I become very critical of the game master. This usually bothers me enough to quit.

This is especially problematic with my close friends who have been part of my gaming circle for ten years or more... the ones whom I would love to see succeed in this arena. Whereas a player's relationship with the ongoing campaign, particularly its presenation and pacing, is circumstantial and often casual, it is a progressive and ongoing study for me. Every detail analyzed, every element lovingly crafted to provide as immersive an experience as possible. I suppose I should be flattered than none of the players in my group ever seem enthusiastic about someone else running a game... even if I'm not involved as a fellow player to drag it down after a couple months of play... but it has also gotten frustrating. Despite nearly 20 years of roleplaying, I almost feel like a novice player, having had so little experience focusing my efforts on developing a single character... whose fate is in the hands of forces well beyond my control.

I am a Dungeon Master. Despite any efforts to be a player, I feel that the "GM's Chair" shall always follow me to every corner of the table... for good or ill... until death do us part....

... which, I suppose, is okay by me....

 

[TheAuldGrump]

I want very badly to be a player more often; right now I'm the GM about 75% of the time. But finding other GMs has been like finding antimatter. I know they're out there, but they sure are scarce!

-The Gneech

Yup, same boat. Or worse the game will start and some idiot player will say that they'd rather play in my game! It is great for the ego, but sometimes I jus' wanna play! Whiiiiiine!

The Auld Grump

 

[MonsterMash]

playa and referee. thank you very much

Personally player and judge.

Like both, but miss the broader sweep of creativity and control that the judge has compared to the player.

It does seem that message boards tend to have more GMs than players, probably because of the higher level of commitment and interest among people who GM, compared to the casual players.

 

[MonsterMash]

I run two games, I play in two games....not counting PbP

And still find time to write reviews and post!

 

[Nightcloak]

25 years with 99% behind the DM Screen

 

[The Shaman]

I prefer to GM, but I like to run a player character once in awhile, too, particularly in a good homebrew setting.

 

[IronWolf]

DM'ing only right now. Though with convention season soon approaching I will be playing in several games. I was playing in a PBeM for awhile, but that folded not too long ago...