Pro DMs

[Scribble]

So a comment made by someone in another thread made me think of something. Well, something I've thought about for a while, but could never think of a feasible way for it to be done.

The comment was along the lines of a bad DM can ruin anyone's experience, and things like WoW don't have "bad" DMs...

So if someone could provide a DM that was "guaranteed" not to be bad, would it be useful?

I know at first thought it seems pretty silly. But with the introduction of something like the game table thing maybe less so. (Provided Game Table isn't useless.) It would make it just as easy to get a DM as to get an adventure to run. Also with the guarantee that the DM has been "tested" in some way to ensure that:

• His knowledge of the rules is complete.
• He would always be prepared for the game.
• Would always be available (or at least A DM would be) for the game.
• His rulings would be fair and impartial.

Maybe the same level of "fame" certain writers or adventures get would/could be applied towards DMs... Maybe even some of the well known authors would do it as a "spare job" sort of thing... A chance to have the module run by the author...

People buy modules and Dungeon and such right? The reasons I've seen being:

• Well Written Adventures
• Less Prep Time
• Written by Well Known Industry People

Would this really be that much different?

Maybe a subscription thing... Like subscribing to Dungeon, but instead subscribing to a fair and impartial DM.

Just a thought running through my mind.

 

[Doug McCrae]

Doesn't the RPGA rate its DMs?

 

[Stormtower]

Doesn't the RPGA rate its DMs?

The RPGA has a battery of DM tests (Herald, Master, Grand Master) but aside from this, there isn't a rating system that I am aware of.

The RPGA can see how many games a DM has run - if the DM accurately records his sessions online thru the site - but there is no formal mechanism for player "ratings" or online feedback on DM performance.

 

[Scribble]

The RPGA has a battery of DM tests (Herald, Master, Grand Master) but aside from this, there isn't a rating system that I am aware of.

The RPGA can see how many games a DM has run - if the DM accurately records his sessions online thru the site - but there is no formal mechanism for player "ratings" or online feedback on DM performance.

Which could be or probably should be done with any kind of company that supplies DMs for a fee.

The point would be to guarantee that you get a fair and knowledgeable DM always prepared to run a game.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

There is a baseline of competency that needs to be met in order to be a good DM, but beyond that it gets more complicated.

One DM may be a master at coming up with great combat sequences, knowing the rules cold and applying them properly and fairly.

Another DM may be a great storyteller who is excellent at improv. His combats are less "by the book" but are still exciting.

Some people might consider one DM or the other to be a great DM, the other not very good based upon their own style of play.

In addition, DMs are equally influenced by the players they have. If you are a DM who thrives on players driving the story and you end up with a group of players who are all about kicking the butt the DM herds them into, that DM might not be able be great because he isn't inspired to do the best he can for his players, because it isn't his style.

Last point on a totally separate thought about this: If there were professional DMs out there, would there be an obilgation to pay fees to the writers of any pre-written modules you use? If you purchase sheet music, you do not gain the rights to play the music in a commercial enterprise. How is that different for a pre-written adventure?

 

[Scribble]

There is a baseline of competency that needs to be met in order to be a good DM, but beyond that it gets more complicated.

One DM may be a master at coming up with great combat sequences, knowing the rules cold and applying them properly and fairly.

Another DM may be a great storyteller who is excellent at improv. His combats are less "by the book" but are still exciting.

Some people might consider one DM or the other to be a great DM, the other not very good based upon their own style of play.

In addition, DMs are equally influenced by the players they have. If you are a DM who thrives on players driving the story and you end up with a group of players who are all about kicking the butt the DM herds them into, that DM might not be able be great because he isn't inspired to do the best he can for his players, because it isn't his style.

But these same things to a degree can be applied to pre-written adventures and dungeon magazine and such. Obviously some will meet your personal taste while others won't.

Perhaps to counter this, the Dms would be listed by "play style." That way if you prefer certain types of DM you'd subscribe to that type?

Last point on a totally separate thought about this: If there were professional DMs out there, would there be an obilgation to pay fees to the writers of any pre-written modules you use? If you purchase sheet music, you do not gain the rights to play the music in a commercial enterprise. How is that different for a pre-written adventure?

Any commercial venture obviously has legal concerns to think about, this would be no different. Perhaps the company would be able to work out "play rights" similar to how stations pay fees for songs they play.

 

[Chaldfont]

Wasn't there a guy around here that actually did get paid to DM?

 

[kenobi65]

The RPGA has a battery of DM tests (Herald, Master, Grand Master) but aside from this, there isn't a rating system that I am aware of.

The RPGA can see how many games a DM has run - if the DM accurately records his sessions online thru the site - but there is no formal mechanism for player "ratings" or online feedback on DM performance.

Actually, the RPGA used to do just this. Until late 2002, they had a "table rating" system, in which players at an RPGA event rated the play of both their fellow players, and their GM. You accumulated "points" based on your scores; which were suspiciously like "experience points", even having levels -- when they stopped doing this in late 2002, I was a 5th level player. Certain levels had titles associated with them (Master, Grand Master, Paragon, etc.)

Other than bragging rights (and a "die bump" cert that you got if you were the best player at your table, which was a one-time +1 or +2 add to a single d20 roll), about the only purpose that the rankings served was that there were certain tables at the big conventions that you could only play if you were sufficiently high-level.

Even then, if you got a Master-level DM, it could be indicative of one of two things:
1) The DM consistently got high scores from his tables, and / or
2) The DM DMed a lot.

As a player (or DM), you could check your scores on the RPGA web site, and get an understanding if you were rated well (or poorly) for particular games, but those scores weren't made available to the general public.

(Parenthetically -- the reason that the RPGA used to do this was that, back in the day, the RPGA sort of viewed itself as "competitive" play, particularly in the days before the Living campaigns took over. As the RPGA's charter evolved, they decided to de-emphasize that aspect of the experience, and removed the table voting.)

 

[Varianor Abroad]

I have business cards, players who specifically attend conventions that I'm at, and I write all my own adventures. But I don't get paid. Does that count?

 

[kenobi65]

I have business cards, players who specifically attend conventions that I'm at, and I write all my own adventures. But I don't get paid. Does that count?

"Professional" does sort of imply payment for your services. At this point, however, you could, at least, claim that you have groupies.