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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Amphimir Míriel" data-source="post: 4099580" data-attributes="member: 55933">My first DM was something similar to what you describe... and we put up with him because we didn't know better. When that group disbanded and some of us started playing with other groups and buying the books to DM ourselves ...well, lets say no one I know plays that style anymore.If I wanted "interactive entertainment" where I am given a couple of options every so often, but where real control of the story is elsewhere, then I would re-read one of my old "choose your own adventure" books... or play a Japanese-type CRPG.Make no mistake: Players want the rules to be clear and free from DM fiat as much as possible. Third edition was a great step on that direction, and I expect Fourth Edition to continue in that thread.One of the many steps taken to empower players is to use a battlemat for combat. That way, the players can visualize the battlefield just as well as the DM and can make decisions based in this information. A battlemat is cheap nowadays (or you can print it out) and you can use colored glass beads if you don't want to get into the expensive "collectible mini" thing.The ideal DM is an adjudicator and facilitator, not The Storyteller (despite what WhiteWolf would tell you). The whole group along with the DM should be the storytellers in a well run roleplaying game.</blockquote>