D&D General The DM Shortage

[Oofta]

I wonder. I'm sometimes mesmerized by hearing tales of people who sat in games with prominent designers at conventions at how little they followed the rules that they themselves wrote. I've heard similar stories about Tracy Hickman, Marc Miller, and many more. I also remember, from back in the days when I played Blood Bowl in the late 90s, how the Games Workshop studio hired a guy from outside, and he totally stomped everyone in the studio league because he actually used the rules that the designers themselves weren't using because of some unspoken gentleman's agreement to avoid utilizing certain rules very much. I do think that sometimes designers write products that they think are fun to write, and which are probably fun to read, but they lose sight of the fact that—in theory—they're meant to actually be played, and presumably played more or less as written.

I think that any time we write a complex set of rules there will always be bugs in the system and things we later wish we would have done differently. Authors of RPGs are human and are doing the best they can. They still make mistakes and change their mind on what's best.

 

[Micah Sweet]

That's why when I invite people to join my game I'm open about what type of game I run. Also why we have session 0s.

Sure, but you don't always get to choose your players, especially if they're your friends.

 

[payn]

I wonder. I'm sometimes mesmerized by hearing tales of people who sat in games with prominent designers at conventions at how little they followed the rules that they themselves wrote. I've heard similar stories about Tracy Hickman, Marc Miller, and many more. I also remember, from back in the days when I played Blood Bowl in the late 90s, how the Games Workshop studio hired a guy from outside, and he totally stomped everyone in the studio league because he actually used the rules that the designers themselves weren't using because of some unspoken gentleman's agreement to avoid utilizing certain rules very much. I do think that sometimes designers write products that they think are fun to write, and which are probably fun to read, but they lose sight of the fact that—in theory—they're meant to actually be played, and presumably played more or less as written.

I think the collective design knowledge and more importantly ability to playtest were a lot different decades ago. For example, I don't think 3E would have had a 3.5E a couple years later if they had the teams and public assistance that designers have now. Also, there is the ability to post errata and get that out that was very difficult to do in the offline era.

 

[payn]

Sure, but you don't always get to choose your players, especially if they're your friends.

Rule #1
Sometimes your best friends make the worst gamers.

 

[TheSword]

Is there a market for paid DM tutoring to teach folks how to DM?

Two hour sessions, over x number of weeks. 4-6 participants. Teaching/Discussing a range of methods and skills.

If someone can learn to complete open heart surgery then more than a few folks can learn to DM

 

[Oofta]

Sure, but you don't always get to choose your players, especially if they're your friends.

If they're your friends they should respect you as DM enough to let you run the kind of game you want or for you to work out a compromise.

 

[nevin]

Sure, but you don't always get to choose your players, especially if they're your friends.

and players don't always have options when it comes to DM's but that doesn't change the fact that it's not the games fault when expectations don't mesh. But i will say my friends know what kind of game they are getting if I run it, so if they don't want that kind of game I'm not going t be upset if they bail, I will be upset if they sit there and grumble and don't have fun.. In fact I'd take em for a beer and let them know they are ruining it for everyone else.

 

[Xamnam]

If they're your friends they should respect you as DM enough to let you run the kind of game you want or for you to work out a compromise.

Yeah, that's the perk of friends: generally, everyone cares about how much fun everyone else is having.

 

[Oofta]

Is there a market for paid DM tutoring to teach folks how to DM?

Two hour sessions, over x number of weeks. 4-6 participants. Teaching/Discussing a range of methods and skills.

If someone can learn to complete open heart surgery then more than a few folks can learn to DM

You can learn to complete open heart surgery in two hour sessions over a number of weeks? Where did you get your certificate doctor?

EDIT: P.S. I actually like the idea.

 

[nevin]

Is there a market for paid DM tutoring to teach folks how to DM?

Two hour sessions, over x number of weeks. 4-6 participants. Teaching/Discussing a range of methods and skills.

If someone can learn to complete open heart surgery then more than a few folks can learn to DM

most people don't like to be in charge and don't like confrontation. That's the primary cause of your DM shortage. Conflict burns out more DM's IME than anything else.