The DM's burden

[Black Omega]

Good players can add alot to a game. Not only be entertaining themselves..now and then at each other's expense.

Being proactive or having goals, even if only short term, are cool ways of helping a GM with ideas. In my own game I have a player starting to start up a shrine. Another working to become a full samurai and trying to set up a new sake works. Another is slowly working toward teaching a few locals wizardry. Most of this has happened as a result of events in the campaign. After over six months now, I'm pretty sure all of the characters have developed a little differently than the player planned. That's a result both og the GM and how the world is run and the players reacting to this.

 

[William Ronald]

My campaign has several co-DMs. This has helpedin many ways.

My best friend serves as the ultimate GM for the group. I largely help out in matters of history, linguistics, culture, myth and other background elements. Several of us serve as DMs.

A good player can help define how others view his character's culture or land. This is especially true as characters rise to positions of power and prominence.

My advice is to work with the other players as much as possible. A GM will be needed to run things, but you can share the burden.

 

[Droogie]

Thats what it really comes down to, doesn't it? They say that its the DM's job to make sure everyone has fun. But thats also the players job, too. Like two actors, one can't really perform their best unless the other meets them at least half-way.

 

[William Ronald]

I have always considered role playing a collaborative activity. The DM may set the stage and take on many roles, but the players are also important.

Ideally, a good DM and good players will inspire each other to better efforts and more fun. This is much like watching some actors who work well together and inspire each other.

Of course, remove an element (Good DM or good players) and you have problems. As a parallel to this, consider what the X-Files were like without David Duchovny. Rather bland.

 

[Kibo]

Re: I disagree

True: With a realy rotten GM there is nothing you can do as a player to save the game, except help the GM with advice and try to entertain yourself.

This is one of those things that you would think is true but really isn't. If your Gm or whatever sucks, but sucks in a consistant way, the players, should they be like minded, can have a field day on this meta game level where the GM is unaware they are creating a Hard Target universe while the players put their own spin on Wilford Brimly (best quaker oats commercial ever!).

We had this one Robotech campaign that changed GMs and went horribly awry, in the MOST entertaining way. (And if you don't understand what I'm refereing too in the previous paragraph, you must rent Hard Target, and if you watch the whole movie, you cannot miss the greatest quaker oats commercial of all. And that is exactly the kind of funny we had.) We had bar a brawl involving a human and a full size zentradi (we didn't find out he was 60' tall until after the fight, you would have thought our characters would have noticed....), numerous, giant rats, and homeless people in a top secret millitary installation, breaking a Jerry Lewis character out of prision in a top secret millitary installation to attend a concert in said installation where we televised the breakout over closed circuit tv IIRC, and don't even get me started on the state of the art, immersive reality, donkey kong simulater. Ahhh I forgot about the public beheding of a former player character where attendance was manditory!!! Ahhh!! There are more inside jokes than you can aim a gun pod at.

Sure, it sounds stupid, and it was, in the most entertaining way.

 

[thg jim]

I always used to DM...always...and also ran a character / npc. I actually let one of the other players run my character, but he was mine, so I wouldn't let them kill him just to be cute.

I had great players who wanted to run a dungeon or two, but nothing more. Once someone had something that was ready to run, I would maneuver the party there and then switch for the dungeon. It was a nice break for me and a good experience for the players. Showed them that it isn't all fun and games behind the screen.

Jim Govreau
Director of Thunderhead Games for MEG

 

[Falcon]

I sometimes get overwhelmed and overburdened, as it were. For the most part, however, I interact with the players in my campaign as colleagues, DMs in games I play in, and people I hang out with outside of gaming.

I get frustrated. I get tired. I get irritable. And...I constantly ask for feedback, for things they'd like to see and explore in my world, and what makes them keep coming back.

I also have us every now and then substitute a gaming session for a social activity like a baseball game, a barbecue, or just plain setting up a party where the players can invite their friends and partners.

This helps me realize we all have lives, we all are friends, and we all appreciate each other's company.

Even if they didn't like my guacamole.

 

[reapersaurus]

I like some of the suggestions here.

1) The players taking an NPC when their character is being underutilized.

2) The DM allowing the players to create and detail areas of the world.
Why don't more DM's do this?
It seems to me that creating an entire world would be damned strenuous, and a rational person would welcome help in detailing ancillary portions of it.
Really, is EVERY plot of land and race a key component to the overall story?

 

[Falcon]

In one campaign I play in as a PC, the DM actively encourages players developing the world, and awards us goodies and xp therefore. It keeps us all actively involved, and keenly interested in the story-line.

 

[SHARK]

Greetings!

FALCON!

Hello there Falcon! How are you? I would think it would be great to play in your campaign! I haven't seen you here much recently. I hope you are doing well!

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK