The GM is Not There to Entertain You

[billd91]

I think fun is a misleading term for GMs.

Running games isn't meant to be "fun" or "entertaining". You're not doing it to get the kind of adventure that you want to see. It should definitely be enjoyable and rewarding, otherwise there'd be little point in doing it. But there are many kinds of work that are very enjoyable to certain kinds of people, even though they are work and not play, and you couldn't call them fun. And plenty of people do them for free, investing their own time and effort.

I think that's a much more productive approach to being a great GM than trying to make the game "fun" for yourself.

Enjoyable and rewarding doesn't add up to "fun"?!?

 

[Reynard]

I think fun is a misleading term for GMs.

Running games isn't meant to be "fun" or "entertaining". You're not doing it to get the kind of adventure that you want to see. It should definitely be enjoyable and rewarding, otherwise there'd be little point in doing it. But there are many kinds of work that are very enjoyable to certain kinds of people, even though they are work and not play, and you couldn't call them fun. And plenty of people do them for free, investing their own time and effort.

I think that's a much more productive approach to being a great GM than trying to make the game "fun" for yourself.

I don't think it is an either/or situation, and certainly not a prerequisite for being a "great" GM (by whatever metric we are going to apply). There is a difference between when I run for a regular group versus at a convention, but they are both still "fun".

 

[Campbell]

In the context of RPGs I do not see as anyone as responsible for anyone else's fun. There are other expectations that vary from game to game, but no one can tell what is going to be fun for you (often even you).

 

[Blue]

It is absolutely the responsibility of everyone around the table to provide the most enjoyment for everyone. The DM has different tools and responsibilities that often make them more visible and/or more able to affect such.

On top of that, part of the DM's responsibilities is to make sure that over time every character has a chance to shine and their moment in the spotlight. That is one of the places where it rests more directly on the DM's shoulders.

So the DM, like everyone else, is responsible for entertaining everyone at the table, and that role both has a different toolset that can have a larger impact then the players, and has taken on responsibilities that partially include giving everyone opportunities for enjoyment.

So the DM IS there to entertain me. (And everyone else.) Just like I'm here to entertain the DM. (And everyone else.)

 

[Jer]

I think fun is a misleading term for GMs.

Running games isn't meant to be "fun" or "entertaining".

It's a game. If it isn't fun, why would I play?

I absolutely have fun when I GM. If it ever turned into work, I'd stop doing it.

 

[MGibster]

I frequently DM because I find it entertaining. As with all social activities, it is the responsibility of all involved to make sure we're all having a good time. Those responsbilities might not be the same, and they might not be evenly distributed, but they exist nontheless.

 

[Reynard]

So the DM IS there to entertain me. (And everyone else.) Just like I'm here to entertain the DM. (And everyone else.)

I don't think "entertain you" is the same as "provide opportunities for you to create your own fun."

 

[Blue]

I don't think "entertain you" is the same as "provide opportunities for you to create your own fun."

That's true, but not really relevant to my declaration. Because of the toolset the DM is given, if as a player all I was given was opportunities to amuse myself, I would not consider the DM to be doing their job well. D&D should be more than playing solitare, where I can focus just on my own fun.

 

[Reynard]

That's true, but not really relevant to my declaration. Because of the toolset the DM is given, if as a player all I was given was opportunities to amuse myself, I would not consider the DM to be doing their job well. D&D should be more than playing solitare, where I can focus just on my own fun.

Maybe I am not following you exactly. Can you articulate where the line is, for you personally?

 

[BookTenTiger]

I don't think "entertain you" is the same as "provide opportunities for you to create your own fun."

To me they are analogous.

I think switching up the metaphor could help. To me, a DM is the architect. An architect's job is to design a space that serves the people who will use it. An architect who designs a playground does want to entertain the kids who will use it.

The playground architect isn't necessarily pushing the kids on the swing or playing lava tag. But they are, in a way, entertaining the kids by designing a space in which the kids can have fun.

I see my role as a DM as being a playground architect. I am designing structures through which my players create fun. At the same time I can be a really adaptive architect and add, subtract, or change my structures as needed to make things even more fun for the players.