What can ruin a Game more; Poor GMing or a Bad Player

[Darth Quiris]

I feel that it's all dependent also on what people want from the game... I was in a D&D game a long time ago where the DM in every session had multiple encounters with puzzles and riddles, which for one player in the game (also his girlfriend at the time) really loved it but a couple of other players, the ones who made the Fighter and Barbarian, we really hated it and even though we told him before the game even began that we aren't into puzzles all that much (and for me I really dislike them... if I want to do puzzles and stuff and actually apply work to my brain than I can pull out a logic puzzle magazine) and he never listened. (side note: could someone explain why when I press the Enter key I can't create a new paragraph? I have never encountered this before on any website until now.... PM me if you know why please). So, for me, he was a bad GM because he one, catered to her and played favorites, and two, he never gave us what we players, as a whole, wanted. When I game I want to enjoy my time and play the game.

 

[Blackbrrd]

I don't enjoy playing with a bad DM, because he's the only DM. I can enjoy playing with a bad player, because there are usually several other players that I do enjoy playing with. Also, a good DM will often shift the focus away from the bad player and make the game enjoyable anyway.

If I could choose between all bad players or bad DM, I would go for neither and do something else. It would be a complete waste of time.