What questions should I ask to get good feedback as a DM?

[Set]

Yeah, definitely the important ones;

1) Are you having fun?
2) What are you enjoying most?
3) What are you enjoying least?
4) If there was one thing you'd love to see, what would it be?
5) If there was one thing you'd love to see *changed* (or gotten rid of), what would it be?

 

[thedungeondelver]

Over the past year I've run 15 - 20 sessions of an Age of Worms campaign (we rotate DMs and campaigns). I wanted to get feedback on how I'm doing and my house rules.

What are some good questions to ask my players to get useful feedback?

Thanks.

"Did everyone have fun tonight?" If the answer is "yes", you need ask no further questions. If the answer is "no" from anyone, the next question should be "Why?". Affect change based on that (or don't; you're the DM).

Those are really the only questions you need ask.

 

[Desdichado]

Really? When I'm running, I usually don't need to ask "Are you or did you have fun" because I can tell. I can also usually tell fairly closely what the cause was if there's something that wasn't fun. I like to drill down to the details; ask you house rules seem to be working--anyway, just get a dialogue going. But I usually know where to start, based on how the session went. I'm not so unaware to the point where "did you have fun tonight" is a good place to start, though.

 

[Umbran]

"Did everyone have fun tonight?" If the answer is "yes", you need ask no further questions.

As a GM, I think why people had fun is just as important as why they didn't, so further questions are called for, IMHO.

 

[Merkuri]

"Did everyone have fun tonight?" If the answer is "yes", you need ask no further questions. If the answer is "no" from anyone, the next question should be "Why?". Affect change based on that (or don't; you're the DM).

Those are really the only questions you need ask.

I disagree. People are less likely to answer general questions like that. You may get a lot of yesses from people who thought the game was only so-so but couldn't pick out a particular reason why. Having more specific questions helps people identify what they did or didn't like about something.

Also, there are plenty of follow-up questions to "did you have fun" when the answer is yes. Questions like "what was your favorite moment?" or "who was your favorite NPC from this game?" can help you continue to give players what they want. The players may have enjoyed something different in the session than you would've thought. For example, if they had a lot of fun talking to a certain NPC but you thought they had more fun fighting a certain monster then you might be surprised when you bring back that monster and they say, "oh, not again!" or if they are disappointed when that NPC doesn't show up more often.

 

[Dragon Snack]

Hmm, all my players do is grouse about how bad my game is...

Of course, I'm the only one they are willing to let sit in the big chair.

 

[Voadam]

"How do you think the campaign is going?"

"What did you like the best so far? Which part was the most fun?"

"Anything that you wish was not there because it was no fun for you?"

"any parts you think we need to improve? (focusing as a group, taking time doing nothing, etc., grinding to a halt for looking up rules, arbitrary rulings that go against the rules, giving everyone a spotlight chance, etc.)

"Combats going well and fun or are they too slow or too mechanical or whatnot?"

"Enough talking and politics? Too much?"

"What did you think of the puzzles/traps etc. that came up?"

"Tone of the game fun? Is it exciting and cool or more dark and apocalyptic than you want for D&D?"

 

[DreadArchon]

"Do you prefer to roll new characters or should I write in a way for yours to come back?"




...Joke.

Anyway, good thread. It's giving me some useful ideas.

 

[Ry]

Getting feedback is hard. Players don't want to step on toes any more than you do... so if I were you I'd ask them to do a really easy questionnaire with a "just fine" in the middle.

Like circle one of the following

Thinking about the game so far... what do you think of
Amount of Combat Too much [ ] A little heavy [ ] Just right [ ] A little light [ ] Too little [ ]
Complexity of Combat Too much [ ] A little heavy [ ] Just right [ ] A little light [ ] Too little [ ]
Amount of Non-combat problems Too much [ ] A little heavy [ ] Just right [ ] A little light [ ] Too little [ ]
Treasure Too much [ ] A little heavy [ ] Just right [ ] A little light [ ] Too little [ ]
NPC Talking Too much [ ] A little heavy [ ] Just right [ ] A little light [ ] Too little [ ]
PC R&R Too much [ ] A little heavy [ ] Just right [ ] A little light [ ] Too little [ ]