Whats a player to do?
- Thread starter |)ar|{
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Particle_Man
Explorer
Unless you are married to Eberron, I think a lot of your problems could be solved by staying in the DMs homebrew, and just retiring your characters and starting again as low level dudes. Low level dudes usually aren't in the world-saving business.
Just present it that way, saying that you feel your characters have had a good run, and you would like to try climbing up that mountain again with a new low level party. No harm, no foul, no hurt feelings.
This assumes your group feels the way you do, of course.
Just present it that way, saying that you feel your characters have had a good run, and you would like to try climbing up that mountain again with a new low level party. No harm, no foul, no hurt feelings.
This assumes your group feels the way you do, of course.
Sadly enough our second level guys started out trying to save the world. Buts thats besides the point. I kinda like the idea of running some one or two session games with someone else DM'ing. Since we only play everyone other week we can have have the short games on the weeks we don't play. More gaming, perfect for some of the modules I've wanted to play, a nice chance for my DM to play in a game, how can we lose. Thanks everyone, I honestly didn't think anything positive was going to come out of this but you guys were surprisingly helpful.
Thanks a ton guys
Dark
Thanks a ton guys
Dark
Man in the Funny Hat
Hero
Do you have, like mental powers? ESP? Telepathy? How the hell do you suppose he's going to know that his players are becoming dissatisfied if they all put on a happy face every game and play along with everything he comes up with without FREAKING SAYING SOMETHING? Do you think he'll sense it with The Force? Will he see through the ostensibly well-meaning, but UTTERLY FALSE FRONT that his players are putting up with keen psychological analysis borne of pathetic insecurity?|)ar|{ said:
GEEZ, people are dense about this stuff.
TALK TO HIM. Tell him what you want and why you want it. You'll do FAR less damage to his ego than playing this STUPID game of ASSUMING that he's so mentally fragile. Or do you really think it better to continue this charade until his game completely melts down, nobody will ever play with him again, and he won't WANT to be DM because of the idiotic betrayal regarding the simple matter of players who keep pretending they want one thing while growing pissed off because they're not getting something different because the DM is PSYCHIC and knows these things without having to be told.
Keep your mouth shut any longer and you deserve EXACTLY what you get, but your DM will get shafted as a side effect for DOING NOTHING WRONG.
Li Shenron
Legend
DMs need to have their fun too.
Definitely talk with him, but don't necessarily ask him to drop his setting if he really likes running that. Consider also other options, such as him running a one-shot adventure with another setting (in parallel, so that he doesn't have to stop his main campaign) and see how the group likes it, or otherwise even consider one of the player trying to DM himself.
Definitely talk with him, but don't necessarily ask him to drop his setting if he really likes running that. Consider also other options, such as him running a one-shot adventure with another setting (in parallel, so that he doesn't have to stop his main campaign) and see how the group likes it, or otherwise even consider one of the player trying to DM himself.
It's up to the GM what kind of game he wants to run; he won't run a game he doesn't enjoy just to suit the players. OTOH the game is best for the GM when the players are enjoying it too, and most GMs are happy to take feedback on player preferences, maybe in the wrapping-up time after a session - if you'd like more combat, let him know - "That battle was great, it would be great if we could have more fighting so I could use my Feats" & similar. He should be able to accommodate that within the scope of what he wants to do. He also might be willing to run an occasional published module, esp one of the shorter ones, within his existing campaign structure. I'd say it was unlikely he'll want to drop his campaign and run Eberron for you, and such requests usually go down badly. If you want Eberron, you need to find someone enthusuatic about running Eberron.
|)ar|{ said:
Yeah, that's right. Have someone else GM eg a simple, high-combat Eberron game for awhile. That's standard 3.5 D&D and is very well supported by WoTC so even a mediocre GM should be able to run a fun game. You may even find you like going back to the original GM's campaign after a change of pace.
PapersAndPaychecks
First Post
I think you should speak to your GM in private, face-to-face. When you speak to him, use the right words and phrasing, which has a big impact on whether you're negatively received.
When you're making statements, speak in the first person (use "I" language).
"Your game's not fun any more" <--- Wrong
"I'm not enjoying the game as much any more" <--- Right
Begin with a positive statement.
"The reason I wanted to talk to you is because I'm not having fun with the game any more..." <--- Bad start
"I wanted to start by saying, you're a great DM! I've had a lot of fun with your game over the years and I hope you'll keep running a game for a long time to come. Just lately, though, the way I've felt about it is..." <--- Good start
Ask lots of questions. When asking questions, it's okay to use the second person (questions should contain the word "you").
"I've noticed there's less combat now..." <--- Okay
"Is it fair to say you've moved away from focusing on combat?" <--- Better
When you've asked a question, listen to the answer. Pay lots of attention to him. Attention is persuasive.
Show that you've listened and you care what he's saying. Ask follow-up questions.
"Where are you going with this?" <--- Good
"How do you mean, exactly?" <--- Good
Hope this helps!
When you're making statements, speak in the first person (use "I" language).
"Your game's not fun any more" <--- Wrong
"I'm not enjoying the game as much any more" <--- Right
Begin with a positive statement.
"The reason I wanted to talk to you is because I'm not having fun with the game any more..." <--- Bad start
"I wanted to start by saying, you're a great DM! I've had a lot of fun with your game over the years and I hope you'll keep running a game for a long time to come. Just lately, though, the way I've felt about it is..." <--- Good start
Ask lots of questions. When asking questions, it's okay to use the second person (questions should contain the word "you").
"I've noticed there's less combat now..." <--- Okay
"Is it fair to say you've moved away from focusing on combat?" <--- Better
When you've asked a question, listen to the answer. Pay lots of attention to him. Attention is persuasive.
Show that you've listened and you care what he's saying. Ask follow-up questions.
"Where are you going with this?" <--- Good
"How do you mean, exactly?" <--- Good
Hope this helps!
tbiaslorin
First Post
Hmm...
This is kind of an interesting thread for me. Either this is one of my players, or it sounds very much like many of the same things we have gone through over the years since we started playing. (And the fact that he goes by the name of Dark Elf in his emails and online games makes me wonder
Even if this is not my game, I appreciate much of the advice and feedback from folks who advocate cutting the DM a little slack, and agree heartily with those who suggest opening dialogue in non-combative way.
I would definitely sit and have some discussions with your DM. When you say the games are epic and world-saving, what exactly does that mean? Is the DM pushing you towards a particular path, or did your characters decide saving the world was a good idea? If the DM has an open-ended style, sometimes it just takes asking some questions to do yourself a lot of good. Have you analyzed what the party has done (or tried to) to determine if perhaps the DM is running the game how he thinks his players want by their choice of actions?
For example, in my game, if the PC's decide they can't figure out what to do, I'll throw in some plot devices aimed at furthering the campaign. Not because I want to steer them in any particular direction, but so there is something to do. However, players have the freedom to do whatever it is they want, from basic dungeon crawls to being part of an army or city at war to some good ole political intrigue. Maybe your DM is the same way. Have you tried to stray from the saving-the-world theme and attempted to determine whether that is just campaign background or whether that is the direction he wants you to go?
I agree with most of the folks and suggest you just come out and talk about what you enjoy about your campaign, and what you don't. Have you ever mentioned Eberron as a possibility? Have you mentioned you'd prefer a higher combat game? Have you ever tried to put yourself in a position to have more dice-rolling by your ingame actions? Have you suggested trying some published modules? The post about most DM's not having ESP made me laugh a little (even if it was a little rough!), because sometimes it seems players will sit quietly and not stir the pot instead of attempting to make known what they want.
In any case, I hope all works out for you and your game!
Good luck!
|)ar|{ said:
This is kind of an interesting thread for me. Either this is one of my players, or it sounds very much like many of the same things we have gone through over the years since we started playing. (And the fact that he goes by the name of Dark Elf in his emails and online games makes me wonder
Even if this is not my game, I appreciate much of the advice and feedback from folks who advocate cutting the DM a little slack, and agree heartily with those who suggest opening dialogue in non-combative way.I would definitely sit and have some discussions with your DM. When you say the games are epic and world-saving, what exactly does that mean? Is the DM pushing you towards a particular path, or did your characters decide saving the world was a good idea? If the DM has an open-ended style, sometimes it just takes asking some questions to do yourself a lot of good. Have you analyzed what the party has done (or tried to) to determine if perhaps the DM is running the game how he thinks his players want by their choice of actions?
For example, in my game, if the PC's decide they can't figure out what to do, I'll throw in some plot devices aimed at furthering the campaign. Not because I want to steer them in any particular direction, but so there is something to do. However, players have the freedom to do whatever it is they want, from basic dungeon crawls to being part of an army or city at war to some good ole political intrigue. Maybe your DM is the same way. Have you tried to stray from the saving-the-world theme and attempted to determine whether that is just campaign background or whether that is the direction he wants you to go?
I agree with most of the folks and suggest you just come out and talk about what you enjoy about your campaign, and what you don't. Have you ever mentioned Eberron as a possibility? Have you mentioned you'd prefer a higher combat game? Have you ever tried to put yourself in a position to have more dice-rolling by your ingame actions? Have you suggested trying some published modules? The post about most DM's not having ESP made me laugh a little (even if it was a little rough!), because sometimes it seems players will sit quietly and not stir the pot instead of attempting to make known what they want.
In any case, I hope all works out for you and your game!
Good luck!
