What's it like to DM?

[Bloodstone Press]

lol....ummm...the main h=thing is i am curious about is what do you do if the players dont do what you want? how do you incorporate things if the players did somethim differently than you imagined? how do you make it feel real (the world)? how do you make sure that the players do the right thing to start an adventure? how does anything ever work out when the players dont truly (though they may have an idea) know what the adventure requires them to do? i know that this uncertanty is the essence of the game, but how do you, as the DM, make sure it all works out???

This is the crux of all advice I give to new DMs.

I started DMing less that 12 hours after the first time I played, back in 1984. I really enjoy it. It is, as others have said like conducting an orchestra or playing improvisational jazz. You have to be able to feel the flow of the game and work with it.

As for planning what the players will do, my advice is to NEVER plan a game. Instead, PREPARE for it. Instead of trying to anticipate all the crazy ideas your players will come up with (which you can never do), you should COUNT on the fact that they will think of unexpected things and do unexpected things.

For example, I've seen several DMs construct difficult situations and pre-plan a way for the players to solve it. But the players never guess what the DM had planned. They come up with a lot of good ideas, but since it isn't the solution the DM planned for, he keeps telling them "Nope. doesn't work. Try something else."

When I was a teenager, I finally realized that a DM simply CAN'T anticipate every idea the players will have. So constructing situations with a single pre-planned solution will ultimately devolve into a mere guessing game for the players, which isn't any fun.

Now, what I do is plan encounters that I can not think of a way out of. Rather than try to anticipate what the players will do, I count on the fact that they will do something I didn't think of. In fact they BETTER think of something or they will probably be killed, because I didn't plan for a solution, that's their jobs.

The key to running a game like that is keeping an open mind to the player's ideas. They are going to be desperately grasping at straws, trying to save some lives or at least escape with their own. When they ask "I try to do X." Let them give it a shot, as long as it is within the capabilities of their character. Then, if the dice and the numbers on the page determine success, then boo-yah! Good Game! If not, well, its a tragic tale... but still usually a good game

The only catch to running games like that is that some players aren't used to it. I've played with a few gamers over the years who were completely confused when I threw them into a tough spot and didn't offer any obvious solutions. Needless to say, I don't game with those people any more.

 

[Ovinomancer]

THe internet has really changed the gaming scene to some extent. Most gamers proably do not have access or do not use the net in this way, but I know for a fact my gaming abilities have increased a lot becasue of the internet...and mostly becasue of EN World.

Not to mention your typing skills.....

 

[James Heard]

A new user and a person new to role playing asked this question in another thread. I figured it would be best for a new thread and fill it full of answers.

GMing is like juggling a house full of loud children while directing them in a general way towards a single activity while they actively resist you, except that GMing has more homework involved and sometimes gamers say thank you. Oh yeah, and they swear more creatively than kids.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

OK, I'll put in my 2 cents before I head out for todays game.

I've played for 25 years. I tried DMing a long time ago and was terrible. I stayed away from it for a long time because of that. A couple of years ago, I offered to try again so that our group's DM could have a chance to play. Its been tough, but I think I have been improving, oh so slowly. Keeping up on these boards has I think helped me, and reading some of the story hours has done a lot. Read Pcat and Sagiro's story hours if you want to see how well it can be done, it has taught me a lot about making the game come to life more than just rading the material out of a module.

My suggestions to someone looking to try:

1) Start with some preprinted modules. They let you get the mechanics of running a game down without stressing about the story as much.

2) Once you feel comfortable with the mechanics of running a game, start introducing some of your own material

3) Don't plan every detail - it will only frustrate you and waste a lot of your time

4) Steal! Read the Story Hours, read novels, read ideas on these boards and use them if they work for you and your campaign. There are some very creative people here with great ideas. Many of them would think taking their ideas and using them yourself is the ulitmate flattery.

5) Never forget that its not DM versus Players. Yep, it can be frustrating when the players screw up your hard work, but I have found that I get the biggest rush when I have to think fast to improvise and it works out really well. Its especially best when the players never know that you were forced to improvise.

6) Have fun. If you aren't then there is no point to doing it.

 

[Asmo]

Thornir Alekeg wrote:

"1) Start with some preprinted modules. They let you get the mechanics of running a game down without stressing about the story as much."

I think that this is very important for a first time dm.
I´ve been in the same group for quite a while and yes, some of the homwbrews and adventures by various dms have been fun to some extent, but they aren´t even close to mudules ( such as the adventure path series by wotc ) and adventures from Dragon magazine and other publishers that has been playtested over and over again.
I don´t know if my group have poor imagination, but everytime I hear someone talking about testing out a new homebrew setting or a new adventure I´m geting nervous.
Personally, I´ve no interest to make up my own worlds or even adventures so far, maybe later on when I feel more confident.

Asmo

 

[John Q. Mayhem]

Someone should post a link to the DMing advice thread.

EDIT: Here. http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?threadid=47525

 

[Asmor]

I'm pretty unorganized and don't do a lot of preperation. I'm also new to the experience, as are most of my players so it's a learning experience for all of us. I basically get an idea of where I want the game to go each night and then wing it trying to get them there. It usually starts off slow because we get distracted easily in the beginning and I'm not the best at coming up with dialogue on the spot, but it ends up getting pretty good towards the end.

Something I don't understand though is that despite my almost total lack of planning, they STILL manage to ruin my plans consistently.

 

[Morpheus]

Some good advice so far. The only thing I would add is practice different voices to make your NPCs become more distinctive. I'm getting better at this myself and it helps the PCs roleplay more easily. I've been told that I do a pretty good Nebin (don't ask...)

 

[cdsaint]

GMing is like juggling a house full of loud children while directing them in a general way towards a single activity while they actively resist you, except that GMing has more homework involved and sometimes gamers say thank you. Oh yeah, and they swear more creatively than kids.

I've always compared it to herding cats. Loud children are one thing, but cats can be truly difficult. Especially in large groups.

Chris

 

[Regal Worm of Slopp]

wow...this thread is still going?....thats awesome.....im gettin so much now, im sure i wont remember it all........but thanks