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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Desdichado" data-source="post: 4976675" data-attributes="member: 2205">I think it's important not to mis-identify GMing problems, and in a sense that's what this thread has been about in my opinion.  Players want options.  They want to feel in control of their characters.  They want to feel like they're significant.  Poor GMs restrict too many options, restrict player control, drive the game in the direction they want it to, and in general lord it over their players, making the game less fun for the players.Maybe there's a correllation between this type of poor GMing and grittier, darker settings, although I'm not convinced of it.  But if so, the problem isn't a gritty, darker game, the problem is poor GMing.I certainly "specialize" in darker, grittier, games, and yet my player in several groups over the years have seemed to really enjoy them.  Why?  Because 1) I make sure they have lots of options to build diverse and interesting characters, 2) I make sure that the PCs are at the center of the game, if not necessarily the center of the world, 3) I don't try to deliberately punish characters for my own amusement, and 4) I allow the PCs to take control of the game, and make it their own.But those are good GMing principles no matter the power level, and I've seen plenty of high magic games that I disliked because of the GM hoarding power and control over the players.</blockquote>