When I was just getting started gaming, there was this guy in town that had a major reputation as a DM. He was in the Air Force, (flight officer of some type) and ran one of the hardest-core, no-nonsense games around. He had a phenomenally high mortality rate among characters, he gave nobody any slack on rules, any table-talk was character talk unless specifically noted beforehand, etc. The thing is, instead of being such a hard-a$$ chasing people away, it drew them in droves. He had fend people off with a stuck; they were on waiting lists to get into his games. After having finally managed (after about 2 years) to get myself into one of his games (City State of the Mad Overlord) I finally got to see him in action personally, not just listen to others talk about it. The whole party got wiped out that same night and I never got back into his game before he got re-stationed out of country. But I decided that that kind of game (not necessarily that hard core); that kind of rep, was something I wanted to work towards. I wanted to be in demand, popular, all that crud. Well…years later, I guess I’ve gotten it because I do frequently have to limit the number of people at the table and I have several people who have told me they’d love a chance to get into the group.
Do any of you have an “idol” in the gaming arena that you emulate in some way; some personal sort of “hero” of the RPG set?
*A nod of respect to Captain Chris Campbell, “The Butcher of Westview”….*
Director of Game Development
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I had a few of those DMs. Actually I have been blessed with having in my past three wonderful DMs to play under for the majority of my gaming "career". When I finally got around to running massive campaigns instead of the small arcs I was fond of for so long I mashed all of the parts of those three guys that I liked and admired into my DM style. My players seem to like it.
One of those DMs who had stopped playing with our current group (big nasty split up years ago) had even heard about my game from a fellow player and asked to come into my game. That really boosted my confidence.
These days the only people I look up to and really admire are among my online D&D friends. There are some great writers and great minds I have met over the past year or two online. Thanks guys and gals!
Yes,
Myself.
Between the ages of 12 and 16 I ran the only D&D campaign in the Coromandel Peninsula of New Zealands north island.
I lived WAY up in the bush at the end of an eight kilometer gravel track- WAY out of town.
On the Weekends my players would wake at 6 am and usually in torrential freezing rain, ride in full rain gear ( and with all their books wrapped in plastic) their old Ten speeds or late 80s model mountain bikes three hours to my house. Two of the players had to also got a ferry across a large river. Once they arrived at my house they would knock on my window. I would wake and ready the game while one of them would make me breakfast and my D&D tea.
We would play from 10 till six when like a strange laden procession they would ride home.
The Next morning they would repeat this. They had to bring all their food as my parents were strict and wouldn’t feed anyone, and would only let one guy stay over.
On longer holidays they would come for sometimes up to a week in a row.
Years later an old neighbor asked me if I know why the hell every weekend for four years he would see a procession of up to six bikes rattle past his house and on up the road... I told him I HAD NO IDEA.
One may ask why I never went to any of their places to run the game...
This is because I know that my games were THAT good.
If I ran it, they would come.
Hehe I always wanted to play a Paladin to the highest level the game could take and become the savior of the world, glory, humility, charity and uber tuffness; but, sigh, I always end up GMing or playing in groups where the need someone to be the thief or thier not good guys so a paladin wouldnt fit in or they need a range guy or blah, blah, so I have never realized my dream.
Now I always have a standing line to get in my game; they bribe me with beer and food and cajole me relentlessly if I want to play instead with everyone saying they like my games best; very flattering, but sheesh after about 3 months after my kid was born peeps were like when are you gonna start your game up again; were all ready and I am like; hey; let me be a dad for a bit sheesh; so my rule is I get a year off when a kid is born so I get 9 months of complaints and people still call me about their characters and write up their characters thought about various in game interactions; hehe; gm life is a lonely one, but at least you get free beer and usually food; I seem to have a reputation for hushpuppies; I dont remember the last game I ever had where someone did not give hushpuppy tribute to the gm lol.
All I want, as a DM, is for my campaign to be the one they talk about for years later when they're old and trying to explain D&D to one of their grandchildren or something. I think I'm getting there, becuase at least two of my players have told me that this is the most fun they've ever had with the game.
It would be nice to be the DM all of you seem to be, but at the same time it seems like a lot of pressure to always be on top of your DM game.
It does take a lot of work during off time to get things prepared; course it helps that I ahve been doing it for almost 30 years now, so dont feel bad
gm life is a lonely one
gm life is a lonely one
it seems like a lot of pressure to always be on top of your DM game
There is a sort of "it's lonely at the top" atmosphere to it. The game I'm playing in now is the most table time I've had in about 15 years, and I had to threaten to retire from the game to get it. I really like to DM. I'm one of those types of people who likes to know all the secrets: how the magician does his tricks, how the special effects are done in a movie, etc. But there are times when I feel like I'm burning out and nobody will listen when I tell them I need to change perspective for a while. I like it when everyone else is having a good time with the game, I'll admit that. There's more than just a little selfishness there, sure. But, all in all, if I had to give up being a DM or a playher,I'd give up being a player, no doubt.
That's why I gave my salute to the guy who showed me what the game could be like; game me a goal (of a sort) outside of just participating in a little escapist hobby fun. I've become a story teller, a director, a special effects guy, a historian, an economist, a politician, a judge, an actor, and just about anything else I want or need to be, and that one guy made it happen, even if he never intended it to be so. He did his best and as a result I've always strived to be mine. Yeah, it's a little lonely sometimes and, yeah, the pressure can get kind of intense sometimes, but it's fun most of the time and that's what counts.
yep Lawgiver; were peas in a pod as I am right there with you my brother.
All I want, as a DM, is for my campaign to be the one they talk about for years later when they're old and trying to explain D&D to one of their grandchildren or something. I think I'm getting there, becuase at least two of my players have told me that this is the most fun they've ever had with the game.
It would be nice to be the DM all of you seem to be, but at the same time it seems like a lot of pressure to always be on top of your DM game.
If players are enjoying the game like you say, they will remember it for a long time to come. It is good feeling to have people remind you of a game you Dmed 15-20 years ago.
I can be obssesive about things I am into, so I put a lot of time into improving my "Game". I read articles, take the advise on the Paizo message boards and experiment with how I run things and rules. After, 25+ years of DMing, I am still improving.