Tineke Bolleman wrote:
nosig wrote:
Andy Brown wrote:
Some people love to run games, and therefore collect stars.
Some people run games mostly to make sure that games happen (hi), and get fewer stars.
Some people don't want to run games (for all sorts of reasons), and so don't get any stars.
The only thing the stars tell you is how many games somebody has run, except for #5, which should be an indication that they know what they're doing well enough not to spoil a game.
However, there are some 5-stars I won't sit at a table with (even if they aren't running), due to either personality incompatibilities or disagreement over how the rules work.
And knowledge of one system doesn't always carry over to a different system; sometimes that's worse when the systems are similar (hands up all those who still get mixed up between D&D 3.5 and Pathfinder)
raises hand...
raises hand too
I still hear people ask for spot checks.
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One of the things that I notice, having played the majority of my PFS online, is how many people pop up in our dischord channel's LFG chat, just looking for a game. By it's very nature, finding someone who wants to GM just for the love of GMing a game is very rare.
Originally, I starting GMing for my static online group because nobody else wanted to run it. There's alot more to GMing online than there is for GMing in person. I feel like I can whip up a map IRL, have a stat block, and be good to go. Online, not so much. I prep macros for my NPCs to try and minimize the interruption to game flow. I go out of my way to find interesting pictures for NPCs that aren't just taken from the bestiary, since I know at least 2 of my players have been around the block a few times, and can probably guess monsters just based on the pictures. I do dynamic lighting on my maps, to help my players get involved in the game more. I go out of my way to find hilarious memes to post on my splash screen of a starter page to give my players a chuckle. All in all, it usually takes me about a week to make a single scenario ready for gameplay (taking into account being a full time college student and part time worker).
This involvement of time also means that I have less time to play than I would normally like. Looking back at my chronicles, I have way too many characters, and the majority of the chronicle sheets are from GM credit. I have a 15th level character that I've played maybe 5 times.
Now, I GM because I enjoy it. I love reading the behind the scenes action, and helping my players flesh out their characters. Im touched by some of the actions that they've done. Sure, I may be gaming vicariously through my PCs. What GM doesn't?
I swear, this is the end of my rant. >_< Hilary, my GM stars mean more to my players than they mean to me. They show that I was willing to take (from their perspective) 5-10 hours out of my week to make a few hours of their time a little more enjoyable. None of them read the forums, so I know they'll never read this, and probably will never know the truth about how long it takes to set up a table (nobody's ever asked at least). One of my players has a huge social media fanbase, and you should see how she brags to her friends about her barbarian Barb. One of my other players, whos favorite character has the cooking profession as a dayjob, spends time in-scenario finding out what each exotic location has for new ingredients, and serves the party at his next mission briefing a local delicacy from the last place they adventured. They, and others, are the reason why I gm so much, and thus the reason why I currently have 4 stars.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have a bonekeep table to prep. :D