Illithid

Kexizzoc's page

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Deadshot wrote:
What is your minimum group size?

Three is the recommended minimum. I could theoretically offer one-on-one or paired services, for anyone interested. I've run solo campaigns for players in the past.


As Adjule mentioned, I hesitate to discuss my rates, mainly because A) I'm still learning what sort of value people place on this service, and B) despite my rates being somewhat open to negotiation on a personal basis, I am not looking to have the discussion publicly. Lots of people, after seeing my rates, attempt to explain to me why, "logically", I should be charging differently, and these people do not have to do the work I'm committing myself to (nor do they have to pay my rent). I know exactly how much I value my work, but at this particular point in my budding business, I freely admit that I see the advantages of providing discounts to players who are enthusiastic and interested but simply not able to shell out for my usual rates. Hence, I'm currently offering free first sessions, an offer I plan to phase out once I have a certain number of recordings on Youtube so that my client base can see the work I do for themselves.

But, because I hate obfuscation as much as anyone, I will say that currently I'm charging $10 per head for 2 hours of online play. Gameplay can be extended in additional 2-hour increments for a much more modest fee (the $10 has to cover initial game AND prep time). I offer deals to large groups, new groups, and groups who are asking for a simpler bared-down experience (such as something I could recycle from another group). I'm always committed to an experience that you can walk away from and say "that was worth it", but I will warn that, as in life, you WILL get what you pay for.


Skorn wrote:

I'd pay for a good gaming experience. I do already. Figure out what it cost to attend Gen Con per slot and then consider that you might could play on-line for much much less than that, even paying a DM a reasonable fee.

BUT, I am not sure it would work in a PBP environment. A single mod that you could run in a 5 hour session might easily last 3 months. Are you really going to charge 10 dollars per player for 3 months of work?

Skorn, I'm sorry if my post was confusing, especially on these forums (you're not the only one to ask this) but I'm not offering PbP services, partly for the reasons you mentioned. My live sessions are live, as I would direct my online players to Roll20 for our games, since I feel that it offers the best service.


Adjule wrote:

This is about the same reaction he got over on the Roll20.net lfg boards as well. I think the majority of people will decline having to pay per session, and even some who would rescind their interest once they would find out the cost per session.

But, if there are people willing to accept this, then I don't see why not. Although, paying a GM would be more palatable for in-person games compared to online games, even those run over Skype/VTT. But like with most things, people would rather take the free, especially since there are a lot more GMs that will do this for free than there are those that charge.

I definitely think that this is a harder concept to sell as an online game than as a live game; this holds true with my experience (I get many more positive responses for live games). Still, it's a surprising number of people; most are already familiar with Roll20, which essentially takes the best parts of Skype and the utility of a game table and puts it into one neat little website. Not the worst format by far, but live gaming will always be my true love.


a black bear wrote:
Kexizzoc wrote:
I can play with hardcore power gamers and hardcore roleplayers with equal ease

...can you handle a party made up only of Chaotic Neutral characters?

That's a cool idea for a job you've got there, and I hope you succeed in your career!

Chaotic neutral is obviously a bit tricky, but far from impossible. I would need to know what exactly they wanted to get out of the campaign, and how much they were expecting regarding my ability to switch plots on a dime. I like to think that I offer above-average improvisation, but I'm only human :) try me out for a session, if it can't work, at least we know! ;)


hustonj wrote:

I would like to point out to the masses that a judge who volunteers at the major conventions and is compensated with badge, room, "prizes", event tickets, food (or other) vouchers, and/or whatever else is technically a professional GM.

Having the people paying me being the people in the game, though, would mean needing to be far more concerned about how they think the game should be played and about what they want out of it than what I want out of it.

I'm big about trying to get the story told. LOTS of players that I've worked with through the years only want to demonstrate their character's dominance over the world they live in. NOT the environment I would want to be contractually obligated to provide.

But those are the players who usually have the most trouble finding a free game with other people.

This has been a major point people bring up-- how do I cater to players-as-clients without compromising the game? I am extremely wary here of starting a debate over play-philosophy-- all I can say is that ALL playstyles are welcome. I can play with hardcore power gamers and hardcore roleplayers with equal ease (in separate groups, of course) and cater to what they're each looking for. It's been rather insight-granting, in fact-- asking players what they want, I almost unanimously get the answer "make it hard". Even the hardcore min/maxers want their character to be proportionately challenged. And I think by placing the focus on what story the players want to tell, rather than the one I want to tell, I deliver something fairly uncommon. Want to turn evil? Or interrupt every game with a bar fight? As long as the other players are fine with it, I have no issue. I'll start planning the evil campaign, or cooking up interesting details about your character's favorite bars. It's not my campaign, it's yours: I'm just the facilitator.


Dalgar the Great wrote:
I just want to say good for you for actually making money for doing a hobby you love and living the dream :)

Thank you! I'll say that I'm hardly "living the dream" just yet-- I make minimum wage at the comic/hobby shop I work at, and less than that on professional GMing. I sincerely love doing this, but charging is less of a clever scheme and more of a necessity for me. That being said, I realize I'm a lucky person and that, in the grand scheme, you only have one life. Do what you love, right? Just, you know, be able to eat as well :)


RyckyRych wrote:
You might consider going to the Pathfinder Society Online Collective on Google+. I bet there are people there that would love to see another GM, even if its pay-to-play.

Thanks so much for this. I am always looking for more places to gauge interest.

I'm getting a lot of positive feedback, thank you folks so much. For those expressing unhappiness that your finances won't allow you to join in, I will
simply mention that my first sessions are always fess, no exceptions. This is a personal, intimate, and largely subjective service, so no "caveat emptor" here.


Javell DeLeon wrote:
Kexizzoc wrote:


Your reaction is quite understandable. Outside of major cities, professional GMing isn't really profitable, and thus is fairly unheard of. The vast majority of players are simply not going to need to utilize this service. Nonetheless, you'd be surprised how many people see this as a useful service. My customers include:

The bold is what I'd be interested in seeing. The number of folks willing to take that leap.

You do make a compelling argument with the "DM abandonment" issue and the length of a typical game. More often than not, the games do die. And while a lot of games due tend to die, I would still find it difficult to see folks paying to play this game. At least on these boards.

But hey, I guess you never know. I've been plenty wrong before. :)

I'll absolutely cede the fact that I could be asking in the wrong place. My experiences advertising on Reddit and Roll20 have proved pleasantly surprising, however, and as I type I have a Pathfinder group on the cusp on launching, with several more (fingers crossed!) forming. I definitely will stick with my local business as my primary venture, but I can't say I'm disappointed :)

I you think about it, our hobby encompasses a lot of economic diversity. Someone might scrimp and save to buy the next supplement, while someone else can throw down $300 for minis on a whim. For some people, this makes sense. I personally took up this venture when I realized (years ago, this was) that, over a twelve-month span in which I probably thought about RPGs once a day and throwing plenty of money into books and adventures, I had only actually PLAYED my favorite hobby three times. That was a hard realization, and if you're having the same one right now, maybe contacting me would make sense for you.

EDIT: somehow managed to delete this post the first time. Sorry!


Javell DeLeon wrote:

Just a heads up, bud: Nobody is charged to play on this forum.

This is all free. Yes, there are folks that run games on these boards(a multitude of folks, might I add) that are cool enough to take up the mantle. Because in truth, it's fun for them(At least, I hope. I guess if it wasn't they wouldn't be doing it). :P

I can promise you this: You won't find anyone on these boards willing to pay to play. And that's just the simple truth.

There may be another forum somewhere that might cater to that, I don't know, but it's not this one.

I've gotta say, this is a new one on me. I can honestly say, in the five years I've been on these boards, I've never seen anyone charge to run a game.

Javell,

You may be right, this particular piece of the web might be a dead end, but it's worth a try! I'd like to clarify that I'm not offering PbP services, but live online game sessions-- I'm no looking to change how this forum works in the slightest. You all have a GOOD thing going, and for 99% of the players, it works. I'm looking for the player who has been burned by the potentially-good letdown campaign, the player who wants to play with a GM who builds games around their wishes, and the player who wants to pay for that extra quality. It's not for everyone, but it might be for some!


Seth Parsons wrote:

Wait wait wait...

You CHARGE to run games? While I can appreciate your familiarity with the other game systems (particularly GURPS and Pathfinder), the thought of a GM charging to run a game, especially one ran over the net, is just too much. Best of luck with that, though.

Seth,

Your reaction is quite understandable. Outside of major cities, professional GMing isn't really profitable, and thus is fairly unheard of. The vast majority of players are simply not going to need to utilize this service. Nonetheless, you'd be surprised how many people see this as a useful service. My customers include:
-- players new to the game, looking to learn from someone with teaching experience
-- players who find themselves in unfamiliar territory, without their local gaming group (happens a lot in NYC)
-- "Forever GMs" who want a break from running games
-- players who want an incredibly specific campaign that no one else can deliver on

Now, for an online audience, obviously asking to get paid for a session is asking a lot. In a live game, you can look at my table spread and see where your money is going-- a premium RPG experience. If I'm not giving you something you can't get elsewhere, I'm not doing my job. So how does that translate into a Roll20 game? To that, I would ask the question: how long do your online games usually last? Do the start strong and peter out after two sessions? Have you ever been GM-abandoned? The guarantee I can offer is that this cannot possibly happen in a professional game. You're not some screen-name I can blow off, you're a paying customer who is entitled to service. In my experience, good, quality, lasting online games are the exception rather than the rule. I'd like to help change that, at least for a few people.

Thanks for your feedback!


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Cross-posting this from Gamer Connections--

I'm a professional GM with 15+ experience behind the screen. Currently I run games locally, and work at a comic/hobby shop where I meet most of my players; however, I would like to also expand my services to cover online Roll20 games as well. I have a friendly attitude, helpful teaching technique (English teacher is my primary profession), a solid command of the table, and a working knowledge of the Pathfinder rules, and the Roll20 online system. I have experience with most other RPGs, including (but not limited to): D&D (all editions, including Next playtests), Call of Cthulhu (all editions), Fiasco, New and Old Word of Darkness, Shadowrun (most recent edition), GURPS, Numenera, Gamma World (most recent edition), Warhammer 40k: Dark Heresy (and most of the alternative supplements), Pathfinder, Burning Wheel (including but not limited to Torchbearer and Mouse Guard), Mutants and Masterminds, and Star Wars (Saga Edition and Edge of the Empire). Other, more specific games (Dresden Files, Firefly and Game of Thrones RPGs, anything with the CODEX system) I am less familiar with, but willing to learn and run. I would have no problem running any of the above for you and your group, right on Roll20.

Are you GM-less? Or looking for someone to run that SPECIFIC campaign tailored exactly to your vision as players? My fees are modest, negotiable, and the first session is always free. Want see my playstyle? Watch my video reviews and listen to one of my Call of Cthulhu games at my YouTube channel (http://m.youtube.com/user/Kexizzoc). I aim to provide a personalized online game experience that will scratch your itch. Shoot me a message if you'd like to hear more; ideally, you'll already have a group of players ready to roll with your chosen game. If not, tell me what kind of game(s) you want, and I'll see what concepts I get multiple requests on. Thanks for reading, and good gaming!


I'm a professional GM with 15+ experience behind the screen. Currently I run games locally, and work at a comic/hobby shop where I meet most of my players; however, I would like to also expand my services to cover online Roll20 games as well. I have a friendly attitude, helpful teaching technique (English teacher is my primary profession), a solid command of the table, and a working knowledge of the Pathfinder rules, the Roll20 online system. I have experience with most other RPGs, including (but not limited to): D&D (all editions, including Next playtests), Call of Cthulhu (all editions), Fiasco, New and Old Word of Darkness, Shadowrun (most recent edition), GURPS, Numenera, Gamma World (most recent edition), Warhammer 40k: Dark Heresy (and most of the alternative supplements), Pathfinder, Burning Wheel (including but not limited to Torchbearer and Mouse Guard), Mutants and Masterminds, and Star Wars (Saga Edition and Edge of the Empire). Other, more specific games (Dresden Files, Firefly and Game of Thrones RPGs, anything with the CODEX system) I am less familiar with, but willing to learn and run. I would have no problem running any of the above for you and your group, right here on Roll20.

Are you GM-less? Or looking for someone to run that SPECIFIC campaign tailored exactly to your vision as players? My fees are modest, negotiable, and the first session is always free. Want see my playstyle? Watch my video reviews and listen to one of my Call of Cthulhu games at my YouTube channel (http://m.youtube.com/user/Kexizzoc). I aim to provide a personalized online game experience that will scratch your itch. Shoot me a message if you'd like to hear more; ideally, you'll already have a group of players ready to roll with your chosen game. If not, tell me what kind of game(s) you want, and I'll see what concepts I get multiple requests on. Thanks for reading, and good gaming!


These ads have been bugging me for a while now. Here's the deal; I normally applaud Dungeon for advertising things I might actually be interested in, so I enjoy the ads as much as any given content, usually. I think they definitely missed the mark with these PBM. Hopefully this advertisement space will be given over to a more worthy (and hopefully for paizo, more profitable) company.

And for irony's sake I hope that that space goes to some new video game. To many pen & paper players also play video games for THAT to have been a sucessful marketing ploy :P


I've got the same problem myself. I could have sworn my subscription hadn't expired yet, but now I'm thinking I'd better check myself. I hope I'll still get this issue if I resubscribe, I don't want to miss out on any Age of Worms adventures.


Alright, I suppose I must throw my 2cp in also... I prefer the epic fantasy scenes over the heroes-in-pose. Issue #328 was the perfect example of something I didn't like: dull, muted colors, mediocre art, and a scene that looks like it was just made to match the magazine's theme. Not a good combo. I don't think the scene necessarily has to have action; the dark creeper in #322 was good; but the adventurer party is getting old.