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I have arrived at a point where I now enjoy playing World of Warcraft more than I enjoy role-playing! I never thought I would ever live to see the day. I have even considered taking a break from my regular group to hang out online instead.
I think my main issue stems from the fact that my group gave up on the Savage Tide Adventure Path. It was fun, the role-playing was awesome and everyone was inspired. We are now playing a homebrew Pathfinder Modern game, and while the GM is fantastic, I have no enthusiasm for the campaign.
Basically, we were playing the STAP and got to about the middle. Then suddenly players started complaining of GM railroading and our GM gave up the GM's chair. All the months of role-playing were thrown aside and the GM eventually revealed everything about the STAP.
It was kind of like managing to get through eleven out of twelve books in a series and then the author passes on!
Has anyone lost their enthusiasm for gaming before? How did you get back your desire to play?
I have arrived at a point where I now enjoy playing World of Warcraft more than I enjoy role-playing! I never thought I would ever live to see the day. I have even considered taking a break from my regular group to hang out online instead.
I think my main issue stems from the fact that my group gave up on the Savage Tide Adventure Path. It was fun, the role-playing was awesome and everyone was inspired. We are now playing a homebrew Pathfinder Modern game, and while the GM is fantastic, I have no enthusiasm for the campaign.
Basically, we were playing the STAP and got to about the middle. Then suddenly players started complaining of GM railroading and our GM gave up the GM's chair. All the months of role-playing were thrown aside and the GM eventually revealed everything about the STAP.
It was kind of like managing to get through eleven out of twelve books in a series and then the author passes on!
Has anyone lost their enthusiasm for gaming before? How did you get back your desire to play?
I have lost mine I would like to get it back not sure how... I enjoy playing, of the guys I play with there is one that I like as a friend a lot but I find him to be a disruptive influence to the game (When he does turn up( Which he does now that everybody is doing what he wants). He doesn't, balance jokes and player DM time and he meta-games and he is very willing to tell us how things should be done but doesn't put in any work himself, complains he doesn't like the system then makes no effort try to understand it.
I also find the environment we play in and the number of people we play with a little uncomfortable.
I have been thinking of taking a break but our new DM is very good and he deserves to have all the support he can get. Running a campaign can be very tough especially when you have a baby or two.
In answer to the actual question I now enjoy playing Medieval Total War II more.
I don't know that I've ever really gotten to the point of wanting to walk away, but I was getting pretty burnt out and frustrated earlier this year. Taking a break from D&D during our live game to play Scion for a while instead, and joining a whole bunch of play-by-posts really helped me to remember what it was I liked about the game. And gave me some time to work out some real-life problems that will hopefully make for less frustration at the table while playing D&D.
My personal experience is somewhat between yours, Chubbs and lynora (is that a lower "l" or a capital "i" as a first letter ?).
Along many years of gaming and mainly DMing, i happened to become quite frustrated sometimes, up to the point to close my DM screen and even turn my back from my players.
Fortunately, i managed to learn one way or another that i had an important part of responsability for the game malfunctions or issues.
It took some time, reflection and discussion, but it helped me to understand some things about myself, about my friends, the game, and more importantly, social relations.
The way i see it, if anybody needs a break from the game, he should take it. But it certainly doesn't mean he should leave the group.
We love the game because we have some good time with friends, sharing a common passion.
Well, there many other things to do with these friends, such as going out, traveling, gathering for meals, picnics, whatever.
It sound obvious but you would be surprised how many gaming groups only gather for the game and split when they close their books and character folders.
Taking a break is always good, and video games are a great way to do so, while still getting a daily dose of fantasy.
That's why i loved playing Diablo, Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Dark Age of Camelot, Star Wars Galaxies, Lord of the Rings Online, World of Warcraft and many others.
None of them comes even close to the infinite possibilities of an actual roleplaying game, but still, they have some familiar and satisfying elements.
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I hear you Mr. Dwarf!
I too have an acquaintance I game with who is quite possibly delusional mixed with a superiority complex with low self-esteem added in to boot. Unfortunately this person tends to bring out in me a distinct distaste for him rather than a need to support and accept him. I'd say I tolerate him for the sake of my other friends.
The STAP was awesome and I think the group had its best role-playing moments (in recent history) at that moment. Now, with a premature collapse of the campaign it has all run flat. None of the rich texture of storytelling is there in the current campaign, even though the GM is awesome.
I like the social aspect of the game, but I think I really want to focus more on the game for awhile rather than just making it fortnightly social event. Some of the group put a lot of time into their characters, backgrounds and every other facet of their role-playing. Then you just have loafers who come in and create a negative environment.
The player in question I have an issue with lives and breaths fantasy, his characters become an extension of himself to the point where he tries to adapt his real life to the game. In addition he can be disruptive and rude. One player has already refused to come back into the group because of him.
I apologise, this is turning into a rant...
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I hear you Chubbs. I had a player that was my friend, not the rest of the groups. He joined in and did ok for a while, then started to become an incredibly negative influence. Finally I took him aside and told him that we didn't appreciate his disruption and that he probably shouldn't play in this group anymore.He got real mad for about a week then shrugged it off and played WoW. We are still friends. Also on the burn out thing, I have taken months off from the game before. It sometimes refreshes you and lets you get back into it with more energy later.Just moved recently and took a forced 8 months off to find a new group (that's how I discovered Paizo's forums.)Now I am playing a Pbp game, DMing a table top one (RotRL) and in my spare time I play Dungeon's and Dragon's Online (DDO). Sometimes walking away for a while is the best thing to do. Usually for me it turns into a driving need to play.
It's scary how often I'd almost rather play WoW than D&D. This is much more of a reflection on how enticing WoW is than anything else. What's that, devil on my shoulder? Fresh daily quests? You don't say!
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It's scary how often I'd almost rather play WoW than D&D. This is much more of a reflection on how enticing WoW is than anything else. What's that, devil on my shoulder? Fresh daily quests? You don't say!
WoW is enticing and you don't have to share your snacks with anybody while playing either! XD How are you liking WotLK?
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I hear you Chubbs. I had a player that was my friend, not the rest of the groups. He joined in and did ok for a while, then started to become an incredibly negative influence. Finally I took him aside and told him that we didn't appreciate his disruption and that he probably shouldn't play in this group anymore.He got real mad for about a week then shrugged it off and played WoW. We are still friends. Also on the burn out thing, I have taken months off from the game before. It sometimes refreshes you and lets you get back into it with more energy later.Just moved recently and took a forced 8 months off to find a new group (that's how I discovered Paizo's forums.)Now I am playing a Pbp game, DMing a table top one (RotRL) and in my spare time I play Dungeon's and Dragon's Online (DDO). Sometimes walking away for a while is the best thing to do. Usually for me it turns into a driving need to play.
May be WoW suited him better in the end. Are you based in the States Chakka?
/played <too many days>
But what WoW doesn't offer so well as D&D is the dramatic situations imho.
you on the Fenris server Chubbs?
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As a GM I sometimes feel like I'm workin' a second job when it comes to gaming, when this happens I just plug up my PS3 and play Elder Scrolls: Oblivion (game of the year edition) and take a break. Gives me the chance to enjoy some fantasy that I didn't have to spend hours planning for a buncha pizza stealin' dweebs. ;-p
you on the Fenris server Chubbs?Unfortunately, no. Mainly Skywall and Khaz'goroth. How is life over on Fenris?
WoW is in its death throes for me, ive been with it since the initial release. I cant seem to even log in for any extended period of time anymore. :/
I have arrived at a point where I now enjoy playing World of Warcraft more than I enjoy role-playing! I never thought I would ever live to see the day. I have even considered taking a break from my regular group to hang out online instead.
Can I have all your old gaming stuff, if you are not using it anymore?
I play D&D, WoW, and I played some D&D Online. All with mostly the same people. The memories that are recalled fondly the most come from the two D&D ones. (Playing a Warforged in DDO and running into your first rust monster is priceless). Not many "remember when" moments from WoW (except for maybe my rogue buddy making amazing use of his dash over water glyph in a Serpentshrine Cavern Lurker Below fight.)
I did get a burn out a few years back (coincidentally enough, one that ended a Savage Tide game midway through). But that was because we had a gaming buddy room with us for a summer. Some people you can hang out with, but you just can't live with them. He's faded from the group, most likely due to the distance I kept after that summer, which is entirely my fault. But I got burnt out on him, and found it hard to resume the game because of it (he was a great player, and it was hard to envision the game without him).
Grab some new people, or even just play at a new location. Switch things up a little, and it all comes back.
As a GM I sometimes feel like I'm workin' a second job when it comes to gaming...
I suggest learning how to improv and convincing your crew to embrace a more sandbox approach. Get your players to be more proactive so you can be more reactive.
If your players burn you out, they will be out a GM which is lose/lose for everyone. It is in their best interests to work with you.
Or give up being a GM to an able officer like I did recently. Ive been running a guild for a few years now, its alot of work.
It's scary how often I'd almost rather play WoW than D&D. This is much more of a reflection on how enticing WoW is than anything else. What's that, devil on my shoulder? Fresh daily quests? You don't say!WoW is enticing and you don't have to share your snacks with anybody while playing either! XD How are you liking WotLK?
It's good times. Going to hit Champion with the Tournament tonight, grind up my lockpicking skill and try to finish a couple group quests in Icecrown.