Kerilstrasz
2013-02-26, 05:00 AM
Hey there...
Me and 6 more ppl play dnd (3,5e) like 3-4 times each Xmas and summer holiday season..
we used to had a DM that tbh wasn't that good.. but nevertheless he teach us
the game mechanics, and all the hard concepts like player/character knowledge,
metagaming, use some tactics etc etc...
some time ago (about 1,5-2 years) he left our ranks to get a job in a different country,
and we decided, each of us (actually me &2 other guys of the total 7) to roll
the "DMing duties" between us at each new campaign...
well... each of us is approaching the "DMing" differently..
for example one is a great world maker and even more great in descriptions..
the other one is great with obscure but great ideas/plots, & then there's me
that as the rest say "too fond of details" & "living dnd rule/mechanics library"..
well i suppose if we 3 were 1 person DMing, then that would be the best, but
we kinda agree that a DM partnership won't work...
anyways..
im trying to be better DM... so.. let me say some of the problems i have while
DMing..
1st) I find it hard to get the party into the mood of a given moment during
session.. i tried dimming up&down lights,using music & sounds, even fractions
of movies that picture that haunted mansion they were ventured into...
but i kinda felt they didnt got into it much... like.. ok.. its scary.. uh.. a wraith
popped behind a wall... ok.. lets kill it..
2nd) Seems that players (at least my group) arent fond of adventuring routine..
i mean.. they wont search for a good camping spot, they wont hunt, they will
never use horses or any other transport other than a ship if they need to go
over sea... they just say.. "ok.. we r here, we need to go there.. we have enough
food & water... lets FF it.. are we there yet? "
3rd) I dont know if it's optimal having a "leader" of the group, but they never
have 1... and most of the session goes away while they chatter endlessly,
trying to decide they most common things... "we go that way?" "will we eat meat or soup?" etc...
I really find all the above (that is just the tip of the iceberg) annoying..
Then it'd just popped to me.. I, as DM, will tell them what they do in such minor
cases.. for example...
"you enter the main hall of the tavern (small description here) and sit on a
table near the fireplace. The waitress approaches & takes your order while you
see 2 town guards rush in.." and not let em chatter for like half an hour on
where they sit and what will they eat... what do you think???
and maybe even do the same on other situations like.. describe them their
characters feelings and thoughts at key points of a session... like "as you walk
through the old & dusty corridor you can't shake the feeling that smn is
watching you.. the air is dry and hot but a chill climbs your spine..."
dunno.. what do you think? is there any tip there to make my group enjoy
the sessions more???
Me and 6 more ppl play dnd (3,5e) like 3-4 times each Xmas and summer holiday season..
we used to had a DM that tbh wasn't that good.. but nevertheless he teach us
the game mechanics, and all the hard concepts like player/character knowledge,
metagaming, use some tactics etc etc...
some time ago (about 1,5-2 years) he left our ranks to get a job in a different country,
and we decided, each of us (actually me &2 other guys of the total 7) to roll
the "DMing duties" between us at each new campaign...
well... each of us is approaching the "DMing" differently..
for example one is a great world maker and even more great in descriptions..
the other one is great with obscure but great ideas/plots, & then there's me
that as the rest say "too fond of details" & "living dnd rule/mechanics library"..
well i suppose if we 3 were 1 person DMing, then that would be the best, but
we kinda agree that a DM partnership won't work...
anyways..
im trying to be better DM... so.. let me say some of the problems i have while
DMing..
1st) I find it hard to get the party into the mood of a given moment during
session.. i tried dimming up&down lights,using music & sounds, even fractions
of movies that picture that haunted mansion they were ventured into...
but i kinda felt they didnt got into it much... like.. ok.. its scary.. uh.. a wraith
popped behind a wall... ok.. lets kill it..
2nd) Seems that players (at least my group) arent fond of adventuring routine..
i mean.. they wont search for a good camping spot, they wont hunt, they will
never use horses or any other transport other than a ship if they need to go
over sea... they just say.. "ok.. we r here, we need to go there.. we have enough
food & water... lets FF it.. are we there yet? "
3rd) I dont know if it's optimal having a "leader" of the group, but they never
have 1... and most of the session goes away while they chatter endlessly,
trying to decide they most common things... "we go that way?" "will we eat meat or soup?" etc...
I really find all the above (that is just the tip of the iceberg) annoying..
Then it'd just popped to me.. I, as DM, will tell them what they do in such minor
cases.. for example...
"you enter the main hall of the tavern (small description here) and sit on a
table near the fireplace. The waitress approaches & takes your order while you
see 2 town guards rush in.." and not let em chatter for like half an hour on
where they sit and what will they eat... what do you think???
and maybe even do the same on other situations like.. describe them their
characters feelings and thoughts at key points of a session... like "as you walk
through the old & dusty corridor you can't shake the feeling that smn is
watching you.. the air is dry and hot but a chill climbs your spine..."
dunno.. what do you think? is there any tip there to make my group enjoy
the sessions more???