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Axinian
2014-01-06, 04:07 PM
Ok so if you've been following my campaign journals you know that I was supposed to start DMing a campaign yesterday, but I had to call it off at the last minute. Why? Frankly, I was massively nervous. I get nervous before every session I DM, but I get over it pretty quickly and once I start the session it passes and I feel good afterward. Yesterday though, I just couldn't get myself to put this new campaign out there just yet and I began feeling pretty stressed out about it. This was a weird experience for me because I've DMed lots of times before and the stage fright has never been as bad as it was yesterday.

I think I know why I was more nervous: the campaign is intended to be a long-running one, so there's a lot of pressure for it to start off right. Furthermore, I didn't feel as excited for the beginning of the campaign as I did for later parts I have planned. Also, I've gamed with some of the people in the group for a long time and they usually say that they like my games, so I want to give them something that's up to snuff. Rushing through a first session that I'm unsure of is not a good way to do that.


But enough about me. Have you ever experienced DM stage fright? Why? How did you deal with it?

Lorsa
2014-01-06, 04:20 PM
I find it's usually a bad idea to go in with the idea that "now I'm going to make this huge epic campaign". As you pointed out, it can lead to far too much stress and fear of failing. I find it's better to just focus on the "now" so to speak. What is the start of the campaign like and how can you make it interesting? If it turns out to be a long epic thing in the end that's all good and well but don't assume that it will. Let it happen by itself.

Not sure if this helped. :smallsmile:

Red Fel
2014-01-06, 04:41 PM
I find it's usually a bad idea to go in with the idea that "now I'm going to make this huge epic campaign". As you pointed out, it can lead to far too much stress and fear of failing. I find it's better to just focus on the "now" so to speak. What is the start of the campaign like and how can you make it interesting? If it turns out to be a long epic thing in the end that's all good and well but don't assume that it will. Let it happen by itself.

Not sure if this helped. :smallsmile:

This. My advice is simply to remember your audience and what they want.

Your audience? Friends who enjoy your DMing. What they want? To have fun. Give them what they want. Epic will be, or won't be. The players could, by accident or deliberately, ruin your glorious campaign plans. So what? Make the game fun. Give the players what they want and they will enjoy it.

You seem to enjoy it, too. Your panic vanishes in the moment, once you've started. And you keep coming back to it. DMing makes you happy. I hear there is medicine for that. Just embrace that. Make the game fun. If it becomes epic, it will be even more fun. If not, it will still be fun, for you and for your players.

The problem is where you're setting the bar. Setting it way up high (epic campaign) means that if you don't achieve it, you'll be disappointed in yourself. But setting it at a reasonable level (everyone has fun) means that you'll probably achieve it, everyone will enjoy, and if you happen to go above and beyond, everyone will enjoy even more.

I recently had the privilege (or burden, depending on your perspective) of helping someone plan a wedding. We learned very quickly that for all of your plans, some things just don't work out like you intended. The thing to remember is this - your guests don't see what didn't happen. Unless you tell them, they have no reason to know what you planned, or how that's any different from what they experienced. The only thing they know is what they experienced first-hand - the decorations, the food, the music.

DMing is the same thing. Your players have no reason to know what grand, sweeping plans, if any, you've made. All they have reason to know is what you give them. And if they enjoy it, even if it's not as epic as you would have liked, you've done a fantastic job. They never have to know what never was. They just have to enjoy what is.

Axinian
2014-01-06, 05:02 PM
I find it's usually a bad idea to go in with the idea that "now I'm going to make this huge epic campaign". As you pointed out, it can lead to far too much stress and fear of failing. I find it's better to just focus on the "now" so to speak. What is the start of the campaign like and how can you make it interesting? If it turns out to be a long epic thing in the end that's all good and well but don't assume that it will. Let it happen by itself.




The problem is where you're setting the bar. Setting it way up high (epic campaign) means that if you don't achieve it, you'll be disappointed in yourself. But setting it at a reasonable level (everyone has fun) means that you'll probably achieve it, everyone will enjoy, and if you happen to go above and beyond, everyone will enjoy even more.

...

DMing is the same thing. Your players have no reason to know what grand, sweeping plans, if any, you've made. All they have reason to know is what you give them. And if they enjoy it, even if it's not as epic as you would have liked, you've done a fantastic job. They never have to know what never was. They just have to enjoy what is.

This is good advice, and I do tend to have a problem with setting too-high standards for myself. With that in mind perhaps I should just go ahead with what I have prepared and not worry about it.

To answer Lorsa's question though. The problems I realized I had with the beginning of the campaign are thus:

PLAYERS KEEP OUT YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE


I've set up the city the PCs start in pretty well I think. Its a city run by guilds and various factions. I originally wanted the city to come under danger from some external threat, but the really interesting part is the process of figuring out of which guilds and factions are in league with the threat.

The problems I encountered:

1) It doesn't seems like there will be enough time, amidst other character development, to turn the threat (drow) into an interesting adversary without taking away from developing the adversaries in the city. Now I could just accept this, but if I am to include an external threat, it should be, well, threatening.

2) This threat takes away from me being able to show off my lovingly-crafted city :smalltongue:

3) I realized that the threat could be anything. There was no reason the threat needed to be drow, and most players don't find drow very interesting even though I do.

Some solutions I've considered:

1) Eliminate the external threat entirely. Make the climax of this portion of the campaign into a civil war between guilds. I'm leaning towards this one. The problem with this is that I would have to throw out a ton of stat blocks and dungeon ideas. Sunk-cost fallacy I know but it doesn't feel good.

2) Change the drow into something more interesting. Problem, I'm drawing a blank here.

These aren't insurmountable problems, but they're kind of frightening to consider when they come to light the day the campaign is supposed to start. This is actually my fault, these were the first ideas I came up with a long time ago and just rolled with them... WHICH YOU SHOULD NEVER DO! I should always come up with several ideas and choose amongst them. I'm an artist for Pete's sake I should know better!

Lorsa
2014-01-06, 05:36 PM
This is good advice, and I do tend to have a problem with setting too-high standards for myself. With that in mind perhaps I should just go ahead with what I have prepared and not worry about it.

It's good to dream big, but don't put pressure on yourself. Think of your plots more like possibilities. These are things that might happen if the campaign becomes a long one. Enter into the play with the possibility in mind that the players won't enjoy this particular campaign as much or will go somewhere completely different.


To answer Lorsa's question though. The problems I realized I had with the beginning of the campaign are thus:

PLAYERS KEEP OUT YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE


I've set up the city the PCs start in pretty well I think. Its a city run by guilds and various factions. I originally wanted the city to come under danger from some external threat, but the really interesting part is the process of figuring out of which guilds and factions are in league with the threat.

The problems I encountered:

1) It doesn't seems like there will be enough time, amidst other character development, to turn the threat (drow) into an interesting adversary without taking away from developing the adversaries in the city. Now I could just accept this, but if I am to include an external threat, it should be, well, threatening.

2) This threat takes away from me being able to show off my lovingly-crafted city :smalltongue:

3) I realized that the threat could be anything. There was no reason the threat needed to be drow, and most players don't find drow very interesting even though I do.

Some solutions I've considered:

1) Eliminate the external threat entirely. Make the climax of this portion of the campaign into a civil war between guilds. I'm leaning towards this one. The problem with this is that I would have to throw out a ton of stat blocks and dungeon ideas. Sunk-cost fallacy I know but it doesn't feel good.

2) Change the drow into something more interesting. Problem, I'm drawing a blank here.

These aren't insurmountable problems, but they're kind of frightening to consider when they come to light the day the campaign is supposed to start. This is actually my fault, these were the first ideas I came up with a long time ago and just rolled with them... WHICH YOU SHOULD NEVER DO! I should always come up with several ideas and choose amongst them. I'm an artist for Pete's sake I should know better!


Alright, so you got your main villain, the drow (or something else, I don't know your setting so can't give you advice there).

That's like Plot level A. The one the players shouldn't realise or find out about until a bit into the game, the longer it takes the better!

Then you should make say 2-3 Plot level B. They can have with plot A to do, as in represents small events that the drow are trying to accomplish to destabilise the city before invasion. These plots are the answer to the question "What will the drow do before beginning a massive invasion (or whatever they're planning on doing)?". Since they will probably use one guild/faction or another to do their dirtywork, this could be problems they cause. Maybe one of them will be done by actual drow or if the players are clever they will see signs of drow having interacted with these factions. Also, these plots are not immediately seen either, the players can run into signs of them but it's up to them if they want to act or not.

At Plot level C you should have say 6-10 plots. These are smaller things that will be immediately seen by the players. Could even be actual quests (as in someone asking them to do something). It doesn't need to have anything to do with the A or B plots at all (although it could lead into B plots if you want). Petty squabbles between guilds/factions. Powergames between nobles in the city. A murder mystery? Maybe someone is targeting some specific type of artisans for theft? These plots are the ones you'll use to get the players involved with the various factions and guilds and let them explore the politics of the city.

Remember that all of these things can only go as far as "what is the problem/situation". Don't make plots that are dependant on certain outcomes of other plots. They could have with one another to do, but avoid "once they've solved X then Y will be presented". You don't know if they'll solve anything or how they will do, and how could theoretically affect the actions taken by the various involved parties in the future.

Does that help any at all?

Machinekng
2014-01-06, 05:37 PM
I know how you feel. I often get stage fright while GMing, and will usually clam up for awhile each session, but I enjoy GMing too much to let it get in my way.

Discussing your concerns:


1./2. One way that you can quickly make the drow threat credible, show off your city and start the campaign with a bang would to have the drow make a slash & burn raid across the city. Somehow a party of 10-12 drow get into the city, and quickly cause havoc using magic, making it up to the PCs to chase them down. This way, you can lead the PCs on a merry chase through the city, giving them the highlights, and show off the drow as a credible threat as they set city blocks on fire and attack passersby.

3. I think drow are a plenty interesting threat. They possess interesting culture and magic, as well as numerous different servitors that should allow you to make varied encounters and interesting villians. Drow are especially dangerous due to the prevalence of spellcasters in their culture.

CarpeGuitarrem
2014-01-06, 06:07 PM
Dirty secret: your players will make the campaign more interesting and memorable than you ever thought you could make it.

valadil
2014-01-06, 08:44 PM
I embrace it. The only time I have no stage fright is when I've lost interest in a game. As long as those butterflies are in my stomach where they belong, I know that I'm still emotionally invested in the game.

Axinian
2014-01-06, 10:33 PM
Dirty secret: your players will make the campaign more interesting and memorable than you ever thought you could make it.

Truth, but it is nice to give them a good springboard.

Jay R
2014-01-06, 11:28 PM
The solution to fear of screwing up is to just go ahead and screw up.

The gamers will enjoy it anyway, and they probably won't notice.

Rhynn
2014-01-07, 02:46 AM
I'm a horrible grognard (converts later in life are always worse than those born into it), so take this with a grain of salt, but the problems I see are here:


I think I know why I was more nervous: the campaign is intended to be a long-running one, so there's a lot of pressure for it to start off right. Furthermore, I didn't feel as excited for the beginning of the campaign as I did for later parts I have planned. Also, I've gamed with some of the people in the group for a long time and they usually say that they like my games, so I want to give them something that's up to snuff. Rushing through a first session that I'm unsure of is not a good way to do that.

You've planned out a campaign and a plot, and have placed huge expectations on it and on yourself. That's perhaps not the best way to approach RPGs.

I've done exactly what you have - over and over, in fact. I've had many campaigns that never got much of anywhere but that I wasted dozens of hours planning. I scrapped a few attempts because they "didn't start right," and re-tried them later - so far with no success.

Here's the rub: no plan survives contact with the enemy players.

All that planning can be for naught, and the more expectations - and the more specific expectations - you lay on a campaign, the more disappointed, frustrated, and stressed you are likely to get.

I've had the most success, for all the 20 years I've played (90+ % GMing), with campaigns I didn't plan from the start. The earlier ones were off-the-cuff games with modules and other pre-written material dropped in. The latest ones were loosely planned, sandboxy games with a strong setting underneath and very little pre-written plot: I never planned things past the next session. That's been perfect for me.

I suggest trying something simple and traditional:

Create a small region, no bigger than a kingdom. Detail one town or city as a home base for the PCs. Put a big dungeon under, in, or near the town: make it as big as you're comfortable with (be sensible with your work; don't make more notes on room contents, etc., than you absolutely must; "8 skeletons, 500gp" is perfectly adequate for at least 75% of rooms, and you just improvise the rest), and leave room to expand it by way of secret stairs, magic portals, and blocked tunnels or stairwells.

Put other, smaller dungeons and individual monster lairs ("30 orcs live in this case, led by a shaman") in the nearby region, and create some wilderness encounter tables. For all the dungeons, come up with some rumors and other hooks to get the PCs to go looking for them. ("I hear there's a mage's tower up on that mountain. The mage hasn't been heard of in a hundred years, but they say he had a great treasure...")

Come up with some characters and plot hooks to leave lying around: maybe a civil war is brewing, or the king is ailing and there is uncertainty over who will inherit the throne, etc.

Release the PCs into it, and let them pick what they're interested in.

Then, develop things session by session. See what your players did, ask them where they're planning to go next, and develop things accordingly. If they take an interest in an NPC, develop that NPC. If they antagonize someone, or start hating someone, make that person/monster their villain or nemesis.

Keep it simple. Don't overwork yourself. Don't burden yourself or the campaign with expectations.

The above model is how some of the most famous campaigns were created. (Nowadays, it's somewhat oddly often called the Western Marches campaign style, when the Lake Geneva campaign style or the Greyhawk or the Blackmoor campaign style might be more accurate...)

Edit:

The solution to fear of screwing up is to just go ahead and screw up.

The gamers will enjoy it anyway, and they probably won't notice.

So true. I've screwed up countless campaigns so very badly, but usually everyone had fun, most of the time, and that's a good average. That's how you learn, anyway.

Axinian
2014-01-07, 12:26 PM
While the advice for designing the area and letting a little more openness is good, and I certainly do not intend for the PCs to be shackled to a strict order of events, it sounds like you're saying abandon any notion of an overall plot and just run a sandbox.

I've got nothing against pure sandbox games, but it's not what I'm looking for here. I gave the players the choice of campaigns they wanted and they wanted this one over the purely sandbox campaign I offered so while I don't need the plot to happen in any particular way, it needs to happen.

lytokk
2014-01-07, 12:40 PM
Every session I run I get close to the same thing. A nervous feeling of dread that this is going to end up being the last session because I may end up doing something that ends friendships. In actuality, that never happens. In fact D&D has been rekindling a few old friendships I thought were beyond repair. I have a few methods for getting rid of it. On the car trip to the place we play, loud music. It soothes me for some reason I can't explain. Before we actually start playing, conversation. Just to remind me these are people and friends instead of just judgemental characters trying to gain power. The conversation may help more than the music but I'm not sure.

AKA_Bait
2014-01-07, 12:49 PM
I found that drinking helped.

As with most things that cause unease, starting is the hardest part. I just kinda force myself to get started, no matter how I feel about it, and things work out fine from there.

Axinian
2014-01-07, 07:49 PM
OK thanks for all the advice everyone. There won't be a campaign journal this Sunday but I think I know how to proceed now.

Gavinfoxx
2014-01-07, 07:58 PM
Propanolol!

Look it up!

Krunch
2014-01-08, 01:07 PM
I found that drinking helped.

Jokes aside, I actually do down a beer or two at the beginning of a session.

It's not for stage fright so much as that I really, really like good beer.

Coincidentally, it clears out the vocal cords, eases the anticipation, and makes me pretty comfortable.