If they are all happy but I am not..what do?

[LanSlyde]

So, all my players are perfectly happy with how the campaign is progressing in terms of story development, pacing, combat, etc.

I, the GM, am not. I spent the entire week networking to ensure that nearly everyone could meet up at the specified time. My issue is that my group consists of nothing but comedians who feel it is their duty to interrupt the game at every possibility and disrupt the flow of the game as much as possible. To the point that an assault on a keep that could have taken less than an hour lasted 4 of them.

I scream and rant and rage they take it as one big joke. Just writing about it makes me want to punch something. I want my game to progress. But it can't do that when everyone spends more time goofing off than they do progressing the ****ing story line. They have fun, but I don't.

End Rant.


Edit: They didn't even actually finish clearing the place out. I got so fed up the bull **** I flubbed the rest of the combat and ended the night because I had to be at work in 7 hours and needed sleep.

[Know(Nothing)]

So it sounds crazy, but short of just dropping the campaign(totally within your right as the person running it), adding more players might be the best move.

You establish a Rolling Retcon rule where if you are present when the game happens, your character has always been there, and if you aren't, they never existed. Adding more players and using this rule lets you pick a date that works for YOU, running it no matter who shows, and still be assured of having enough players show up. This also lets the people who least want to be there opt out of playing without worrying they're exit will cause the end of the campaign. This also also lets you cultivate a party that really wants to be there and enjoy your world and your efforts as DM, rather than people who just want a joke-game atmosphere.

I know it sounds impossible to design encounters that can be altered on the fly based on attendance, but it really can be done. You design an encounter around the average expected attendance, and manipulate it from there, using mooks mainly to alter the CR. Need a little more challenge? Add some more low-CR critters. More easy? Less critters. This lets your alter challenge without worrying too much about individual powers and builds, and is more tied to total party size.

The old rule is that the DM doesn't have fun unless the players have fun, but the oft neglected older rule is that players work with their DM's, not against them. They should work with you so that DMing is enjoyable for you. A happy, committed DM can be the difference between an alright game and an amazing game. You all need to be coming to the table and expecting to have fun, so voice the fact that it isn't fun for you. If they still don't listen to you, they can be replaced.

The game is a give and a take. They're taking more than they're giving here, and you're well within reason to just straight end the campaign.

[Seppo87]

Look for a compromise.

Make it known that you would enjoy a more serious tone at times. Because you know, atmosphere and genre conventions. Comedy and drama, a bit of both.
Tell them that while they are free to do what they want, your ideas as a gm work best with a certain mood so ask for a chance to show just how awesome they can be if taken seriously.
Repeat if necessary that comedy has its place, just that not everything needs to always be comedy at the expense of every other possible narrative style

The key here is Lure rather than Force (into your storytelling)
Of course this means that your storytelling has to be actually very good, otherwise one cannot be blamed for trying and producing entertainment in any way they can come up with

[Sliver]

I scream and rant and rage they take it as one big joke.

If you talked to them about your issues and they shrugged you off, then your players aren't respecting you. Your game and the effort you put into it are the backdrop to their comedy routine and they don't actually care if you aren't enjoying it. There is no compromise when the other side doesn't respect you. If you want to run a game regardless, then stop investing in it and do a published campaign or a series of random encounters.

Otherwise, drop the game.

[fishyfishyfishy]

When people start to take too much time out of game to make jokes and derail everything I do one of several things: I politely remind them that we're here to play a game, and if they would rather not play I can pack up my books and we can bust out the cards against humanity instead. If this doesn't get the message across I will do just that, and refuse to attempt playing again that evening. Once they get the message it doesn't take more than a friendly reminder to keep the game on track. You could also reply to everything they say in character for whatever NPC is on scene at that moment, and if none are present have random passerby comment on the strangeness of their conversation loud enough for them to hear.

[Immabozo]

If you are not having fun, tell them. Tell them that you either want to seriously play, or not at all, and if they want to keep interrupting you, that's the end of the game, if they want to play, then play, don't interrupt. Either outcome means less stress for you and less anger

[JNAProductions]

This is definitely an OOC issue. So, I second the suggestion of talking to your players. My advice is to use words along these lines:

"Hey guys, I'd really prefer a more serious tone when we play. I know you want to have fun, but I think we'd still have fun if we were less comedic and more serious. And, though I hate to say it, I'm just kind of not enjoying the constant joking. If you don't want a more serious game, then one of you is going to have to step up as DM, because I'm not having fun running it."

[Psyren]

This is definitely an OOC issue. So, I second the suggestion of talking to your players. My advice is to use words along these lines:

"Hey guys, I'd really prefer a more serious tone when we play. I know you want to have fun, but I think we'd still have fun if we were less comedic and more serious. And, though I hate to say it, I'm just kind of not enjoying the constant joking. If you don't want a more serious game, then one of you is going to have to step up as DM, because I'm not having fun running it."

What JNA said, and maybe also bring to their attention how much time they're wasting and how long certain plot points were intended to take. Tabletop gaming can be a bit nebulous and it's difficult for players to tell if they are taking the scenic route sometimes.

I also second the suggestion of just running a module/AP, i.e. something with tighter rails that needs less prep time from you. That should help alleviate some of your stress.

[Chronikoce]

I ran a group like this for a while with a few friends. Honestly I have up, I finally realized that the entire reason they played was to goof around and have fun with friends with d&d as the excuse to meet up.

It's not like their style is wrong but it doesn't fit with me so I called it.

[Honest Tiefling]

You establish a Rolling Retcon rule where if you are present when the game happens, your character has always been there, and if you aren't, they never existed. Adding more players and using this rule lets you pick a date that works for YOU, running it no matter who shows, and still be assured of having enough players show up.

I second this. Players really cannot expect you to network for hours to get them to attend. Either establish a consistent time, or just alert everyone to when you can run it. After all, you only seemed to have 2-3 hours for this session.

And if they KNOW you're ranting and raving about this after bringing it up to them OoC, ditch them or ditch them when it comes to DnD. Don't waste time with folks that think its fun to annoy you.

[rrwoods]

It honestly sounds like they don't want dnd. Maybe play Talisman or something.

EDIT: Sometimes the game you want to run and the game they want to play aren't the same game (https://youtu.be/LQsJSqn71Fw).

[Zanos]

It honestly sounds like they don't want dnd. Maybe play Talisman or something.

EDIT: Sometimes the game you want to run and the game they want to play aren't the same game (https://youtu.be/LQsJSqn71Fw).
There's not one "right" way to play D&D. Throwing back a couple of beers and cracking jokes is certainly a valid one. Especially so if the people playing are all familiar with one another outside the game.

Seems like there's a disconnect between what you want from D&D and what your players want. You should make it clear that you want to run a more serious game.

[LanSlyde]

There's not one "right" way to play D&D. Throwing back a couple of beers and cracking jokes is certainly a valid one. Especially so if the people playing are all familiar with one another outside the game.

Seems like there's a disconnect between what you want from D&D and what your players want. You should make it clear that you want to run a more serious game.

What I want is progress. I want the story to move forward. Not spend several sessions on a story arc that could be completed in a few hours. This glacial pacing is the root cause of my irritation. It's why I stopped DMing last time.

[JNAProductions]

What I want is progress. I want the story to move forward. Not spend several sessions on a story arc that could be completed in a few hours. This glacial pacing is the root cause of my irritation. It's why I stopped DMing last time.

Bolded the key bit. It's totally fine to quit if you aren't having fun. See if someone else wants to step up, or just hang out and not play D&D.

[Necromancy]

You sound like the lone powergamer at a table full of looneys.

[Droopy McCool]

Just happened to me as well, had a thread about it and everything. They couldn't stop being comedians, I gave up. Now a different guy DMs his comedy sesh, and I play a serious character that drives the story more than he does. I'm fine with this though since I don't have to do any prep work to run the game.

McCool

[Gruzzle]

This is definitely an OOC issue. So, I second the suggestion of talking to your players. My advice is to use words along these lines:

"Hey guys, I'd really prefer a more serious tone when we play. I know you want to have fun, but I think we'd still have fun if we were less comedic and more serious. And, though I hate to say it, I'm just kind of not enjoying the constant joking. If you don't want a more serious game, then one of you is going to have to step up as DM, because I'm not having fun running it."


What JNA said, and maybe also bring to their attention how much time they're wasting and how long certain plot points were intended to take. Tabletop gaming can be a bit nebulous and it's difficult for players to tell if they are taking the scenic route sometimes.

I also second the suggestion of just running a module/AP, i.e. something with tighter rails that needs less prep time from you. That should help alleviate some of your stress.

Seconded. Thirded? Whatever it may be, JNA has the right of it, and Psyren always has wise words too.

[LanSlyde]

You sound like the lone powergamer at a table full of looneys.

I take offense to that term. I wan't the game to move. Like I told them, they can BS 7 days out of the week. I'm not trying to turn the game into a judicial court, but if they would show a modicum of focus I would be grateful.

[Necromancy]

I take offense to that term. I wan't the game to move. Like I told them, they can BS 7 days out of the week. I'm not trying to turn the game into a judicial court, but if they would show a modicum of focus I would be grateful.

Pfft if I wanted to offend you I would do better than that. On the other hand, you don't need to be so easily offended.

If you want a game with more focus and less grabass then I suggest you take the number of players down 3 or even 2

[Zanos]

If these folks all know each other out of game, it's pretty irresistible to goof around with good friends you only see once a week. I recommend having either another day or a small amount of time before the game to screw around and play e.g. Cards Against Humanity, than getting into the more serious D&D session. You should also have a frank conversation with your players about the tone of the game.

[frost890]

I take offense to that term. I wan't the game to move. Like I told them, they can BS 7 days out of the week. I'm not trying to turn the game into a judicial court, but if they would show a modicum of focus I would be grateful.

DON'T. Just don't. You asked for our opinions. To me it sounds more like they want to hang out more then they want to game. Set a day to hang out, if they want to game they will take it up with you later.

[Crake]

You sound like the lone powergamer at a table full of looneys.

It sounds far less like he wants to powergame than he just wants to... you know... game, while the rest of the table doesn't.

[LanSlyde]

It sounds far less like he wants to powergame than he just wants to... you know... game, while the rest of the table doesn't.

Crake gets it. Next session is the 11th. We will see how things fair. I have already lost 2 people because they can't make it that day. But I'm tired of trying to make everyone happy.

[Yahzi]

I want my game to progress.
I am sorry, but you are doing it wrong.

If you want to tell a story, pick up a pen. Writing fiction is great fun. Ask me how I know. :smallbiggrin: My characters always do what makes for the best story, unlike my players who are often ruled by small-minded greed.

But a D&D game is not a story you tell. It is a story a group of people tell, and your co-authors clearly want to tell a comedy.

I can see being annoyed that they joke instead of play, but the solution to that is to either a) make the playing more interesting, or b) make it easier. Either get your players emotionally invested in the game (give them a kingdom, for instance, instead of making them murder-hobos), or just simplify and streamline the combats so you can get more done with less effort.

It sounds like you're doing an awesome job as DM. If you want a second hobby as a novelist, that would be great too. But they're actually rather different endeavors.

[Themrys]

I scream and rant and rage they take it as one big joke.

Only certainty in life: When icy jaws of death come, you will have wasted too much time with idiots.

Really, don't play with people who think it's funny that you are upset. If you already scream, then you probably told them already what you want from the game so there's no fixing this.

Find a new group.

[Peat]

I am sorry, but you are doing it wrong.

If you want to tell a story, pick up a pen. Writing fiction is great fun. Ask me how I know. :smallbiggrin: My characters always do what makes for the best story, unlike my players who are often ruled by small-minded greed.

But a D&D game is not a story you tell. It is a story a group of people tell, and your co-authors clearly want to tell a comedy.

I can see being annoyed that they joke instead of play, but the solution to that is to either a) make the playing more interesting, or b) make it easier. Either get your players emotionally invested in the game (give them a kingdom, for instance, instead of making them murder-hobos), or just simplify and streamline the combats so you can get more done with less effort.

It sounds like you're doing an awesome job as DM. If you want a second hobby as a novelist, that would be great too. But they're actually rather different endeavors.

:smallconfused:

The problem isn't that the OP wants to tell one type of story and the players want to play another. The problem is that the OP wants something game-related to happen at the table and the players want to goof around rather than play. I absolutely do not understand how you got the former from the latter.

LanSlyde - No gaming is better than bad gaming.

My advice would be to do as JNAProductions said and if that doesn't work, quit.

[Jay R]

What I want is progress. I want the story to move forward. Not spend several sessions on a story arc that could be completed in a few hours. This glacial pacing is the root cause of my irritation. It's why I stopped DMing last time.

You want to play one way; they are playing another. [Note that I didn't say "they want to". We have an expressed intention for you, but only observed actions for them. They might be willing to play with focus if they were ever exposed to it.]

Until you enforce a change nothing will change. So decide to accept it, or enforce a rule. This may not work, and will cause difficulty in any case. But if this doesn't work, nothing else will, either.

I'd start with the easy part - the combat. Tell them, clearly and unambiguously, that you will be pacing the fighting, and if they aren't focused on it, then neither is their character. When their turn comes up, they have six seconds to come up with an action. Then stick to it.

DM: Roger, it's your initiative. What does Benedick do?
Rogers: <tells funny joke>
DM: OK, Benedick tells a joke. Aubree, your turn. What does Beatrice do?
Roger: Hey, that's not fair!
DM I said at the beginning that combats will be focused. Betty? You have six seconds.
Aubree: <complains about the ruling>
D<M: OK, Beatrice complains about the unfairness of the universe. Now it's the monsters' turn. [rolls dice] The one on Benedick does 38 points of damage. The one on Beatrice does 28 points of damage. The one everybody ignored flanks Beatrice and does 18 points of damage. Roger, it's your turn again. What does Benedick do?
Roger: <starts to complain>
DM: [Interrupting] Roger, the trolls are fighting Benedick. Are you going to lose another round of fighting back? Six seconds - what do you do? [looks at watch]

I would make the first two encounters slightly weaker, just enough so that they can afford to lose a round or two on the learning curve, but not enough that they know they can.

And I repeat: This may not work, and will cause difficulty in any case. But if this doesn't work, nothing else will, either.

[Geddy2112]

Echoing the above
-If you are not happy don't DM
-Try and reach a compromise between funny and serious
-Enforce 6 second rule in combat
-Writing the story is for fiction. Being DM is not about writing your story.
-Don't DM for people who don't want to play a ttRPG. Don't put in that kind of work for someone who is just as happy with cards against humanity etc. Beer and pretzels D&D still requires you to actually play D&D.