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Vinshwitz
2008-10-13, 04:10 PM
My Dm wants to have a serious game but all of us are kids and wanna have fun how should I handle this?

also we tried an serious game and it ended horriably and my friend sat down infront of a big dude with halberd and lost a live or die check. P.s. he was level 1 and had to take one. I thought it was b.s. but thats beyond the point. Thank you for all replies.

JaxGaret
2008-10-13, 04:20 PM
What do you mean by a "serious" game, specifically?

Vinshwitz
2008-10-13, 04:23 PM
As in like less joking around in game, 50% percent of exp is roleplaying and no playing around, straight to the point, objectiveness

AKA_Bait
2008-10-13, 04:24 PM
My Dm wants to have a serious game but all of us are kids and wanna have fun how should i handle this?


Just tell him or her that you don't want to play a game that's too deadly. You all want to have a good time and not have your characters die. I'm sure they'll understand.

What version of the game are you playing?


As in like less joking around in game, 50% percent of exp is roleplaying and no playing around, straight to the point, objectiveness

Same. Just tell them that you play to have fun and being too serious isn't fun for you.

FoE
2008-10-13, 04:26 PM
Is it a one-shot adventure that he wants to be "serious"? If he's a good DM, indulge him.

Otherwise, you just have to tell him "That isn't fun for us." Simple as that.

Dublock
2008-10-13, 04:26 PM
yea, DMs should have games where the players are interested.

Vinshwitz
2008-10-13, 04:29 PM
Sounds good thank you. But he is sooo stubborn (bad spelling) and gets all silent when and annoyed when we joke. I really dont know want kind of series or whatever all i know is we use the 3.5 character sheets

FoE
2008-10-13, 04:33 PM
Joking can go too far if it holds up the game. If that's the case, I sympathize with your DM. Otherwise, I think he needs to recognize who he's playing with and realize that Serious Business=No Fun for you guys.

If nothing else, give him your best Joker smile and say "Why so serious?"

Vinshwitz
2008-10-13, 04:35 PM
O yeah he deffinitly knows us but i mean if all of is are joking and all of us are holding up the game its more fun, im a kid, i like fun more than serious besides we all decided no serious games when we started.

Cheesegear
2008-10-13, 04:39 PM
Hey, even us 'big mature adults' like Fun Games. It's not really a gaming session if there isn't a beer (or four) on the table. But it really depends on how serious your DM wants you to be. I mean, even at our most serious points like when a Paladin has to perform an evil action, or maybe intrigue-heavy plots, we still joke around.

'Serious' is okay.
'No Jokes At All' is no fun for anyone.

FoE
2008-10-13, 04:41 PM
It's a rule that someone has to quote Monty Python each session, isn't it?

bosssmiley
2008-10-13, 04:42 PM
As in like less joking around in game, 50% percent of exp is roleplaying and no playing around, straight to the point, objectiveness

If the DM wants a serious game he has to incentivize serious play. That usually means:

1) getting people in the right head space in the first place. Sometimes people just want to goof off and stab monsters after a hard and serious week IRL. They may just be in no mood for (more) WoD-ish drama, and a good GM will respect that.

2) awarding XP for stuff other than the explore-kill-loot dungeon bash cycle. The D&D XP system as written is useless in this respect. Ideally he should dump CR-based XP. Yes, that's right: There should be *no* specific reward for monster-stomping in a serious (as opposed to beer-and-pretzels) game; MMO-style grind just farts in the face of verisimilitude.

The XP system should be replaced with one that rewards players for achieving plot progression, depth of characterisation in their role-play, and moments of (genre appropriate) awesome. The trolls have no XP value in themselves, rescuing them from the ravening princess does.

Vinshwitz
2008-10-13, 04:42 PM
okey im just saying they you dont its just its nearly impsossiable for us to play serious cuz i guess we are all kinds you know.... but yeah hes kinda the second one "NO, NO FREAKIN JOKES AT ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" (transforms into a iguana and eats us all)

Vinshwitz
2008-10-13, 04:46 PM
It's a rule that someone has to quote Monty Python each session, isn't it?
yes it is very much "Albotross!!!" (or however you spell it)

KillianHawkeye
2008-10-13, 05:17 PM
This guy needs to go back to DM school if he can't handle a little bit of joking around the table. And if your playstyles are so incompatible with his DM style (as it sounds like), then you guys should find a new DM. Maybe this guy will be more laid back if he's a player instead of the DM.

Vinshwitz
2008-10-13, 05:20 PM
yeah !we cant get a new dm realy its hard to find one since if my parents figure out i play dnd i wont hear the end of it. :smallannoyed: and he can be laid back but if we become annoying he kinda goes and looses focus =/

Vinshwitz
2008-10-13, 06:00 PM
o and look at the problems with distraction thread by silentdungen to get the other side of the story.

Xavion&Pavion
2008-10-13, 07:16 PM
Okay, I will attempt to put this as fairly and as non-partisanly (Is that even a word?) as I can.
Basically, Our DM, who is a good friend of ours and should know us well, thinks that when it comes to DnD, it is more fun to be compleletly serious all the time. He believes it will make the expierience better for us and him. I have nothing wrong with that, but it is the WAY he does it. When ever one of us cracks a joke, even a small one, He slumps in his chair and well, kinda pouts. Although, to be fair, sometimes we have jokes and non-game conversation go on for a little long. However, lately, he has been acting kinda well, different. If I was a DIE HARD beleiver in aliens, I would say little green men came, took him, and replaced him with this. He used to be always happy and cheerful, but now, he is kinda, grouchy.
But, the LATEST thing I learned today is, he is scraping the campaign we just started yesterday, because we weren't roleplaying, we weren't serious, a PC already died, and "he designed the entire thing incorrectyl".
So, go figure.
(and yes, I do like to say albatrosse from the monty python sketch.... ALBATROSSE!!!!"

Vinshwitz
2008-10-13, 07:43 PM
Okay, I will attempt to put this as fairly and as non-partisanly (Is that even a word?) as I can.
Basically, Our DM, who is a good friend of ours and should know us well, thinks that when it comes to DnD, it is more fun to be compleletly serious all the time. He believes it will make the expierience better for us and him. I have nothing wrong with that, but it is the WAY he does it. When ever one of us cracks a joke, even a small one, He slumps in his chair and well, kinda pouts. Although, to be fair, sometimes we have jokes and non-game conversation go on for a little long. However, lately, he has been acting kinda well, different. If I was a DIE HARD beleiver in aliens, I would say little green men came, took him, and replaced him with this. He used to be always happy and cheerful, but now, he is kinda, grouchy.
But, the LATEST thing I learned today is, he is scraping the campaign we just started yesterday, because we weren't roleplaying, we weren't serious, a PC already died, and "he designed the entire thing incorrectyl".
So, go figure.
(and yes, I do like to say albatrosse from the monty python sketch.... ALBATROSSE!!!!"
He does not lie.

Xavion&Pavion
2008-10-13, 07:45 PM
Yes I do. Just not about this.



ALBATROSSE!!!!!!!!!

Vinshwitz
2008-10-13, 07:46 PM
Yes I do. Just not about this.



ALBATROSSE!!!!!!!!!

eh thats wat i meant

ocato
2008-10-13, 07:52 PM
I think compromise is the best solution.

If he's scrapping the campaign because he didn't design it correctly, it sounds like he's frustrated that his semi-serious game idea won't fly with you. While I can understand that the game should be fun for everyone, you need to consider that that involves the DM as well. Even if jokes are fun, he apparently wants to tell a story that involves role playing and everyone really getting in to their characters. I can honestly sympathize with that desire. I think the best way to solve this is to try to meet him in the middle. Sit down with him and express that you want to play, and that you're willing to do so in a way that hopefully everyone can enjoy. Try a little harder to RP and be serious. Hopefully he'll let you make some jokes out of character too. Ideally you can make an effort to show that you respect and appreciate his effort to create the game by trying to take it at least semi-seriously. Likewise, hopefully he will respect and appreciate your desire to have an enjoyable time at what is essentially a fun game and loosen up on your goofiness.

The main concern seems to be in where the joke ends and the game begins. It's funny to call the eye-patch wearing inn-keeper "Cap'n Eagle-Eye" and "yarr" at him from time to time out of character. That's just good old fashioned ribbing. When your characters call him that to his face and refuse to take his serious quest-hooks for no reason other than "I don't trust pirates," (or something equally non applicable) then you've taken it a mite bit too far. It's one thing to poke fun at goofy things in the game (which should be done sometimes, presumably your DM worked very hard to make them for you), but when you set the tavern on fire and run around the country-side trying to get laid and kill people for no reason, then you're no longer enjoying a light-hearted game. Now you're being obnoxious.

Vinshwitz
2008-10-13, 07:55 PM
yeah i know, we do small little stuff like that and he gets well, all slocuhed in his chair and kinda pouty. We arent playing for seriousness im playing for fun and aif i have to do serious from a game i cant tell my prents about cuz i wont hear the end off it i mite as well not play but thank you for the commment.:smallfrown:

ocato
2008-10-13, 07:57 PM
While it certainly is not my place to tell you how to enjoy the game, I might suggest that you give a slightly more serious game a chance. You might find that living and dying by your character's exploits is a very exciting and rewarding way to experience the game.

Vinshwitz
2008-10-13, 08:00 PM
we did trey a serious game, my firned falled a save or die check 1 hour into it and the dm ended the sesseion an hour early. We tried.

Xavion&Pavion
2008-10-13, 08:00 PM
I see your point and would like to make a few subtle corrections and statments.
I agree with you that we should take the game seriosly sometimes, and we do. But, he says there is "no ooc. Everything you say, will be used in game." And, He doesn't want semi-serious, he wants COMPLETE serious. (even though he made a king "stoned") And vin's character made a joke about that meant to be OOC, but he made it in game, and thusly, vin's character is due to be hanged. Vin we all argued (after RPing it of course,) that it was meant to be OOC, but he wouldn't allow it.

Vinshwitz
2008-10-13, 08:03 PM
yeah its true i asked him if he was on drugs or been hit with b\plenty of stones (cuz in times like dnd, they didnt have drugs, they had stoning of people thoguh so i had my logic)

Xavion&Pavion
2008-10-13, 08:06 PM
And "stoned" was a known un-official inside joke with the DM. And, he also told us about the no OOC AFTER this incident. Yeah, thats helpful.

Vinshwitz
2008-10-13, 08:10 PM
im gonna feel really stupid after i post this so what does OOC stand for


(my guess is shut, rp and no jokes but using OOC as an acronym)

Xavion&Pavion
2008-10-13, 08:12 PM
Out of character, as in, saying < insert your name here> Run up stairs and grab the lemonade carton. And the PIzza.

Vinshwitz
2008-10-13, 08:15 PM
o ok wait he said "no ooc"

Xavion&Pavion
2008-10-13, 08:20 PM
as in, everything you say in real life, is said in the game. So, using the previous example, your response would be (if you were RPing) "Who is <nmae> and what is lemonade, a carton, and "pizza"?"

Vinshwitz
2008-10-13, 08:25 PM
but did silent really say afterwards "no ooc comments"?????

Xavion&Pavion
2008-10-13, 08:26 PM
he implied it. he siad "Whatever you say in real life will be used against you in the game" and then again, the warning came all to late.

Vinshwitz
2008-10-13, 08:28 PM
o yeah i guess i didsnt really think about it in that sense.

Xavion&Pavion
2008-10-13, 08:29 PM
Yeah. Silent no speak good.

Vinshwitz
2008-10-13, 08:31 PM
we can rp but we cant talk! no talk aloud but rp good!

Xavion&Pavion
2008-10-13, 08:32 PM
pretty much.

SilentDungeon
2008-10-13, 08:34 PM
After all this, i wish to apologize for several things.
I AM their DM and i find it a tad....wrong..for me to have more fun building the charachter sheets than actually leading the game off. I understand that people need to joke, and i can accept that. I am sorry that I could not make things more interesting....and the PC dieing was to him "I refuse to duck behind the corner because i see an evil demon dude ontop a pile of corpses because you said I should hide." (failed fort save). getting the PC's to do anything was difficult. (no offense to them at all.) The thing i said about "role playing gives bounus exp" encited them into having "character to character" conversations, but after a while it began to hold up the game a bit. I am mostly at fault here, and I appologise. I felt failed when I couldn't calm down the innuendos, the jokes and the wisecracks. these things, while inconsequential at first, really began to rag on my nerves. I veiw DM'ing as being the storyteller, the puppetmaster, the Director of a play. I eventually decided that all those jokes had to slow down a bit. I feel....interupted when a piticularly boorish joke is made during one of my descriptions of something or someone. I can tolarate jokes, even interuptions to a point. I just want to have fun too, and its hard for me to have fun when i can't shape the world they're in. I hope my next game can be Quasi-serious because to me, this is more than a game, its a creative piece. A book, in which the players are the cast. I spend hours making story and maps. I will look foward to a game in which we can have fun, be can be paying attention.

I thank you for reading this wall of text.



-Silentdungeon


-oh and a word of advice to Xavion and vinschwitz....(its not a chatroom)

Temp.
2008-10-13, 08:36 PM
You should:
1. Try to take the game seriously; see how it goes. It sounds like you've done this without success.
--or--
2. Bring it up to the DM, explain you don't enjoy that sort of game. See if he'll change.
--or--
3. Have someone else in your group DM. This doesn't have to be done confrontationally. Just ask someone to say "I have an idea for a campaign I'd like to run" and do it--you don't have to directly express your unhappiness with your current DM.
--or--
4. DM yourself.
--or--
5. Find someone else outside the group who would DM. This will probably mean finding a whole different group, but whatever.
--or--
6. Join a PbP game here or on other sites.

I really don't see how this is a continuing problem.

[edit:]
Silentdungeon--D&D doesn't work for DMs who want to be "puppetmasters." If you want to write a book, do so. The other players are there to have fun too.
They're there to play their characters, not yours. Most players will want to feel a sense of control over the game as much as you do. Take this into account when you're running a game.

Xavion&Pavion
2008-10-13, 08:38 PM
First reaction when i saw you post: "Oh sizzles! It's the cops!"

After reading. I guess you learned your puppets can stand on their legs by themselves.

Little later on after ingesting the contents, "awww, vin, our little silent is all grown up now."

Vinshwitz
2008-10-13, 08:38 PM
accepted "ow, my eyes hurt from reading that wall."

i hope we can too and he didnt lie when he said that



and yeah i no but still its easier then pming

Nohwl
2008-10-13, 08:38 PM
As in like less joking around in game, 50% percent of exp is roleplaying and no playing around, straight to the point, objectiveness

people not paying attention, joking around, and holding up the game when its their turn is pretty annoying. it was so bad in one campaign i was in combat took 1-2 hours for every battle. id take 15-30 seconds to do my turn other people would take 5-10 minutes.

Vinshwitz
2008-10-13, 08:47 PM
i think thaT ABOUT SUMS UP THIS THREAD BUT CONTINUE IF YOU LIKE