Does every other DM out there stick to one system, one world, or one genre?
In my youth as a DM/GM I ran a LOT of different games (heavy on the D&D of course) -
Dungeons & Dragons - White Box Edition
Basic Dungeons & Dragons (Basic thru to Immortals Rules & Rules Cyclopedia)
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st Edition
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition
Dungeons & Dragons - Third Edition
Dungeons & Dragons 3.5
Castles & Crusades (which counts as D&D for me at least)
Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition
Hackmaster (up to 4th, I don't really rate the new Hackmaster Basic)
Call of Cthulhu (I stopped running it around 5th Edition, though I do have the excellent D20 rules)
Chill (Pacesetter)
Dark Conspiracy (AWESOME Fluff, OK system)
Star Trek (Fasa)
Star Trek (LUG)
Star Trek (Decipher)
Traveller
Traveller 2300
Twilight 2000
Mythus - Dangerous Journeys
Lejendary Adventures
Metascape - Guild Space
Mechwarrior - The Battletech RPG
Shadowrun (1st thru 3rd Edition, not keen of 4th Edition)
Marvel Super Heroes
DC Super Heroes
Silver Age Sentinels (my personal favourite Supers game)
Golden Heroes (a FANTASTIC Supers Game IMHO - despite its flaws)
Star Wars (West End Games - still one of the BEST RPG's ever written)
Star Wars D20 (NOT the Saga edition, I really don't rate it at all)
I own a lot of RPG's besides - but the above are the ones I have actually run games for. But these days, I don't know why the "song" of Fantasy RPG's is calling me more and more.
I don't know whether its my inherrant romantic nature, or my Love of all things fantastical (in part thanks to my Mum) - but its there.
My RPG Book Shelves looks like a D&D Library, but (not unusual for me - as I like to write my own) very few Scenarios. I find bought Scenarios very "constricting" - they aren't written with your players (or their characters and any relevant backstories) in mind.
I wonder if any other "Veteran" DM/GM's feel the same, are they narrowing their focus - or is it the other way around, are they spreading their wings?
The "Realm" of Dungeons and Dragons has always been "Home" to me, and I imagine it always will . . . .
Showing posts with label Games. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Games. Show all posts
Saturday, 13 November 2010
Thursday, 18 March 2010
The Internet makes for a Lazy DM and Argumentative Players
Here's an evocative statement, that no doubt will bring cries of abuse and disagreement -
"the Internet makes for a Lazy DM and Argumentative Players"
I believe that, I really do - I've seen it come about since the RPG's started having a stronger internet presence. When the RPG Forums first started, it was all about general chat and ideas - now more and more its about people being confused about rules and asking really REALLY dumb questions.
Now either the rules are getting more complicated or people are getting dumber - logically speaking it has to be one or the other - or does it . . . . .
"Back in the Day" (Linda my Mrs hates that saying LoL) there was no Internet, the only way of getting questions answered was to write to White Dwarf (when it was an RPG magazine, not a gorram miniatures catalogue), Imagine Magazine, or Dragon Dragon Magazine. They took the pertinent questions and published responses. But - for the most Part DM's would read the rules thoroughly and properly to gain a more full understanding of them.
THESE DAYS I really do believe its a matter of laziness. Why waste a couple of hours actually reading the rules properly, when I can post my question/problem on a Forum and have someone "spoon feed" me the answer I need - seems to be the norm.
I've NEVER had a set of RPG rules I haven't understood - now I am not making that statement out of ego or to try and make myself out to be some form of genius. I'm no Einstein, but when somethings written in plain English - I really REALLY don't see what the problem is. UNLESS (as I pointed out) people are being lazy . . . .
As for Argumentative Players, I blame Forums (and Blogs) for this to a certain extent too.
My DM's does things THIS way, I see from the Forum/Your Blog (delete as appropriate) that you do things THAT way. I prefer your way of doing things, so therefore I'm going to be an ass for my DM from now on!
Now I know thats a non-specific example, but I think its clear what I mean. Now for the most part I've been lucky with players - I've only ever had one really argumentative player, and thats because he was a DM himself and saw things a little differently to myself. But after a chat and a Pint, we were able to reach a middle ground and the disruptions ceased.
I know for a fact some DM's have the hardest of times from some players (I get a LOT of Emails from fellow DM's who just find it hard to cope with such players), and to those players I have the following to say.
THE TITLE IS DUNGEON MASTER - Y'KNOW. "MASTER" - AS IN HE'S THE FREAKING BOSS!
Your DM/GM/CC is the Boss - Period! It's his game, his world, his way of doing things. I don't CARE what issues you might have with him or the way he runs his games - HE'S IN CHARGE.
Grow a Pair, be a Grown-Up, & Play Nice!
"the Internet makes for a Lazy DM and Argumentative Players"
I believe that, I really do - I've seen it come about since the RPG's started having a stronger internet presence. When the RPG Forums first started, it was all about general chat and ideas - now more and more its about people being confused about rules and asking really REALLY dumb questions.
Now either the rules are getting more complicated or people are getting dumber - logically speaking it has to be one or the other - or does it . . . . .
"Back in the Day" (Linda my Mrs hates that saying LoL) there was no Internet, the only way of getting questions answered was to write to White Dwarf (when it was an RPG magazine, not a gorram miniatures catalogue), Imagine Magazine, or Dragon Dragon Magazine. They took the pertinent questions and published responses. But - for the most Part DM's would read the rules thoroughly and properly to gain a more full understanding of them.
THESE DAYS I really do believe its a matter of laziness. Why waste a couple of hours actually reading the rules properly, when I can post my question/problem on a Forum and have someone "spoon feed" me the answer I need - seems to be the norm.
I've NEVER had a set of RPG rules I haven't understood - now I am not making that statement out of ego or to try and make myself out to be some form of genius. I'm no Einstein, but when somethings written in plain English - I really REALLY don't see what the problem is. UNLESS (as I pointed out) people are being lazy . . . .
As for Argumentative Players, I blame Forums (and Blogs) for this to a certain extent too.
My DM's does things THIS way, I see from the Forum/Your Blog (delete as appropriate) that you do things THAT way. I prefer your way of doing things, so therefore I'm going to be an ass for my DM from now on!
Now I know thats a non-specific example, but I think its clear what I mean. Now for the most part I've been lucky with players - I've only ever had one really argumentative player, and thats because he was a DM himself and saw things a little differently to myself. But after a chat and a Pint, we were able to reach a middle ground and the disruptions ceased.
I know for a fact some DM's have the hardest of times from some players (I get a LOT of Emails from fellow DM's who just find it hard to cope with such players), and to those players I have the following to say.
THE TITLE IS DUNGEON MASTER - Y'KNOW. "MASTER" - AS IN HE'S THE FREAKING BOSS!
Your DM/GM/CC is the Boss - Period! It's his game, his world, his way of doing things. I don't CARE what issues you might have with him or the way he runs his games - HE'S IN CHARGE.
Grow a Pair, be a Grown-Up, & Play Nice!
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