a new DM [Archive] - Wizards Community - Pages Merged by Solauren

a new DM [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
FireAndIce
03-05-04, 09:31 PM I'm playing with a new DM and she's really nice, but she's also very tender and doesn't take critisism well. We are also friends so I have to be carefull in how I put things to her. With that disclaimer in place here's what's happening. She started out being very controlling, we only had one quest choice and we had to follow it up. She's improved from there without anything more than the most subtle of comments to more of a computer game style where we have a choice of quests but once we chose a quest again there is very little choice.

What are things players can do that are good align to shake up a game a bit? The most obvious actions I can think of are all evil.

Or since she's already imiproving on her own (although it did take 6 months) should we all just wait for her to become more comfortable with DMing?

thanks for your help
celloshane
03-06-04, 01:59 AM Hmm.. toughie.
Aproach the subject gently, it sounds like you have enough judgement for that. Use the words "Constructive Critisism" a lot. Explain to her how you feel about it, but be sure to tell her she has improved already. You just want to keep nudging her in the right direction.

A good excersise to help with this might be to find another gaming group. Not to join, ask them if you and your DM could "sit in" on a session or two. Let her observe another DMs style firsthand. When I first took a hand at DMing, I was very controlling too. When my campaign fell apart, one of my more experienced players made it clear he wasn't happy and offered to start a campaign of his own. It wasn't until after his campaign started that he realized that had been my first attempt as DM. His respect for me greatly increased at that point. After playing in his campaign, I've paid more attention to the way he DMs. While I won't copy his style exactly or agree with all of his methods, it has helped me realize some of the mistakes I'd made my first go round. His campaign is coming to an end, when we start my new one I'll be much more prepared.

The second best excersise I can suggest is to introduce her to an event based adventure module. Speaker in Dreams is the best example I can think of at the moment but I'm sure there are others. Introduce your DM to a flow chart (one is included in Speaker in Dreams) that shows how players can take several different paths and still end up in the same destination. You might also point out that the paths don't necessarily have to have the same destination. Encourage her to create her own flow chart (start simple) and see how it could be worked into the current campaign. It's about IF-THEN thinking; some people have trouble with that, so be patient.

Like I said in the beginning, use your best judgement for this. Be reasonable, be patient. See a therapist as necessary :)
Gunther90
03-06-04, 03:56 AM Since she's a new DM, she may be a bit uncomfortable dealing with player actions outside of what's she has prepared for the night. I remember having trouble running adventures on the fly when I first started DMing.
If possible, try mentioning some of the options the party wants to do well before playing so she has some time to think it over.
Or try small deviations from the set path to give her some practice at improv.
Try not to be critical, use suggestion and excitement about the alternative path.
Gingerbread Guy
03-06-04, 06:15 AM Hiho,

I think everyone deserves constructive criticism. The fact that you are aware of her tenderness and that you are want to be gentle is 9/10ths of the battle.

My best advice is that you guys wait for a good stopping point to approach her. Don't bring it up right away, and don't all confront her at once. Instead I suggest that you ask for more freedom in a specific way. Come up with some ideas that you guys would like and present them to her.

Something like "So, we were thinking.. now that we're third level, we'd like to try to make some magic items with the Wizard's craft wondrous item feat. But first we have to sell all this stuff.. is there a big city we can visit?" etc. Now you're kind of leading her instead of the other way around.

Also, try telling her that her adventures are great [since they sound pretty good, other than the linearity problem] and that you all hope she writes a bunch of them. Explain that the more choices the better, and that you're looking forward to exploring the blahblah mountains or the insertnamehere forest. Share with her what you want to do.

Chances are that she has a linear storyline ready, but that she is forcing you on it because she doesn't know what else to do with you. Its very difficult to create an entire world where the PCs can do whatever they like.

I recently had the reverse problem, actually. I created a HUGE world for my PCs to explore, and they essentially just sat around picking their teeth, waiting for me to toss huge character hooks at them. lol It took a while to get moving, but they're on their way now.

~Ginger
Raynard the Black
03-06-04, 07:12 AM If your DM does not feel comfortable leaving the linear nature that her campaign is taking right now I have a possible solution.

At the end of each adventure she prepares, decide what your group wants to do right then and there. Tell her your interested in exploring the Blanketyblank mountains, or that your want to travel through the so-so forest.

This way you as a party determine what direction your group will take, and you still feel that you have the freedom to go anywhere you want. Your DM also gets to know ahead of time what direction you want to go and can plan encounters and an adventure that will be waiting in that direction.

This way you kind of get the best of both worlds.

All it takes is a little process change. Choose your future path at the end of the adventure and give your DM time to work with it. This works almost as well as having all of the plots/adventures written up ahead of time and makes coming up with an adventure idea a snap for the DM. She may have had to ponder for days over where to send you, but by you picking your destination out ahead of time you help her figure out one very tough aspect of writing an adventure and that is where it will take place.

Hope this helps.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
FireAndIce 03-05-04, 09:31 PM	I'm playing with a new DM and she's really nice, but she's also very tender and doesn't take critisism well. We are also friends so I have to be carefull in how I put things to her. With that disclaimer in place here's what's happening. She started out being very controlling, we only had one quest choice and we had to follow it up. She's improved from there without anything more than the most subtle of comments to more of a computer game style where we have a choice of quests but once we chose a quest again there is very little choice. What are things players can do that are good align to shake up a game a bit? The most obvious actions I can think of are all evil. Or since she's already imiproving on her own (although it did take 6 months) should we all just wait for her to become more comfortable with DMing? thanks for your help
celloshane 03-06-04, 01:59 AM	Hmm.. toughie. Aproach the subject gently, it sounds like you have enough judgement for that. Use the words "Constructive Critisism" a lot. Explain to her how you feel about it, but be sure to tell her she has improved already. You just want to keep nudging her in the right direction. A good excersise to help with this might be to find another gaming group. Not to join, ask them if you and your DM could "sit in" on a session or two. Let her observe another DMs style firsthand. When I first took a hand at DMing, I was very controlling too. When my campaign fell apart, one of my more experienced players made it clear he wasn't happy and offered to start a campaign of his own. It wasn't until after his campaign started that he realized that had been my first attempt as DM. His respect for me greatly increased at that point. After playing in his campaign, I've paid more attention to the way he DMs. While I won't copy his style exactly or agree with all of his methods, it has helped me realize some of the mistakes I'd made my first go round. His campaign is coming to an end, when we start my new one I'll be much more prepared. The second best excersise I can suggest is to introduce her to an event based adventure module. Speaker in Dreams is the best example I can think of at the moment but I'm sure there are others. Introduce your DM to a flow chart (one is included in Speaker in Dreams) that shows how players can take several different paths and still end up in the same destination. You might also point out that the paths don't necessarily have to have the same destination. Encourage her to create her own flow chart (start simple) and see how it could be worked into the current campaign. It's about IF-THEN thinking; some people have trouble with that, so be patient. Like I said in the beginning, use your best judgement for this. Be reasonable, be patient. See a therapist as necessary :)
Gunther90 03-06-04, 03:56 AM	Since she's a new DM, she may be a bit uncomfortable dealing with player actions outside of what's she has prepared for the night. I remember having trouble running adventures on the fly when I first started DMing. If possible, try mentioning some of the options the party wants to do well before playing so she has some time to think it over. Or try small deviations from the set path to give her some practice at improv. Try not to be critical, use suggestion and excitement about the alternative path.
Gingerbread Guy 03-06-04, 06:15 AM	Hiho, I think everyone deserves constructive criticism. The fact that you are aware of her tenderness and that you are want to be gentle is 9/10ths of the battle. My best advice is that you guys wait for a good stopping point to approach her. Don't bring it up right away, and don't all confront her at once. Instead I suggest that you ask for more freedom in a specific way. Come up with some ideas that you guys would like and present them to her. Something like "So, we were thinking.. now that we're third level, we'd like to try to make some magic items with the Wizard's craft wondrous item feat. But first we have to sell all this stuff.. is there a big city we can visit?" etc. Now you're kind of leading her instead of the other way around. Also, try telling her that her adventures are great [since they sound pretty good, other than the linearity problem] and that you all hope she writes a bunch of them. Explain that the more choices the better, and that you're looking forward to exploring the blahblah mountains or the insertnamehere forest. Share with her what you want to do. Chances are that she has a linear storyline ready, but that she is forcing you on it because she doesn't know what else to do with you. Its very difficult to create an entire world where the PCs can do whatever they like. I recently had the reverse problem, actually. I created a HUGE world for my PCs to explore, and they essentially just sat around picking their teeth, waiting for me to toss huge character hooks at them. lol It took a while to get moving, but they're on their way now. ~Ginger
Raynard the Black 03-06-04, 07:12 AM	If your DM does not feel comfortable leaving the linear nature that her campaign is taking right now I have a possible solution. At the end of each adventure she prepares, decide what your group wants to do right then and there. Tell her your interested in exploring the Blanketyblank mountains, or that your want to travel through the so-so forest. This way you as a party determine what direction your group will take, and you still feel that you have the freedom to go anywhere you want. Your DM also gets to know ahead of time what direction you want to go and can plan encounters and an adventure that will be waiting in that direction. This way you kind of get the best of both worlds. All it takes is a little process change. Choose your future path at the end of the adventure and give your DM time to work with it. This works almost as well as having all of the plots/adventures written up ahead of time and makes coming up with an adventure idea a snap for the DM. She may have had to ponder for days over where to send you, but by you picking your destination out ahead of time you help her figure out one very tough aspect of writing an adventure and that is where it will take place. Hope this helps.