DM seems to have lost interest... Help! [Archive] - Wizards Community

DM seems to have lost interest... Help! [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
KitsuneRei02
09-06-07, 08:44 PM My DM is awesome, really creative with the game, and always has something planned. We played every week, but then... She started canceling the games, and seems to have lost interest. We haven't played for a month and a half now. They're eight players in this campaign, and we're all baffled.

Any advice?:(
kelcimer
09-06-07, 08:58 PM As a player you do have the right to know the status of the game.
So ask the DM directly about what is happening.

She may be suffering from DM burnout or having a bit too much to deal with in her regular life. Maybe she just isn't getting enough enjoyment out of it for herself. Maybe she would rather run a game with just four players but doesn't know how to downsize.
Ardenyl_Syn7
09-06-07, 09:14 PM Was there anything that happened in the last few sessions (before she lost interest) that might've soured her mood on playing the campaign, and perhaps D&D, altogether?

I had something like this happen to me with a campaign I was playing in, and the DM, a really great guy, started to get burned out; he had initially allowed gestalt characters, most any books/material, etc., and the campaign had just XPLODED into a colossal investment to make things run smoothly. We talked to him about it, and we agreed to restart the campaign with non-gestalt characters and a much shorter list of books, and all of us started to enjoy the game more. It probably was one of the best games I ever played.

I agree with kelciemer that the amount of characters might be overwhelming. 8 players would probably kill me! :D

Try talking to her, and really try to reach a compromise. Good games and good DM's are good things worth fighting hard to keep.
chava
09-06-07, 09:16 PM Classes started this month - maybe she doesn't have time to make a decent game and doesn't want to screw up her game by half-assing it.

Have you tried asking?
Shadowhowler
09-07-07, 12:57 AM I gotta agree with the other posters.

TRY ASKING HER.

If you were gaming once a week, and you have not gamed for a month and a half... then SOMETHING is certainly up. Talk to her... find out what it is.

That way... if she *IS* burnt out... then maybe someone eles among the 8 players can be the DM, and you can start playing again.
1red13
09-07-07, 05:30 PM Could just be burn out. Could be tons of things. As others mentioned just ask
KitsuneRei02
09-09-07, 10:18 PM I have asked her, several times in fact. She never really gives me a straight answer and ends up changing the subject. I mean, she talks about DnD like she usually does-- "I've got something new I wanna try", or "I can't wait until the next game", but we haven't PLAYED. That's the problem. I dont' want to be a burden on her and keep asking her about it. She has several others doing that already.

As for the amount of players, we've lost two--one went off for college, and the other just finished Boot Camp and went to Iraq. :raincloud:
1red13
09-09-07, 10:22 PM Offer to dm yourself. MIght take the burden off of her.
LFK
09-10-07, 12:17 AM If she's still excited about the game but isn't running sessions then she needs a break, a chance to be a player instead of a DM, until she gets the itch again.

Typically helped by a liberal helping over someone else DMing an unstoppable character munchkin fest for a spate where she gets to mow down hoards of enemies with senselessly powerful skills.
Zyphus
09-10-07, 10:21 PM Offer to dm yourself. MIght take the burden off of her.

Nothing inspires a DM more than being in a good game as a player. Of course, if it is a great game, the "regular" DM can enjoy the time off, and if it is terrible everyone can hopefully laugh about it later.

If no one plays the group will probably drift and the campaign ends. Sometimes that is good too.
Rasortal
09-11-07, 10:49 AM I Agree that it's just maybe a burnout. I've been the only dm in my group of player for 3 years and have passed trought a lot of burnouts. Some which I got after bad sessions or in campaigns I tried things I did not like (Gestalt, Epic). The Dm might just need a break. He just need to find back some inspiration and get in the mood. He could find his inspiration back by playing back as a player, reading a good epic book or watching a good epic movie.

The campaign might have come to an end thought. Maybe he just isnt interested in this campaign anymore. He might have some problems with the rules, a player, the world, the story or he may not be comfortable with Dming 8 players.
Ariana Iriliel
09-11-07, 09:29 PM I started to DM when the other players were sick of doing it. I relished it and it worked out great because, at the time, I would rather spend hours creating an adventure and putting them through it than playing a character. So it worked out great. I didn't burn out. I loved it. But if someone loses interest or has found out DMing just isn't them, then it is time to ask what the status of the game is and between the rest of you, decide on who will DM this campaign, and who would be up next, etc. Even if you only DM once it is a great way to see the game from the other perspective. Or, like me, you might enjoy it more than playing and everyone ends up happy. Or, you can all take turns and make it fair. The last thing you want is someone coming back to DM out of guilt and not interest.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
KitsuneRei02 09-06-07, 08:44 PM	My DM is awesome, really creative with the game, and always has something planned. We played every week, but then... She started canceling the games, and seems to have lost interest. We haven't played for a month and a half now. They're eight players in this campaign, and we're all baffled. Any advice?:(
kelcimer 09-06-07, 08:58 PM	As a player you do have the right to know the status of the game. So ask the DM directly about what is happening. She may be suffering from DM burnout or having a bit too much to deal with in her regular life. Maybe she just isn't getting enough enjoyment out of it for herself. Maybe she would rather run a game with just four players but doesn't know how to downsize.
Ardenyl_Syn7 09-06-07, 09:14 PM	Was there anything that happened in the last few sessions (before she lost interest) that might've soured her mood on playing the campaign, and perhaps D&D, altogether? I had something like this happen to me with a campaign I was playing in, and the DM, a really great guy, started to get burned out; he had initially allowed gestalt characters, most any books/material, etc., and the campaign had just XPLODED into a colossal investment to make things run smoothly. We talked to him about it, and we agreed to restart the campaign with non-gestalt characters and a much shorter list of books, and all of us started to enjoy the game more. It probably was one of the best games I ever played. I agree with kelciemer that the amount of characters might be overwhelming. 8 players would probably kill me! :D Try talking to her, and really try to reach a compromise. Good games and good DM's are good things worth fighting hard to keep.
chava 09-06-07, 09:16 PM	Classes started this month - maybe she doesn't have time to make a decent game and doesn't want to screw up her game by half-assing it. Have you tried asking?
Shadowhowler 09-07-07, 12:57 AM	I gotta agree with the other posters. TRY ASKING HER. If you were gaming once a week, and you have not gamed for a month and a half... then SOMETHING is certainly up. Talk to her... find out what it is. That way... if she IS burnt out... then maybe someone eles among the 8 players can be the DM, and you can start playing again.
1red13 09-07-07, 05:30 PM	Could just be burn out. Could be tons of things. As others mentioned just ask
KitsuneRei02 09-09-07, 10:18 PM	I have asked her, several times in fact. She never really gives me a straight answer and ends up changing the subject. I mean, she talks about DnD like she usually does-- "I've got something new I wanna try", or "I can't wait until the next game", but we haven't PLAYED. That's the problem. I dont' want to be a burden on her and keep asking her about it. She has several others doing that already. As for the amount of players, we've lost two--one went off for college, and the other just finished Boot Camp and went to Iraq. :raincloud:
1red13 09-09-07, 10:22 PM	Offer to dm yourself. MIght take the burden off of her.
LFK 09-10-07, 12:17 AM	If she's still excited about the game but isn't running sessions then she needs a break, a chance to be a player instead of a DM, until she gets the itch again. Typically helped by a liberal helping over someone else DMing an unstoppable character munchkin fest for a spate where she gets to mow down hoards of enemies with senselessly powerful skills.
Zyphus 09-10-07, 10:21 PM	Offer to dm yourself. MIght take the burden off of her. Nothing inspires a DM more than being in a good game as a player. Of course, if it is a great game, the "regular" DM can enjoy the time off, and if it is terrible everyone can hopefully laugh about it later. If no one plays the group will probably drift and the campaign ends. Sometimes that is good too.
Rasortal 09-11-07, 10:49 AM	I Agree that it's just maybe a burnout. I've been the only dm in my group of player for 3 years and have passed trought a lot of burnouts. Some which I got after bad sessions or in campaigns I tried things I did not like (Gestalt, Epic). The Dm might just need a break. He just need to find back some inspiration and get in the mood. He could find his inspiration back by playing back as a player, reading a good epic book or watching a good epic movie. The campaign might have come to an end thought. Maybe he just isnt interested in this campaign anymore. He might have some problems with the rules, a player, the world, the story or he may not be comfortable with Dming 8 players.
Ariana Iriliel 09-11-07, 09:29 PM	I started to DM when the other players were sick of doing it. I relished it and it worked out great because, at the time, I would rather spend hours creating an adventure and putting them through it than playing a character. So it worked out great. I didn't burn out. I loved it. But if someone loses interest or has found out DMing just isn't them, then it is time to ask what the status of the game is and between the rest of you, decide on who will DM this campaign, and who would be up next, etc. Even if you only DM once it is a great way to see the game from the other perspective. Or, like me, you might enjoy it more than playing and everyone ends up happy. Or, you can all take turns and make it fair. The last thing you want is someone coming back to DM out of guilt and not interest.