I've had issues at times with the idea that the GM is given this infinite power, then told "Now don't play this to maximum effect!  You make sure you hold back, because the players are littler and weaker than you."

'course, I also had a little sister, so maybe this goes back to childhood issues

Sometimes I'd rather have less power but more freedom.  But some days it's not a big deal.  It comes and it goes

Quote from: TonyLBSometimes I'd rather have less power but more freedom.  

Interesting. I've always thought that because I had more power I had more freedom.

Regards,
David R

Quote from: David RI've often wondered what specifically people don't like about GMing? I suppose game prep is the most obvious, but what exactly is it about running games that turns some folks off ?

It's not that I hate it and the people in my group say that I do a good job of it.  It's just that I don't really enjoy doing it nearly as much as I enjoy playing.  

I think the biggest problem that I personally have is deciding things from an omniscient perspective.  Not only does it spoil my suspension of disbelief (which is part of what I enjoy about role-playing -- believing that the setting is a "real" place) but I often simply see so many possibilities in just about any choice I might make and don't have a preference for how things should be.  It could all be interesting.  As a result, I wind up rolling dice a lot to make decisions (the plus being that I've been told that I'm not predictable as a GM).

I do enjoy co-GMing quite a bit more than GMing, perhaps because I have the other GM to help me make decisions and to play off of.  I also prefer GMing in already defined settings (even ones that I've defined) more than ones that I'm detailing as I go so I don't simultaneously have to create the setting and manage the game while I'm running.

With respect to the D&D 3.5 campaign, the prep work for that was a great deal of work (my normal style is almost all improv) and I'm not sure that I'd want to do it again.  On the other hand, I learned some things by doing all of that prep work that should be useful in the future.

I used to have no problem with it at all. But now I have a creative job that I love and which keeps me busy. Whenever I come up with a really cool RPG-related idea, I'm thinking, gee, shouldn't those brain cells have been burned for job-related matters?

So, here's a nice little quandary: the more creative I am as a GM the worse the conscience. Fortunately, I love playing as much as GMing, so I've first reduced and now completely stopped doing the latter.

Quote from: David RInteresting. I've always thought that because I had more power I had more freedom.

Depends, I suppose, on how many constraints you put on yourself.  In theory I have the ability (as a DM) to spring a red dragon on a first level party and turn 'em all into crispy critters.  In practice, I don't allow myself that freedom.

Freedom´s just another word, for nothin´ to prepare.

Quote from: John MorrowI think the biggest problem that I personally have is deciding things from an omniscient perspective.  Not only does it spoil my suspension of disbelief (which is part of what I enjoy about role-playing -- believing that the setting is a "real" place) but I often simply see so many possibilities in just about any choice I might make and don't have a preference for how things should be.  It could all be interesting.  As a result, I wind up rolling dice a lot to make decisions (the plus being that I've been told that I'm not predictable as a GM).

Hey this is very interesting. I've often been asked how do I choose amongst the various choices the players throw at me. Or how do I decide what option would be the most fun for the whole group.

I've never really explored how my personal preference influences these decisions. I suppose the simplistic answer would be, that over the years I've become used to reading the players - figuring out what each wants from the game, but a lot of these decisions are done by instinct.

Regards,
David R

Quote from: SettembriniFreedom´s just another word, for nothin´ to prepare.

...and Love Ain't Nothin' But Sex Misspelled. (Come on, you must have known I would throw out some Harlan Ellison when I read this  )

Regards,
David R

Quote from: TonyLBDepends, I suppose, on how many constraints you put on yourself.  In theory I have the ability (as a DM) to spring a red dragon on a first level party and turn 'em all into crispy critters.  In practice, I don't allow myself that freedom.

Sure. Freedom to me means the power to influence in an overt manner the ideas of the players. The power to decide outcomes independent of the dice. The only constraint I place on myself is to remember not to be a dickhead GM while wielding said power

Regards,
David R

Quote from: David RI've never really explored how my personal preference influences these decisions. I suppose the simplistic answer would be, that over the years I've become used to reading the players - figuring out what each wants from the game, but a lot of these decisions are done by instinct.

In my experience, reading the players can become a vicious cycle once the players realize that you are doing it, because then they can be tempted to start playing the GM.  More than half the people in my group GM so it's not like they can't see through the GMing tricks being used such as mining the player's theories for ideas.  And that's part of the reason why I've been told I'm not predictable (in a good way) because I don't read the players as my primary way of deciding what should happen.  Instead, with the help of the dice, I just do what makes sense in the setting.

I quite like being the GM - it's something that comes up a lot.  I don't find as many opportunities to play, and sometimes when I'm playing I'm driven nuts by the fact that I don't know what's going on... so I may just be better off as the judge.

I like being a GM, but I like being a PC more. That's because I like kicking shit over more than stacking it up.

Quote from: John MorrowIn my experience, reading the players can become a vicious cycle once the players realize that you are doing it, because then they can be tempted to start playing the GM.  More than half the people in my group GM so it's not like they can't see through the GMing tricks being used such as mining the player's theories for ideas.  And that's part of the reason why I've been told I'm not predictable (in a good way) because I don't read the players as my primary way of deciding what should happen.  Instead, with the help of the dice, I just do what makes sense in the setting.

Over the years I noticed that players keep playing the game for various reasons. IME the ability to read players allows me as the GM to see that those reasons are satisfied. In fact one of the complaints I do get somtimes from players is that they do not enjoy the game simply becase of reason X - reason X being something I should have picked up on, but didn't because of various factors such as the player is an extremely passive player or the player does not speak up duing post game discussions.

I've yet to meet a player(s) who play the GM. I think where the GM can fall into the "predictable trap" is in the execution phase. Knowing what the players want and giving it to them in unexpected ways is the key to what makes a session successful, IMO.

Regards,
David R

I love GMing as well, and also like to play.  I think I prefer the actual GMing - play acting, pitching ideas at folk, putting feedback into the game - more than the creating worlds aspect of it all.

Quote from: David RI've yet to meet a player(s) who play the GM. I think where the GM can fall into the "predictable trap" is in the execution phase. Knowing what the players want and giving it to them in unexpected ways is the key to what makes a session successful, IMO.

The primary group I play with, I've been playing with for 20 years.  But I don't think that level of familiarity is necessary for predictability.  If I can predict a book or movie written by a professional stranger, I can predict what a GM is doing once they stop following game world logic and start following story logic or some other meta-game logic.