Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 11, 2012 19:55:50 GMT -8
currently my games have been lacking. My players haven't said much about it but i can tell the games lately haven't been very enjoyable. it started about a week or two before the old forum for happy Jacks was taken down. the lack of interesting in gaming is another reason why i never jumped to sign back up for the new forum. i have never enjoyed combat in an rpg and it was always the role-playing that i loved. lately i have lost that love. I have asked if any of my players would be interested in sitting in the GM's seat but no one is interested. They all want to be players. I'm at a cross roads. one hand i do not want to let my players down and leave them GM less but on the other it seems my love of the hobby has left me and gaming feels so much like a chore now. i have talked to the players I'm closest to and while they understand they do not want me to stop running. I'm not sure what I should do. if anyone has any advice i really could use some. Thanks sorry if it seems all over the place. my thoughts are kinda scrambled at the moment.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 11, 2012 20:06:44 GMT -8
You could try something lighter and roleplay focused that lets you all work on a story, like Prime Time Adventures. No combat in that one. The game Fiasco doesn't even need a GM. Everyone works together to create the one shot fun.
But why have you lost the love for roleplaying? Are the stories or characters not engaging enough? You might have to start fresh or take a break. A break could be healthy. Step back, take the pressure off you as GM, and spend some weeks or months just thinking about stories and campaigns. Don't start a new game until you have a great idea that gets you and everyone else excited.
|
|
HyveMynd
Supporter
Dirty hippie, PbtA, Fate, & Cortex Prime <3er
Posts: 2,273
Preferred Game Systems: PbtA, Cortex Plus, Fate, Ubiquity
Currently Playing: Monsterhearts 2
Currently Running: The Sprawl
Favorite Species of Monkey: None
|
Post by HyveMynd on Mar 11, 2012 21:21:23 GMT -8
Yeah, I'll second sentinel's thoughts here. Take a break from role playing for a while. If you feel that just doing nothing would let your players down, try a GM less game like Fiasco or a game where everyone GMs like Cosmic Patrol. That could jump start the other people in you group in to becoming GMs.
You can suffer burnout with any hobby if you do it for too long. I've got a ton of unpainted Warmachine/Hordes miniatures sitting on my shelves.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 12, 2012 4:14:29 GMT -8
I went through a similar crisis awhile back. You definitely need to give some long, hard thought to your lack of interest, and what it is your missing, etc.
But I will say this. No one should GM solely out of obligation. If you don't want to run a game, but you're running one to make others happy, it almost always tends to make for a sucky game. I've been on both sides of the experience, and it's no fun for anyone.
--Pukka Tukka
|
|
|
Post by jazzisblues on Mar 12, 2012 6:48:01 GMT -8
Very good advice from very smart people. I will only add the idea that if it's not fun you need to try something else. Maybe take time off maybe sit in another chair, maybe run a totally different sort of game. The point being that sometimes you need to fade back and rethink things and refresh and recharge.
Cheers,
JiB
|
|
azuretalon
Journeyman Douchebag
I poop violence!!!
Posts: 150
|
Post by azuretalon on Mar 12, 2012 16:34:12 GMT -8
Well I can echo the sentiments above, rest and only run if it's fun. I'll put my typical asshole spin on it, tell them you need some cool down time so one of them can run or no one plays until and if you are ready to do it again. Don't drive yourself into the ground and hate your hobby.
I can offer one other bit of advice that splits both. Tell them your taking so many sessions off. Give each of them one or two sessions and tell them to run a short something each. XP will be awarded for running these fun games and build your own PC for them until its over and you can take the reigns again. I have used this technic, both to reinvigorate myself or a lacking game or as simplys something to do and it seems to work beautifully.
|
|
|
Post by ironnikki on Mar 13, 2012 6:50:07 GMT -8
I was feeling similarly a couple weeks ago- I was beginning to dread our Monday night games instead of looking forward to them. A couple things brought me back up:
1) I tried to figure out what I liked most about GMing. After a long hard think, I realized that my favorite part of the game was the storytelling. I enjoyed coming up with cool plot hooks, and changing the story around to react with whatever the PC's did last week. I'd been really busy with work and other obligations, and just didn't have much time to write, so I was rushing to get things done, and wasn't able to enjoy my favorite part about the game.
2) I took a short break. We didn't play for 2 weeks, once because I couldn't get enough players together, and once because I needed another week off. I spent those two weeks getting my stuff together and rediscovering old hobbies. When I picked up the dice again, I was once again confident and excited to play.
If your players really aren't interested in running anything, or maybe even if they are, just tell them that you need a week or two away from roleplaying. Sometimes getting away from the table for a bit can make you realize what you miss about it, or that maybe it's time to put the books up for a while and try something else. It's hard to say goodbye, but sometimes, it's the best thing to do.
Good luck!
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2012 16:48:02 GMT -8
Thank so much, I have a lot of thinking to do. not really sure why i lost interest.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 16, 2012 10:43:28 GMT -8
I have had this problem ALOT and it happens mainly with one of my groups. I used to get referred to as the kidnapped GM. After a while of running I would ask after game if someone else was wanting to run and either no one else would want to or the next guy would flake in a session or two.
Some of the things I did to keep my sanity was to switch the game to every other week and encourage someone to run in the gaps. I also sent out an e-mail to all of them at once and asked them what they want, what could I do better, and finally what I want from the game. I did this in an e-mail because I wanted them to viscous and have time to cool off and evaluate what they are saying. Of course these guys are all gaming buddies I have been with for a while and I knew they would say what they wanted and from there I could create alot of hooks.
Another thing I have attempted is swapping systems like Hyvemind mentioned but it did not work well. The best thing I suggest is just take a couple of weeks break and relax. After all you never know if someone else will just break down and step and be a GM because everyone wants to play so badly (that's how I became a GM).
|
|