bobcatt
Apprentice Douchebag
Patron
An infinite number of monkeys can't be wrong...
Posts: 81
Preferred Game Systems: AD&D 1e, 2e, 5e, Top Secret/S.I., Classic Traveller
Currently Playing: nothing at all :-(
Currently Running: completely stalled doing 5e via Roll20
Favorite Species of Monkey: Barrel of
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Post by bobcatt on Mar 29, 2018 11:04:11 GMT -8
When you are burnt out, out of ideas, tired of the current storyline, feel like you're stuck in a rut... I assume that this happens to everyone at some point. What do you do in order to hit the reset button? - bury yourself in books/comics? - binge on music/movies? - hit the gym? - back off entirely for a few days/weeks/months? - try something creative that you haven't done before? - "I've tried nothing and I'm all out of ideas." Chris in Canada
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Mar 29, 2018 12:53:14 GMT -8
First thing for me has always been to work out why I'm burnt out. Am I not enjoying the game, am I clashing with the players or is it something outside of the game like work that I'm carrying into the sessions?
It's not perfect but generally I've found that understanding why I'm burned out helps with working around it.
As for actually refreshing I've found stepping back works best for me. Sometimes that means stopping the campaign or reducing the frequency of sessions if I'm GM. If I'm a player I try not to drop out unless I really have to, if I know the GM well enough I'll let them know I might not be fully engaged for a few sessions so they don't try to put too much plot my way.
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Post by Stu Venable on Mar 31, 2018 21:52:57 GMT -8
I like to engage in some other kind of creative endeavor.
I literally started gaming again (and started this podcast) because I was suffering from songwriter's block.
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Post by Monkeyfun Dave on Apr 1, 2018 9:28:29 GMT -8
I intentionally get more sleep. I think we as a society fetishize to an extent burning ourselves out or working at a lesser capacity because there's a form of genitalia-measuring to say you don't require as much as others. I find that's silly, like saying you're superior in some fashion because you don't require as much air as others. I acknowledge most people have outside reasons why additional sleep is a challenge (i.e. children), but that's what I do. Oh and I watch stu sleep, too. That helps. Don't tell him, though. He might find it creepy.
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Post by Stu Venable on Apr 2, 2018 13:26:52 GMT -8
I barely need to fucking breathe. Fuck air.
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Post by Monkeyfun Dave on Apr 2, 2018 15:41:24 GMT -8
I barely need to fucking breathe. Fuck air. AIR IS FOR CLOSERS.
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Post by chronovore on Apr 8, 2018 20:40:13 GMT -8
Recharging is different that re-approaching the game's future for me. I'll review the campaign notes I've made whenever I'm getting ready for a session, and that's consistently been enough to trigger new connections or allow new perspectives. If it fails, I'm up the proverbial fecal stream without a propulsion method. Recharging, though, usually just going for a walk, meditating, or talking with new people tends to hit the Refresh Key for me. I intentionally get more sleep. I think we as a society fetishize to an extent burning ourselves out or working at a lesser capacity because there's a form of genitalia-measuring to say you don't require as much as others. I find that's silly, like saying you're superior in some fashion because you don't require as much air as others. I acknowledge most people have outside reasons why additional sleep is a challenge (i.e. children), but that's what I do. Oh and I watch stu sleep, too. That helps. Don't tell him, though. He might find it creepy. This is a very mature view. Not the "watching Stu sleep" thing. That's creepy. I meant the "getting more sleep" policy. Lately I've been going to bed earlier, and though it feels like ceding to the aging process, I genuinely feel better than a couple years ago when I was trying to keep up with my nocturnal wife's schedule.
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D.T. Pints
Instigator
JACKERCON 2018: WITH GREAT POWER COMES GREAT RESPONSIBILITY June 22-July 1st
Posts: 2,857
Currently Playing: D&D 5e, Pathfinder, DUNGEONWORLD, Star Wars Edge of the Empire
Currently Running: DUNGEONWORLD, PATHFINDER
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Post by D.T. Pints on Apr 9, 2018 17:20:45 GMT -8
Yeah raising two year old and sixty hours a work week have left me staring off at the horizon while a thin line of drool oozes out of my mouth... Playing Games and thinking about them recharge the rest of my mental batteries but it only goes so far. I sometimes just log into Monkeyfun Dave spycam on Stu Venable and have a fine Chianti and fava beans.....sssssslurp.
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Post by Monkeyfun Dave on Apr 9, 2018 19:01:10 GMT -8
It is quite relaxing in its way.
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Post by chronovore on Apr 9, 2018 21:08:15 GMT -8
It is quite relaxing in its way.
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Post by Kimi on Apr 15, 2018 22:41:26 GMT -8
I organize or create something new that has to do with the campaign/character. When I start to burn out on Happy Jacks stuff for example, I will add a new feature to the website or plan the next One Shot Saturday. It gets me enthusiastic and excited again.
It's the same with my characters or campaigns. If I write a new little part of the backstory, take a cool power in an advance that adds a new layer to my character, design a new NPC/area/etc.
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jimto
Supporter
Posts: 246
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Post by jimto on Apr 17, 2018 6:22:40 GMT -8
Buy a motorcycle. Get on it. Ride out a tank or two of gas. Done.
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Post by chronovore on Apr 18, 2018 5:59:46 GMT -8
Buy a motorcycle. Get on it. Ride out a tank or two of gas. Done. Wait, you buy a fresh motorcycle every time you need to recharge? Nice to meet'cha, Mr. Rockafeller!
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Post by Houndin on Apr 18, 2018 7:56:47 GMT -8
Usually gaming *IS* my recharge, generally though only as a player. When I GM it's pretty stressful for me, imposter syndrome and all that. I tend to be a very low-prep GM. Usually I only have some bullet points for an adventure, and a stack of npc names and traits. My games also tend to be low combat and high role-playing. But when I'm out of ideas as a GM, I'll read through some OSR modules, there's a ton available for free online, and think about how this module would be reflected in my world. How I would bend it to fit my game. What I would change, what I would keep. That's usually enough to spark some ideas for the next session, or even one further down the road I might want to steer the party towards. After some reading my OneNote will usually have a few new bullet points. Another thing I like to do is read through a curated selection of 'cool lists' I have in my OneNote. I get them from various blogs and save the articles so I can look at them offline. But one of the great blogs for it is from the Black Shark Enterprises Blog. It tends to have a maritime flavour, but the 20-count lists they do are great.
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jimto
Supporter
Posts: 246
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Post by jimto on Apr 20, 2018 8:00:51 GMT -8
Buy a motorcycle. Get on it. Ride out a tank or two of gas. Done. Wait, you buy a fresh motorcycle every time you need to recharge? Nice to meet'cha, Mr. Rockafeller! Lol, nah, they are reuseable.
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