NeverwinterConnections.com

   NeverwinterConnections.com
   Main Topics
   General Discussion
   DMing can be so draining

Pages: 1 2

Author

Topic: DMing can be so draining (Read 495 times)

Von Stalhein

Forum God

Last On: 02/08/12
View Profile
Message Player

United Kingdom

Posts: 808

Return To Top

As tiring as DMing often is (I've had more players in a campaign lasting 7 sessions than I can count on my fingertips - and it can't all be me because I have one person who's stuck through it all and another who's stuck from session 2) it is very rewarding and fun at other times.

The other bonus, in my opinion, is that if you DM, it makes playing even more of an enjoyable experience. Being able to kick back, relax, and just roleplay without all the fuss - you really appreciate sinking into the imagination of someone else, and you realise just how much effort they put in as well.

The grass is greener, and the terrain rolling, flat and easy-going, on the players' side. The DMs' side is a mountian range - but by heck, when you climb the top of one of those mountains, take in the view, and then ski down the side; that beats the most beautiful rolling plains.

I.P. Logged

GabrielK

Newbie Poster

Last On: 09/14/06
View Profile
Message Player

Unknown

Posts: 5

Return To Top

To paraphrase a popular saying, DM'ing a game of Neverwinter Nights isn't easy (as I recall from my days of playing regularly), but nothing worthwhile ever is.

And it's most definitely wortwhile.

I.P. Logged

Silvarian

Forum God

Last On: 08/30/11
View Profile
Message Player

United Kingdom

Posts: 785

Return To Top

It can be draining.. but in my opinion its also the best experience one can have with Neverwinter Nights. Just the whole idea of being able to 'create' a world/story and make people 'live' it is one step further than the joy you get from someone reading your story and telling you they loved it.

Instead now you get the ability of people living and breathing in it week in and week out. And your own DMed characters coming to life more than they would in a page of a book....

All I can say is that there is no question that in our own campaign with the Nights Asylum that we brainstormed and thought up a maddening amount of story content, the hours that went into meticulous building was incredible (I have the asylum module sitting on my harddisk here - 15MB module file consisting of the corridors, rooms and all the nice mind bending outdoor/indoor warping areas) AND then the hours spent DMing and trying to somehow continue a convoluted storyline while balancing player freedom and a fixed overall story.

*collapses*. And yet... when I look back at NWN, even though I took part in some truly fabulous DMed games and campaigns, the very first thing that will come to mind is our own campaign and the characters within it. So honestly.. if anyone is thinking of DMing.. dont give it a second though. It may seem hard but if you can get it going, you'll see just what I mean when it comes together

I.P. Logged

Lazybones

Forum God

Last On: 12/31/11
View Profile
Message Player

United States

Posts: 4695

Return To Top

The demand is still there. I have gotten a number of PMs from newcomers saying that they are having difficulty getting into a DMed game. And the last few times I posted notices for new players, I got several candidates that for the most part were very good.

I hope that when NWN2 releases we can definitely make a push to get a lot of DMed one-shots out there on the front page. I know that my goal is to create a sequel to "Shrine of the Eth'barat" in the first three months, but even before that to put together a basic L1-3 campaign that I can easily mine for one-shot material.

And at some point, I think I will try to revise my guide to DMing for NWN2. And maybe Carlo can issue an update to his DM-training module.

All this is predicated on us getting a DM Client in a timely fashion, of course.

I guess I'd better start getting my wife flowers now, in expectation of wanting to spend a lot of evenings in November and December in front of the computer...

« Last Edit: on: Sep 15, 2006, 2:18PM »

I.P. Logged

Festivus

Extreme Poster

Last On: 08/16/07
View Profile
Message Player

United States

Posts: 501

Return To Top

I have found this works amazingly compared to the mundane flowers:

http://www.burkewilliamsspa.com/home.htm

Trust me, buy it once a year for your wife and you can sit all you want at the computer.

I.P. Logged

Lazybones

Forum God

Last On: 12/31/11
View Profile
Message Player

United States

Posts: 4695

Return To Top

You are a wise man, Festivus.

I.P. Logged

Purple Puppy

Forum God

Last On: 04/27/10
View Profile
Message Player

Australia

Posts: 1575

Return To Top

Wow, this topic is still going. That's cool. Encouraging more people to DM in NWN2 will definately be important I think, since there are just so many more players than DMs about, from what I've seen.

On another note, I'm very happy with how things are going in the campaign at the moment. I'm much more relaxed about it now and don't panic so much about keeping ahead of the players or making mistakes.

The co-DM and I have finally gotten the hang of working with each and knowing what to expect form each other, which is a relief since we had a lot of misunderstandings and communication problems at first. We've also gotten the feel for the group's general pace and can plan things more effectively through each session.

The feedback from the players is great!

Once you get the hang of it and stop worrying so much, it turns out to be a lot of fun.

I.P. Logged

Venture

Forum God

Last On: 09/19/11
View Profile
Message Player

United States

Posts: 1171

Return To Top

on Sep 15, 2006, 7:21 PM, Festivus wrote:

I have found this works amazingly compared to the mundane flowers:

http://www.burkewilliamsspa.com/home.htm

Trust me, buy it once a year for your wife and you can sit all you want at the computer.

Brilliant! Especially with a trip each way for her to fly across the country, that is hours of free time for gaming goodness!

I.P. Logged

hoyasaxa

Forum God

Last On: 01/14/12
View Profile
Message Player

United States

Posts: 2470

Return To Top

Not a bad idea indeed.

I.P. Logged

Forrestwolf

Forum God

Last On: 07/21/11
View Profile
Message Player

United States

Posts: 793

Return To Top

LB - I agree - getting DM-friendly material out there right away will be key to getting the DM'd community noticed - but I also agree we need a DM Client released quickly to make it happen. Since I'm getting the pre-order Toolset on Friday (yes, Friday - argh!), I'm already planning out what DM'd module I'll be cooking up - and posting on NWVault! Think I can have the first module up?

Purple (back on topic

-

Glad you came to the realization about relaxing - it took me over a year as an NWN DM - maybe even two years - before I really relaxed. Running LB's Star Wars campaign is of course easy for prep (premade), but when I was running my own creation before that, I could really just create for a few hours each week to stay on track, as long as I could FORCE myself to NOT SCRIPT. Scripting takes up so much time - and can end up not being needed. Heck, you don't even HAVE to have good areas or NPC's - just good stories and roleplaying - but pretty areas and clothing choices do help.

I.P. Logged

deathchild

Extreme Poster

Last On: 08/05/09
View Profile
Message Player

United States

Posts: 534

Return To Top

Not if you are a Lich, then it has the opposite effect.

I.P. Logged

Silvarian

Forum God

Last On: 08/30/11
View Profile
Message Player

United Kingdom

Posts: 785

Return To Top

Purple - there is something really special when a group of DMs work together in perfect sync. I was blessed in terms of the 'Death & Co' DM team in that when we were running either the Desperate Measures/Hunted games or our own campaign, our work just flowed to a point that it was not work in any sense of the word for us

Possessing, answering checks, atmospheric tells and responding on the fly... it felt so wonderfully comfortable that someone was always working on something just when needed... Im glad I found a bunch of guys that were all on the same page! I honestly really miss it now that Im not DMing at present - sometimes when we'd just sit back and watch, laughing and commenting on the story unfolding. It was just like the NWN wallpaper of the DM standing with his hands over the world globe.. but more of us, probably a little drunk and having a lot of fun

So yes.. DMing.. starting seems daunting, but in truth the most rewarding by far. And the DM cohesion that you sometimes get? Priceless.. and you make great friends along the way

I.P. Logged

Etarnon

Expert Poster

Last On: 03/16/11
View Profile
Message Player

United States

Posts: 190

Return To Top

I agree. Team DMing when it works, is the best experience I have had in over three years of DMing / Admining a NWN server.

Many thanks to the Land of Etarnon DMs, past, present, and future. Long may it wave.

I.P. Logged

Pages: 1 2

Moderators: No, Deusin, Rizzen, Shinji, Gilaun, Garnak, J'Dai Voisin, Lazybones, Ochobee, Eliandi

   NeverwinterConnections.com
   Main Topics
   General Discussion
   DMing can be so draining