Monday, October 04, 2010

Ending Another Game

After some thought I've come to the conclusion that the main reason I had as much trouble with the game on Friday as I did was that I didn't really want to be running that campaign in the first place. I was just doing it because I felt like I should. That's a lousy reason to be running a game, and it leads to lousy, short-shrift DMing. So I'm taking another break.

Not 100% sure when that's going to end. Or if it will. The last three games I've run have been frustrating, painful, and ended before they were intended to. I'm pretty happy with the gaming I'm already doing, and as long as that continues, I'm not sure running my own would be worth the potential for more frustration.

Now, that hasn't stopped me from starting to fiddle with a setting for a new campaign -- or rather, another campaign, since the planning for this one significantly predates the game I was running this semester. But I'm not entirely sure that this one will ever get run, and if it does, it will at least be very, very different from the kinds of games I've been trying to run. The "next game," if there is one, will almost certainly be online, via text chat, and it's only slightly less likely to be a solo game. It's probably going to be a system of my own invention, and it won't have many, if any, dungeons in it.

For now, though, I'm content to scribble. I'm also planning on doing more of a number of things that, lately, I've been thinking I'd much rather spend my time on than running the tabletop game. I've got a couple of fantasy novels to read, some drawing to do, and Settlers of Catan and Texas Hold 'Em to play, never mind the "regular" socializing that I'm finally starting to get the hang of. I'm going to do my best not to obsessively analyze and try to figure out "why" the games haven't been working. If an interesting setting comes out of my scribblings, I'll run another game. If not, I'll keep playing in the two games I'm already in, and find some other ways to occupy my time.

8 comments:

  1. Best of luck with newfound free time. :) I do hope you'll continue to poke this blog with your thoughts, but I'll certainly understand if it sits fallow while you take a breather from all things GM-ish.

    ReplyDelete
  2. while i can understand why you would not want to analyze why the games didn't work, don't you think it could lead to great material for a blogpost?

    3 campaigns in a row not working out the way you wanted them, that's something to think about, isn't it?

    ReplyDelete
  3. I think just taking some time as just a player is important once in a while - eventually your store of ideas and enthusiasm will refresh.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I second what Cole said- I find it absolutely essential to just be a player, or at the least, let your imagination roam without any sort of system constraints or campaign necessities to tie it down.

    Just being a "consumer", if you will, is ok sometimes.

    ReplyDelete
  5. trollsmyth: Not sure what this is going to mean for the blog at the moment. It hasn't always been an RPG/DMing-focused blog, and it doesn't absolutely have to stay that way.

    shlominus: It is indeed. I'm just sick of thinking about it.

    Cole & N. Wright: So the over a year long break I spent playing in 2+ games and not running or thinking much about running my own -- was that not long enough of a break?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Did you enjoy playing as a player? Maybe it actually wasn't long enough of a break. Or maybe the experience, if frustrating, pushed you to want to GM to change that situation, rather than really wanting to? I can't really say. I burn out on GMing very easily myself.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Cole: Some of the games I've played in over the past year have been frustrating, but the main campaign I'm referring to just hit it's 99th session. That game's been more fun than any other roleplaying I've done so far, player or DM.

    Apologies if I'm coming across as snarky, but this isn't really a problem I'm interested in "fixing." I mention it here mostly because it could presage a shift in the blog's focus.

    ReplyDelete
  8. DR EMU YOU ARE REALLY GREAT. I WILL KEEP COMING TO YOU WHEN EVER I NEED YOUR HELP.
    WEBSITE: HTTPS://EMUTEMPLE.WORDPRESS.COM 
    WHATS APP: +2347012841542

    I want to thank DR EMU for the wonderful work he done for me and my family, i was having a serious breakup with my ex but when i contacted him for help he brought him back to me with his historical powers, and also helping me to get a job, since he cast his spell for me things has really be good to me and since i know him my husband has been faithful to me, well i will say that this man is a really great spell caster that every one must contact for help, if you are facing breakup or marriage problem just contact this man for help he will help you settle everything with his power, please contact him on his email: emutemple@gmail.com once you contact him all your problems will be solve.

    ReplyDelete