One of the biggest things a player can do, is become the DM/GM for the game. A lot of people also find it intimidating, when it needs not be so. If you are a new DM/GM, or one with several years under your belt, then this stream might be the one for you.
I started DMing in 1992, and have for the majority of the time since been in that role for a host of games. I have also won awards for DMing (and for playing) at conventions. I also was one of the many DMs who DM’d, and I was also the local coordinator for, the Adventurer’s League in the ACT in Australia.
This module is going to look at tips, tricks and tools that make the life of the GM more interesting. I also look at rules, and what CAN be done. Not the be-all and end-all of things, but hopefully a place for you to start, or use.
Quick Note:
I should make special note to the role I see the DM / GM taking in games. These precepts are the basis for how I DM / GM and how I generally will focus any answer on:
- I focus firstly and mainly on ROLE play, not ROLL play.
- I see the DM / GM as a Producer type role.
- Your role is to flesh out the world, to make it real, then place things in the world for the characters to do.
- I see the Players as Cast / Co-Directors:
- While they don’t set the scene, their actions dictate the story and it’s direction.
- The focus is ALWAYS on what’s FUN however, over rules and logic in some cases.
HOW IT WORKS
Each session I will have something to start with, something like below for example:
- Alignments
- NPCs
- How to make a Good Bad Guy
I will take this as the starting point of as much of an open discussion as I can with those in stream, and if nobody is talking, I will go though some items which can be watched in the VODs later, or on my YouTube channel once it is all setup.
For the topics I discuss, I will look as evenhandedly as I can, looking at the PROs and CONs of each topic as it is discussed, as well as other angles of looking at said topic, so that as many options as possible are presented.
I will also go through the other tools that I use in the process(es) as well, and details on those can be found in the Tools & Software section.
THE GOAL
The goal of this module, is to help inspire, and equip, you as a DM / GM to either take the first step on a fun pathway, or a slightly different step moving forward on your path of DM and GM hood.
Each topic will have it’s own set of goals, so there are none specific, however I will endeavor to do the following to each topic:
- Does the change NEED to be done (can something else replace it)
- Does it break the game? Is it too OP?
- Does it fit into your world?
- Is it fun?