As a GM I stink....

[VR Dragon]

I have tried a few times to GM and it has gone horrible all times. I have tried to run some games for some people I consider very good friends but then always end up bored and uninterested. I have tried to improve my story skills by read a lot of background materials and I get ideas for stuff... but it all ends up still born on the table. I am getting very pretty discouraged by now. These guys are people I really enjoy gaming with but I just can't seem to do anything right for them.

Any ideas or advice please? I'm getting near the point of burning my GM hat for good.

[Cinos]

Are you doing things they're interested in? If story hooks don't snag'em that well, perhaps they're more looking for a bit more mindless fun with engaging combat and a dash of Micheal Bay explosions?

[Bill]

Accept that you must practice to improve. I ran hundreds of bad sessions before I really wrapped my head around how to run something that I enjoyed and that my players did too. I strongly recommend that you let your friends know that you're not feeling very confident in your abilities as a GM and that you are interested in some honest feedback on what they want and what you're doing.

I'm also a big fan of taking notes. I find the process of writing out the events of the session and reflecting on exactly what went down really helps me identify problem areas while simultaneously reinforcing what I'm doing that is working. You can see some of the notes for my current Rifts game on the Rifts Week by Week link in my signature.

A final piece of advice; read a couple books on writing fiction. James Frey's How to Write a Damned Good Novel, is very good, as is On Writing by Stephen King. The process of creative storytelling, with or without dice is fundamentally the same. You have to build an emotional connection with the characters if you want to create compelling stories and these books can help you figure out how.

[The Dark Elf]

Are you using a predetermined adventure from one of the books. Go easy on yourself and do so. Do them all before you make one of your own (unless you're buzzing to do so). that way you know that the story is at least tried and tested and there's no pressure to be Mr. creative.

Ask the GMs what they want their characters to accomplish and throw in a little reward or two for them.

Ask for feedback from the players and work on that for the next session. Without it you will never improve.

DONT be disgruntled as it is only experience and analysis that will help you hone your skills.

You've the desire and passion to GM (& improve, hence the post) which means you will be great - you're already half way there!

[Super Zembahk]

I'm not sure how much this advice will help, but... I stopped spending so much timing preparing for games and fretting about making sure everyone had a good time. I still have a general story arc to my games as well as few key npc's statted up. However, the first game I start the main story arc with a very vague idea. I'll have about four or five pages of questions and events with flow charts that branch off in different directions in anticipation of what I think the groups likely to do during those events.
I know it seems pretty played out but I've had great luck starting a game in Media Res. It throws the players right into the action letting them use their abilities and powers and really seeing what their characters are good at.

[Noon]

I have tried a few times to GM and it has gone horrible all times. I have tried to run some games for some people I consider very good friends but then always end up bored and uninterested. I have tried to improve my story skills by read a lot of background materials and I get ideas for stuff... but it all ends up still born on the table. I am getting very pretty discouraged by now. These guys are people I really enjoy gaming with but I just can't seem to do anything right for them.

Any ideas or advice please? I'm getting near the point of burning my GM hat for good.

You might be trying to take on the story load all by yourself.

Are you interested in games which look at characters in terms of their morals - ie, if a house is on fire do they dash in or more sensibly stay outside?

[Chronicle]

I haven't checked up on the detail of your game so bear with me.


Add a little action
Add a little story
Don't let NPC's steal the main glory (Though causing a distraction isn't a bad thing while the players kill the main baddies)
I let my PC's decide where to go, I Give them an idea and let them show me how my game runs.
Always keep in mind that it isn't player Vs GM.

[The Dark Elf]

One thing Ive learnt is to give the players a base. Try a step away from a travelling game (if thats what youre doing). Pick a town, map it out (or use Merctown or Firetown burbs or a Western empire city) and identify soem key places, key NPCs, shops, etc. and keep the story around there.

It helps the players find there feet and gain some familiarity but does the same for you. You can skip the walking to a place theyve been to before, they will find themselves able to do nonchalant tasks to better play in character. You'll find your NPCs develop more character too as you have to play the same shopkeeper more than once which adds to the flavour!

[Juce734]

Let me begin by saying I am not very good either.

I've noticed when I have a clear direction I want to go with the game it helps. Also to have NPC characters personalities planned helps. That way when they are roaming the streets looking for something to do I can have them come across an NPC who can get them going where they need to.

I also try to plan some events to take place. How the players get to them or lead up to them is their journey that I let them decide.

[Leonardo T Dragon]

Very few adventure plans survive contact with the players!

I've been running a North American Rifts game set in 101 PA. My goal was to "sandbox" the game so that the players could feel free to wander as they wanted and I'd then drop stories in those locations. This worked for a while until I realized that my players weren't very motivated. They'd not played all together until this game but many of them had come from gaming backgrounds where they were given direction, pointed at a problem, and told to go THWACK it until it went away. (One prior GM was notoriously bad at this-- often ending adventures when HE got bored vs when his players were tired.) This is a group of good gamers but they just were having a hard time with each other and the setting.

So... I changed it. Random accident shoots them halfway across Rifts Earth with just the gear on the their backs. Now, they have to work together to survive. The funny thing is-- it's working. By giving them nothing to really rely on but each other they're starting to trust each other more and are become more involved in the game. This past session I was able to sit back for 20 minutes while they had an intense discussion to hash out a lot of differences. Once it was done, however, that was that.

If the group is having problems with interest, change the setting.

If the GM is having problems with interest that's a whole different story. Sometimes you might think they're not having fun when, in reality, they're enjoying it and YOU'RE the one that's not having fun.

Two pieces of advice:

1) Pick an adventure/setting that you've always wanted to run/play in. Put your characters there. If you're excited about it, it will help.

2) Try standing vs. sitting when you're running the game. I watched Lloyd Ritchey do this at the 2010 POH and it was awesome! He had so much energy that it came out in everything he did with those players. I've used this technique as well and those seem to be some of my best games. It makes me a more active GM when I'm up, moving around, and not just confined to a chair. Granted, you can be pretty wiped after a long session but it can make it a more exciting session.

PS - Sometimes just throw away the scripted adventure and riff off of what the players do. Yes, it can be a bit terrifying as GM but remember, you are in control of EVERYTHING around them. You can play "rules lite" and focus on the story more and it can really help. (I've seen Kevin do this several times and he never fails to engage his players.)

Good luck!

[Chronicle]

Actually one of my last GM's smelled like poo..............

[wolfsgrin]

You need to get feedback.

Have you considered trying a solo game to set up a bigger game?

Is your game on rails?

Try a simple world and plot.

Next time maybe record your game, and see where it falls apart on you.

Sometimes good friends don't make good players. But good friends should be willing to tell why your game sucks.

I don't consider myself a great GM, but if you picked up Team Speak for your computer sometime, I'd be willing to play one of your games and give you constructive feedback. Hit me up with a PM if you are interested and we'll try to work something out. I've been in that spot before and honestly, feedback and lots failing was what made me better. My players love my games and I don't work that hard on them. I worked really hard on myself, you gotta be brutal to get to the truth and root of what is holding you back.
Good luck, don't give up. GM's are a rare breed. Good ones are even harder to find. And great ones usually quit once they reach greatness.

[drakinn]

I would say that much of the above advice is good advice. try to allow the characters room to take their own actions and lead them where it may. often times GMs get so caught up in their story that they push too hard. Have multiple options and NPCs available to use. Background sheets help me develop stories and tie in the players interests. I find that I put in as much work building an adventure for players as they put into their characters. If they don't do the background sheet I focus less on them. It isn't playing favorites because I take it as background isn't important to them and they are okay with not have as developed of a role in the game. In the end it is their game and their world.

[drakinn]

I would also add read the sections in the Rifts Adventure Book. There are multiple GM articles and I would say read them and find the author you fit with. I have been GMing for almost 20 years. My first time I GMed I wouldn't let someone kick down a door because they didn't have the right skill and I had "Random" Rail gun shots from nowhere as a way to keep players in line. And lastly I would say have a plan because if it looks like you just throw stuff together and NPC's aren't important then the players will feel that too. GMing takes time and effort it just doesn't happen for us.

[Noon]

I would also add read the sections in the Rifts Adventure Book. There are multiple GM articles and I would say read them and find the author you fit with. I have been GMing for almost 20 years. My first time I GMed I wouldn't let someone kick down a door because they didn't have the right skill and I had "Random" Rail gun shots from nowhere as a way to keep players in line. And lastly I would say have a plan because if it looks like you just throw stuff together and NPC's aren't important then the players will feel that too. GMing takes time and effort it just doesn't happen for us.

I would say have a series of events you can drop into play at any time - like slaves being dragged away, a house on fire with a vulnerable person trapped at the top, thugs shaking down a shop for protection money, etc.

Just make a list of things that could almost happen anywhere.

That way, where ever the players go and if it gets quiet, just choose one off the list and have it happen!

Don't worry about story too much. Maybe the players don't care about the protection money shakedown. Maybe they help, but then move on. Or maybe they get really annoyed and trace the thugs all the way to their crime boss and defeat him - if that story is going to happen, then it happens. If it doesn't, you have the rest of your events list to pick from.

[Juce734]

I found this free book on-line. It can also be purchased in printed format....
http://gamemastering.info

The tables are a great way to get started and the advice is pretty general but a safe way to look at having a game start and progress. I find my games are more daring then what this book offers. Still it is a good read and the price is right-Free!

I hope this helps struggling GM's.

Great find! Looks like it will be very helpful for me.

[Rockwolf66]

I know how you feel I had my last origional player in my friday Rifts:PA101 game quit because I would not let him have a Nightbane character as his backup PC.

Don't be so hard on yourself. Most GMs I have met have trouble keeping four people entertained...Although the best GM's I know can run 20 people at a time. How did they get so good? by messing up for quite some time before they get it right. Talk with your potential players and ask them what sort of game they want to play and then see if you can merge that with your background info.

[Mech-Viper Prime]

i remember having a few adventures go south and didnt go as good as i wanted early in my gm years, but dont give up

run a few adventures linked together and at the end ask each player what they did like and didn't like

[lather]

Are you using a predetermined adventure from one of the books. Go easy on yourself and do so. Do them all before you make one of your own (unless you're buzzing to do so). that way you know that the story is at least tried and tested and there's no pressure to be Mr. creative.

Ask the GMs what they want their characters to accomplish and throw in a little reward or two for them.

Ask for feedback from the players and work on that for the next session. Without it you will never improve.

DONT be disgruntled as it is only experience and analysis that will help you hone your skills.

You've the desire and passion to GM (& improve, hence the post) which means you will be great - you're already half way there!

I agree with asking them questions and for feedback. Pay attention in the game too what their characters are trying to do, because that's what they want to be doing...if you take your hands off of the wheel, do they start to drive?

Give them little prompts and nudges and see where they try to take it.