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I have been a GM for 16 years now and I am feeling like I have lost my mojo. I was complemented the other day by a buddy who said if i hadn't have moved he would still be gaming because I had story weaving ability. I have a group now that are different for sure but their characters seem one dimensional or way overboard. my last group took regular character and built them to greatness and I felt I was just along for the ride. this group I have to lead everywhere and spoon feed them and if is frustrating at times. It is just good to rant if any of you have thoughts share them.

Drakinn

I agree with rick. You may just need a break.

one is a good friend and it is near impossible to find gamers in the spokane area

Not your problem. Fact is not everyone's a good player, just like not everyones a good GM.

but if you feel like you need a break, take it...

drakinn wrote:this group I have to lead everywhere and spoon feed them and it is frustrating at times.

bold mine.

Drop this habit. Your basically telling them 'hey, if you guys wont carry the weight, I'll carry it for you'. You've fallen into this bad GM habit.

Give them five minutes real time to respond, otherwise the game world gets significantly worse. Not a total loss, because then there's nothing for them to do. Just significantly worse. There's always a village that can be set aflame (but don't burn it to the ground - then there's nothing left to do)!

But, if your concern is that it'll screw up the special cool story you wrote out in advance, then that's another GM habit entirely...

drakinn wrote::( I have been a GM for 16 years now and I am feeling like I have lost my mojo. I was complemented the other day by a buddy who said if i hadn't have moved he would still be gaming because I had story weaving ability. I have a group now that are different for sure but their characters seem one dimensional or way overboard. my last group took regular character and built them to greatness and I felt I was just along for the ride. this group I have to lead everywhere and spoon feed them and if is frustrating at times. It is just good to rant if any of you have thoughts share them.

Drakinn

Been there.
Done that.
Last of that type left present game.
I know your pain.

thanks for all the help and the laughs its is goo to know I am not alone

drakinn wrote:thanks for all the help and the laughs its is goo to know I am not alone

To bad I don't live just a bit closer to where you are. I've found Washington to be a rather "dry" area (or perhaps I've not looked around enough).

It is dry my friend you are in a population center and it is still tough

drakinn wrote:thanks for all the help and the laughs its is goo to know I am not alone

And if it helps....I'm a veteren of almost..ummm...23 years here

some have earned them

Wow what a recap as I reread this I did take a break and reanalyzed my gming. I have an open style where characters have mostly free choice and many don't know what to do with it. My break didn't last long and was well needed my mojo has come back and it is going good my only difficulty now are a couple of hack and slashers who are used to that "other game" so I am starting to expand their horizons and trying to get them to see NPCs as more than a threat or potential threat.

Congrats

Abub wrote:Cool Beans... I was gonna post that it sounds like you need to fish in your players for the depth you feel is missing from their characters. You can't keep running a one sided game (where you are the only one putting any energy and effort into it) and not run out of Mojo. So even if you got your batteries recharged a little I would still try to probe your players for more.

But I would have to admit... I tend to avoid Hack and Slashers.

I now have them complete a additional background sheet that has them write out some long and short term goals and they have to name 3 friends, enemies, and contacts and give them an occ it has helped a great deal

[I now have them complete a additional background sheet that has them write out some long and short term goals and they have to name 3 friends, enemies, and contacts and give them an occ it has helped a great deal[/quote]


Wow that is something I never thought of, the goals, contacts ect. I just asked what kind of game do you play, and try to taylor that as best I can.

Mojo is never lost, just misplaced. Mojo evolves. You'll get yours back.

drakinn wrote::( I have been a GM for 16 years now and I am feeling like I have lost my mojo. I was complemented the other day by a buddy who said if i hadn't have moved he would still be gaming because I had story weaving ability. I have a group now that are different for sure but their characters seem one dimensional or way overboard. my last group took regular character and built them to greatness and I felt I was just along for the ride. this group I have to lead everywhere and spoon feed them and if is frustrating at times. It is just good to rant if any of you have thoughts share them.

Drakinn

Don't let it get you down... It is happening everywhere. Just a sign of the times. Give them a bit of time.

Love the idea of long term and short term goals. Also like the NPC's idea. That sounds good.

drakinn wrote::( I have been a GM for 16 years now and I am feeling like I have lost my mojo. I was complemented the other day by a buddy who said if i hadn't have moved he would still be gaming because I had story weaving ability. I have a group now that are different for sure but their characters seem one dimensional or way overboard. my last group took regular character and built them to greatness and I felt I was just along for the ride. this group I have to lead everywhere and spoon feed them and if is frustrating at times. It is just good to rant if any of you have thoughts share them.

Drakinn

It's possible a previous GM of their made them that way, acting as if it's roleplaying to only follow the GM's cues and wait for the spoon feed.

On the other hand you might be part of the problem, calling their characters one dimensional or way overboard. Are you putting them through situations like for example there are two ships near each other, one is on fire, the PC is on the safe one. Do they do anything to try and help the other ship?

You don't just invent character. It comes from playing the character in morally difficult situations.