GM-ing & playing
After having hosted a few sessions of DnD and played many sessions of games hosted by other GMs, I conclude that it is very useful for every player to try hosting a game, even for a short while. This would enable them to see from a GM's point of view and hopefully helps the games go smoother too.
A GM prepares the following
(1) The main and minor storylines that then provide 'quests'
(2) The various encounters, both combat and off-combat
(3) Setting scenes e.g. the environment, village, NPCs, sound, smell
(4) Enemies of the PCs
(5) Appropriate maps
(6) Alternate/backup plans (this probably causes the most grief)
A GM also has to manage players to ensure the game goes as smoothly as possible. The most ostentatious behaviour is the disruptive one e.g. player arguing over rules, questioning his team mates actions all the time, making his character doing very disruptive actions in-game.
The player may meant well (likely trying to get his party to have highest chance of success) but may not realise how disruptive his behaviour his. Perhaps he would be enlightened after hosting a game himself.
Not only that, players who have hosted games may appreciate better the effort the GM puts in into prepraring the game and could also provide feedback and suggestions to the GM on how to improve his game.
In any case, the best thing to do is to have both parties provide feedback to each other and constructively. Obviously that requires both parties to be open to feedback. I personally would ask the following feedback after every session of my game:
A GM prepares the following
(1) The main and minor storylines that then provide 'quests'
(2) The various encounters, both combat and off-combat
(3) Setting scenes e.g. the environment, village, NPCs, sound, smell
(4) Enemies of the PCs
(5) Appropriate maps
(6) Alternate/backup plans (this probably causes the most grief)
A GM also has to manage players to ensure the game goes as smoothly as possible. The most ostentatious behaviour is the disruptive one e.g. player arguing over rules, questioning his team mates actions all the time, making his character doing very disruptive actions in-game.
The player may meant well (likely trying to get his party to have highest chance of success) but may not realise how disruptive his behaviour his. Perhaps he would be enlightened after hosting a game himself.
Not only that, players who have hosted games may appreciate better the effort the GM puts in into prepraring the game and could also provide feedback and suggestions to the GM on how to improve his game.
In any case, the best thing to do is to have both parties provide feedback to each other and constructively. Obviously that requires both parties to be open to feedback. I personally would ask the following feedback after every session of my game:
- What should I continue doing?
- What should I stop doing?
- What should I start doing?
Comments