GMing Styles & Player Input (A Quick Post from the Dark)
Hey everyone,
Posting from mobile this morning, so apologies if this is a bit more brief and less polished than usual. We had tornado warnings all night here, and the power's been out since around 2 AM. It's going on 9 AM now, so just trying to get a quick thought out while my phone battery holds!
Yesterday, I shared a "lazy GM" tip about asking players to help fill in minor details in a game. I got some interesting feedback on that – someone @esbat ?(I'll edit in a proper shoutout when I have power and can check my mentions!) pointed out that some players might be uncomfortable "seeing behind the screen" and might prefer a fully pre-written adventure module where the GM provides all the description.
That's a totally valid point, and it got me thinking about different GMing styles.
There are definitely many ways to run a game. I tend to be a "seat of my pants" GM – I prefer rules-light systems and making things up on the fly as needed, building the world outward from what the players are immediately interacting with. Why do I need to prep what the entire pantheon of gods is doing on a random Tuesday night, unless it directly impacts the players right then and there? My focus is usually on the immediate story and what makes it engaging for the group.
I know other GMs, like my friend @ecoinstant for example, might enjoy diving into the "crunchy bits," detailed rules, and more structured scenarios, and that's awesome too! Different strokes for different folks, and different groups prefer different things.
But even with my more improvisational style, the core idea of listening to your players is still gold, even if they don't realize their input is shaping things. I've completely thrown out a planned plotline because a player idly speculated something that sounded way cooler than my original idea.
For instance, I once had a standard "evil wizard" BBEG planned. During a session, a player mused aloud, "Man, what if the evil wizard was actually the king's long-lost, bitter brother?" That was so much better than what I had! I subtly shifted things in that direction, and when the reveal eventually came, the "I knew it!" reaction from that player (and the surprise from others) was an absolutely amazing gaming moment. They felt clever for "figuring it out," and the story was more compelling.
So, whether you're asking them directly for details or just keenly listening to their table talk and theories, incorporating player ideas (even a little) can really elevate the game.
Anyway, that's my quick thought for the day. Hoping the power comes back soon!
As always (and hopefully with electricity next time),
Michael Garcia a.k.a. TheCrazyGM
Stay safe, I hope the storm passes quickly. LOL that is a great story and I bet who ever it was still thinks back on it.
Hello again. I think there are so many types of players that the essential thing would be to find the right group. Of course, you have to read the table: from the player who is waiting for the moment to crush things and spends the rest of the session looking at his cell phone to the one who brings an ocarina because he likes Zelda and doesn't miss a chance to play it. I'm sure this song rings a bell, but did you notice that I mentioned players? Let's not forget that the master of ceremonies is also a gamer. In the old days he was seen as an obscure dungeon master commanding hordes of monsters, but I guess you know that the real fun of being a DM is the opportunity to create a unique story on the fly.
In fact, I'm a real fan of some of the people I've played with, because of how they surprised or reacted to me, how they played their characters and endowed the game with epic moments that took them beyond some stats on a piece of paper. Even if I've failed a thousand times as a game director, it's because of those sparks that I'll never stop doing it and why I enjoy it so much.
This is an amazing addition - when there is no "wrong way to play", we often can have long discussions about the different ways we all do it.
I'll chime in with some thoughts, though in the end, I think there are positives to all styles.
1a. This is often to the detriment of actual "playing", in some ways I'm often just playing single player mode.
2a. It also is a super tricky way to get "me", and people like me, to do a lot of the work "for you", as a GM.
2b. And this is positive, since there is so much to do as a GM.
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This post gave me some insight into the marvel of this type of gameplay, so thank you for that! I can see how this could be fun from both sides. 😁 🙏 💚 ✨ 🤙