Saturday Q&A (sep 30)

Brody writes:

I run a 5th edition game set on some facsimile of Earth, although I put the timeline through a blender for the sake of including fun groups like 16th century samurai alongside 8th century vikings in the same setting. Most of us are in our early 20s and started playing with 5th edition. We've grown up in the era of shows like Critical Role, which have undoubtedly influenced how we play.

Personally, a game master, I have been drawing away from the modern style of play, and to a certain extent taking my players with me. While we do play 5th edition, the rules have been heavily modified to provide an experience that feels more like AD&D. That style of play comes with real risks to a party, and to me that makes the game exciting - it's just not something 5e has been engineered to do on its own.

That being said, your recent post on feedback really resonated with me, because the ultimate goal of the game master is to facilitate a game that is fun for everyone at the table, themselves included. Running a game of D&D is a practiced skill, and feedback can be an important part of developing that. I find myself in a similar situation to yourself. When I'm at the table, there's very little time to reflect about whether the performance being put on is everything I want it to be, and often I find myself not entirely satisfied after the game, only for my players to encourage me and insist it was a great session.

I suppose it can't be too far off from the self-critical thinking of anyone who works in a creative field or creates for fun. Although we as game masters aren't creating art in the traditional sense, there's a certain amount of responsibility and authority in being at the head of the table that makes me feel like an artist, and I always want to improve my craft.

Answer: Thank you Brody. I feel compelled to say that I feel the ultimate goal of the DM is facilitate a game that's immersive, satisfying and inclusive for all the players there. This "fun" thing you speak of eludes me. I've no idea how to invent "fun" or make it happen. This is much of the reason why I do find myself unsatisfied after a game. I have very little certainty about who's had fun or not. I always have to ask.

Take my word for it, you are an artist. That's a certainty.

_____

That's all there is.  Starting this idea, I certainly expected that there'd be dead Saturdays.  My feeling is that by disabling the blog's comments, I feel better about expressing myself, not because I no longer worry about negative comments (I haven't had one of those in a year), but because there's less expectation in my mind of waiting for someone to say something when I'm finished.

I should guess that it would take a year or more for this Saturday thing to catch on, if it does.  It's often misunderstood, but this is how things are on the internet.  Anything successful comes with years of effort, of living in the weeds and putting out content until slowly, steadily, an audience is built.  Most who try haven't the wherewithal to keep at it more than a few months.  That's obviously not me.

Until next week.  If you have questions or would like to submit observations for next Saturday, please submit  to my email, alexiss1@telus.net.  If you could, please give the region where you're located (state, province, department, county, whatever) as it humanises your comment.  Feel free to address material on the authentic wiki, my books or any subject related to dungeons & dragons.  I encourage you to initiate subject material of your own, and to address your comment to others writing in this space.