Top Ten (or more) Tips on Being A Gooder DM!

[Rudiki]

Heya,

I thought this could be a useful thread for anyone who DMs. Can people please post here hints or tips or guidelines or whatever about how to DM well? Players, what do you like in a DM, and what do you dislike? How can DMs serve you better? Be as specific as you like, or as broad, but be positive! I don't want this to be a place where people complain about this or that DM; I want it to be a resource DMs can go to to see what works and what doesn't, and what players like and what they don't. Being a DM isn't easy at all, but it's tougher without feedback and instruction, so hopefully here's a place to get some without anyone feeling attacked or hurt. And when I say "specific", I mean feel free to say: "I like it when this specific thing happens in a game", not: "In the game last week, this specific DM did this thing I didn't like". I know we have a lot of experienced DMs here; this is also hopefully a way for them to share their expertise.

Thanks!

I'll start with a really broad one and a really specific one:

The broad one: NPCs should be there to add local color and flavor, and to provide the PCs with needed information and assistance to move along the plot. The PCs should be the stars of the show, never the NPCs. A good use of an NPC is having an NPC with a problem come to the PCs for assistance. A bad use of an NPC is having an NPC accompany the PCs and solve the problem for them while the PCs watch. If the players can't solve the problem/win the fight without an NPC there to help them, then the problem should be scaled down to where the players can handle it themselves. It is better to have as few very powerful NPCs as possible in a game, and the very powerful NPCs that do exist should have good IC reasons not to just fix everything themselves. It is a good rule of thumb never to make your old PC into an NPC; you will be too attached to him, and too tempted to make him act like a PC. NPCs should not out-shine the PCs; that is, they should not be better at the things the PCs are really good at than the PCs are. NPCs should always be expendable.

The specific one: Information that is obvious to every PC should be imparted to every PC. Fairly often in events very obvious information on the environment or scene somehow only gets to a few of the PCs, and then the rest have to eventually figure it out from what those PCs are saying, which adds to confusion and frustration. I don't know all the reasons for this, but I know that one of them is the DM answering player questions with tells that would better be answered where all players can see, even if the player asked the question to the DM in a tell. A question like "Is the body human?" should be answered publicly, not in a tell only to the player who asked it.

[Akai]

Here's a tip for players: If you have a character, for instance, searching the forest for clues; in addition to logging in and actually RP'ing searching for clues, you also have to let the DM know that you did it! (NOT intuitive; this one took me years to figure out!) Yes, maybe the DM left the clues there IG for you to find; but maybe he didn't think to, or maybe there's been a reset, or something... In a pinch you can even get away without the actual logging in and rely on the DM's kindness to let you know anything you would have seen had you actually logged in and done the searching.

A related tip for DM's is, to leave clues about baddies doing something, it's good to actually log the baddie in and have him do it. For example, if a scared goblin sneaks up to read the Mirtho message boards and then runs away; if you actually possess the gobin at his camp and have him sneak in and then run back, you'll be able to make notes of which NPC's might have seen him when the players come to ask; for that matter, there might even happen to be a player in a position to notice a door mysteriously opening or something, or with high enough Spot to see the goblin, which would lead to RP and maybe even more clues.

[Verandis]

You two should try DMing for a bit. Sometimes things get really busy.

For new DMs, here's a really nice tutorial.

DMFI DM tutorial
http://nwvault.ign.com/View.php?view=Mo ... il&id=3837

If I recall corretly this one includes some of the uses of the DMFI tools that many of the servers use Experienced DMs probably know this technical stuff already and need not apply (unless you just want to play with it to have fun! Free firework show!)

[Moonyju]

I don't have time to write a lot, but I think this thread could also be called

"Top Ten (or more) Tips on Gooder DM-player Communication"

As in... what can players do to help DMs keep track of stuff during an event, so as to avoid frustration on both sides?

I say players asking DMs a question, whether publicly ("Chat" channel or in a Tell) is fine and it should happen. However, keep in mind that DMs have a LOT to take care of and think of, so be patient and wait for the reply and eventually send a gentle reminder of the question if it hasn't been answered in one way or another. Questions asked in Tells are not always answered to in a Tell, so pay attention.

What kind of IC posts/PMs do DMs find most useful when it comes to PCs actions related to DM plots? What kind of information do DMs like to see in a "search" post? (example: relevant die rolls, specifics as to what the PC is looking for/researching for, etc.)

etc.

I know most players do all that already, but I have met some over the years who just take for granted that DMs will give them all they want, as long as they post/send PMs about the plot, but don't give details as to what is being researched.

Most tips given to players and/or DMs can apply to both sides. =)

[Akai]

You two should try DMing for a bit. Sometimes things get really busy.

Learning more about how the engine works for DM's might help a player understand its limitations, in order to help DM's work around those limitations, but the tutorial barely scratches the surface, I think. I don't think volunteering to DM is a good solution to this either, if one doesn't actually want to DM, but only to better understand the mechanics of NWN DM'ing. Maybe if someone set up a practice server, to let neophytes blunder around learning the DM mechanics? Does anything like this already exist?

[Arkon]

As a general rule this is what i do (as a player) and like to see other players do when I dm a plot.

1. Rolls: If you are searching for something, or doing anything that uses a skill or a power/ability. Make a roll that you think that ability or whatever would require. If searching, make a search roll. If spotting, make a spot check. If sensing magic, do a spellcraft check, etc. Post that with the other information about what your character is doing.

2. Do not expect the DM to remember your character and his abilities. If you are doing something that you think your character should be very good at doing (eg. Aranel moving around looking for something that might be off in the woods to gain a clue) Make sure you include your characters class level in whatever it is that makes you think the character should be good at it. (ie. Aranel is a level 18 Druid/16 Shifter). Also put the skills and feats that your character has that help make them good at it. (ie. Aranel has 30+ animal empathy). that information comes as a massive help to DMs.

3. Stay within your characters means. Do not expect DMs to allow you to do things that do not make sense. (examples of this would using a power in a way it's not really meant to be used. Or thinking that just because DM X allowed a power to work a certain way, that DM A is also going to do that.)

4. Stick with ONE CHARACTER!!! If you have a character involved in a plot... pretend, in your own mind, that none of your other characters exist. Do not bring other characters into the plot and do not allow others to bring your other characters into the plot. If there is information that you need to know for the plot, and one of your other characters could answer that question... tough. Find an NPC or another player to talk to. Do not allow more than one of you characters to get involved in a plot.

The reason I state the number 4 one is simple. A lot of times in a DM plot, we make changes and adjustments based on who is playing. If we want something to be somewhat difficult or we want to steer things in a certain way we may do something that is outside of your characters means. We do this to get you to find something, seek out help, or something. If you start including others of your characters into it, it forces our hand in that it makes us further modify the plot to keep it challengingly fun. Also, it gets to be a bloody nightmare in keeping track of what character knows what or who is asking what when the tells and PMs start coming in.

[Rudiki]

I definitely agree there could be another thread called "Top Ten (or more) Tips on How to Be a Gooder Player for Your DMs" Someone should definitely start one, with the identical caveat that it should be friendly, constructive, and not target anyone in particular.

Also, something I thought of adding in my initial post but didn't and perhaps should have is that yes, it is understood, or ought to be understood that this is not a perfect world and therefore there are no perfect DMs, and nobody should expect their DMs to be perfect. When DMs don't do everything they ought to it doesn't automatically mean they are bad DMs, or that they don't care about doing things better; it may just mean that they got overwhelmed/didn't have time/hit the wrong button/painted themselves into a corner/lost their notes/made a mistake/whatever. Patience, tolerance, communication, and a sense of humor on both sides is vital.

Finally, I didn't mean this to be about the technical mechanics of running the NWN client when you are DMing this game, since I and many of the players don't know anything about that. This is for how to DM well in general, and what players enjoy and don't enjoy in a game.

Thanks!

[silverdragonams]

You two should try DMing for a bit. Sometimes things get really busy.

Learning more about how the engine works for DM's might help a player understand its limitations, in order to help DM's work around those limitations, but the tutorial barely scratches the surface, I think. I don't think volunteering to DM is a good solution to this either, if one doesn't actually want to DM, but only to better understand the mechanics of NWN DM'ing. Maybe if someone set up a practice server, to let neophytes blunder around learning the DM mechanics? Does anything like this already exist?

FYI you don't need a special server to get a feel for the technical aspect of DMing. You can log into the DM client with any local module you have, including any you've downloaded and, I believe, the official campaigns.
You will be missing most of the wands we use, but you will still have the menus and the console commands.

[Akai]

How do you get a player to experiment on?

[Verandis]

When you load up a module to experiment with choose post to internet, and convince other people to choose to play. Those people should be able to find your server.

Truthfully, at least 70% of what a DM has to do is off server - reply to PMs, plan, coordinate, and so on.... they have very busy jobs One shot plots aren't so bad, but continuing plots, particularily ones with research involved, can get quite intensive quickly.

[Rudiki]

That reminds me: The more planning you do before-hand, the better. It's great to think about most of the possible options and decide what you'll do if the players choose one or the other. Which, as we all know, isn't to say the players won't do something you never considered.

Related to this, I much prefer plots where the players can logically figure things out, and to do this the DMs have to keep track of details so that the facts the players were basing their deductions on don't suddenly change mid-plot. I don't like it when the ultimate answer to the puzzle is logically impossible given the facts the players were shown on the way to it. I've had DMs who were making the plot up as they went along, and it was impossible to infer anything. I like things to make some kind of logical sense.

And related to this, it's definitely good to take notes. I always *think* I'm going to remember the name of that NPC I created, but, no, I don't, and then players are confused and want to know why Bob suddenly became Steve.

Also, I think Arkon's post should be the first in a new thread about what players can do to help DMs.

Also, this isn't intended to tell Hala DMs how to DM; it's intended to just let people who have ideas and experience share it, so I'd love to hear from Hala DMs as well, since they have ideas and experience too! This is for anyone who wants to DM in any game, anywhere, online or PnP.

-Thanks!

[Verandis]

One of the few tips I can give with my own experience DMing is: Players cannot tell when a NPC is lying. Their character will believe what they think is right and potentially discard the possible truth as lies even when given evidence that supports the truth (or even consider it inconsistancies in your plot and discard it OOCly). Be careful with this, because you can really confuse the players, who may believe as their character does.

[Rudiki]

Sort of related to the above: Throw out clues like confetti, because at least half of them will be missed by the players and many of the rest will be misinterpereted or not shared or acted upon by the players that find them. Don't have your plot hinge on a player telling others about what he has discovered; he won't say a word, and you'll be...up a creek.

[Rudiki]

Ooh! Ooh! And if there IS a mistake, fix it as soon as possible, because the longer a mistake or a misunderstanding goes on, the more of a mess it creates. Usually you can just have the NPC go: "Wait, wait; did I say blue? I meant RED. The thing is red." But step OOC if you have to, and just go: "People, to clarify, the thing is RED. Carry on!".

[But I Ain't Got Wings]

any confusion with ANY of my events or plots I am trying to run, PM me.. ALWAYS. I am serious. I know I am learning, and I do my best. I am sure I miss things from time to time, and so forth. PM ME with anything. really anything


thank you

[Tremayne7]

Communication!

Both on the part of the players and the DM's.

For instance if you do some investigating/research and the DM isn't logged in, go ahead and post something in the general posts. Example: "Aria spends a lot of her time in the library in the University of Nagritch" AND make sure you PM the DM in question that you are spending a lot of time researching/investigating xyz.

DMs please respond as you can to the players who PM you with questions about their research/investigations.

We are very lucky here on Hala to have folks who are very good at doing this, but I thought I'd just post a friendly reminder.