GMing on a Bad Night

I just do it. I get it done and almost always, playing makes me feel a lot better.

My enthusiasm isn’t always 100% at the start of the game but by the end, I’m usually on an up-swing again.

-Tom

I’d say it would depend on why exactly I don’t feel like GMing. If it has to do with real life issues or a physical ailment, it’s the sort of thing I wouldn’t feel bad telling my friends about. It’s happened before. My wife once stepped in and ran a combat for me so I could lay down and recover from a migraine. Everybody understands that sort of thing, so it’s no big deal.

On the other hand, if I’m just feeling lazy or uninspired, I’ll suck it up. After all, I volunteered for the job of GM and it would be downright rude not to follow through. I kick myself in the butt and give it my best, making a mental note not to volunteer next time unless I have enough enthusiasm to last the whole campaign.

While this specifically hasn’t happened when I was GMing, there were a few times back in college when we all sat down, the GM looked at his notes, looked at us, and said, “Okay, screw it, it’s time for a Dream Sequence.” At which point we’d play through some random barely coherent plot he’d make up on the spot, entirely ignoring existing continuity, just aiming for fun. And then when the “dream” ended the characters would all wake up, everything reset, ready for next week.

Suffering from a mild case of GM burnout recently, I try to call the game off well in advance. If it isn’t possible I’ll buck up and try to run something. Usually I just ask the players if we can run something that isn’t main game, like a dread game, a ninja burger, or a one shot BESM. Something that is small and doesn’t matter for plot. Once we move onwards and I’m having a better night we jump back into the original game.

I play on Friday nights and I’m either full of adrenalin (yea it’s the weekend!) or beat down from work.

We bought more board games (like Descent) for the group, and this helps knowing we have alternatives when I’m just not up to “performing” that night.

the dice must roll.

We go to way too much trouble to schedule a game to cancel for anything trivial. We’ve cancelled/rescheduled a handful of times in the last few years, but always for things like the GM has a death in the family or half the players can’t get out of bed because of stomach flu.

I don’t always enjoy plowing ahead as much as I enjoy sessions where I start 100% ready to go. But I do enjoy them. I’m one of those people that, once I decide to do something, I intend to make the most of it. I have occasionally adjusted the adventure just before we started, because something I had planned was a bit more challenge than I felt up to at the moment. I’ve even said OOC, “don’t go there, I can’t handle it today.” Fortunately, the players are understanding.

I called off a session not too long ago because I was completely beat down from work. Of course, two weeks later when I was completely beat down from work AGAIN, I sucked it up and threw something together (with the help of my fellow Treasure Tables Forum junkies) and ran it. Not my BEST DMing moment, but I made a comitment, so I try to be reasonable in my efforts to keep it.

If the players are energetic, I can borrow from them and spin plots more toward their interactions for a night. Their excitement is usually enough to get me excited– and it’s a good opportunity to follow their lead.

If the players are also off, we’ll play a short evening– or, in very rare circumstances we’ll pull out a board game.

Generally speaking, I follow the FIDO principle: F- It, Drive On. I’ll find the groove through rote action, hopefully. I’ve got a responsibility to my players.

If it’s something external and exceptional (death in the family, flu, etc), I’d rather cancel than run a half-assed game. After all, if it’s exceptional, my players will understand.

Cancel for emergencies. Screw the game if you aren’t feeling well or there is an issue that you must address of a higher priority, because your health comes first, then family, then work, and finally the game. I once played with a group that didn’t grasp the reason why it is referred to as a game, and they would bitch if you were sick or had an emergency to attend to and couldn’t run (“Oh come on! You aren’t that sick! You’ll feel better after a session!” or “Run the game and deal with your work problem afterwards. It will only be about 1AM and 8 hours of straight gaming isn’t exhausting!”). I ditched them quick because of that crap. I can’t stand people who put the game before life.

Now if it is just a case of “I don’t want to.” then you have only yourself to blame and you run the game. If you aren’t enthusiastic about it, then get enthusiastic about it somehow. Just as I expect my players to let me cancel for real emergencies without a peep of complaint, they should expect me to run the games that I invited them to with 100% commitment to their satisfaction and entertainment.

Like the drow says, keep ’em rollin’.

Plow through. I play infrequently enough as is, and Lord knows I hate it when the hostess cancels the game because she “doesn’t feel like playing.”

T

I’m willing to cancel, if it’s physical. If I’m sick, I don’t wanna make everyone else sick, and if it’s a migraine, well I won’t be able to concentrate, so either one pretty much stuffs the game for the night. If it’s burnout, I might ask to see if someone else has any one shots they’ve got ready. Barring that, I’d ask friends that night to bring some games and some booze and let it be. If it’s me being lazy, then that’s a time to go “F’ it.. Dice On.”

Last night was a perfect example. I was tired from the night before. Three of my employees didn’t show up, so after finishing their work, I got started on mine. I was finally out of the office about 2 hours before game time. I felt totally beat up. For a split second I thought about calling everyone and telling them that the game was off, but boy am a glad I didn’t.

I already had everything ready for the session; encounter notes, initiative cards for all my monsters, minis sorted. Within minutes of arriving at our gaming location, I felt recharged and energized. Everyone was role playing to their fullest and having a great time. The session ended on an up swing with a bit of a cliff hanger. Everything about the session lifted my spirits, took my mind off work for a few hours, and reminded me why this hobby is so meaningful.

Wow. FIDO (great acronym, BTW — military, I assume?) and let ’em roll are overwhelmingly preferred so far. That’s ample testament to the average dedication level among GMs.