{"id":616,"date":"2010-03-25T17:06:12","date_gmt":"2010-03-25T21:06:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.rpggm.com\/blog\/?p=616"},"modified":"2010-03-25T17:06:12","modified_gmt":"2010-03-25T21:06:12","slug":"want-to-be-a-better-gm-ask-your-players","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rpggm.com\/blog\/2010\/03\/25\/want-to-be-a-better-gm-ask-your-players\/","title":{"rendered":"Want to be a Better GM? Ask Your Players"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"http:\/\/questinggm.blogspot.com\/2010\/03\/march-2010-rpg-blog-carnival-how-to-be.html\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-199\" title=\"rpg blog carnival logo\" src=\"http:\/\/www.rpggm.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/rpgblogcarnivallogo.jpg\" alt=\"rpg blog carnival logo\" width=\"167\" height=\"220\" \/><\/a>How do you know how good a GM you are? You&#8217;ll need to ask your players. Below is a questionnaire I hand out to my players from time to time to find out what&#8217;s good about my game and what needs to be improved. Please feel free to change, update, modify the questions to fit your game.<\/p>\n<p>[This article is part of the <a href=\"http:\/\/questinggm.blogspot.com\/2010\/03\/march-2010-rpg-blog-carnival-how-to-be.html\">March 2010 RPG Blog Carnival<\/a>: <em>How to be a Better GM<\/em>].<\/p>\n<h2>GM and Game Evaluation Questionnaire<\/h2>\n<p>Please check all answers that apply. Feel free to add any commentary, answers, or smart-ass remarks \ud83d\ude09 .<\/p>\n<h3>1. Game difficulty<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>I think your game is much too easy for characters. No matter how stupidly we play, we always achieve our goals<\/li>\n<li>Your game is much too difficult. If I wanted the brutality of real life, I&#8217;d watch the evening news.<\/li>\n<li>I think your game is at a good difficulty level.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>2. PC experience \/ power level<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>I like to play beginning characters, who are just figuring out their abilities and how to use them.<\/li>\n<li>I prefer to play mid-level character who know their abilities and have some clout in the game world.<\/li>\n<li>Really powerful characters are the most interesting. I like the challenges that come from having a lot of ability.<\/li>\n<li>I like starting with low-powered characters and work my way up to the be as powerful as the game allows.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>3. Gaming Group Size<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>I prefer small groups of 2-3 players.<\/li>\n<li>I think medium-sized groups of 4-8 work the best.<\/li>\n<li>I fell that really large groups (10+ players) are the most fun.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>4. Character Death<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>I don&#8217;t think PCs should die. Ever.<\/li>\n<li>It&#8217;s okay if the GM kills a PC every once in a great while, but only if they die heroically and during a hard struggle, or if their death can have some meaning.<\/li>\n<li>I don&#8217;t think the GM should kill PCs, but if the PCs get themselves into a fatal conflict, the GM shouldn&#8217;t rush in to save them.<\/li>\n<li>PCs should drop like flies.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>5. Threat of Character Death<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>I like knowing that my character probably won&#8217;t die. It allows me to take more risks than I would otherwise.<\/li>\n<li>I would find it more interesting if there were more of a threat of death over my characters head.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>6. NPC Quality<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Your non-player characters really help bring your game to life. We run into the most interesting and\/or believable people.<\/li>\n<li>Your NPCs are okay. Every once in a while we get a really great one, but the rest are a little cardboard. They could use some more individuality or development.<\/li>\n<li>Your NPCs are totally flat and unbelievable. Where did you get them&#8211;a Dover paper doll collection?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>7. Story Quality<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>The stories in your game are really good. The make the game interesting and enjoyable.<\/li>\n<li>Why do you make your players think so hard? I just want to hit things!<\/li>\n<li>Your game is too intense; couldn&#8217;t you lighten up a little? Do we have to have to do major soul-searching every game session?<\/li>\n<li>Your game isn&#8217;t intense enough. Let&#8217;s have some depth and meaning here.<\/li>\n<li>I don&#8217;t care about a story&#8211;it just interferes with my hitting things.<\/li>\n<li>You have a story?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>8. Game Session Mood<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>I like it when GMs vary the moods of their game sessions, like running a silly session after a particularly dramatic one.<\/li>\n<li>I prefer it when the GM varies the mood within the game session, but keeps the overall mood of the game the same.<\/li>\n<li>I like roleplaying to be serious and intense. The GM should never let up on the pressure.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>9. Game Humor<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Your game has too much humor for me.<\/li>\n<li>Your game has too little humor for me<\/li>\n<li>Your game has just the right amount of humor for me.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>10. Game Pacing<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>The pace of action in your game is just right. Things are happening fast enough to keep me interested, but not so fast that the game feels out of control.<\/li>\n<li>I think thing are happening way to fast in the game. I can&#8217;t keep up with it.<\/li>\n<li>Your pacing is too slow. Please pick it up a little, I&#8217;m getting bored.<\/li>\n<li>Your pacing is too inconsistent from one game session to the next. Please smooth it out.<\/li>\n<li>Some more variety in your pacing would make your game more interesting.<\/li>\n<li>Pacing? You have pacing?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>11. Creating Characters<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>I prefer to create my characters one-on-one with the GM, even if it takes a few weeks to actually start playing. The mystery about the other characters off-sets the delay.<\/li>\n<li>I prefer to create my characters a group so that we can balance our party.<\/li>\n<li>I like to create characters with the whole group, but I don&#8217;t want to know much about the other PCs until play starts.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>12. Background Information Sheets<\/h3>\n<p>[I always create a short background information sheet&#8211;one to two pages&#8211;that tells players how their character fits into the game world].<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>I loved the background sheets you created for our characters. It makes me feel like I have a real place in the game world.<\/li>\n<li>I didn&#8217;t care one way or the other about the background sheets you created.<\/li>\n<li>I hated the background sheets. You mean I have to learn this stuff about my character before I can actually play?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>13. Character Advancement Knowledge<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>I don&#8217;t like any ambiguity about my character. I want to know how much experience I have at all times.<\/li>\n<li>I don&#8217;t mind not knowing how much experience I&#8217;ve gained, number-wise, but I want to be told when my abilities or powers increase.<\/li>\n<li>I like not knowing exactly where I stand, experience-wise. I enjoy finding out about ability and power increases through game play.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>14. Adult Content in Games<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>I would feel comfortable role-playing &#8220;adult scenes&#8221; (sex, etc.) with this group.<\/li>\n<li>I would feel okay about role-playing adult content with the GM (i.e., with an NPC) or with the player involved, but I want to do it in a one-on-one situation.<\/li>\n<li>I don&#8217;t think sexual and other such situations should be role-played at all. Just acknowledge that it happened and move on.<\/li>\n<li>I don&#8217;t think the game should contain any adult content at all.<\/li>\n<li>Is hitting things adult content?<\/li>\n<li>What a question! I&#8217;m not sure how I feel about it; I think we should discuss it as a group.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>15. Power Balance.<\/h3>\n<p>Your game gives too much advantage to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>magic<\/li>\n<li>combat skills<\/li>\n<li>psionics<\/li>\n<li>class abilities<\/li>\n<li>other [please specify]:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>16. Power Restrictions.<\/h3>\n<p>Your game puts too many restrictions on:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>magic<\/li>\n<li>combat skills<\/li>\n<li>psionics<\/li>\n<li>class abilities<\/li>\n<li>other [please specify]:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>17. Event Balance.<\/h3>\n<p>Your game could use more\/less [please circle your choice]:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>magical events<\/li>\n<li>combats<\/li>\n<li>power contests<\/li>\n<li>NPC enounters<\/li>\n<li>non-combat skill challenges<\/li>\n<li>other [please specify]:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>18. Player Input<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>You don&#8217;t let the players have enough input in how the game runs. After all, it&#8217;s our game too.<\/li>\n<li>You let one\/more of the players bully you too much. You need to be stronger about making executive decisions.<\/li>\n<li>You expect too much input from the players. We don&#8217;t want to have to make every decision&#8211;that&#8217;s why we have a GM.<\/li>\n<li>The amount of input we have is just about right.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>19. Mid-Campaign Rule Changes.<\/h3>\n<p>I would rather you:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Discussed the situation with the group so that we can have a say in how things are going to work from now on.<\/li>\n<li>Do whatever you want. It&#8217;s your game.<\/li>\n<li>There should never be any mid-campaign rule changes. You should always play by the rules you set up in the beginning, even if they don&#8217;t seem to be working.<\/li>\n<li>I don&#8217;t mind some mid-campaign rule changes, but if they&#8217;re going to affect my character, I&#8217;d like a chance to change my character so that my character idea stays consistent with the new rules.<\/li>\n<li>Make all the changes you\u00a0 want as long as it doesn&#8217;t hinder my ability to hit things.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>20. Rule Questions.<\/h3>\n<p>On the occasions when you can&#8217;t remember a particular rule, I would rather you:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Look up the answer, no matter how long it takes.<\/li>\n<li>Only look up the answer if you feel you absolutely have to.<\/li>\n<li>Never look up anything during play. I&#8217;d prefer you make a decision, any decision, as long as you don&#8217;t slow down play.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>21. Bad Rulings.<\/h3>\n<p>When you realize you&#8217;ve made a &#8220;bad call&#8221; in a previous session, I&#8217;d prefer you to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Discuss it with the group before you begin the next session and come to a group consensus about how to run similar situations in the future.<\/li>\n<li>Tell the group you made a ruling you&#8217;re unhappy with and explain how you&#8217;d handle it differently in the future, but not allow any changes to the events of that previous session.<\/li>\n<li>Tell the group you made a ruling you&#8217;re unhappy with and allow the party a &#8220;do over&#8221; with your new ruling.<\/li>\n<li>Don&#8217;t tell anyone and just run it differently next time. Every situation is different, after all.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>22. Adherence to Printed Rules<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>GMs should always go exactly by the rule book at all times.<\/li>\n<li>Each GM creates an individual version of the game universe. The books are really only background and guide-lines.<\/li>\n<li>Make what ever rules you want, as long as it doesn&#8217;t harm my ability to hit things.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>23. Adherence to Source Material,<\/h3>\n<p>If your game is based on pre-existing source material (such as Dr. Who, Serenity, Amber, etc.):<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>I don&#8217;t like it when you deviate from from the published background material. You should follow pre-existing material exactly.<\/li>\n<li>I like it if you&#8217;re not tied down to published material. It makes your game more interesting because I don&#8217;t know what&#8217;s going to happen.<\/li>\n<li>I don&#8217;t mind some deviation from pre-existing source material, if there&#8217;s an in-game reason for it that we, as players, could potentially find out.<\/li>\n<li>I don&#8217;t care about pre-existing source material. I just want to hit things.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>24. Internal Consistency<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Your game is internally inconsistent. Please keep better notes so aspects of the game world don&#8217;t suddenly change on us without warning.<\/li>\n<li>Your game is very consistent. New information builds logically on old information we already know.<\/li>\n<li>I don&#8217;t care about consistency. I just want to hit things.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>25. In-Game Time. Time in our game is:<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Consistent. It makes sense, even if the GM plays with it some; there&#8217;s always an in-game reason for any inconsistencies.<\/li>\n<li>Inconsistent. In one session, it takes us two weeks to get from our fortress to the capital, in another it takes us two days. What gives?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>26. GM-Player Direction<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>We could use more direction in your game. We spend too much time stumbling around blindly.<\/li>\n<li>You&#8217;re directing us too much. We want off the train tracks.<\/li>\n<li>You give us the right amount of direction. We can choose our own path through the game world, but if we get lost, you always give us in-game assisstence.<\/li>\n<li>I&#8217;m not sure what you&#8217;re doing, but it works for me.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>27. Types of Adventures.<\/h3>\n<p>I&#8217;d like your game to have more or less [please indicate which] of the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Dungeon adventures<\/li>\n<li>Wilderness adventure<\/li>\n<li>City adventures<\/li>\n<li>Combat scenes<\/li>\n<li>Role-playing scenes<\/li>\n<li>I like the mix you currently have<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>28. Intra-Party Conflict<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>I think they&#8217;re way too much intra-party conflict in your game. PCs should always work together and should know each others&#8217; strengths and and weaknesses. Otherwise, how can we plan anything?<\/li>\n<li>I like it when PCs are at cross-purposes to one another, but not to the point of harming another party member or making it impossible for the party to accomplish things together.<\/li>\n<li>I love intra-party conflict. Bring it on! That&#8217;s what makes the game fun for me.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>29. Session Rating.<\/h3>\n<p>In general, your game sessions are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>fantastic<\/li>\n<li>pretty good<\/li>\n<li>fun<\/li>\n<li>better than being hung up by my toes for four hours<\/li>\n<li>a few more like least ones and I&#8217;ll stay home an wash my hair<\/li>\n<li>awful; I didn&#8217;t get to hit things once!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>30. The Best Part<\/h3>\n<p>The best part of your game is:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>the incredible detail of your game universe.<\/li>\n<li>the fascinating NPCs.<\/li>\n<li>the intrigue and politics.<\/li>\n<li>seeing my characters advance.<\/li>\n<li>the inventiveness you encourage in your players.<\/li>\n<li>the fact the PCs can have major and permanent effects on the game world.<\/li>\n<li>the interaction you encourage between the players<\/li>\n<li>other [Please specify]:<\/li>\n<li>There&#8217;s nothing enjoyable about your game.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>31. 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You&#8217;ll need to ask your players. Below is a questionnaire I hand out to my players from time to time to find out what&#8217;s good about my game and what &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rpggm.com\/blog\/2010\/03\/25\/want-to-be-a-better-gm-ask-your-players\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[221,93,18,19],"class_list":["post-616","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-musings","tag-campaign-creation","tag-gm-questionnaire","tag-gm-tools","tag-questionnaires"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rpggm.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/616","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rpggm.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rpggm.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rpggm.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rpggm.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=616"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.rpggm.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/616\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":625,"href":"https:\/\/www.rpggm.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/616\/revisions\/625"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rpggm.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=616"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rpggm.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=616"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rpggm.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=616"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}