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Made in us
Beast Lord





Since I am dealing with this I may as well see how other gaming groups deal with it. My burnout is inspired by my players more than anything, they aren't bad it is just hard to get a group of grown-ups together in one place at the same time. I would like to take a break and play something but I am the only one willing to GM anything and thus I haven't had the opportunity to play anything since 2002. Any tips on how I can overcome my slump without taking it out on my players?

 
   
Made in us
Executing Exarch





The Twilight Zone

My game group has the opposite. Most of us want to be DM(for various reasons).

Have you asked if anybody wanted to DM? An easy way would be to do a 1 shot of a different system, or even the same system with a different campaign. A 1 shot premade campaign can be a lot of fun and mix things up. My pathfinder group was getting a bit dull, so we did a 1 shot of Call of Cthulu and it was fantastic. We got so immersed in a new system we hardly cared about the mission.

Another option might be a mini side campaign, where the players go off under a different DM for a few sessions, but still*kind of* part of your game.

Another option would be to really make the players do the work. Give them a sandbox couple of days, with little grinding or enemy generation. Make the goal vague and ambiguous, so you can sit back and not care as they work stuff out. Throwing a hard moral/ethical dilimma can make them fight it out and let you take it easy.

You could make an NPC and play in your own campaign, but that can get out of hand very quickly. A last option is to just throw insanity at them till you TPK or get enough people pissed off they want change, but I know that is specifically what your trying to avoid...

The most important rule of 40K-Page XVII of the 6th edition rulebook, the figure at the top right of the page. "Shake hands with your opponent and thank them for a good battle and fun experience." Then go out for a beer.
Shine bright like Iyanden  
   
Made in de
Joined the Military for Authentic Experience






Nuremberg

I'd say just take a break for a month or three.

And if scheduling is a problem, have a think about something as is described in this article:
http://thealexandrian.net/wordpress/1223/roleplaying-games/opening-your-game-table

Also, since I started running games online via G+, I've had way more chances to game. We're averaging 2 games per week at the moment.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2014/06/05 21:18:09


   
Made in us
Hangin' with Gork & Mork






I ran games for probably the first 10-15 years of playing RPGs and at this point I rarely ever want to. I mostly did because no one else would.

Amidst the mists and coldest frosts he thrusts his fists against the posts and still insists he sees the ghosts.
 
   
Made in us
Fixture of Dakka





TN/AL/MS state line.

Try out some board/dice/card games for awhile as a break. If everyone still wants "adventure" there are several games that cater to that- DOOM, Descent(I think), Super Dungeon Explore, and I'm sure I'm forgetting some others. Any miniatures game can be crafted into a campaign, and since everyone uses a rulebook the players craft the story. If no one wants to do anything else, tell them to step up and do it themselves(politely of course). You might also just flip through other game system manuals/fluff and see if anything catches your eye. There are plenty others out there.

Black Bases and Grey Plastic Forever:My quaint little hobby blog.

40k- The Kumunga Swarm (more)
Count Mortimer’s Private Security Force/Excavation Team (building)
Kabal of the Grieving Widow (less)

Plus other games- miniature and cardboard both. 
   
Made in ca
Veteran Inquisitorial Tyranid Xenokiller




Easy; go crazy with NPCs! I'm also stuck in your shoe, always GM-ing the games I want to play (Mostly, Dark Heresy, Rogue Trader, Only War) and since I'm the only one willing/intrested/knowledgable enough to run the games, I compensate by having major NPcs being my chracter ideas or building crazy schemes/plots/campaign to drop on my unsuspecting players. My current campaign's been going on for 3½ years, and the players are still asking for more.

Another solution would be to search online for a game tp join; it's less 'personnal' than face to face, but at least you'd be playing (myself managed to play a little bit by coaxing the guys in my 40k gaming group to GM Dark Heresy, as I usually run my campaign on mIRC)

   
Made in us
[MOD]
Solahma






RVA

Following on DaBoss's comments, perhaps you ought to get involved with G+ scene. There are plenty of people running online games who want players. I find the best inspiration for DMing is playing in someone else's game.

   
Made in gb
Dakka Veteran




Snake Mountain

I'm getting to that stage now, I run two gaming clubs for Warhammer Fantasy / 40k and various other gaming systems.

I started to run RPG's for people as I have the books and no one was interested in putting in the effort to be DM or to play without someone to teach them the rules. (same as everything else.)

I'm now well into my 3rd Deathwatch campaign, 2nd Black Crusade campaign, 2nd Rogue Trader campaign, 1st Only War and now I'm expected to run the Star Wars RPG's in the background of this.

I've never been anything but a DM when in reality all I want to do is play, even if it is just one game.

I've been dealing with it by breaking up my sessions as much as possible, keeping a week or two between games where possible if not more, as it gives me time to do other things, I also break it up by introducing new board games and other fun things to distract them for a session or two. (Board games are my other huge addiction )

When this last run comes to an end I will not be running anything for a long time, I've already had the argument with my club members and as unhappy as they are with this news, I feel no guilt in the matter as I'm a lot unhappier than they are and it's not the first time this has happened.

My logic is if you don't enjoy doing something then you are not going to be able to make it as enjoyable for anyone else.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2014/06/11 13:32:34


'I'm like a man with a fork, in a world of soup.'

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3DS Friend Code: Rysaer - 5129-0913-0659 
   
Made in us
[MOD]
Solahma






RVA

Rysaer, have you considered going to a convention? I know the UK Games Expo has tons of great GMs looking for players. Those same GMs are looking for players for online games, too.

   
Made in de
Joined the Military for Authentic Experience






Nuremberg

Yeah, conventions can be great places to meet other gamers and get a game organised. Our G+ game is a motely crew of friends from university, people I've met at conventions, and people my friends have met. We've got a pool of about 13 players and 4 potential GMs, and we run a game set around the trope of a "delver's guild" in Monte Cook's Ptolus setting. It's not the most deep or plot driven thing we've ever done, but everyone gets to play a lot more regularly and with a diverse group of people from across I think 5 time zones now.

If you want information on how we set it up and how it works, I'd be happy to provide it. I think a key to this sort of thing is being willing to either loan out your GM books to others so they don't have to stump up the cash (a barrier for many potential GMs of Fantasy Flight games, which are pretty book heavy) or picking a system that is free to play (Pathfinder/3.5 d'n'd, old school D'n'D and many others are examples here)

   
 
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