Older D&D/AD&D and Other SystemsThe forum for discussions specifically related to the rules and procedures of either any of the older editions of Dungeons & Dragons (1e, 2e, BECMI, OD&D) or any other non-D&D roleplaying rules (Vampire: The Requiem, Dread), including non-fantasy d20 systems (such as Mutants & Masterminds).
So, I've been running an SR4 campaign for three years now. We were all unemployed college students in between semesters, so when we first began, we met nearly every day. Later, we all got jobs, I got married, and other circumstances happened where we couldn't meet as often. We have two game sessions to go before we finish the final act of my campaign, and I have been thinking up a new D&D campaign. I made a FB group for records, as my group does with every game, and one player basically told me that he was sick of my style, which he believes is overpowered, and so was everybody else in the group, and that no matter what I say I will not convince him, or anybody else to join because they know it will be a high level campaign.
I'm sure I made some mistakes. For one, I found a group that would stick it out to the end, and so I made this the longest campaign I've ever done, but it likely went too long, and the players likely got fed up with their characters story. I've been DMing, and GMing for 16 years, and I've never had any problems before now. Anybody else run into this?
I was wondering: Any suggestions? I blew it with this group, but I would like the next one to feel more entertained than this one apparently felt. I legitimately thought that everybody was having as much fun as I was, but I was apparently mistaken.
What exactly is the complaint/problem? What you've outlined is not a lot to go on: one guy says everyone is sick of an "overpowered style" and they don't want to play a high-level campaign? So run a low-level campaign or a game that doesn't do overpowered (as easily) ? GURPS, HârnMaster, Aces & Eights, a D&D retroclone, Stars Without Number, etc.
Get someone else to run a short campaign before your next one
Get nicer players
Ask the players what they'd like to see run, then see if you can integrate that with your GM'ing style
Run shorter campaigns
Personally, I think more than a year or so is too long to be playing one campaign, especially if there are players who have only played one or two characters over that whole span. When I most recently began recruiting for my next campaign, I specifically said, "This should be a 3 to 6 month campaign, depending on circumstances." That way, my players know what they're getting themselves into and there's no pressure to keep playing for years if you're not having fun. Also, it's easier for me to pace the campaign and plan a clean and satisfying ending if I know it definitely WILL end at a certain point. As a GM, I find that far preferable to the open-ended "we'll play until the group gets sick of it and starts yelling at each other, or we party wipe, or someone moves away, or whatever" style of campaign.
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get one of the other guys in your group to run a game?
This worked for me in a similar situation. If the player(s) feels burned out with your style of running a game, then see if you can convince another member to start up a campaign. No two GMs are ever alike.
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You might try and get more information. If 'your style' is 'overpowered' this could mean a number of things. Maybe they want more crunch. Or more grit. Maybe they just want to be in more danger. 'Who is overpowered, and how' is missing here.
As the others said, burn out means change things up. Let someone else run, or failing that experiment with a new system. Maybe do a one shot or short campaign involving a completely different type of game.
Did you actually talk to the other players, or are you just taking this one person's word that he speaks for the entire group?
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