I've recently decided (well, was convinced) to make my second foray into Dungeon Mastering (DMing) AD&D sessions (of which, it is hoped,
aberkok will be a part).
My first time at the helm went for a few sessions before fizzling out. A postmortem may have revealed the following issues:
- The campaign was missing too many details.
- I was unorganized.
- I didn't have a firm enough grasp of the rules/system.
- Players became distracted--they joked around, and easily became unfocussed.
- Unsure of what to do regarding players who couldn't make it to a session, which, as adults, happens often enough.
- Overall, the players may not have been invested enough in the campaign.
I know there are a few players on TFP. I would like to get your feedback and tips on what the "best practices" are regarding running a focussed, efficient, yet enjoyable campaign. I know the
Dungeon Masters Guide touches on this, but it would help to have feedback from players and current or former DMs.
I will likely be starting a campaign from scratch. Most of what entices me about DMing is the creative aspect. So I would like to hear about everything: the world, running game mechanics, quick tips on session logistics, being a good host, etc.
What are your best experiences? How were they pulled off?
NOTE: I will be running version 3.5 indefinitely.