Why the fuck would anyone ever play a TTRPG when you can just GM instead? So much more freeing to determine the creative direction of the game yourself than to be shackled to someone else's.
sure ill bite. if your players are "shackled" to your game then you're not actually a very good GM.
>>98488823nuh uh.
>>98488823they/them tiefling bard detected
>>98488810Not everyone is a wannabe dictator.
>>98488980
>>98488810Are you aware that solo TTRPGs exist and have you played them?
>>98488810in the very slight chance this is a genuine questionthere are a number of things that one wouldn't want to deal with or could get burnt out on>prepping games is a load of work>running games is exhausting >organizational side of things, booking tables, finding players, arranging schedules and there are several reasons a GM who isn't burnt out might want to be a player from time to time>try out unfamiliar genres or games>check out other GMing styles>remind yourself what the game looks like from the players' perspective
I have this problem weirdly>playing in friends campaign>always have ideas how I would do things differently or notice little things that annoy me - eg friends pathfinder campaign where one nation has developed napoleonic era firearms but guns are unknown tech anywhere else>gm campaign >love designing worlds, nations, areas, settlements>create npc's that feel like living people>love creating "living" worlds where things go on in the background>don't just have railroaded plots, let the players explore and do what they want, enjoy knowing that I can because there's stuff going on in the background>enjoy watching my players have fun
>>98489074This is a good summary. There’s a number of games I want to give a try that are on the weird or artsy side, but I know I’d have to be the one running them if I wanted to experience them. It feels like making a full course meal just to try out one dish.
>>98489130this guy gets it.
>>98488810I like playing with my friends and I don't generally feel the need to grasp for a tiny speck of control in my life by managing a TTRPG
>>98489130>>98489245Stop being a judgmental faggot and learn to enjoy the game for what it is rather than as a creative outlet.
>>98489306>I don't generally feel the need to grasp for a tiny speck of control in my life by managing a TTRPGand yet you feel the need to control a character in a TTRPG. curious.
>>98489320Por que no los dos?
>>98488810>determine the creative direction of the gameYou're not a GM.
>>98489383>I am very smart.
>>98488810It's fun but it's tiring, I can play for 8 hours no probs, but I run out of creativity juices when I GM after 4 hours.
>>98489404what if we're playing in somebody else's setting (think an official setting) and MY interpretation of that setting is more authentic and valid that EVERYONE ELSE'S interpretation of that setting?
>>98489429You're leaning into the bait too hard here.
>>98488810Because you can play 5 different games at once but GMing 5 different games at once is a full time job.
>>98488810If you are only GMing because you desire uncontested control, you are in the wrong hobby for the wrong reasons.
>>98488810>he likes to sit in the chair and watch
>>98488810Sure
Think of it like throwing a party versus being invited to oneHosting a party you get to pick the venue, arrange the food, and get to make general choices about what people will do and who shows up. You enjoy the party and you get the satisfaction of knowing you set up an event people enjoyed.Attending parties is fun. Parties are supposed to be fun after all. Maybe it is less satisfying then hosting a party, but a good time is worth it.There are many reasons why people end up attending parties rather than hosting them inertia; they've never hosted a party and they don't know where to start, effort; hosting a party is more work than attending, scheduling; they are spending a lot of free time joining parties and so don't have enough time to host one, responsibility; if something goes wrong fixing it falls on you, and hosting requires skills that showing up doesn't.
>>98488810considering you need at least 2 players for every GM, but more realistically 3-5, theres an obvious reason for everyone as a whole to want to be a player rather than a GM then there would be no players
>>98489130You sound like you think wayyyyy more highly of your games than your players do.
