5 Game Master lessons I wish I’d learned earlier
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- čas přidán 30. 06. 2024
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▼ INDEX ▼
0:00 Intro
0:58 Let go of control
2:45 Control is relative
4:26 Sponsored by World Anvil!
6:20 Listen to players
9:25 You're on the same team
11:15 No D&D is better than bad D&D
When I started GMing my first Dungeons & Dragons game in 2019, I had no idea what I was doing. If I could go back in time and teach my past self some essential Game Master lessons to make my first D&D game better, here's the advice I'd give her!
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Best advertisement they've ever had. Sponsorship extremely well spent.
Seriously, @Ginny Di. I really don't want you to stop doing these videos, but contracting your sponsorship advertising out to other relevant CZcamsrs could be a legitimate business venture to explore. I'd love to see you making your living doing things you really enjoy.
I am already making my living doing things I enjoy!
hi, do you stream any of your games?
Is the potion ready
Past Ginny using a cell while Present Ginny is using the archaic landline. There's a metaphor here somewhere.
The message is: I spent the last few years really committing to an aesthetic 😂
@@GinnyDi It's a beautiful aesthetic though! Worth it.
It's none of your danged business what I metaphor! That's between her and me!
The English language is a fun playground for puns.
@@MonkeyJedi99 what I metaphor? I've never met 'er in my life!
Thank you!
The "no d&d is better than bad d&d" part really hits home. Just had to leave a game that I just couldn't be a part of anymore. It's hard but it's worth it! Especially to prevent myself from falling out of love with the hobby
Good relationship advice too, really.
Our group splintered into two (hubby and I play in both) and one guy so far has quit altogether.
I feel that, I'm kind of in the struggle bus with my current game if I wanna keep running...I've run 3 other games with this group and each one has fell flat because I just stop caring.
K we kicked you out our group for looking at the monster manual for creatures HP
I almost did fall out of the hobby and I did for a good couple of months, but I made the right choice in leaving the game bc I was burnt out and it was affecting my friendship with the DM and other players. I’m about to join a new campaign next Monday!!
"Guess what their feedback is, assume it's negative, internalize the idea they hate your game and feel trapped by it, and then develop a feeling of deep insecurity around that" is incredible advice. I knew I was on the right path this whole time :)
It's the most succinct explanation of the new-DM experience I've ever heard
Applies to every corner of my life
This is the way.
hahaha 😅 I feel that ...
The best part about that advice is that's what I was going to do anyway.
"Real events sometimes make for shitty stories," reminds me of Christopher Walken's line in the movie "Man of the Year": "The difference between reality and fiction is that fiction has to be credible."
I like Twain's version better. “It's no wonder that truth is stranger than fiction. Fiction has to make sense.”
OK, I have been doing this (GMing) for over 40 years, and this is some of the best beginner advice I have ever seen. _Especially_ the part about letting go, which, trust me, you should also do in your real life.
I would add only a single piece of advice: you don't have to make tough decisions for your NPCs, or the world, or supernatural events. Instead, if you don't know for sure what is the 'correct' decision for an external force that the players are dealing with, just figure out what the options are, and then roll the dice to find out which action gets taken. It takes tons of stress off your shoulders and gets you back into that impartial referee zone that one needs to be in for deciding these sorts of things.
Excellent work, Ms. Di. I hope your players, friends, and family are proud of you. They should be.
I second this, as a player/DM of 40 years as well. Ok, 39.
"Start learning Latin" was probably the most creative "future weird advice" of the whole pandemic. Thank you for that line alone.
(Also, big thanks for the last tip!)
"But what if they don't give me feedback?"
"Assume it's negative, internalise the idea that they hate your game and feel trapped by it, and then develop a feeling of deep insecurity around that."
I felt this in my soul.
Jesus! I just wrapped up my first one-shot as a DM, and I felt this in my very soul.
"No D&D is better than bad D&D is the MOST important thing on here for me.
This game is awesome, but sometimes it just doesn't work out. Whether it's just different styles, or problem players, or whatever. If you're not having a good time, there is point where the best solution for everyone at the table is to simply walk away.
* Doesn't need to be everyone. Do what's right for you.
Absolutely love how this video is formatted so it’s not just giving tips to a camera! Another video out of the park Ginny!
"You're 30 and food hurts you."
I don't think I've ever felt more called out.
Oh thank the forge you're back! My doctor was about to diagnosis me with a Vitamin Di Deficiency
HAHAHA
@@GinnyDi are there going to be videos or anything about your castle sessions?
Yes! I'm working on a full video about my experience at D&D in a Castle.
@@GinnyDi Fantastic!
That's clever.
Ginny, I just want to let you know I'm REALLY enjoying the presentation and production level of your recent videos. The new background and transitions all work great, the scripts are tight, the delivery is charming as always, you're quick to jump in and quick to send viewers to something specifically relevant rather than just saying "hey, here's what I did last time." It's all working really well. ❤
Thank you so much, Emily!! I've been working really hard on my scripts and outlines and I'm happy to hear it's paying off!!
My rule of thumb as aDM: I control the plot, my players control the story. Learning the difference between the two is the secret to being a good DM, and you absolutely nailed this with your first two points.
"Your players are on your side."
Some day, I hope to DM for a group that is like this. For me it has always been, "Your players get joy from ruining any plans you may have and frustrating your efforts."
I would like to direct you to tip 5, then 😅
There is a great video titled "If you do any of these 10 things, DON'T become a DM". Obviously you shouldn't take it literally, but it's a great guideline! One of the tips in that video is that your job as the DM is to put obstacles in your player's way. Players will break things, and that's okay, it's your job to challenge them so that they could overcome those challenges. Anyway, if you have the time and wish to improve your DMing skills, I highly recommend that video, it was very insightful.
I refuse to believe anything other than that Ginny *actually had recorded the “past” footage back in 2019* and had the script for “future/2022” Ginny written in response to said footage.
A one-person comedy crew! Love this so much, Ginny!
She invokes duplicity.
My, these videos are so amusing. They almost always put a smile on my face! (and not in a creepy Joker kind of way)
Also, the metaphor I usually use for amount of DM control is; a hiking trail through a wooded park. You don't want to put the players on railroad tracks, and you don't want to dump them in a thick woods in the middle of nowhere either. With the hiking path they can choose to; follow the path (easiest travel & no chance of getting lost), plunge into the trees to explore (harder travel & risk of getting lost), or travel among the trees - but keep the path in sight. (harder travel, but no risk of getting lost)
They get to choose what KIND of "hike" they want to go on & will be most enjoyable for them.
Totally great advice. Too many games are polarized to the extreme of "this is what's happening, get on board" and "I want you guys to do whatever you want, so please start doing stuff."
At the first extreme, there's no room for player agency and you feel like you don't need to be there for the game to play out the way the DM wants.
At the other end, there's no hook to hang your hat on.
I love this path-through-the-park adage. "Guys, there's stuff over there and there's a clear path to it. But there's also this big, beautiful park that you can enjoy. No pressure."
And just like most state parks and the like will have a few strict rules (stay out of this wetland area, don't interact with wildlife, etc.), it's okay if sometimes you say "hey, this is not a story direction we're gonna go" or "no, you just can't do that"
“No DnD is better than bad DnD” is a rule that applies to all ttrpg games and watching this reminded me of that. I’ve been in several games where I wasn’t really feeling it but stayed b/c I didn’t think I was gonna get my rp fix otherwise; big mistake. Don’t be afraid to drop out or leave a campaign/group if you aren’t feeling it. Talking about issues is good but even if it’s something as simple as not vibing with some of the players, it’s a valid reason and you shouldn’t beat yourself up over it. Do not subject yourself to a rp game if your heart isn’t in it, you will regret it!
This is why I'm still not playing - no one said that finding decent people to play with would be so difficult 😢
Well said.
I just left my brothers campaign because of that. It was fun at the beginning. Then things started coming up that started putting me off and making me uncomfortable. Then it changed where all I felt I was doing when i was engaged in the game was argue my point and that it was never good enough for the others playing. They would push in game planning to me and my sister and then say 'I dont want to do that' and offer no other options. Then if they did have an opinion or plan for something and we didn't agree we were the bad guys and spent almost hours arguing.
Then when I finally started voicing what I was dealing with it was 'all on me for not saying anything sooner. Or Thats how we play, you should have known before joining' I felt attached and betrayed that family and close friends couldn't understand what I was dealing with or try to adjust some things, I tried to play their way but thats not my play style.
After leaving I feel better, less stressed and frustrated in general.
@@3nertia It is, but you will find a group that you vibe with in time.
Unless you live in Wyoming and the D&D groups are few and far between
I really like the implication that 2019 Ginny apparently put 2022 Ginny in her phone as "Future Ginny" and then was surprised that they called?
Centrelink, Australia's welfare department, shows up as such on my phone without me having labeled it. This feature is available must have become available to the average person 😉😂
@@greatauntlizbethg9137 It's like that U2 album all over again!
I might have mentioned this before. But I follow lots of youtubers and I always skip through their sponsor segments. But not you. Your sponsor segments are amazing and I love them. I actually look forward to them :-)
I like the idea of the stars and wishes. Feedback can be tough. And the imposter syndrome is /real/
One thing I've always tried to do with my games is offering something at the end for positive feedback about the other players. You could reward Inspiration for the next session that way. Basically, I ask them to nominate their favorite moments or actions by other characters. It helps build community at the table AND gives feedback.
It took my players and I about 4-6 sessions to really work out what kind of game that "we" wanted. Now we play a heavy combat Witcher syle RPG game and now the game is always an exciting highlight reel for the discord conversations later.
This video released at the perfect time! I’m DMing my first campaign, and we’re having session zero on Sunday.
Wonderful! Despite everything, us DMs generally love it- and so will you 🙂
Thank you so much! ☺️
@@tsifirakiehl4250 Best of luck!
Good luck! I hope your Session Zero was positive and productive, and that the rest of your campaign goes swimmingly. Have fun :)
How did it go? 🙂
I think as long as our 2019 self would be proud of our 2022 self, we did a pretty good job :) to the future of d&d! 🥂
But… would your 1981 (just graduated from high school) self be proud of your 2022 self, or think of you as a sellout?
@@valiroime well seeing as I wasn't born yet, I think I'm doing pretty good 😂
Ginny you've always been good at this YT thing and giving dnd tips but allow me to say it really shows how much you've grown as a DM, communicator, actress, video-maker, writer, and in all honesty, I think even as a person. Just wanna tell ya how much I 'preciate your content, for real. Kudos for another great vid! Rossana-
These are my favorite videos. Emotional intelligence is HARD and demands vulnerability. You do a great job of breaking down complex ideas, thank you!
"No D&D is better than Bad D&D" is also something I wish I'd learned early... would have saved me a lot as both a player and a DM.
about to dm for 6 teenagers ONLINE... I'm terrified haha. This video is super helpful and at the perfect time!
I've been DMing for 3 years now, number one advice I would give is relax, communicate, and make sure that YOU are having fun
Good luck!!
Online is tough. If you're using video, you can always include handraising to make sure that less outgoing players don't get stomped by more outgoing ones. If you're audio only, do check-ins and consider instituting a pause or text-message system to do the same. =)
Don't worry, DMing for children is a lot more fun than with adults who behave like 10-year olds.
I really like how Ginny manages to present her content in a unique way. I don't think I've ever seen a DnD video framed as a phone call with one's future self. It's engaging and... well, fun.
STARS AND WISHES?!!? I'm stealing that for the game I'm going to run for my wife and her friends. NONE of them would want to think they're hurting my feelings by giving (constructive) feedback, but the Stars and Wishes system will get them to express themselves more easily! Thanks, Ginny! =D
No D&D is better than Bad D&D is the best advise, it took over a decade of looking to find a good table and now I'm lucky enough to have a few groups and all the good DMs I've had do at least some of these things. These tips are all great, for me letting go of control was hard but something my players got me to do FAST and it has led to the most fun sessions.
I definitely have learned to embrace the chaos, lol. But I did have to reassess when I got overwhelmed by how much I was DMing two years ago. I had to take a step back and make the decision to play less. Once I was less stressed, I could enjoy playing again. And the biggest thing I learned is if your players care about you, they'll understand and support you.
thank you! this is helpful. I've been gm'ing a pathfinder game for just over a year now.
Trust me, real world experiences are often so weird that players you tell them to will refer to them as unbelievable if they occurred in a game setting.
My personal favorite was the security measures taken among one of the top 500 companies worldwide to access the server room of their company's HQ.
Access cards to even open the front gate; signing in at the front desk; a retina and fingerprint scanner at the door plus a keycard AND keypad.
Plus a small jury-rigged wire and a plastic button soldered to the wire which circumvents all the security and buzzes open the entry door to the server room. Reason: the security had so many false positives alarms that often even the top level admins couldn't open the door. Until some engineers just opened the security box housing the scanners, drilled a whole through the casing, and fed this wiring through it.
Happened in real life. When I presented this exact setup during a Shadowrun to my players they looked at me in full disbelief. One even said that this was not believable.
I had to disabuse him of that notion.😂😂😂
I just ran my 1st session this week and have been SO down on myself. I needed to hear all this. Thanks for the help and reassurance 💙
yeah, I remember when I started DMing my first campaign there was a ton of content that pushed "don't plan your sessions!" which was misleading (for me at least). It was a flop of a campaign that lasted longer than it should have. I think what you've said where you prepare the NPC's and areas, and understand how the PC's actions will cause reactions is really where the good games come from.
Good advice
It’s hard to balance sometimes but it’s all about having fun
I love that the future Ginny is using a corded landline.
Ginny's conversations with Ginny are the highlight of my week.
Also, does anyone else find it hilarious that Past Ginny is on a smartphone and Present Ginny is on a landline?
Time phones follow Matrix rules. It is known.
I love how you filmed this!!! I’m always in awe of your creativity ginny 💖💖💖
Thank you for these tips! And this was also a really good/clever video. I liked that you were giving advice to your past self
I love this channel, there is always so much enthusiasm and creativity put into each video!
I’ve been binging these tutorials and I have to say that yours have so much useful information stated so succinctly. It makes them really helpful and easy to enjoy! Thanks!!!
This was very well done and it's great advice. As both a long time player and a long time DM, it's still good to hear some of these things and get reminded of them. I just found your channel and this cemented it, I'm subscribed
This was so good! I wasn't sure about the format at first, but by the end it was like chatting on the phone with a friend. Great video!
all your dm videos have been sooooo useful! i watched them just over a year ago when I was preparing my first game! just finished our 20th session of the main homebrew im running - thank you!
Thank you for this video, I'm first time DM'ing for my friends and this really boosted my confidence
yayyyyy!! glad to see you still making awesome content with amazing quality. Keep it up!!
I love how much use that pink phone prop is getting.
Your DM videos are fantastic. Thanks for putting so much effort into these quality videos. 😄👌
The advice is good and the cuts and stuff are great.
Awesome video.
Really loved the concept of this video, so creative and fun! and the tips are a+ thank you for sharing ❤
I'll be 46 this year, and the Tums and Latin are VERY relevant to me! (I need antacids on-hand at all times, and I learned Latin starting 24 years ago and have never regretted it! I'm not fluent by any means, but it sure is fun to know a relentlessly regular language like Latin!)
Loveee this video. So insightful and everything I wish i would have known when I started! Amazing job, Ginny!
Yes. This was the video we all needed today. Well done Ginny.
This has been super helpful!!! 🤩🤩🤩 gearing up for my first time DMing soon ☺️☺️☺️
This was full of insightful, helpful tips, and presented in a very fun, clever way! Bravo!
This is your best video yet and came out exactly when I needed it!!! I’m not a new DM but needed alittle affirmation.
As a new DM nearly 10 months into our campaign, I love watching your videos! They’re always so insightful and have greatly improved how I run my games!
I just want to thank you, im getting very into d&d and have been working on my first campaign. Your videos have been very helpful and I appreciate that!
Really well done on the dye jobs between past and present you! Funny detail
Ginny, you are really good in what you are doing! I admire the way your scripts are coherent and your creativity used in it.
Another wonderful video, witty, funny and informative. I know I had the exact same issues when I started out DMing a campaign for some online friends. This is the kind of info that really helps, great work Ginny. 👍
I agree with the lessons Ginny Di learned. It also shows in the channel content. As time goes on the channel advice is more insightful and easier to understand. Keep up the good work.
I can say with 100% confidence that this is pretty accurate and good advice. You definitely touch on all of the important points. You even threw in a online resource for world-building thank you for going above and beyond
Your videos are the most helpful ones out here. You make DMing - and role playing games in general - feel less opaque and privileged. I get so much inspiration from your advice!
This is, as always, excellent advice produced in an entertaining and creative way. Ginny is the best and should never stop being her past, present, or future self!
Thank you for these DM tip videos from a a new DM prospective. I am starting out on my DM journey and these videos has help me better prepare. Thanks Ginny!!!
Realizing you first started DMing so (comparatively) recently is a huge boost for me! I'm running several campaigns in a row as a rather new DM, only two other games under my belt, and the most common advice is just that practice makes perfect so it's a real boost to know that you've gained so much knowledge and incredibly helpful tips in just a few years!
Some of the best DM advice I have ever heard made very concise and well explained.
I loved this format of you talking to yourself ! very engaging and fun
The last twist of the video was very clever and brightened up my day ☺ thank you!
This is actually really inspiring and helpful. Thank you.
just wanted to say that I really appreciate all the work you put into videos and they are incredibly helpful!!! I ALWAYS recommend your videos if someone I know is thinking of dming or wants advice. No matter what other people say, you are amazing and gorgeous and your videos are so helpful and funny and I always love your ad breaks!!!!
I doscovered your channel last week and it's an amazing one! Even the ads are funny!!!
Watching your journey has been really incredible.
LOVE the advice about the stars and wishes. Also the last bit with the future phone call was a nice, unexpected touch. :)
Great vid and great advice. About to run a session from another system and I needed to hear this.
Creative and concise. Great video
That final really caught me up, lol. Despite that, I think the tips are really good to new masters and I will share this video to my friends who could desire to start a session in the future for the first time, while I find the suggestion about the feedback system very functional and I'll try it for sure, because I've still problem with feedbacks.
Nice video overall!
I just found your channel. I love your sponsor segments (surprisingly, I usually hate those in videos). I love the outfits and character make up and all the effort you put in to make the sponsor segments actually entertaining. It's so fun to watch. ♡
This is great advice and I love the concept of this video!
I have to assume that you must constantly question whether or not the time you put into your commercials is worth it. And I can honestly say that your channel is the only one that I actually watch the commercials in.
Great tips. Especially the "No D&D is better than bad D&D." So real.
Such a cool video! Good job Ginny!
Thank you so very much for this! I appreciate your time I'm this!
ginny! this could not have come at a more opportune time. i’ve been thinking of taking a crack at DMing for my friends and i’ve been so worried with prepping WAAAAY ahead of our actual start. the whole “type A overthinking control freak” bit hit hard LMAO. thank you for the good content always! 💚
So cool video! Great touch on phone call to the past you!
Amazing advice and well told!
Im DMing for the first time and honestly, Im feeling really good, luckly my players are all amazing!!! I think I found the balance between preparation and improvisation from the get go! My only real dificulty has been with the encounter balance!!
Definitely a great video that I needed to watch as I prepare my own Disney Fairy Tale campaign. The 2 points about control are something I struggle with a bit still because I'm so used to mediums like film with a very controlled narrative.
This video is incredible. Thank you, Ginny!
Two minutes and I literally paused and started a document for notes cause this is crazy good advice that made me see my dming totally differently
As a DM and Player, my favorite part of every session is Stars and Wants. Once I was introduced to it, it changed the way I played DnD and boost my confidence in both roles.
You're so mean to past you! Love the video. Starting a new campaign soon and every time I do it gets a little better. We keep learning!
I like asking my players questions about what they thought of various specific parts of the session as well as how they think I can improve places that fell flat. It’s great to get the specific feedback on places I can try to work with and places that I need to emphasize and add more of.
My players also give me ideas for things like backstory arcs and ways they want things to happen and playing off of those or incorporating them is amazing for engagement and making the game personal for everyone
Also, I used to be so so impressed upon hearing that a friend at the time had a session that lasted a month. Now I’m dming and going on about five months on my campaign and I’m so proud of it
Hello Ginny Di, I just have to say that your videos are incredibly entertaining, I love your sketches, but beyond that I love your tips. I used to play D&D back in high school in the 90s (yes I'm that old), then played during the 2000's and then became an "adult" and life just didn't let me have time for D&D (or people who would like to play), this year I met a lot of people who want to play either for the first time or just for nostalgia so I made a comeback and got the 5e books and the Starter Kit, I started playing with totally noob players (using the Starter kit) an although the Starter Kit's adventure is not the best it has been enough for my players to want more, It's only been a month and they seem to like D&D enough to want to play every weekend so I'm feeling pretty good about it.
Although I had the experience from those old day's I've been catching up by watching all different type of D&D and TTRPG content creators and I have to say that your channel is the best for my type of game, although I'm not a good "role player" (the acting and voices) and I mostly use third person type of descriptions but my players seem to enjoy it.
I just want to say, thank you so much for helping everybody have fun with D&D.
There's some really useful advice in here! I also love the subtle switching of the phone between points 📞
I remember hearing about the D&D castle thing, and noticing you were one of the DMs. Sounds like something I'd love to take part in. 😊
As someone who’s been a DM for aaaaaages this gave me some really useful tips! Especially “Stars and Wishes”! I’m definitely gonna use that when our campaign starts up again, thanks for a great video!