The responsibility of GMing

[xayah.]

Things can be morally wrong without deserving prison time or a public execution. No you shouldn't be stoned in the street because you ghosted your own project, but it's nasty business. The captain goes down with the ship.

What does this even mean in the context of roleplaying… the GM goes down with the RP?? If they’re ending their own roleplay, they kinda went down with the ship no? Why are you acting like a roleplay can never be rebooted, reworked, IMPROVED upon, once the GM decides to come back to it? It’s not morally wrong in the slightest.

 

[Jet]

What does this even mean in the context of roleplaying… the GM goes down with the RP?? If they’re ending their own roleplay, they kinda went down with the ship no? Why are you acting like a roleplay can never be rebooted, reworked, IMPROVED upon, once the GM decides to come back to it? It’s not morally wrong in the slightest.

Okay

 

[WhiskeyMarten]

 

[ravensunset]

Hand waving it as a hobby devalues what it is. It's a time sink of effort, planning, emotional cache, plot development, socializing and more. A GM quitting destroys all of that.

If you think that's totally fine? Well there's nothing more I can say. However that doesn't change the reality of what it is.

Some of my hobbies take time, effort, planning, emotional cache, socializing, and more. They're still hobbies. They're important to me, and also they're things I do for my enjoyment and happiness. A GM quitting does not undo the writing you've done or connections you've built. Does it suck? Yeah, it sucks. I hate when rps end bc of ghosting, it's frustrating and demotivating to me, but it doesn't mean the other person did something wrong or should've continued a part of the hobby that was no longer good for them.​

 

[Jet]

Some of my hobbies take time, effort, planning, emotional cache, socializing, and more. They're still hobbies. They're important to me, but they're things I do for my enjoyment and happiness. A GM quitting does not undo the writing you've done or connections you've built. Does it suck? Yeah, it sucks. I hate when rps end bc of ghosting, it's frustrating and demotivating to me, but it doesn't mean the other person did something wrong or should've continued a part of the hobby that was no longer good for them.​

Those hobbies don't connect to others though. If you like art and decide to stop painting a scene, you're only impacting yourself.

As a GM, if you quit, you cause frustration, demoralization, sadness, emptiness etc, along with truncating any plans they had, and prematurely ending their progress. Those emotions can hit a cast as large as 10, 15 or 20 people.

So if you're reason isn't strong, yeah man, it's messed up. If you're not having fun then do something to change it, you're the GM you have complete creative control.

In this community's attempt to empathize and understand everyone, and be overly nice, we often overlook poor behavior. Many GMs make RPs based on short term cravings, draw in a dozen people with false promises, and the second things get tough or bore them, they scurry off. They simply lack the awareness, or empathy, to give a shit about the people they're screwing over.

They call me a madman!

 

[mother of sorrows]

i leave the vampire superhero university (always open) rp i made. im instantly struck down by my own moral failing and spend the rest of my days stricken with endless guilt. my players characters (jake/18/half werewolf/eyes turn red when angry/bullied) taunt me for as long as i live.

genuinely though? I dont think thats the healthiest way to think about gming. some people really just dont care that deeply about it and thats fine. its very rare ive ever even seen a grp go past 6 posts on rpn, but some do go on to finish. we arent planning to be dostovesky - even if a rp dies, there's usually something to learn from that.

 

[ravensunset]

Those hobbies don't connect to others though. If you like art and decide to stop painting a scene, you're only impacting yourself.

As a GM, if you quit, you cause frustration, demoralization, sadness, emptiness etc, along with truncating any plans they had, and prematurely ending their progress. Those emotions can hit a cast as large as 10, 15 or 20 people.

So if you're reason isn't strong, yeah man, it's messed up. If you're not having fun then do something to change it, you're the GM you have complete creative control.

In this community's attempt to empathize and understand everyone, and be overly nice, we often overlook poor behavior. Many GMs make RPs based on short term cravings, draw in a dozen people with false promises, and the second things get tough or bore them, they scurry off. They simply lack the awareness, or empathy, to give a shit about the people they're screwing over.

They call me a madman!

Some of them do connect to others! Yeah, like I said, it will emotionally affect the players and it sucks, but... sometimes that just is what it is. Unless you're paying the GM, you've signed up to participate in a hobby.

I suppose the thing here is that I view no longer wanting to continue as a strong reason. I don't want my DM to burn out on now much less passionate posts they don't want to make just because they feel obligated to.

I think a lot of the arguments here seem... out of touch, at best. The GM isn't screwing you over, like, your life is still fine, it's just frustrating and upsetting for a little. They didn't ruin your writing or anything. Something affecting other people doesn't make it a job, and writers giving you their time and effort is not like, a real useable resource or payment.
​

 

[Jet]

i leave the vampire superhero university (always open) rp i made. im instantly struck down by my own moral failing and spend the rest of my days stricken with endless guilt. my players characters (jake/18/half werewolf/eyes turn red when angry/bullied) taunt me for as long as i live.

genuinely though? I dont think thats the healthiest way to think about gming. some people really just dont care that deeply about it and thats fine. its very rare ive ever even seen a grp go past 6 posts on rpn, but some do go on to finish. we arent planning to be dostovesky - even if a rp dies, there's usually something to learn from that.

The last one I ran went for 18 months. We hit 41 pages with over 300k words. That entire thing was riding on my back. There were many times I didn't feel like continuing. Moments when I had severe writers block, an extremely busy life, mental exhaustion, boredom etc.

However I continued because I felt responsible to my members. They'd given me so much time and effort, countless hours they'd never get back, all on my stupid little fantasy idea about a magic well. How could I stomp on their contributions when they'd given me so much?

Unfortunately things went south in that RP. Internal issues I'd rather not explore here. But I'm eternally grateful for the contributions of everyone, even the ones I'm not friends with anymore.

They'd contributed to the lore, written NPCs, helped run arcs, had personal plots they wanted to see through. How could I look at them and say, "Meh I'm bored," and poof away?

So when I see other GMs flippantly abandon their own projects, I can't help but judge them. Now do I think they're evil? No. I think most GMs aren't fully prepared for the many stresses that come with the territory. I think those people need to be more honest with themselves about what it takes to run one of these projects. I think they need to look past instant gratification and at the bigger picture, and yes, at their responsibility to their members.

As a GM you're selling them on a promise after all.

 

[weldherwings]

 

[Jet]

View attachment 1046575

Literally though. Shits not even a joke with the big ones

I'm doing medium sized ones these days, more manageable. But ones with 20+

Ain't no way bro. Gf would decapitate me.

 

[Jet]

View attachment 1046576

Or maybe I just agree with the meme. Try running a RP with 25 members. You either treat it like a job or it dies.

 

[weldherwings]

Or maybe I just agree with the meme. Try running a RP with 25 members. You either treat it like a job or it dies.

I’m not getting paid to rp so it’s not a job. What youre describing is an unpaid internship

 

[Jet]

Doesn't really matter how many people swarm my replies here. You're the same people roasting ghosters in other threads. Ask yourself why your opinion changes from that point to this point, even though the action is not only the same, but even worse?

Until I get a good explanation, I'll sit here vibing because none of it makes sense. You're the hive mind in action.

 

[Sear]

The last one I ran went for 18 months. We hit 41 pages with over 300k words. That entire thing was riding on my back. There were many times I didn't feel like continuing. Moments when I had severe writers block, an extremely busy life, mental exhaustion, boredom etc.

However I continued because I felt responsible to my members. They'd given me so much time and effort, countless hours they'd never get back, all on my stupid little fantasy idea about a magic well. How could I stomp on their contributions when they'd given me so much?

Unfortunately things went south in that RP. Internal issues I'd rather not explore here. But I'm eternally grateful for the contributions of everyone, even the ones I'm not friends with anymore.

They'd contributed to the lore, written NPCs, helped run arcs, had personal plots they wanted to see through. How could I look at them and say, "Meh I'm bored," and poof away?

So when I see other GMs flippantly abandon their own projects, I can't help but judge them. Now do I think they're evil? No. I think most GMs aren't fully prepared for the many stresses that come with the territory. I think those people need to be more honest with themselves about what it takes to run one of these projects. I think they need to look past instant gratification and at the bigger picture, and yes, at their responsibility to their members.

As a GM you're selling them on a promise after all.

are you by any chance a business major? xD a lot of what you're saying seems to be focused around honestly making roleplay a transaction. a promise. a debt. but the gms aren't being paid so expecting them to commit if they are no longer passionate/interested or overwhelmed or for whatever reason is honestly unfair. it is not a job. it's literally volunteer work at BEST.

which obviously I might be misunderstanding lol, and do feel free to correct me if i'm wrong, but roleplay isn't supposed to be this serious? for a lot of folk on here it is a hobby, gm or not, and saying that it is a hobby doesn't undermine it's value. a hobby can be something you pour hours into but still only do it for pleasure. this is a lot of pressure however for something people do as a pleasure thing. forcing yourself through burnout? issues? like, roleplay shouldn't take priority over a gms or a players health and life. if it is, that is hella unhealthy.

 

[mother of sorrows]

listen. with all due respect, the effort you put into gming is applaud worthy and i wish you all the luck with your rps. its amazing how long they have ran for. but nobody ever disagreed with your point that it sucks when a gm leaves or ghosts - it does. but a gm doesn't owe anybody anything, because they do not.

ill be honest i dont care to change your mind on that. you have the right to feel as you do. but please for the love of god dont preach about moral obligation and personal responsibility on a roleplay site. i promise you most people know right from wrong, know what obligation and responsibility is, know what putting effort in is - some people on this site are nurses, doctors, first responders. some have children. some have fought for the right to even get an education. some have their entire family relying on them financially.

most people know what obligation is. they simply feel none for a roleplay they run in their spare time. its as simple as that.

 

[Jet]

listen. with all due respect, the effort you put into gming is applaud worthy and i wish you all the luck with your rps. its amazing how long they have ran for. but nobody ever disagreed with your point that it sucks when a gm leaves or ghosts - it does. but a gm doesn't owe anybody anything, because they do not.

ill be honest i dont care to change your mind on that. you have the right to feel as you do. but please for the love of god dont preach about moral obligation and personal responsibility on a roleplay site. i promise you most people know right from wrong, know what obligation and responsibility is, know what putting effort in is - some people on this site are nurses, doctors, first responders. some have children. some have fought for the right to even get an education. some have their entire family relying on them financially.

most people know what obligation is. they simply feel none for a roleplay they run in their spare time. its as simple as that.

If you can absorb hours upon hours of people's work, and then throw it away, because you feel no obligation to return that effort, then I just...

Sheeeeesh

 

[mother of sorrows]

yeah i dont. i truly dont. now since you're the one who started this debate in the first place, you might as well respond to rest of what i said.

 

[Jet]

are you by any chance a business major? xD a lot of what you're saying seems to be focused around honestly making roleplay a transaction. a promise. a debt. but the gms aren't being paid so expecting them to commit if they are no longer passionate/interested or overwhelmed or for whatever reason is honestly unfair. it is not a job. it's literally volunteer work at BEST.

which obviously I might be misunderstanding lol, and do feel free to correct me if i'm wrong, but roleplay isn't supposed to be this serious? for a lot of folk on here it is a hobby, gm or not, and saying that it is a hobby doesn't undermine it's value. a hobby can be something you pour hours into but still only do it for pleasure. this is a lot of pressure however for something people do as a pleasure thing. forcing yourself through burnout? issues? like, roleplay shouldn't take priority over a gms or a players health and life. if it is, that is hella unhealthy.

RP has historically been quite serious on this website. What's ironic is the public perception of ghosters. Search up "Ghost" in the discussion threads. I'd bet money that some of the people in here clowning me, are in those threads condemning ghosters as "dishonest, bad people."

Whats even more fascinating is that in my last big RPN debate, I was defending ghosters. I was saying that non-confrontational people may not message when they leave, and to show them empathy.

Whats absolutely insane is how everyone was arguing against me and condemning ghosters. It's actually wild the more I think about it.

Ghosters = bad because they abandon RPs, damage projects, are dishonest and misleading.

GM Ghosters = How dare you criticize them!

Until someone explains this, I'll continue to be extremely confused. I've seen some of you roast ghosters before. Is irony such a lost art?

 

[Jet]

yeah i dont. i truly dont. now since you're the one who started this debate in the first place, you might as well respond to rest of what i said.

I think this explains everything. I'm satisfied. Have a good night.

 

[weldherwings]

yeah i dont. i truly dont. now since you're the one who started this debate in the first place, you might as well respond to rest of what i said.

they can absorb your post, and only selects one part of your message to respond to because they feel no obligation to return the effort? sheeeeesh imagine that

 

[qunqun]

I think it’s more the complete and total lack of empathy you’re showing here.

Ghosting is annoying because a person leaves without saying shit.

A GM leaving because they have a life is at least communicating and telling people what’s up.

If it really bothers you that much tbh then you can just grab the ppl you fuck with and just do a smaller group it’s not that deep

 

[Jet]

I think it’s more the complete and total lack of empathy you’re showing here.

Ghosting is annoying because a person leaves without saying shit.

A GM leaving because they have a life is at least communicating and telling people what’s up.

If it really bothers you that much tbh then you can just grab the ppl you fuck with and just do a smaller group it’s not that deep

Re-read my initial post. I provided several exceptions to my "rules" so to speak.

 

[Onmyoji]

Unhelpful comments and memes do not contribute to discussion.

It was already clear that there is conflicting range of opinions and it's unlikey any of the participants will be convinced in the opposite.

The thread will be locked.