Seriously, @Ginny Di. I really don't want you to stop doing these videos, but contracting your sponsorship advertising out to other relevant TH-camrs could be a legitimate business venture to explore. I'd love to see you making your living doing things you really enjoy.
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
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.
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!!
"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."
"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 :)
"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.
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.
"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.
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.
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. ❤
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"
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.
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 :-)
“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!
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.
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.
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.
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. =)
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
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.
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.😂😂😂
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'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!)
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
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.
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!!!
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!!
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!
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!
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! 💚
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.
That last tip is so true. I stepped away from a game with people I’m friends with as I just want different things from my games. So now I’m in some difference games and things are awesome.
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.
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.
Important item is in the tavern but players search the library? Have a clue in the library that points them toward the tavern, let them find the clue easily. Maybe have a small benny for them in the library as well as a reward, possibly an extra plot hook they would not normally get?
YOOOO Finally, someone else with a complete feedback system! I've been using Rose/Bud/Thorn/Appreciations in my game, and its done WONDERS for players confidence and how I run my game. Rose: Something the player loved, Bud: something they are looking forward to/Something they wanted to see expanded more, Thorn: something they wish was different/actual feedback, Appreciation: At the beginning of each game, I randomly assign everyone a player to keep an eye on and at the end, they say something that they noticed during the session. Could be roleplay, combat prowess, a little quirk, etc. A system like this does so much to the benfit of your game; my players have bought up stuff I'd never even thought of as potential pitfalls, capitalized on Roleplay moments because of APs, and said fantastic things about my game without me having to be like "iS eVeRy OnE HaViNg FuN?!?! Like a crazy person.
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!
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!
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!
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!
i really liked the stars and wishes part. in our game we have a similar thing named "roses and thorns" wich we do after every milestone. everyone gets to tell things they really liked and that they didnt like . dm and player wise. everyone can improve this way and i as the dm get a better feeling what my players want.
As someone who also starting DMing 5 years ago in order to give out forever DM a break, I appreciate this video! I wish I had more chances to DM throughout the years because DMing scared me after my 1st time and I let the other DMs take the reigns. My advice. Run Modules! It helps so much on the DMs side.
This is really good! On the first point: I'm incredibly guilty of overpreparing. When I first started our current campaign I was basically writing scripts NPC's could say for anything the characters did (so my notes were about 7 pages long). Instead of that, I've recently started writing 2-3 goals for each NPC or villain, instead of what exactly they're going to do each session. I find this really helps me mold the NPC's or villain's' actions to whatever the PC's are up to, rather than the other way around
I don't follow D&D things much, but check out your videos occasionally because of the positive vibes you give. Those vibes are sometimes annoyingly strong, but I still keep coming back every now and then... This time I have to say that this video is maybe the best of all that I have watched, because the advice you give is so general and good for every type of GM. Thanks and keep going!
I am a 51 yo GM, Started playing the game when I was 10 With Advanced. A lot of your advice was dead on! You have to feel out your players, If they are the same ones in a campaign you will work out what type of players they are. I once had a job as a GM in the 90's where i only got paid based on how many players showed up and I had to GM in a world I was not familiar with. It was the Arabian world I forgot what it was called but I had a setting and a whole new world to explore and I went with the flow, sometimes a minor character that you use can become a main character just by the player's decisions and that can be fun for both.
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
the "you're on the same team" remark made me laugh. My first dm was, in his words, old school and totally went DM vs party in a pretty story more like a book where he has his story and wants to tell it, what the party did had to go exactly along with it. Oh the plot says we should have gone to the town to the west, sorry missed something. Thankfully we havent played with him in a long while, and are enjoying the game we are in now.
I'm french and start to be very interested in DnD thanks to your videos (at first I watched them to prepare writing a novel). I never played a game but this afternoon i will buy my first game with my sister. We are in the french countryside so no much player around and we will both try to DM... I better watch your others vidéos !
0:59 AMEN! I have heard so much content dedicated to what to do when your players ruin this, derail that, exploit the other thing... Look, there's a place for counteracting that, but it's as an exception, not a rule. The rule is, if your players break some component of the game, your job should be to make them look awesome doing it! If they force your story in a massively different direction, EXPLORE THAT DIRECTION! This isn't a book, this is a cooperative adventure. Make sure your players derail your plans, so it can really be an adventure.
I was lucky. I had a friend help me the first few times I GMed. It was DC Heroes at the time, but still same concept. Once I got going, both me and my players had a fantastic time. Pretty much used those tips instinctively.
@ginny di wow you have really improved your thoughts on being a DM. With 40+ years of being a DM myself, I can say you have hit on so many of my own nuggets of knowledge and experiences in so short of time. The modes of media like your videos really do help the new generation of Game masters. It also helps that you are rubbing elbows with some of the most influential people in the D&D world. Keep up the fantastic job and keep adding to your tool box as a DM. I have never stopped learning how to improve and learned to enjoy the journey rather than the destination. Your fellow DM & admirer.
Great video. No D&D is better than bad D&D is also good advice if you're going through something in your life that's bleeding into your game. If you can't prep or enjoy yourself, because mentally you're just not there, the game is going to also go off the rails eventually.
If I could request a video…. I would really like one with specific “scripts” and their meaning to help neurodivergent people, ADHD and autism specifically, learn what diff things mean and how they are used to play the social part of Dnd. What do I do to be a good team player? Not the take notes and pay attention stuff, but like the social part. … When a character or DM says this .. they mean/want you to do this…. . How do I read between the lines of the DMs hints for social stuff? Pretend You wanna go into a room. The DM is tired of your bs and wants you to re join the party so they say the door is locked. How do I know that’s what the DM means and that saying “I try to pick the lock” is the wrong thing to do. If I’m in a restaurant I know the expected back and forth. I’ve learned. A video with actual suggestion on what to say and why would be really helpful.
First time I DM'd was for a random group at a local game shop with an AL module. I murdered that module (and not in a good way) but we all had fun. It took me quite some time to actually get the hang of it, but if you *all* have fun, doesn't really matter what happened in the game. Or how smoothly it ran. Keep at it and you will get better. Just focus on having fun and everything else will work itself out.
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!!!!
That last point is so accurate. I was in a group for like two years where I really liked everyone at the table as people, but there were a number of major flaws, and I just straight up wasn't having fun playing. You'll feel much better if you leave a game where you're not having fun, even if you can't find a new game for a while. Major flaws to look out for that were in the above example: -Too many players (my group had eight!). The more people, the less spotlight everyone gets, and the longer and more boring combat is. You might think you're making sure no one is being left out, but you're actually making everyone left out. For me, the sweet spot is four or five. -Personalities that clash. Both for character morality and how serious/silly things are. No one is going to agree on absolutely everything, but you're not going to have fun if the character you enjoy playing is constantly clashing with the character someone else likes playing. Similarly, if someone wants a silly game and someone else wants a serious game, there is likely no middle ground to make both people happy. -Railroading. Obvious.
Take 40% off any annual World Anvil membership: www.worldanvil.com/w/ginnydi
Use code "GINNY" for your discount!
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 TH-camrs 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
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!!
"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.”
"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.
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!
"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.
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.
"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.
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.
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!!
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.
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"
A one-person comedy crew! Love this so much, Ginny!
She invokes duplicity.
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.
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 :-)
“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
These are my favorite videos. Emotional intelligence is HARD and demands vulnerability. You do a great job of breaking down complex ideas, thank you!
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.
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 💙
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.
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.
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
I love that the future Ginny is using a corded landline.
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.
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.😂😂😂
thank you! this is helpful. I've been gm'ing a pathfinder game for just over a year now.
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'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!)
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
Yes. This was the video we all needed today. Well done Ginny.
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.
"What would you like to see?" is such a better framing for both sides than "What didn't you like?"
:)
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!!!
I love how you filmed this!!! I’m always in awe of your creativity ginny 💖💖💖
Ginny, you are really good in what you are doing! I admire the way your scripts are coherent and your creativity used in it.
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!!
"During the what" cracked me up
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!
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!
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! 💚
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.
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
That last tip is so true.
I stepped away from a game with people I’m friends with as I just want different things from my games.
So now I’m in some difference games and things are awesome.
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.
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.
Important item is in the tavern but players search the library? Have a clue in the library that points them toward the tavern, let them find the clue easily. Maybe have a small benny for them in the library as well as a reward, possibly an extra plot hook they would not normally get?
YOOOO Finally, someone else with a complete feedback system!
I've been using Rose/Bud/Thorn/Appreciations in my game, and its done WONDERS for players confidence and how I run my game. Rose: Something the player loved, Bud: something they are looking forward to/Something they wanted to see expanded more, Thorn: something they wish was different/actual feedback, Appreciation: At the beginning of each game, I randomly assign everyone a player to keep an eye on and at the end, they say something that they noticed during the session. Could be roleplay, combat prowess, a little quirk, etc.
A system like this does so much to the benfit of your game; my players have bought up stuff I'd never even thought of as potential pitfalls, capitalized on Roleplay moments because of APs, and said fantastic things about my game without me having to be like "iS eVeRy OnE HaViNg FuN?!?! Like a crazy person.
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!
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!
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!
"During the What?" Seriously laughed out loud! 😎🤘🍻
can’t believe I only watched this now. this video is brilliant in so many ways!
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!
ginny is so smart
how can she make teaching videos feel like entretainment videos, even the ads are un-skipable
i really liked the stars and wishes part. in our game we have a similar thing named "roses and thorns" wich we do after every milestone. everyone gets to tell things they really liked and that they didnt like . dm and player wise. everyone can improve this way and i as the dm get a better feeling what my players want.
I love how you are so committed to cosplaying yourself in the past
As someone who also starting DMing 5 years ago in order to give out forever DM a break, I appreciate this video! I wish I had more chances to DM throughout the years because DMing scared me after my 1st time and I let the other DMs take the reigns. My advice. Run Modules! It helps so much on the DMs side.
Currently preparing for my first game as a DM... wish me luck!
I love this channel, there is always so much enthusiasm and creativity put into each video!
This is really good! On the first point: I'm incredibly guilty of overpreparing. When I first started our current campaign I was basically writing scripts NPC's could say for anything the characters did (so my notes were about 7 pages long). Instead of that, I've recently started writing 2-3 goals for each NPC or villain, instead of what exactly they're going to do each session. I find this really helps me mold the NPC's or villain's' actions to whatever the PC's are up to, rather than the other way around
I don't follow D&D things much, but check out your videos occasionally because of the positive vibes you give.
Those vibes are sometimes annoyingly strong, but I still keep coming back every now and then... This time I have to say that this video is maybe the best of all that I have watched, because the advice you give is so general and good for every type of GM.
Thanks and keep going!
I am a 51 yo GM, Started playing the game when I was 10 With Advanced. A lot of your advice was dead on! You have to feel out your players, If they are the same ones in a campaign you will work out what type of players they are. I once had a job as a GM in the 90's where i only got paid based on how many players showed up and I had to GM in a world I was not familiar with. It was the Arabian world I forgot what it was called but I had a setting and a whole new world to explore and I went with the flow, sometimes a minor character that you use can become a main character just by the player's decisions and that can be fun for both.
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
Ah, such great advice! Love this format too. Is past Ginny going to show up in more videos? (P.S. the wig looks great!)
I'm obsessed with you in a totally unweird way. Thank you for sharing your clever creative brain with us!!
This whole video was so damn good. Informative and entertaining at the same time
the "you're on the same team" remark made me laugh. My first dm was, in his words, old school and totally went DM vs party in a pretty story more like a book where he has his story and wants to tell it, what the party did had to go exactly along with it. Oh the plot says we should have gone to the town to the west, sorry missed something.
Thankfully we havent played with him in a long while, and are enjoying the game we are in now.
This has been super helpful!!! 🤩🤩🤩 gearing up for my first time DMing soon ☺️☺️☺️
something about the delivery of "start learning latin, it comes back!" made me HYSTERICAL
I feel like Ginny would be a fantastic friend for relationship or friendship advice
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'm french and start to be very interested in DnD thanks to your videos (at first I watched them to prepare writing a novel). I never played a game but this afternoon i will buy my first game with my sister. We are in the french countryside so no much player around and we will both try to DM... I better watch your others vidéos !
The advice is good and the cuts and stuff are great.
Awesome video.
0:59 AMEN! I have heard so much content dedicated to what to do when your players ruin this, derail that, exploit the other thing... Look, there's a place for counteracting that, but it's as an exception, not a rule. The rule is, if your players break some component of the game, your job should be to make them look awesome doing it! If they force your story in a massively different direction, EXPLORE THAT DIRECTION! This isn't a book, this is a cooperative adventure. Make sure your players derail your plans, so it can really be an adventure.
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. 😊
"Stars and Wishes". Nice turn of phrase. We had "Roses and Thorns", which meant the same thing.
i'm not sure if i'm more amazed that you found a phone thats pink, or that you found one at all
The last twist of the video was very clever and brightened up my day ☺ thank you!
There's some really useful advice in here! I also love the subtle switching of the phone between points 📞
I was lucky. I had a friend help me the first few times I GMed. It was DC Heroes at the time, but still same concept. Once I got going, both me and my players had a fantastic time. Pretty much used those tips instinctively.
yayyyyy!! glad to see you still making awesome content with amazing quality. Keep it up!!
@ginny di wow you have really improved your thoughts on being a DM. With 40+ years of being a DM myself, I can say you have hit on so many of my own nuggets of knowledge and experiences in so short of time. The modes of media like your videos really do help the new generation of Game masters. It also helps that you are rubbing elbows with some of the most influential people in the D&D world. Keep up the fantastic job and keep adding to your tool box as a DM. I have never stopped learning how to improve and learned to enjoy the journey rather than the destination.
Your fellow DM & admirer.
PS: World Anvil is the Bomb 💣!
Great video. No D&D is better than bad D&D is also good advice if you're going through something in your life that's bleeding into your game. If you can't prep or enjoy yourself, because mentally you're just not there, the game is going to also go off the rails eventually.
I see we've reached the Time Travel portion of the GDCU!
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a TH-cam channel other than this one where I actually want to watch the sponsor ads, lol
yeah they are so great, I would be happy just watching the ads
If I could request a video…. I would really like one with specific “scripts” and their meaning to help neurodivergent people, ADHD and autism specifically, learn what diff things mean and how they are used to play the social part of Dnd. What do I do to be a good team player? Not the take notes and pay attention stuff, but like the social part. … When a character or DM says this .. they mean/want you to do this…. .
How do I read between the lines of the DMs hints for social stuff? Pretend You wanna go into a room. The DM is tired of your bs and wants you to re join the party so they say the door is locked. How do I know that’s what the DM means and that saying “I try to pick the lock” is the wrong thing to do.
If I’m in a restaurant I know the expected back and forth. I’ve learned.
A video with actual suggestion on what to say and why would be really helpful.
Just found this channel today, and I’m LOVING all the cosplay you do for sponsors
I've been wrangled into DM'ing a game, and I just wanted to say thanks because you're legit saving my skin.
First time I DM'd was for a random group at a local game shop with an AL module. I murdered that module (and not in a good way) but we all had fun. It took me quite some time to actually get the hang of it, but if you *all* have fun, doesn't really matter what happened in the game. Or how smoothly it ran. Keep at it and you will get better. Just focus on having fun and everything else will work itself out.
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!!!!
that last tip hit hard . no wonder i havnt played in 8 years
I loved this format of you talking to yourself ! very engaging and fun
This is a really creative way of doing an advice video.
Feeling SUPER seen and called out @8:22
Wow from having your first Dm experience in 2019 to having a huge channel teaching others, that's really impressive
That last point is so accurate. I was in a group for like two years where I really liked everyone at the table as people, but there were a number of major flaws, and I just straight up wasn't having fun playing. You'll feel much better if you leave a game where you're not having fun, even if you can't find a new game for a while.
Major flaws to look out for that were in the above example:
-Too many players (my group had eight!). The more people, the less spotlight everyone gets, and the longer and more boring combat is. You might think you're making sure no one is being left out, but you're actually making everyone left out. For me, the sweet spot is four or five.
-Personalities that clash. Both for character morality and how serious/silly things are. No one is going to agree on absolutely everything, but you're not going to have fun if the character you enjoy playing is constantly clashing with the character someone else likes playing. Similarly, if someone wants a silly game and someone else wants a serious game, there is likely no middle ground to make both people happy.
-Railroading. Obvious.
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!
Great video!
I am seriously impressed with how you make your sponsored parts. They *are* funny and cute!
Really well done on the dye jobs between past and present you! Funny detail