Am I Responsible For My Players’ Fun?

Am I responsible for my players’ fun? I think I run contrary to many game masters out there when I say, no.

My job is to stage a great campaign, full of interesting challenges and choices. The story is something we all create together as we play.

I’m a GM, not a parent. We’re playing a game, and a game requires everyone to be a player, including us. That means everyone has a part to play in making it fun.

I feel every adult at the table is responsible for:

  • Helping their fellow players have more fun at every game
  • Helping themselves have more fun at every game
  • Helping the GM have more fun at every game

When we believe we are 100% responsible for others’ fun, problems emerge. You cannot control other people. And they need to take co-responsibility for that bullet list too.

When a GM becomes encumbered by this false belief they are the sole arbiter of fun, it becomes a negative feedback loop that leads to fizzled games and, eventually, burnout.

As I write this, my brain’s offering me many objections to this idea in the form of what ifs and edge cases. For example, what if…a player’s just having a bad day? Or, what if…the group makes poor choices and bad rolls?

Yes, acknowledged. There are contexts and situations, and we can get tactical to solve for each. There’s always many things we can do to improve enjoyment of a session.

But the game itself is a team sport. No one person is responsible for the Win State and everyone’s fun. You cannot and should not take this on alone and make it a burden.

So, in the spirit of nurturing a good time during sessions, here are three ways we can prevent the constant pressure to feel like we are responsible for everyone’s fun instead of focusing on the challenging art of GMing.

1. Delegate

I learned this from Toastmasters. When you give someone a small, defined job, it starts a positive feedback loop. They feel needed and connected to the session’s success, which leads to them taking more initiative.

In Toastmasters, volunteers take on various responsibilities at meeting start. A timer. Someone who counts “ums” and ahs”. Someone who takes speaking notes and provides feedback.

They’re held accountable to these tiny jobs. The timer’s job is turning the timer to yellow then red as timed speeches wind up. The counter gives each speaker a summary report. As does the feedback person.

At the game table, we can ask for volunteers to help with several tiny jobs. For example, a scribe, a mapper, and a treasure tracker.

These jobs help players feel like part of the team and a valuable contributor. They’ll then want to be consistent and ensure the same when in-character.

Want more ideas for delegating tasks? Check out Roleplaying Tips #503: The Art of Delegating and Roleplaying Tips #1197: 3 Ways Your Players Can Help You Out Next Session.

2. Recap With a Reminder

Players don’t come to the table wanting to have a bad time. They also often don’t think about the meta-game – the shared responsibility of ensuring everyone has a great session.

But if you were to ask your group, I’m willing to bet every person would agree: we should help each other have more fun. It’s a simple idea that’s easy to forget in the heat of a game, so why not make it a regular thing we do at the start of each session?

Find a consistent way to kick off gameplay that reminds everyone of this shared goal. For example, at session start do a quick recap and remind everyone about their shared responsibility.

Johnn: Alright everyone, let’s get started. You’ve just defeated the goblin king and his evil minions, and are standing in the treasure room, debating which chest to open first.

Before we dive back in, a reminder that we’re a team, and the goal is to make this awesome for everyone. Keep an eye out for each other, and let’s have a great game. Sounds good? Let’s roll some dice!

You can use a catchphrase or House Rule, like the Rule of Cool, as a quick reminder. By referencing it in this way, you reinforce the idea of teamwork without a heavy-handed lecture.

3. Cast Aid Another

During play, try observing the table like a detective. Notice player body language and energy shifts. This is probably something you already do, checking in on how the group’s doing from time to time. The twist is, if we spot a player tuned out, stuck on their phone, or making dice towers, we engage another player to lift the first player up.

My GM Move when attempting to help someone have more fun is to solve the problem in-game, in-character, with another player character, or NPC if that’s not possible.

Johnn: [Spots Roghan’s player trying to get 5d20 simultaneously spinning like tops.] Hey Little Phingers, as you look about the treasure room you spot Roghan about to step on a trap! What do you do?

Little Phingers: I yell. Hey Roghan, freeze! Don’t take another step!

Roghan: What? Wait. What’s happening?

Little Phingers: You’re about to step on a trap. Don’t move! I’ll be right there.

Roghan: Johnn, I look around. Do I see the trap?

Johnn: Yes, with Little Phingers’ guidance, you spot a thin outline of a plate in the floor, covered in dust and grime. Your foot is partially on the plate….

By bringing Little Phingers into a mini situation involving Roghan, I don’t call Roghan’s player out directly for spinning dice. And now two players are engaged. Note that I let Roghan detect the trap without a roll to keep the pace going, giving Little Phingers a bit of credit as thanks. In addition, Little Phingers and Roghan are now roleplaying together a bit, freeing me up to rotate the spotlight.

Finally, and the main point, players will notice and start doing this themselves. It takes a consistent pattern on your part, doing this a few times, and then some will catch on. Next time when someone’s grumpy, rolled a double one, or is struggling for ideas, players might notice and realize they can do something positive to change that on their own accord, and you’re just supplying some initial examples to kickstart things.

4. Break & Chat

Sometimes the game goes in an unfun direction. No amount of in-character tricks can solve the problem because the problem is bigger than the fiction.

For example, my Phandelver campaign took a dark turn one time. The party was about to do something macabre. A player spoke up and said he wanted to talk about the situation first. Everybody had no problem stopping and listening.

The player explained that he saw the current moment as a turning point where the party becomes evil by way of its actions. And he was hoping to play something more heroic. The group discussed. And after a few minutes everyone agreed on campaign tone, and we moved on, better from having the discussion.

Do not hesitate to call a break in play to think something through or to chat with your friends about what you’re grappling with. Sooner is best before any point of no return.

The GM’s Move

Win state for us: The group adopts an attitude of pitching in, speaking up, and being conscious of others also playing alongside.

The four approaches above form a playbook and a bit of a sequence:

  1. Delegate Jobs to Be Done before the session begins.
  2. Recap with an embedded reminder to play positive at session start.
  3. Get players helping players using in-character methods when appropriate.
  4. Pause and have a quick chat before issues get big.

The fun is everyone’s fault. Don’t make it just your own. Avoid the stress and set the example.

Cheers,
Johnn
roleplayingtips.com
https://discord.gg/6MxTRAqQ76
Have more fun at every game!

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