DM like it’s 1975, part 2

[@rafaelosuna4784]

Hi Jim I am a new DM and I am running B/X . Why is it more important to make my own adventures then run a pre-made one,besides what you mentioned in the video?

[@jimmurphy1591]

I mentioned a lot of reasons in the vids. My main reason is you make a one of a kind adventure/ campaign that is tailored to a shared experience that only this group will have. If it’s great or even good, you cement a memory one bond that is like no other. Decades later my friends and I talk about these epic adventures as if we were really those heroes. Others can only wish they were there for the heroics.

[@rafaelosuna4784]

Thank you Master,I will create my own adventures and DM like it's 1975!!

[@jimmurphy1591]

@@rafaelosuna4784 👊👿😈👊👁️😡✌️

[@ricklmire6593]

Merry Christmas Jim, thanks for all the great videos and advice.

[@jimmurphy1591]

And Merry Christmas

[@nicklarocco4178]

The big problem I've seen especially with new players and would be DMs is they're afraid the game won't be perfect. They're petrified by the prospect that they won't be prepared for every contingency. That their narrative won't sweep the players away to a far off fantasy world. And that's a shame because most players are just happy to play!

[@jimmurphy1591]

In almost fifty years I have never run a perfect game. Ask Matt about the snakes holding there attacks to jump in and break the wizards spell cast. Ooops

[@alexzephyris1455]

I was rather taken aback by how after a single session, my brother and friends would ask me to dm, when it wasn't even 3 daya since we played and I NEEDED at least a week to prepare, cause I do other things than just prep content

[@jimmurphy1591]

@@alexzephyris1455 Paint Miniatures?

[@wanderinghistorian]

"I could go on and on and I will continue to go on and on..." Please do Jim, please do. :)

[@DelmondStrongarm]

Amen!

[@garryame4008]

Gygax initially was very hesitant for TSR to sell adventure modules for 'cause he expected DMs to make up their own adventures

[@jimmurphy1591]

Yep

[@PrehistoricLizard]

As always, a river to us. 🙌

[@zionich]

I have been feeling the desire to go back to a more simple game as you describe. I am waiting for my current campaign to end but I think next go around it's going to be more open ended. I want to use the optional resting rules in the DMG, a day is a short rest, a week is a long rest, and lean more on needing to buy or make scrolls and potions.

[@joshjames582]

Thanks for these videos, Jim. I'm a (relatively) young game master who started gaming in the nineties, and over the years I've come to possess a real affection for those earliest role playing games from the dawn of the hobby, whether it's "zero edition" D&D in the wood grain box, or the classic Traveller booklets, classic Runequest, Bunnies & Burrows, etc. There's just something about those bare bones, seemingly incomplete systems that fires my imagination and makes me want to elaborate on the rules in my own campaigns. The less rigid and defined a system is, the more flexible and GM-friendly, at least for my personal tastes. I can spend less time looking up a rule on how something works and more time imagining how I want it to work in my own campaign. I think Questing Beast was arguing something similar, as he's a spokesman for the Old School Renaissance. I'd be willing to bet that a lot of burnt out RPG GMs could re-ignite their passion and motivation for the hobby by exploring the earliest RPGs, from back when the idea was new and anything seemed possible.

[@pez5767]

Hi Jim, I'm curious if you've ever considered writing a memoir? I think your perspective on the early days of D&D through the modern era, as someone who has played every era in between is truly unique. You're such a natural story teller that I think you take on those experiences of the game would be not only enjoyable, but also a valuable historic artifact for those of us who are newer/younger. I'm an English teacher by profession and would be happy to support you with proof reading or anything else, if you wanted to do this. Feel free to hit me up.

[@jimmurphy1591]

Interesting, need to get my rpg rules and game done first. I do have a writer friend, maybe we should do that

[@jebgordon6608]

When I switched back from being the DM to a player in the 90s. I turned over all my modules to our new DM so that he had the material and so nobody thought I was sitting at home reviewing the modules.

[@CalmProto]

"Find a way to say yes" Excellent advice.

[@suhscallywag9004]

Great advice as always! LOL never thought I would hear you use the term grognard.

[@jimmurphy1591]

What would you call me

[@suhscallywag9004]

@@jimmurphy1591 A DM Sage!!

[@quantus5875]

Yes, for reference, the arcade version of Pong came out in 1972 and the arcade version of Space Invaders came out in 1978, and one of the first personal computers the TRS-80 Model 1 came out in 1977. Good times!

[@rafaelosuna4784]

Hi Jim I really can't express how much gratitude I have for you expressing all your wisdom and knowledge! As a begginer DM ,using B/X this video has opened my imagination and really tapping into the spirit of D&D the way it should be! Thank you

[@jimmurphy1591]

My pleasure

[@alberthennen7370]

Hi Jim, Thanks for another piece of wisdom. I can't fathom running a Module , it really doesn't interest me. Are all my ideas good ? Certainly not , but every attempt makes for a better DM in my opinion. One comment to players out there - help your DM. If your DM is good , you want to keep him/her interested in running their game. If they are not they cannot get better without practice , so encourage them to do so. Sure , apply measured criticism between sessions as to what you like and don't like , what you thought worked and what didn't , what style you like and don't like , but show up ontime and be a good Player - encourage teamwork within your party , encourage those quirky individualistic tendencies of certain players and PCs , and throw out ideas during the session even if they aren't taken up by the other players - every good DM knows that some of his/her best additions to a campaign come out of the mouths of players who have no idea they are setting the fate of the world by their utterances.

[@jimmurphy1591]

Grow the adventure for everyone

[@strattonmeyer2870]

I tend to advocate that people start out running a short, pre-made module before they create their own adventure. It helps them get an idea of the flow of the game, and they can see what works and what doesn't for their style and their players. Once they've done that, they'll be able to take that experience and create something of their own using the framework and design knowledge they gained in their first game. Something even as short as one session can be so instructive! Great video as always, Jim. I much appreciate your advice and experience.

[@johnschwartz1641]

Yeah, totally - one of the great things about B1 and B2 was that they were meant to support that idea. They gave new DMs a solid example and then an opportunity to try to design something on their own.

[@jimmurphy1591]

Yes, but sometimes it shows them a way to run the games poorly

[@andrewalexis8569]

I left a comment on a video some months ago threatening to start a game open to the public and have followed through. I keep 1:1 time and have every session start and end in a town so I can easily allow for games to happen even if different players are available or a person wants to try my system without committing to a long campaign. I run b/x via Old School Essentials since it's easy to teach and everyone has free access to the rules on the SRD. I provide all play materials which really just amounts to character sheets, pencils, and dice. I still think I get fewer bites because I advertise that it is not 5e. But the people brave enough to try it admitted that they had more fun, more freedom, and had fewer rules to learn. I'm up to 5 new regulars that I didn't know personally beforehand, so I think a simpler ruleset with a tighter focus than 5e is the fix. Both for easing DMs in to creating games that develop over time instead of needing to lean on a module and for getting more players interested in GM-ing. Thanks for being an advocate for the continuing value of many aspects of these older games Mr. Murphy; wouldn't be doing it without inspiration from you.

[@jimmurphy1591]

👊👿😈👊👁🤬✌️ game on buddy

[@mr.e1944]

Jim, you shocked me when you pulled up that 1st edition brown box! I want one of these any printing or even a white box. I do have all the PDFs for these, but I just want an old box set for the nostalgia. At this point I would even like a Holmes box set. I love the cover art on that one and Dr. Holmes was a genius!

[@jimmurphy1591]

I think that old one is about $500-$800. Thousands If perfect? I have not kept up and not likely to sell. But check around, there are some on EBay

[@mr.e1944]

@@jimmurphy1591 Yes, you are correct. But I think there were only 1000-1500 first editions printed. We don't know the exact number. I thought these were in the $3000,+ range if you could even find one. Because they were filling orders randomly for later editions, some of the boxes and prints of the books got mixed up. Some 3rd edition boxes might have a single 2nd edition book in it. Since these were not shrink wrapped we have none to prove exactly how they came. I would love a first edition. I just can,'t afford one. And since my 401k is down over $100k since last year I might not be able to consider it for a long time. But who knows. Life surprises you every once in a while. Keep up the great work Jim. I love these kind of videos!

[@jimmurphy1591]

@@mr.e1944 true, keep looking and you’ll find a bargain

[@mr.e1944]

@@jimmurphy1591 Thanks Jim!

[@alexzephyris1455]

One of most memorable moments was my players taking shifts for night watch as they should and it just so happens on the firsy shift, they get attacked by goblins with their wolves. Wolves go charging in first while goblins shoot from the dark and far enough away the players can't see them even with dark vision or a torch. Wolves die, everyone is up, but they can do nothing with their character sheet against the goblins. So group leader comes up with a plan, 2 guys pretend go retreat hoping they will give chase while the 2 other guys stay behind to melee the archers. It works, someone guy pulls his flute out and starts playing, they yell go back go back, and they goblins follow and get whacked. The only dice rolled was for hits and damage, the rest was me doing my own thing, my players never questioning about the validity based on rules. Im lucky they never opened the Players handbook in thag regard

[@jimmurphy1591]

Great job 👏

[@atinaroart]

I just wrote my own 30-page “Men and Magic” for my players and my world, never looking back! Thanks Game Methuselah for being the ultimate Dungeon Master

[@jimmurphy1591]

Well, thanks

[@gornser]

Care to share that? @Anthony Tinaro? Please? o.O

[@gendor5199]

I feel like Jim would have hated me! I am the kind of person who loves to chase down spoilers to any movie before I see it, mostly to find out if it's worth my time. I may not do that for RPGs, but it definitely sometimes feel like "I wish I already knew this puzzle, because nobody in the group has any ideas, and the GM is right now just feeding us bread crumbs for 20 minutes straight". I imagine it more as a GM-side kick, you're just there that if anyone gets stuck, you "kinda know" how the adventure is supposed to go, so you can "accidentally" solve the puzzle, or maybe "Accidentally" set off a trap. I also promised Jim to get back on my campaign of teens fleeing from elves, but the RPG group really wants to finish the current campaign, and even at the best of times I don't think I will sadly be able to try my new idea before christmas.

[@jimmurphy1591]

I’d only hate you if you told me the spoilers. Hey I love D&D, but they have to keep working to sell products. They have employees to keep working. That doesn’t mean we should not to make are hobby better

[@gendor5199]

@@jimmurphy1591 That is more than fair! I was thinking on you mentioning how players used to go and buy the product to spoil the adventures! I actually follow your advice fairly well and mix pre-existing modules with a spin of my own. Rightnow I am trying to round off a Symbaroum campaign (Post-apocalyptic fantasy, big grimdark forest) and I have found myself borrowing some ideas from an old 3rd edition for an adventure. It's still a lot of juggling on my part since two of my players love downtime activities and doing things like opening alchemy shops and robbing rich peoples houses between missions! It can be stressful, but I also realise those are the players I GM for!

[@jebgordon6608]

I have never found modules limiting, but I drop them into a sandbox style game world. That said you need to be able to roll with the changes because I find players don't like being confined to the choices available in a module. I don't think my players have ever gone off course further than the edge of the world map. Or should say they always choose to go off the map.

[@kyrnsword72]

I began playing D&D in 1984 with BX Redbox when I was 12. Indie solo TTRPG can be group ran without a DM with a game system I love called D100 Dungeon mapping game with books by Martin Knight. D100 Dungeon is back to OSR with a lot better xp and combat system.

[@jimmurphy1591]

Post me a link and I’ll look into it and share info

[@mortanleslie-jacobsen6980]

Hi Jim, thank you for a great video. Do you know if the CalTech rules are available anywhere?

[@gmrandolfo]

Great vid. Thanks.

[@Bryon1187]

In our games, the focused use of a dungeon was to get enough experience to be able to survive in the wilderness where the real monsters and real treasure were.

[@awaytoanywhere699]

I like to use this for DM inspiration, if I’m out of ideas, whether it’s NPCs, Adventures, locations, descriptions etc. - roll 1d4 and 2d10. (where the 4 on the d4 is a zero). - example, d4=4=0, d10=3, d10=1. - pick a random book from your book shelf, a go to that page, in this case p. 031= p. 31. - start reading til you find inspiration, or roll again!

[@jimmurphy1591]

If it works for you. Just be easy on yourself

[@kmoustakas]

Fight me algorithm fight because I hate peace. Running D&D is so easy but people don't have the years of experience me and you have sir to understand it. So we need you to explain it to them :D

[@jimmurphy1591]

That’s my overriding goal

[@un2xs]

As an early GM, do you have any experience with the Arduin Grimoires? If so, could you express your thoughts and the reasons for thinking this way?

[@jimmurphy1591]

Limited. Did not run it or play it

[@captainnolan5062]

The solution is to chose a simpler rule system, such as Swords and Wizardry White Box (i.e. 0e D&D). That way the DM can concentrate on their setting and running the game, rather than trying to read and understand 960 pages of rules (320 player's handbook, 320 pages of monster manual and 320 pages of the GM Manual, as well as a 333 page "module" [e.g. Icewind Dale]). What new/prospective DM is going to read and understand 1,293 pages of rules and module before he or she can even run their first game (good luck!).

[@jimmurphy1591]

Kind of why I put out my rules for play test

[@captainnolan5062]

@@jimmurphy1591 How can I get a copy?

[@jimmurphy1591]

@@captainnolan5062 d9games.itch.io or my Patreon account

[@captainnolan5062]

@@jimmurphy1591 What is it called (so I can search for it?)

[@jimmurphy1591]

@@captainnolan5062 enlightened

[@axlefoley6330]

Whenever a player has a DMG and they try and tell me how rule is meant to work, I ask them to let me see it, they will generally hand it over looking very smug, I then promptly pretend to read then throw it over my shoulder and I then explain to that player that if a person wants to do something cool there is not a single rule in that book that prevents them from doing so hell if something cool enough I won’t even make a player roll for it but more often then not they want to just to see if they fail spectacularly and I started playing d&d in 5th and I had to DM my first D&D campaign ever

[@jimmurphy1591]

Game on

[@cbhv4321]

I kinda don't get "I can't get in to a game, there arnt enough dms". I looked for a dm / group for around a year the first time I got in to dnd, and then just said fuck it and decided I'll learn to dm and get my own group. It was way easier than I expected, and the amount of resources online that help you is amazing.

[@jimmurphy1591]

Very true…..my buddy Steve has multiple groups

[@realce666]

Looking forward to AI DMs and start playing like it's 2023

[@jimmurphy1591]

I’ve been waiting for that…..

[@Soren015]

"Don't make it impossible; just make it really improbable." - I completely disagree with you, for once, Jim. The answer to that situation depends *so much* on the tone and story-themes of the game you are playing, and the sort of... Understanding between GM and players. I would say that, if something is SO IMPROBABLE to achieve, that I'm making someone roll "4d20 drop the 3 lower", then I would much, much rather have them not rolling at all, and move the story along - but maybe me and mine don't go in for slapstick or cartoony moments, so much.

[@jimmurphy1591]

Your the DM, many or most might agree with you. I just don’t, and moving the story along……. Really?

[@donc7664]

Theres a special place in hell reserved for players who read the module lol😅

[@jimmurphy1591]

🤣 I’m sure that’s true

[@donc7664]

@@jimmurphy1591 i'm new to your channel, but thank you so much for all your contributions to the hobby! Binging from work today. I drive a truck, so counting on you to be the co-pilot that finally gives me confidence to run a regular game. 👍

[@jimmurphy1591]

@@donc7664 well, glad you found me and I’m happy if I helped you build a game

[@marioevildm7410]

DMing is hard for people you need INT 15, CHA 15, you must be dedicated to DMing, passing time to learn everything under the sun, sciences, occult knowledge, metaphysics, geology, philosophy... you need to be a nerd and be curious, so 10% of human can be DM 😂

[@jimmurphy1591]

Sorry I don’t agree

[@domranson5222]

ALL the experienced plarers and DMs I know are playing pathfinder 2e. 5e is not very good at this stage, let's be honest!

[@jimmurphy1591]

But people play what’s popular. Also, what their friends play. I’m not a 3.75 fan either.

[@retu3510]

have you seen that many DMs are making megadungeona this year? Its called dungeon23

[@jimmurphy1591]

No….I don’t but sometimes recycle