My players have begun to complain that my sessions have become predictable (after over one-hundred total sessions roughly.) What are some tips to change my GMing habits to spice up the game?
Essentially there claims are that they can always tell where a plot line will go solely because I have done something similar in the past, but to me it always feels different.
Make it feel out of fucking nowhere for you, like almost completely nonsensical. Your players will assign their own meaning to it and you can just nod and be like "Yeah, I totally planned that all from the beginning"
>>45813634
Tell them to take a shot at running 100 original sessions.
After they don't jump on such a awesome opportunity offer to have them rotate sucking your dick under the table during sessions.
Because seriously what the fuck.
>>45813634
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
>>45813634
There's actually a chance that you've become kind of predictable. Not that you're a bad DM or have no ideas, but that after 100 sessions of you as the DM players will start to notice patterns in your thought process and set-ups. I would highly recommend taking some time to look back and reflect on how your sessions are structured. If there seems to be some patterns, you can work around it. If there aren't and your players have just synced so well to your style that they realize how you planned it, it may be time to take a break, let someone else run a campaign, and let your ideas recharge.
>>45813669
Seconding this, Go watch The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, and start incorporating some of the stranger bits of story structure in.
Have the players figure out what actually happened, and what is a tall tale retelling from a doddering and senile old man.
The last thing they will be able to describe it as is predictable.
>>45813634
End the campaign.
I'm being serious. Have one final grand finale adventure, and end the game.
>>45814019
This is after multiple games, not just a single one.
>>45813634
Run a sandbox using indexed random tables?
>>45814198
[vomits internally]
>>45814198
>Okay as you approach the village...
>*rolls* "shit" *Rolls agrily* "ugh".
>A gargantuan red dragon flies overhead and sets the town ablaze in a single pass. The second pass completely disintegrates whatever was left. It then flies away.
>Players: AGAIN?!?!!
>>45813634
Step down and let someone else DM for a change.
>>45814382
This is absolutely the correct response. Not to say that they should be punished for being honest, but just tell them you want to take some time to plan the next game and refresh creatively.
don't take these too literally, obviously, but something here might well spark a good time.
Rolled 82 (1d100)
>>45814439
Honestly need some inspiration for a game tomorrow.
Rolled 16 (1d100)
>>45814439
Gimme
>>45814328
>>45814268
Well, you could do it like that, or not do it like a silly person.
>Okay as you approach the village.
>The village is in the X region, which has its own indexed table of random encounters unique to the area. Though there would be an entry for "fish out of water" encounters and invaders).
>*rolls* check index "monster" *rolls again* index "dragon"
>You find dried footprints at the base of a tall tree, with deep scratch marks carved up high in the trunk, after a brief check of the area you also find a burned patch of ground. It smells like burnt animal fur, and there are oxen footprints by a nearby stream.
I usually let the players extrapolate from provided information, but if it is a more heroic/high fantasy type game or if the characters have encountered the monster before I'll probably say:
>These are indicators that there may be a dragon hunting or lairing in the area, judging from the size of the marks it is probably a juvenile red dragon or a drake.
From there you could quickly determine the dragon/drake's relationship with the villagers. Do they want it dead? Do they pay it tribute? Does it protect them? Do they worship it? You could have a table for that as well if you wanted.
Then you take the seeds the table has sown and flesh them out a little. This lets you create content with minimal effort.
I'm not going to knock however you run your games, but please do not go zero-to-ten when someone makes a suggestion. Obviously you don't like this method, however it definitely produces gameplay that may be outside of your predictable patterns. Especially if you set the tables up with those patterns in mind.
>>45813668
kek
>>45813634
Ask them to lay out the plot lines you have used in the past that they recognize. It will help you all identify the patterns they claim you've fallen into and help you avoid doing so again.
Rolled 43 (1d100)
>>45814439
What's the worst that could happen?
Have you tried to use different settings and systems? When i start making a campaign i always try to make it around interesting idea. It always ends like
>HOLY FUCKING CHRIST, I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS FUCK WAS MANIPULATING US ALL ALONG
>Anon, would all of this happen if we didn't do *their decidion*
>I hate tzeentch cults...
>I JUST WANT TO BEAT THE CRAP OUT IF THAT SHITHEAD
Read some books like 1984 or Brave new world to find some interesting ideas and then implement them.
To sum up, read more books
Next game i am going to ask everyone to be a traitor just to see how it will go
>>45813634
Run a module? No better way to change up your DMing style than playing someone else style. And if they still feel it's predictable than you can rest assured that your player's have just become jaded and it's not (entirely) you.
>>45813634
200 dracoliches.
Try a new system under a different genre.
>>45814439
kek
>>45814382
Agree with this point. Let yourself recharge and enjoy the game with someone else run the show behind the curtains.
In the mean while you can consume more media around you, steal new ideas and allow them to stew for a whil
>>45813634
Do shit they can't expect, go overboard, commit sins if necessary, like borderline DMPCing, rule-shifting, all the stuff that makes /tg/ twist inside. Try and test until you get some sort of formula, be secretive to your players about this, bluff like a motherfucker. Improv then plan, plan then improv. Breaking out of your own parameters might be impossible but bending the already existing shit in new ways might not be so.
After enough time playing together, eventually your players will learn to read you and play accordingly. Sometimes the best thing you can do to counter that is be someone else. Get some ideas from an outside source and use them to take your campaign in unexpected directions.
You could take some ideas from movies, books, history, etc, compare and contrast them with your own and note where things diverge, then try to make use of that. Or you could simply ask someone to look over your adventure notes and make suggestions for changes/additions to the story and characters that your players won't expect.
You could even summarize some of your planned adventures here and have us make those suggestions. The results might be terrible, or they might be just what you're looking for. But even the bad results can be reworked into something new and unexpected for your players.
>>45813634
>My players have begun to complain that my sessions have become predictable (after over one-hundred total sessions roughly.)
It's time for someone else to step up and GM. Take the break from it to look around, maybe think about different settings and systems you'd like to try.
>>45815503
Easier said than done I feel. Especially when you are the designated Forever GM.
>>45813634
At least you have players.
My suggestion: Play some xbox with them.
