Story 1’s DM doesn’t want to be a DM, they want to play with action figures and make other people add voices occasionally. I’d hope they never come back with the campaign, and if they’d did I’d hope OP turns them down without a moments hesitation.

Colorado is the type of guy who would try to shit on every single piece of art in existence and then promote his own loosy paint brushes as "Transformative and revolutionary", while calling you stupid if you don't "get it".

@dakotasan8719

8 ай бұрын

So your standard art snob?

The type of "roleplaying" that one dm's wants is really just a captive audience of voice actors.

8:50 How are they at session SIX of this shitshow? I would have quit in the first with the statement "let me know when you actually want *me* to *play* with a character I actually made, as so far, you controlled this character exclusively, making them an NPC as far as I am concerned".

@yaldabaoth2

3 ай бұрын

Some people seem to enjoy being hostages.

@ss3nm0dn4r8

2 ай бұрын

or are blinded by first time playing therefore this must be normal

I've actually used the "explaining where the camera is focused" as if it were a movie or cartoon before. As long as you don't overuse it, it can be a pretty cool way to put an image in the player's minds or pump them up for the game.

@arsenalxa4421

8 ай бұрын

Our sorcerer in a campaign I'm in has poor eyesight so our DM has to paint a picture in our heads for him to use. He's our glass cannon and is to be protected at all times.

@PaladinGear15

8 ай бұрын

@@arsenalxa4421 Nice!

@Mikazuchireborn

8 ай бұрын

I saw that once too! Back when me and friends were all teenagers, in a big dramatic moment where the DM said 'for dramatic effect we go widescreen'. As silly as it sounds now, we all played it completely straight, and I still remember it fondly.

Damn DM in the 1st story took railroading to a level I never thought possible. I never thought any sane human being would run a TTRPG like this. Holy shit that must have been a nightmare.

I wonder if Doge records a new “let’s move on” every time or if he has a sound bite ready to go

That last story sounded a little sus. "They weren't unbeatable, I just needed to set up narrative first." So, the enemies have Plot Armor until the DM deems it's time to fight? Maybe the party really did ignore the objective in the first example. But the op sounds like they don't know how to react to the players going off acript.

@ss3nm0dn4r8

2 ай бұрын

thats not even going off script the players attacked the script itself

Yeah, Colorado sounds like he loves playing with himself.

I’m pretty sure that in a DnD game EVERY player is the main character of the story, and they trade the spot light with each other depending on the situation. But what do I know, I’ve never played or DMed before

Once again, I think it could be fun to see Doge make his kitties into a party of Taxbaxi, each as classes (and class archetypes) that are appropriate for them. Simba would probably be a Monk, with this approach. It could also be fun to see the cats' actual photos as their character profile images.

Is it just me or is Curse of strahd turning into the TTRPG equivalent "curse" of Macbeth?

@karlwittenburg5868

8 ай бұрын

I mean while it is by far the most played module, so there are of course going to be a higher number of horror stories based around that, it does sometimes feel like every other one is CoS related, and I’ve noticed that go up around Halloween thanks to the whole vampire theme

@gimok2k5

8 ай бұрын

@@karlwittenburg5868 Due to it theme, it also seems to attract edgelords (of both kinds) a lot more, so that also means there is a higher amount of horror stories for it.

@solosynapse

3 ай бұрын

​@@gimok2k5This. Edgelords are extremely drawn to it, and this the issues.

Jeez, prior to session one, just tell this DM to send you the book when he's finished writing it. Railroading doesn't come close to describing this guys approach. You tell me who my characters is? (and this isn't a one-shot?) F. that. You make up my character sheet? (and this isn't a one-shot?) F. that. I can't see my character sheet? F. that! I don't get to roll my own dice? F. that! The party isn't a party? F that. I have to sit and watch while you have one-on-ones with other players? F that! Why you even considered attending the first session is beyond me...

I had a DM that tried to act like a theater director and not a DM. It was so rigid and not fun. So glad I don't play with them anymore.

This guy, Colorado, has no idea what he is doing. That is not a TTRPG, it's a disaster in the making.

@starofjustice1

8 ай бұрын

I understand an urge to experiment with storytelling styles. But some things are just destined not to work, and you need to have the awareness to realize that.

@marybdrake1472

8 ай бұрын

@@starofjustice1 Yeah.

Simba's close ups give me life.

I had a GM with a Metal Gear approach to their campaign. But it was mostly about worldbuilding, and they changed stuff on the fly if the player characters made a certain decision.

Regarding that last story, I can't tell you how many times I've seen a situation (both as player and GM) where the GM thought they were being completely obvious about goals and hints and plot points, but the players were just not picking up on it. And over the course of a long campaign, it's easy to forget things, too. It was wrong of the players to stop in the middle of the game and chew out the GM, but the GM also needs to ask themselves if they were really being as clear as they thought they were. As for the accusation of "unbeatable enemies", well, OP acknowledges that the evil god was unbeatable, and is a little evasive about the second campaign..."the enemies were beatable", but "storytelling needed to happen". It sounds like they may be railroading a bit too much, in ways that are rubbing their players the wrong way. I'm not saying the players were totally innocent, but it sounds more like a failure to communicate and differing expectations than anything else.

@D64nz

8 ай бұрын

There are a lot of ways where a clever group with the right information can beat monsters that they couldn't beat in a straight fight. It's a very common situation in RPGs, and used many times in BG3 for example. It's usually more fun to come up with creative solutions to difficult problems.

"We then enter a long debate..." No. This is where you say "play your own character"

"Hey DM don't ask for feedback because it kills creativity. Anyway I will give you feedback and say your country names suck"

Dude legitimately made OP sit through his revenge-porn fantasy about his ex... for three hours.

The other 2 players in the first story seem like they only want to be there to completely turn their brains off and be the second car on the railroad.

Without Simba's meditation, we'd all be drowning in toxic cringe. Thanks Simba!

Colorado throws more red flags than a Chinese military parade, and I would have noped out at "you're not allowed to see your character sheet or any dice rolls."

14:27 for what alignment's worth, that's neutral good

I refuse to play homebrew anything for just these reasons

On Colorado's game: 1. Heard of World Anvil? Might work better than a Wiki! Could have been a great paid sponsor for this video... If they went for it. 2. It lasted six sessions with no player interactions? Wow. I would have not been impressed with that. "Hi. I came to play a game with some friends. But, yeah. I'm not going to interact with them at all."

I agree with Doge. A good gm is one who let’s each character be part of the narrative and gives each character a spotlight in a fair manner. I mean, I’m well aware I play characters that lean far more into “side character” status but this is because I play a lot of stoic, mentor, caretaker types, of varying degrees of those traits. The trope of this character often means they are more often used as a side or background character in a narrative. I’m very glad my dm’s have never let that be though, and same with my groups. I also don’t exactly stay out either of roleplaying moments where I can and should interact (obviously not the ones where I’m not there or ones where it’s a spotlight for other characters, that’s just rude). So I don’t exactly fade into the background unless I want my character to fade. Which is always hilarious and is a running joke in the group. It’s more than once that I have had some joke they should put a bell on my character. They will forget that my character is standing right there or I’ll be private messaging the dm that I’m moving closer or away and wait for the comedic moment to mention it. Well, if that is the right vibe of course. I play a lot by vibe of the party and narrative. I enjoy watching the group play just as much as participating. I get that the dm in the first story things of it as a film but…not sure I could be a player under his style.

Story 1 DM just wrote a book with extra steps

Somehow, I'm thinking the GM in the last story is leaving a few key details out, like how he phrased telling the players what they're expected to do. While forgivable and the players were likely just confused and frustrated, wanting to work with the guy but not sure how, it's possible there's some very real miscommunication there.

79 pages of background? I sincerely expected to learn he was lifting his game world whole cloth. Well, it sounds like an interesting game idea. Not for me, but I don't begrudge him any players that might like it.

I would have noped out when he didn’t let the players make their own characters…

I love the Super Simba Closeups. Much protection against psychic damage! That said, story the first: Colorado sounds like a horrible GM, horrible player, and, judging by the fact he skipped town on a "nature retreat" and didn't pay his rent, a not great person in general. Now, do I have an issue with camera angles and stage directions? No. There are *noted* GMs out there in actual plays that do that. My issue is 79 pages of bullshit you're expected to memorize, and not actually getting any real input in the game itself. There *are* systems that lend themselves to that kind of narrative play, but D&D ain't it.

I have a character who is a crazy shadar-kai monk barbarian, and she's a really fun character to play, but it's mostly flavor and role play, mechanically she works exactly as intended.

Oooh the Simba, I like it! Also Colorado is an arse.

Simba best kitty.

Player: "Actually my character decides to go with the group now". Me as DM: "No you don't, the group left and you have no idea where they are or what's going on with them". Why is the DM such a pushover in so many of the "horror stories"? It's like they don't understand that the DM is in charge of the game and nothing happens without the DM's express permission. "I walk up to the door" -- "No you don't your feet are suddenly stuck to the floor and you can't move forward". See! You can tell the DM what you want to do, but you don't do it until the DM OKs it. "I walk up to the door" -- "OK, you're at the door". If a player tries to do something using meta-game information you just say "no you don't" or "you don't know that" or whatever is applicable. e.g. something _interesting_ is happening with a PC(s) in a store and problem player announces "I enter the store", you (as DM) simply say, "no you don't you're over on the other side of the market talking to the swordsmith". When they say "No, I'm finished talking to them and enter the store looking for other PC". You (as the DM) tell them, "No you don't, this is happening *while* you're talking to the sword smith. Now please let us continue, I'll get back to your character in a minute". It's extreme, but if you have a player who can't stop themselves from responding to what's happening with other PCs that they only know about from meta-gaming -- then they have to leave the table (chat, whatever) while events are being played out. It's probably easier to just ask them to stop showing up if they're going to continue to be disruptive.

@gimok2k5

8 ай бұрын

I think they are such a pushover because those that aren't prevent it from turning into a noteworthy horror story before it even starts. So there generally isn't much to tell. We heard a few where the GM did step it pretty much right away (maybe not always with Doge but from others), but because of that, these stories were incredibly short, too.

We don't have main or side characters in our games...we have PCs and NPCs...potent and non-potent characters. Can't remember exactly when we started calling them that, but best i can recall was that PCs had pictures associated with them and NPCs didn't...didn't matter what side of the screen you were on. For the longest time, in the games i wasn't running, to have a pic, and thus be potent, meant that said characters were probably fully stated out and could stand a very high chance of defeating the players in combat. DM had a long running thing where he just had to show off his character building skills, or something.

The second story reminds me of peoples misinterpretation of robin hoods "steal from the rich and give to the poor" as whst it really meant was "steal from those who took their wealth unlawfully from others, and return it to those who it was stolen from" and people think he just steals from everyone who is rich but that would mean anyone who is poor that manages to legimately become rich that robin hood would rob them blind robin hood wasnt a bandit he was a good guy.

Story 1. After the 2nd or 3rd game. My character would drink poison and hold his battle axe to his neck and, as many times as he were able, run full tilt into the wall. So yeah, looks like I'm out of the cam-pain! Smell ya later, I'm gone!

I do think lawful good is difficult to play as a rogue. If you want to be a good rogue. Should probably shoot for chaotic good.

👍👍 love the hat, very festive 😃👌

@gimok2k5

8 ай бұрын

He's got the hat in pretty much every video, it's not halloween related.

@philurbaniak1811

8 ай бұрын

@@gimok2k5 how have I never noticed that 😆?

Okay... wow Colorado is a piece of crap DM. And really? A 79 page wiki they have to memorize? I'm not one to talk on length, my setting notes for ONE continent in my homebrew world is 135 pages so far, but I don't expect the group to sit down and memorize everything about it, I've even joked about it not happening with the setting's callendar. And then the rest of it... like, this guy is possibly worse than the Airship DM, and that's saying a lot. Second story, love that he's playing a Rogue like this but the Fighter and Barbarian are horrible people. A rare case where basically going "Its what my character would do" (though not in those exact words and more not in this case) actually works.

So you made a character that doesn't want to work with the party? They stay behind and don't go on the adventure. Now please make a character that actually wants to help or leave the table.

*sigh* Why is it always Strahd…?

1. Imo, Colorado needed a good hard smack upside the head. Maybe this 'style' appeals to a few, but it doesn't do a thing for me. 2. Murderhobos. IGNORANT Murderhobos. Huh. 3. This guy needs help, far beyond what a TTRPG can give. One date will not fix things - but it COULD be a starting point, at least. 4. Not taking sides here. Sounds like a definite failure to communicate.

3rd story sounds like the OP is a bit judgmental and status obessed. His reasoning for why he's an incel is basically that he had hot "waifus" and was ugly irl. He even starts the story off by judging his appearance and making assumptions about how he lives. It sounds like this dude's worst problem is that he is a cringy mary sue in game but OP might wanna kind of check some of his own assumptions.

@TigerW0lf

8 ай бұрын

This was only half the story, though. Trust me, some of it is a little warranted, considering the "insane" idiot tried to "accidentally" go into pvp

I disagree, a game doesn't need to weave the players backstories into the narrative or at all. The game, in my view, shouldn't be about the past artificially created by the player but the story the team is creating. I'm running two campaigns currently, one on session 43, the other one session 26, none tie in any player backstories. Hell, neither even have a plot of "BBEG" to defeat. Between ten players in two groups and they are all having fun with the open-world game. This current story plot game-style isn't the only way or even the best way to play.

You're a rogue...steal. You're not a rogue...so don't.

Doge time! 1st