Dealing With GM Duties Options

[DocTaotsu]

I've come from a long tradition of "One GM to Rule Them All" and I've never been in a group that did anything else. What are the rest of you fine Dumpshockers doing?

[Velocity219e]

Been Running Shadowrun pretty much constantly for SEVEN years now, made loads of superawesome characters which I'd love to play but can't find anyone that'll take over, out of laze or because I do such an excellent job ...

[DocTaotsu]

GMing is a pain in the ass but I do it because otherwise I'd get no Shadowrun. Bah! I keep trying to foist the duties off on other players but they insist they'd rather have me do it, even though this is the first time I've ever run a game for more than a single session. Lazy punks.

[bjorn]

Me and my best friend rotate GMing, usually after each mission (Our missions last a couple sessions usually). Its nice because my Arc takes place in Seattle and his takes place in Denver.

[DocTaotsu]

So is it the same team for both settings or are you basically running two sets of teams at the same time?

[Nightwalker450]

Our group used to have 4 GM's, but one moved out of state. Now we have 3 out of 6 people, 2 of those rotate between story arches. I'm the 3rd, but basically I just run some quick runs when none of the other GM's can make it, most of the time I'm just acting Rules Lawyer.

[ArkonC]

We don't really have a system for who GMs, right now I'm doing SLA every 2 weeks and another guy is doing SR on the other weeks...
I'm sure I will eventually get tired of GMing every 2 weeks, but it could take a few months or a few years and we'll deal with it once it happens...
One in our group has never GMed and probably never will...
The 2 others will both GM when they feel like it, one of them seems to be working on a fading suns campaign and as soon as he's happy with it, I'm sure we'll start playing Fading Suns with him as GM...

EDIT: About GM being a pain in the ass, I haven't noticed, yes, I prepare more than any players (their preparations consist of buying beer and snacks and showing up on time), but my SLA campaign has been going on for 5 months now and preparing for a session now takes me about 1 to 2 hours, it used to be the better part of the day and I actually enjoy setting things up, planning what the NPCs would do, how they would respond in a realistic fashion...
My NPCs regularly turn tail and run when they are getting their asses kicked, just as the players do, they make plans that vary from shoddy to brilliant, just like the players do, and sometimes the plans I lay out for them completely overwhelm the players, last session the players had to protect someone who's life had been threatened, when the action began, it took about 6 seconds, the NPC took out her target, then she ran as fact as she could and got out just in time...
The BNP before that was a peacock-up (like a cock-up, only bigger) my NPCs didn't stand a chance because the PCs outmanouvered me...
It's all fun to me... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Wesley Street]

I GM because I love it. When you're a player you have one character. When you're the GM you get to create an entire world and manipulate it. I love to act, draw maps, create NPCs, challenges, etc. The only pains are that I have to arbitrate disputes and teach the non-rulebook reading newbies how to play via repetition. But that's not so bad either.

My greatest reward is when I hear "You can't ever quit being our GM!". (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[nezumi]

I've GMed (and solely GMed) for so long I really can't go back. Whenever I play, I always think 'well, he should have done better here... that's not very realistic. The rules don't say that!!" As far as I can tell, I am physically incapable of playing in Shadowrun any more (I can do it in other systems because I don't know them as well, but heaven for bid the other system doesn't let me do something I can do in Shadowrun, then I dedicate all my attention to getting whatever that missing bit is. Or I just go loony.)

[Stahlseele]

none of the options, but drawing straws more or less comes close . . most of the time, it's one or two of the guys doing the GMing and they decide it between the two of them . . else if anybody else wants to lead of course they can, and the rest of us tries to help with rules and the such and does co GM or something like that . .

[redwulfe]

In my group I GM and they Like it or I kill there characters. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) J/K I usually just Gm all of the games we play but I like the creative aspects of it so I don't mind and they don't seem to either.

Tim

[Pendaric]

I ref solidly because I am the best in the group at reffing. I find it hard to stay in a game where the ref cannot keep up with the mature roleplaying at the table which makes me a perfectist pain in the ass.
I am a victim of my own success, its the best way for everyone to be happy.

[Zak]

Well, I am playing in a somewhat unusual 'group'. Our total pool of players is around 15. We play alot of systems and games, and whenever someone feels like running a campaign, some one-shots or whatever we get 3-6 people together and roll. Coordination is a bitch.

It comes down to one GM / campaign, but since we run multiple games at the same time everyone who wants to GM gets to. And the GM of one game gets to play in others.
For me it is currently 2 ongoing campaigns where I play in and 1 I'm GM'ing.

[deek]

One GM in our games, although they can change depending on the system. Of the 7 or 8 people that have been in our 4-man group, 5 of them have GM'd in some capacity at some point in the past.

For instance, 5 of us in a DnD campaign (where I played) and that same 5 played in an SR4 campaign (where I GM'd). We also had a different person run Heroes for a few months, with the same group... I don't think we've ever had two of the same game going with two different GMs though...I think that would get too competitive.

I did once do a co-DM thing, which was interesting, but only when the groups split up...

[Lionhearted]

"Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth" - Revelation 5:6

Basically im the lamb who's been sacrificed, everyone wants to play.. but no one wants to GM.. thus I more or less has been stuck with the role for the last 6 months, however.. the Lamb has climbed its throne.. and it demands retribution!

[Nightwalker450]

"Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth" - Revelation 5:6

Basically im the lamb who's been sacrificed, everyone wants to play.. but no one wants to GM.. thus I more or less has been stuck with the role for the last 6 months, however.. the Lamb has climbed its throne.. and it demands retribution!

Umm... Your group scares me... Or maybe its you. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/eek.gif)

[Lionhearted]

Umm... Your group scares me... Or maybe its you. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/eek.gif)

Geez, I never thought I would manage to scare an American with christianity.. (I'd take that as a victory)
nah, we're not crazy.. Im just morbide, melancholic and overly melodramatic.. comes with the finnish blood i suppose (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grinbig.gif)

[raverbane]

So is it the same team for both settings or are you basically running two sets of teams at the same time?

Myself and one of the players swap GMing duties after eacy story arc. Each story arcs lasts between 3-5 sessions. In our game we have five other players, besides the two of us. Everyone keeps the same characters. When I am running, my character either stays back to 'watch the hover craft' or is off doing other stuff. Just depends of what the story needs. When one of us is GMing, the GM's character gets the same basic Xp's and cash as the other players during said sessions.

[nathanross]

Pretty much 4/5 people in my group could GM, 3 have before, 1 uses his age as an excuse, 1 might not show up if he has to GM, and that leaves me. Quite fun, but I am always wondering if it is as transparent to them as it is to me. I try to keep it interesting and challenging. Only complaint is rolling dice for lots of dudes is exhausting. I have started writing up a program to roll dice for me and tell me the number of hits. I also want to add in the ability to randomly generate random goons so I dont have to (within parameters).

[DocTaotsu]

I actually have taken a shine to running games but that's because player/GM satisifaction is high. Everyone is excited about the next game and I'm excited about running it. In past times I've GMed that hasn't always been true.

I'm terrified at having to run a convention game with players I don't know and rules that I can't just hand wave to keep things moving.

I dunno, it is growing on me. Maybe in a couple more months.

[Chibu]

I picked "We draw straws." But really It's mostly who I can trick into running games for me to play. I'm GM'd a few sessions, but I'm not a big fan. I always think i have these great ideas for stories, and then I never get them going, and everyone gets bored (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif) Ah well. I like playing more anyway.

[sinthalix]

I've been GMing SR for 18 years now (or 19, I can't remember anymore). Out of that time, I've actually been a player six months. I was finally able to get one of my players to try a hand at GMing so I finally have a chance to try. His two session run ended up being four sessions, which was nice.

I've found that I enjoy GMing more than playing because I know the rules too well. The new guy is constantly looking at me to make a ruling. I'm going to keep letting him GM between my story arcs though so he can get more experience and hopefully allow me to get more enjoyment as a player.

No one else even wants to try because like some of the other guys here, they feel I do it the best and they really love my GMing style.

[Slymoon]

GMing is a pain in the ass but I do it because otherwise I'd get no Shadowrun. Bah! I keep trying to foist the duties off on other players but they insist they'd rather have me do it, ... Lazy punks.

Holy Crapoly Batman! You must be me!

[swirler]

we have a few GMs ion our group but each runs a different game system

[Frosty Medic]

I voted for the first option, but that only applies to our Shadowrun game. Typically, after we finish a Shadowrun arc, I'll take over and run an arc of my Deadlands game.