Casting Shadows

The end is in nigh! We are not at the end, but we can see it from here and it looks like September. Go figure. The twenty-fifth question for #RPGaDay for 2017 asks us for advice on how to thank your GM. Recognition of effort and skill is an important part of maintaining a healthy group, and a healthy group is a very important part of playing good games. With that in mind, what is the best way to thank your GM? GMs don’t be shy, you can answer this too.

In the past I people have bought games specifically for me to run, people have ferried me to and from games, food costs have been absorbed, and so on. Some groups choose to share in the cost of game night by freeing up the GM’s resources so that they can focus on buying RPG material. That says a lot about the importance of the game, and the trust the group has in the GM. Among a tight-knit group of friends, this all might take place without a word spoken about it. It just happens.

It is an interesting part of human nature that sometimes receiving thanks can make a person feel uncomfortable – particularly if they are not praised often. On the flip side, not everyone feels comfortable paying compliments or thanking people for their role in a shared activity. This can be exacerbated when money is involved. At times, such as with a surprise gift game, it can be unexpectedly awkward – especially when members of the group have mixed interests and strong opinions.

I can cite three things which I think demonstrate thanks in a way that I appreciate and am not made too uncomfortable by. I am curious what others prefer. If we are indeed a group of people characterized by having a high percentage of introverts, the answers might be very revealing.

Say Thanks

Honestly, this is my preferred method. When a player comes up to me after a session and thanks me for a good game, with something specific from that session, that is the best reward outside of the play itself. It simultaneously lets me know that they enjoyed the session, and what part stood out for them during the session. Feedback is very valuable and helps build toward better and better games.

 Share Responsibility

This is also great, nothing says that you enjoy the game more than helping to ensure it can take place. Offering to hosting, organize the schedule, car-pooling, or whatever else is a part of your group is a great way to show the GM and other players that you enjoy the game and the group.

Run a Game

A very nice treat is to get a chance to step out from behind the screen and play. Offering to run something for the GM to play a character in on an off-night, between ‘adventures’, or when they are busy with other things in their lives and could use a break, is a great way to demonstrate thanks and appreciation for the group and the game, all of which reflects back as positive recognition for the GM’s contribution to that group.

Question 26: Which RPG offers the most useful resources?

As a note on tomorrow’s question, you define what resources means. That might be something setting-related like gear options or cultural notes, something system-related like GM advice, or something else. It’s up to you~