[Over the Edge] Killing the Dilemma

[Joel P. Shempert]

Hot damn, I like the way you think, Callan. Actually, you folks have all had a lot of cool ideas. . .hell, even aside from the player-level dysfunction issues we've been discussing, I've got a whole menu of delicious plot twists to choose from. :)

So yeah, the consensus seems clear, and I agree it's the best way to proceed, to talk to him about my issues--perhaps I should, as people have implied, focus directly on how I feel in these situations, which is an approach I stangely haven't really tried. I tend to approach the discussion in a dispassionate tone, y'know, all about the good of the game. "Cause, feelings are, likefor wimps and normies with dates on Friday night. Perhaps if I'm more vulnerable I'll better communicate my plight.

I have tried to give players an out, on a couple of occasions where my frustration was at a peak, a group suggestion that they not play if they're not enjoying the campaign, just continue with our other GM's two running games, OtE isn't for everyone, etc.  (That's our social contract regarding inclusion, I guess: you can't fire someone, just ask them to resign.) No one bit. I dunno if it'll be any different one on one.

Glendower, about the inference RE: campaign enjoyment, you're half right, It's been sorta fun and sorta frustrating over the years. OK, scratch that. it's been alternately LOTS of fun and VERY frustrating, with little middle ground (that i remember anyway, I may just be fixating on the extremes). So for every hair-pulling bit, there;s been a wow, cool moment, 6though if I had to rate them, completely unscientifically, I'd say the hair-pulling comes out slightly on top in degree and frequency. A lot of this is player frustration, some is definitely Gm inadequacy, and a big chunck is my lack of clear articulation to myself or anyone else of my play goals

So it's kind of like (if it's analogies you want) trying to get into shape after sittig on a couch eating twinkies for 6 or 7 years. i'm trying to figure out how to get what I want now that I have a better idea of what it is. I have an interest in determining if the OtE game is salvageable, and while there's definitely a fair chunk of "prior investment fallacy" involved in that thinking, I'm also looking at the old clunker and seeing a lot that IS salvageable, or at least worth salvaging.

Another factor in my desire to wrap up OtE and have done with it, is the glacial nature of our gaming; not only does our group get little done in a typical session, but we've been rotating between something like three separate games under different GMs. So we've been playing a loooong time, and progressed little. Makes me tired of it and at the same time a little voice says "nooooo! There's so much more to be done!"

But this is getting rather digress=y. I think the thread is nearly played out. it all comes down to the fact that I just gotta bite the bullet and deal with this shit person to person.

Peace,