Quote from: jadrax;576648In a prefect world where I could just prep and run I would be fine. It's player issues, scheduling issues and that kind of crap I find can get me to the point of just giving up.

Last time I checked, all that stuff was called 'life.'

I have two school-age kids, with five extra-curricular activities between them so far. Managing their schedules along with my wife's and my own makes planning to get together to play a game a cinch by comparison.

Quote from: Black Vulmea;576653Last time I checked, all that stuff was called 'life.'

I have two school-age kids, with five extra-curricular activities between them so far. Managing their schedules along with my wife's and my own makes planning to get together to play a game a cinch by comparison.

I guess I'm unlucky then. I have no life. I live with my mom, I have no job, wife or much of anything. This is it.

Quote from: Nightfall;576628Admittedly, I've not had much of a break. I've been running Carrion Crown Adventure Path Pathfinder RPG pretty much since 2011. It's almost 2013 and I'm BARELY done with it. I feel...fatigued.

Does this happen to you guys?

(I also think the major reason for this fatigue is due to the fact I had run two groups in the same campaign storyline (sort of) and only ONE has managed to muddle its way towards the end. The other keeps breaking down...and I'm about ready to call it quits. )

Okay I really need a nap.

Everyone gets tired at times. I have been running games for over twenty years, but I often alternate between GMing and playing so I get a bit of a recharge as a result.

But judging from your post it sounds like part of the issue could be campaign/adventure structure. I dont run adventure paths, so forgive me if I misunderstand what they are exactly, but this sounds like you have a whole campaign planned from beginning to end and the players have to go through all the points you have set up to get to the end. What is more you are running two groups through the same campaign. That sounds exhausting to me. As a Gm i think it is tiring if you are trying to keep the players on a track. It also lacks any surprise for you. My suggestion is to try a different approach to adventure design. See if running something a little more free form doesn't boost your energy a bit.

Quote from: BedrockBrendan;576659Everyone gets tired at times. I have been running games for over twenty years, but I often alternate between GMing and playing so I get a bit of a recharge as a result.

But judging from your post it sounds like part of the issue could be campaign/adventure structure. I dont run adventure paths, so forgive me if I misunderstand what they are exactly, but this sounds like you have a whole campaign planned from beginning to end and the players have to go through all the points you have set up to get to the end. What is more you are running two groups through the same campaign. That sounds exhausting to me. As a Gm i think it is tiring if you are trying to keep the players on a track. It also lacks any surprise for you. My suggestion is to try a different approach to adventure design. See if running something a little more free form doesn't boost your energy a bit.

Well the campaign structure itself ISN'T bad. I get to scare my PCs. (I always enjoy that.) However lately it's been more "Oh crap it's an encounter!" rather than "Crap! It's death incarnate!!!" So...dunno. But yeah running two group can be exhausting. Especially, at the beginning, when I had a grand total of 10-12 players...and now it feels like only about 8/9ish. Adventure paths can be fun. Indeed I like this one a lot. I think my major problem has been three fold: A lack of cohesion amongst the groups (And the PCs themselves); My on need to tweak things; and in general, my own hype with this. Couple that with the fact I REALLY wanted this to be over before October/September...and you get my feeling completely. Free form is fine...I just don't feel like making the effort some times.

I can run (almost) weekly for years without burning out. I think there are a couple of reasons for this. First, I run a rules lite game system I know well and like -- and that does not require much weekly prep time. Second, I run a sandbox campaign with a lot of random rolls so I often am just as surprised as the players as to what happens which keeps things fresh and I don't have to worry about keeping the adventure's plot on track.

Quote from: RandallS;576666I can run (almost) weekly for years without burning out. I think there are a couple of reasons for this. First, I run a rules lite game system I know well and like -- and that does not require much weekly prep time. Second, I run a sandbox campaign with a lot of random rolls so I often am just as surprised as the players as to what happens which keeps things fresh and I don't have to worry about keeping the adventure's plot on track.

Okay well maybe you can try out Pathfinder RPG to run and prep and let me take a nap instead! Really I'm not against the prep. Especially with d20pfsrd.com having much of the adventure path on line for me. So. But it's just everything else.

Quote from: Nightfall;576667Okay well maybe you can try out Pathfinder RPG to run and prep and let me take a nap instead!

No thank you. I'm not interested in doings hours of prep to run the same type of stuff I currently run with 20-30 minutes prep. And combat in 3.x/PF takes much longer than I can tolerate (for more than a few sessions, at least).

Quote from: Nightfall;576628Admittedly, I've not had much of a break. I've been running Carrion Crown Adventure Path Pathfinder RPG pretty much since 2011. It's almost 2013 and I'm BARELY done with it. I feel...fatigued.

Does this happen to you guys?

Hasn't happened to me for a while, but yes, it's perfectly human to get tired and want to do something else. And you know what? You should. Have a break. Play the game instead of running it, try a completely different game, or type of game, or just do something else completely for a few months. You'll then come back to running games regenerated, with fresh ideas and so on. It's not "wrong" or anything. Do yourself a favor and breathe.

I get burned out on a specific game and/or plotline and want to take a break and do something else for a little while.

Quote from: RandallS;576676No thank you. I'm not interested in doings hours of prep to run the same type of stuff I currently run with 20-30 minutes prep. And combat in 3.x/PF takes much longer than I can tolerate (for more than a few sessions, at least).

So far it's only taken me 2 hours to prep this part of the entire adventure...so not sure it's that. combat does take a while, especially now that we're past the 10th level mark.

Quote from: Benoist;576677Hasn't happened to me for a while, but yes, it's perfectly human to get tired and want to do something else. And you know what? You should. Have a break. Play the game instead of running it, try a completely different game, or type of game, or just do something else completely for a few months. You'll then come back to running games regenerated, with fresh ideas and so on. It's not "wrong" or anything. Do yourself a favor and breathe.

Ben, I think I'll breathe when I'm dead. Or something. But thanks for the support.

Quote from: Silverlion;576678I get burned out on a specific game and/or plotline and want to take a break and do something else for a little while.

I think I just need to play more Magic the Gathering.

Quote from: Nightfall;576686I think I just need to play more Magic the Gathering.

Sounds perfect fun, or you could take a Summer vacation for a month, since you are in the Northern Hemisphere. You could ask one of the players to run a game they have always wanted to for a month or so.  Reduce game sessions to no more than 2 hours in length. It's a pretty stress free problem really.

Today went better. Not sure if it's because I got to interview for a job at my FLGS. Or just the simple fact we pushed further through Part 4 and at least cleared the ground floor of the Manse. Regardless, I felt better about running.

EXCEPT the part where my favorite table in the store was taken by the owners/management due to the need to have a private interview room.

I waver between wanting to play and wanting to GM. Luckly in my group everyone is a competent GM so we rotate roles every 1-2 years. I'm 1 year into my Fallen Lands LotFP campaign and am looking forwards to wrapping things up by end of October and playing some SWN.

I have competent GMs...sort of. I just want to finish!

Now that I got closer to it, I'm okay with it.

Nightfall, I'm exaggerating for effect here: "Your players sound kinda like dicks."

Now, I'm not saying your players are dicks, but you had some posts up there that made it sound like you felt at the time of posting that you were putting in all this effort for nearly-naught and the players weren't quite pulling their weight.

Even if that was just a rage-day in-the-moment thing, it's worth looking at.  Your players should be a joy, not a burden.

I think running the same AP twice simultaneously might be part of the issue, but you know that.

Glad to hear things are looking up.

And in response to the question in the OP - I never get tired of GMing in general.  I've gotten tired of certain campaigns that had other issues crop up, sure, but GMing in general, nah.  I love it too much, and no matter how crap one thing may be getting, the potential for a hundred other things buoys my mood.