Feedback
You’re probably going to get feedback from a number of sources, even if you don’t necessarily seek it out. The obvious source for feedback is going to be your players. This might come in the form of a chat before or after a gaming session, or written/emailed conversation once they've had a bit of time to think on it. If you want to be more formal, you might even create a survey - an electronic one even offers possible player anonymity. You’ll know what works best for your group, but likely you’ll go with some mix of the aforementioned avenues. You might also seek some feedback from third parties. You’re probably sharing your stories with other friendly GMs or at least in online forums. This might be an especially good option if a session seemed "off" in some way, but you can’t quite put your finger on it. Finally, you should make sure to put some self-reflection in, as well. You'll probably already know if a session wasn’t great, or if you did something really cool, without anyone even saying anything directly. Give yourself time to wallow in those defeats, celebrate those successes, and think about the circumstances behind them.
Control, You Must Learn Control
There are going to be tons of issues that come up in your games. Some you’ll have control over, and some you won’t. Figuring out which one is happening can be difficult, but it may even be more difficult to let yourself give up on the things outside your control. Generally, the issues you run into are going to fall into a few different categories: Gameplay, GMing, Technical, and World/System. Technical issues may be the most beyond your control - especially in online games. You certainly can’t control your players' devices or their internet. You can, however, make sure everyone is at least able to hear you and that they have the opportunity to access any digital tools. As far as gameplay, you’ll want to know from your players if you had the right pacing and mix of elements. Were there too many puzzles? Not enough roleplaying opportunities? Too much combat? Unless you’re running a published adventure strictly as written, these issues should be well within your control. System/World may be one of the more difficult aspects to control without making major changes. Make sure your players are all on the same page here, and that the world you’re playing in together is consistent and interesting for everyone. GMing issues may be the hardest thing to hear, but try to keep an open mind. Rule interpretations are, at the very least, something that should also be open to discussion and adjustments made as gaming sessions move along.
Loop
Once you know what's going on in your game, you have the opportunity to actually make some changes. Identify the potential changes that seem larger and more difficult to introduce and get input from your players (and other GMs) on how you might implement them. Two heads will be double the pleasure and triple the fun. Minor tweaks in your games such as rule adjustments, pacing, and other small things should be easier to adjust. The important thing to remember, though, is after you’ve implemented that change, make sure loop into your feedback! Did the change go well or should you try again with a different solution? No matter what, make sure you listen to your players and don’t take their criticism personally. These interactions are just a chance for us to improve our games. Remember to take notes, so that you can keep track of how you’re doing as you refine your playstyle. If things are getting worse, you’ll have a better idea of where you might have gone wrong. If they’re getting better, keep it up! Then get some more feedback, implement, and take notes. Then do it again! Until the next loop, er post, enjoy your tables and your dice.
Send questions, comments, and embarrassing post-game texts to neversaydice20@gmail.com or tweet us @neversaydice2.