Re: [NBC Miami] 36-year-old makes $37,000 a year leading Dungeons & Dragons games

On Sat, 27 Apr 2024 01:02:40 +0200, Kyonshi <gmkeros@gmail.com> wrote:

On 4/26/2024 5:22 PM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

 

On 4/25/2024 10:49 AM, Kyonshi wrote:

https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/business/money-report/36-year-old-makes-37000-a-year-leading-dungeons-dragons-games-if-youre-doing-it-anyway-you-might-as-well-get-paid/3294720/

36-year-old makes $37,000 a year leading Dungeons & Dragons games: If
‘you're doing it anyway, you might as well' get paid
By Mike Winters,CNBC and Raffi Paul,CNBC...

 
Personally, I can't imagine anything worse than making my hobby my
job. It turns the thing I enjoy most into something I /have/ to do.
One of the reasons I enjoy the things I do is that I /don't/ have to
them. The worst parts of DMing are that feeling of obligation trying
to pump out the next adventure; that you're players are waiting on you
to create another interesting and fun experience. Especially when
there's a deadline ("Oh god, we're meeting up to play in TWO days and
I haven't even started the final dungeon!!!").
 
Throw in the idea that people are PAYING me for the privilege? I'd go
nuts. Not to mention, I'm sure quality and experimentalism would go
down. Can't take risks, not if you want that filthy lucre to keep
coming in; just pump out pablum.
 
DM for money? No thank you. Not me.
 
 
 

>
there was the idea floating around at one point that players would
actually chip in some money for every session so the DM could afford
buying all those expensive books. But I never saw it done properly.

But that's not really paying the DM so much as helping the group enjoy
the game. It's somewhat equivalent to everyone chipping in to pay for
snacks and drinks. It's an expense shared by the group. It's, "Hey, I
want to give you guys a great game, but the tool I need to do so is
too expensive, can you guys help out". If the group is willing, I've
no problem.

But paying the DM for DMing? That's, "Hey, I can give you a great
game, and I could do it for free just as easily, but I want money for
it." Which isn't necessarily bad - offering services for pay is what
capitalism is all about - but it turns play into work. It turns what
should be a fun and relaxed experience into an obligation. Maybe some
people are fine with that. I'm not going to damn anyone for following
that route. If DM and players are fine with it, that's great. But the
idea of me doing it sends shivers down my spine.