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The off-topic rules may not apply here, but the other rules still do. This is less the Wild West and more the Mild West. Don't be a jerk.

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Am I the only one noticing a huge asymmetry in the TTRPG hobby right now - one that’s actively burning out GMs?

Back in the day, it felt like you’d have a dungeon to clear, a few factions thrown into the mix, and the players figured out what to do with them. But now? It feels like the GM is expected (in most cases) to deliver a "good plot," a "great story," and "interesting twists" so the players can be surprised and have big emotional moments.

And what do the players bring to the table? Most of the time, they just show up - and that’s pretty much their entire contribution. Rarely do they even know the rules.

Was it always like this? Am I just burned out? Or did I finally figure out something fundamental about this hobby? …Or am I the toxic one?

Just to clarify - I mostly play online with randoms. I’ve played with friends too, but their expectations were pretty similar, which is why I don’t run games for them anymore.

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Thanks for the answers. I'd like to clarify one point.

Just to clarify - in my experience, it’s not even about the rules or the system themselves. People come to this hobby looking for the same emotions and payoff they'd get from watching a series or playing a video game. And since their input there is minimal, they carry that same passive, low‑effort attitude over to the tabletop.

I'll be running at Gamehole Con in October. I've been running at cons since 2018. Over the years I've put together a checklist that works for me. Figured I'd share. What do you bring?

Pre-gen characters (at least one more than number of players expected, so everyone has a choice)

Game system cheatsheet for all (helps bring players up to speed more quickly)

GM screen (even if I don't use it, it helps people find the table)

Rule Book

Adventure specific material for me

Adventure specific material for the players (handouts)

My GM notebook

Dice tray (I always roll in the open)

Index cards

Pencils for all

Dice for all

Table tents for player/character name

Markers for table tents

As needed (mainly if it is a minis grid game):

Chessex vinyl grid mat

Wet erase markers

Miniatures

Check out Rat Catchers, a hack of Die A Hundred Times by kobayashi to emulate low-fantasy old world roleplaying. Just put this one together today when I decided to enter the jam, and finding out it ended today.

Was looking back at some trailers for the PS4 cancelled game, Deep Down. And its theme seem fun to me: Normal dungeon crawlers who can't cast magic on their own, and has to rely on "magic fused" item like scrolls, rune stones, flasks, etc bought from the local wizard's workshop. Basically, no magic classes, but magic still play an important role in the gameplay through magic items. Is there any system that fit this description of mine?

Hi,

I want to know what would be the best Cultivation TRPG, here are some stuff I would like in it:

- Pills system

- Tallisman system

- Restriction system

- Power and level up system (Similar to classic like A record of journey to immortality)

- Highly detailed character system (aka crunchy system, similar to Pathfinder 1e)

Thanks in advance

After 5e, PF2e, and CoC, what’s the next crunchiest game that could still be said to have a sizeable player base, do you think?

The Emanation power states: You can surround yourself with a damaging aura... In addition, anyone who touches you (including a slugfest attack) suffers 3 points of damage (on each turn, in the case of continuous contact).
Would blocking an attack by an Emanation user who has it activated count as touching, then dealing damage to the blocker even if the block is successful?

I've taken a look at Reign, I tracked down the Meikyu Kingdom rules that I'd seen mentioned here before, and while both systems look interesting neither were really scratching the itch I have.

I'm looking for a management game that's pretty in depth, with resources to manage, diplomacy, war, can be large scale or small scale. I'd like the population to have an actual value that means something and can be manipulated and utilised, instead of an abstracted grade or stat instead.

I'd like to be able to launch raids against rivals to steal population and resources, or to set up trade routes and expand the economic might of whatever region I control, setting up new business and ventures such as mines.

Anything from managing an entire kingdom to just a town would be good for me. I'd like exploration elements too, finding dungeons and ruins to send expeditions to, I don't mind if there are actual player characters or not. I'd be playing this solo for the most part, but the rules don't need to be designed for that, I can adapt.

If there are no rules that fit this exactly then I'd be willing to look at homebrew, if anyone can recommend some sources to pull from.

Thanks in advance for this rather niche request!

Hello! I am interested in being more up to date with either recently launched titles or soon-to-launch ones. Is there any resource I can use to do that? I am a bit bored of the existing market (there's nothing wrong with it) and I am craving something new. I tried Itch, but it has plenty of obscure and niche games that are not exactly up my alley. Thank you.

I just learned that Dungeon Dwellers has been delivered to its backers and is now available for everyone to buy off the Reaper website. If you have it, what do you think so far? Is it sufficiently different from other D&D-derived games to be worth the money?

Hi, all! Does anyone know of any tools for making nice-looking maps of fantasy cities?

Something like Wonderdraft/Dungeondraft, but for cities.

I'm willing to do a reasonable one-time purchase, but I'm not looking for a subscription service (like Inkarnate).

I'm also up for using just an art program (I'm comfortable with Inkscape, Clip Studio Paint, and GIMP) if anyone's got a tutorial.