How to game master, being an explorer?
 

I've found myself in a strife: either run a game or don't game at all. Unfortunately, game mastering always tires me very quickly, and I think it's because of what actually drives me to play: the sense of wonder I get from exploring the world and learning the story. I'd say I'm an explorer in the Bartle taxonomy. But when I run the game, I don't get to explore – I have to create the world and make the story. Alas, reading published adventures doesn't scratch the itch.
Are there any other explorer-GMs who could share some tips or, better yet, general approach to game-mastering?

Re: How to game master, being an explorer?
 

I know one thing I do is to plan short campaigns: I don't plan to run a single game indefinitely: the campaign is about a single problem or group of problems, and when that's solved, the game is over. The PC's can see the end coming, and the epilogues we've done have been very well received. Then I move on to a completely different setting.

Does world-building scratch your itch? That could be quite satisfying for you, or it could be quite hollow, I don't know.

I love using random generators in Game Mastering. The Collaborative Gamer has an excellent set, especially for NPC's and his "Solo6" (which doesn't have to be used for solo games). I also just kind of collect random generators from all over the place. (including a bunch of custom ones)

Is your dilema about gaming because you can't find a good GM, or for other reasons?

Re: How to game master, being an explorer?
 

Might as well try it, though I'd have to loosen up my obsessive prep.

Not really, I'm afraid. Building the game mechanics for a world does, but it usually goes to waste after a couple of sessions.

This is a very interesting idea. Maybe the random factor could spark some joy for me as well. I'll look into that!

Kind of. I can't find a willing GM (never mind a good one) among my friends, and I just can't bring myself to play with strangers.

Re: How to game master, being an explorer?
 

A few answers:

1. Invent your own setting, starting with a small town or city and "explore" it through the creative process, discovering it only shortly before your players do as you need to create more.

2. Set your game in the real world, but in a time and location you know little about (feudal Japan, the Silk Road, Constantinople, Ancient Egypt, etc.) Get some source books (GURPS has lots) and enjoy learning about the world.

3. The Fantasy Trip has materials which can be used to randomly generate labyrinths and dangers--drop tables, megahexes, labyrinth generator cards, rumor cards, adversary cards, etc.

Re: How to game master, being an explorer?
 

I don't really enjoy creating a setting, but I might do the 2 latter points. I'll have an excuse to read obscure wiki articles :D

Re: How to game master, being an explorer?
 

So you want to be a player, not a GM, but you're the only possible GM available. This is the point where you should seek games looking for players.

Another possibility is to play a game using something like Mythic GM Emulator, either with your group of friends or solo. This is a system that literally replaces GM decisions with random rolls. Anytime you come across a GM decision, like describing what's in a room, you pose a yes/no question to the emulator and get a response. "Are there monsters in the room?" "Yes." Consult your table of random monsters. "Does the guard know anything about a scraggly-haired man traveling with the caravan?" "No." "Okay, I'm pretty sure he didn't come this way." It gives surprisingly immersive results. You can use it in conjunction with your preferred RPG rules.

Re: How to game master, being an explorer?
 

I'll second the random element. I also like exploration in my games, so I lean heavily on random generation; this procedure lets me be surprised with the results. "Why does this dungeon have two groups of white apes?" That provokes my creative impulse into coming up with answers for discordant results. I feel free to tweak results to come up with something for players to have fun with, but I get a much more satisfying result off of random or semi-random input than I do from making it up whole cloth.

The other thing I do is research; I generally try to "start with earth" for my campaigns, and so I end up doing a lot of exploring in that sense; I now know much more than I ever expected to know about medieval Switzerland as a result of a short campaign a few years ago, for example.

Re: How to game master, being an explorer?
 

Some while ago I ran into a similar-looking question, and it seems this kind of answer was well-enough received.

Re: How to game master, being an explorer?
 

This looks great! It's also a second source that somehow recommends Dungeon World, and it makes me wonder…
One thing that worries me is that a lot seems to depend on improvisation, which I don't feel particularly good at. But with enough reading and re-thinking, this might work.

Re: How to game master, being an explorer?
 

Note that I personally don't have DW experience, I just know that it keeps getting brought up in certain circles that are big on certain playstyles. Most of the meat of that paragraph was added by another user, so I can't vouch for the game.