Interested in Playing AND DM'ing

So I have an interest in joining a fresh new campaign that someone is already running, as I'm finding a lot of filled groups on Roll20 up to the 8th or 9th mark so I figured I'd wander around to see if there are other groups in existence. I like playing magic users and thieves, and would like to try to play an illusionist/thief or something along those lines. On the other hand I also want to DM a game within a world I a constructing. The huge issue is that I have a map done (albeit rough), I have a brief outline of history, I have some deities. I plan to have my own monsters. Most of what's left are the specifics of how different kingdoms and governments function and the maps of towns themselves. I'm practically stumped for ideas until I have the urgency to come up with something on the fly. I figure I could detail it as I go since I have a basic idea of what's going on? It's a tricky move. So I was thinking of also enlisting the help of people with experience in building fantasy world, maybe a more artsy hand than I do. It would help to have as much of a constant second opinion as possible and a partner to build something together. This is all speculative, however. If anyone is interested I am willing to go into more about it. Mainly Im just trying to play D&D again. I did have a game a while back but my work schedule interfered with the sunday sessions, thus i left the game. I figured it would have been a good time to create my own world.

Also I think I should have added that I am a novice DM (I substituted for a game or two and ran a couple sessions a long time ago) but I am quite literate and can deliver a story, as well as manage the flow of the game. I've been exposed to 2E rules long enough to easily recognize what needs to be done as a Dungeon Master for that context. 

Cool pitch for yourself as Player or DM, MontanaPython . I hope the 2E Tavern comes through and a new gaming group forms from this. One detail you could add -- what days or times would you want to game? Since you said work interfered on Sundays. For discussion, in regards to your speculation about DM'ing and the world, the city-maps that you want to create, and the possibility of a Co-GM or co-map-maker. All possible! My advice is don't make city maps that your Players are not going to yet (and by the way the Characters haven't even been rolled yet, and the Party is yet to form). Usually the DM does not need maps of distant cities in advance. I think it is wonderful that you already have a world, and working on Nations, and you could put a Dot for the location of cities.  Let's say you start DM'ing a game, and the party forms (perhaps in a Tavern) in City X.  By the time the party ever says they want to travel to City Z, as DM you can easily finish that day's game session with the departure from City X and perhaps some wilderness roads. You'll have the time in-between sessions to work on that next City Z before they get there.   Now, for your idea of bringing in collaborators (Co-GM) to make more maps with you, great idea. I've done that in one of my 2E games, and it is working out. The Co-GM made several maps. He used a different mapping style than what I normally do.  The fact it was not "consistent" is not a problem, on the contrary we enjoyed the diversity and change of viewpoint. It is refreshing.  Along those lines also you can get a lot of maps (including city maps) from either the Roll20 Marketplace (paid) or from the Roll20 Art Search Web Results (free), or ones you create at home or find online that you can upload into your Roll20 Library and place on the maps. This thread is in the AD&D 2E Tavern public forum, so the thread is open for discussion. Feel free to reply with on-topic answers for MontanaPython or talk about forming a game. Keep in mind all replies in the thread will send a Notification to all the members of the Tavern group, so if you just want to talk with Montana directly you can Private Message.

Oh! I forgot my schedule. Im not free on Fridays and Sundays as those are the busiest times. Saturdays are busy too but I have a night shift then,im free during the day. The rest of the time I have a really flexible schedule. I can go from 11:20 am up to 8 pm PST. Also, thanks for the advice on the co-mapping. I think Ill try doing it on my own at first and if there's too much going on I could probably connect with some people. Right now I'm just getting the general ideas down, what I'll definitely need for the immediate areas that players start in. I made the map using a program called Hexographer. It's quite nifty. It took me about an hour to plan out what kind of environment the "island-continent" as i would put it would have. Also struggled to find a reasonable scale for world size. i was worried that if i didnt have a map with a general idea of how much distance a hex would cover, i would get lost in navigating my players. I ended up with about 15 miles per hex. I think that, after measuring the island from one end to the other it was around or over the size of Iceland.

Campaign cartographer is a good mapping program as well.

@python....our schedules seem to mesh.  I'd be on board to be a guinea pig if you want to start DM'ing.  PM me if you want to chat.  Reid

I have been helping for the pass few month... Well a couple a months and then school became crazy, sorry :/ Anyway, I'm done with school as of next week so I'b be happy to help as it would help to get more experience. And I'd actually have the time this time around.

You could also try a free, simple to use and still pretty cool looking map maker called Inkarnate (Inkarnate.com).  I am always up for collaberation.  Reach me via PM.