Problem

TL;DR-- don't want to DM for my own ideas I get many ideas for developing a campaign and world, but I want to be the player. DMing and controlling a character alongside the party either results in massive metagaming or in the character clamming up and being a bot (at least in my case). I've thought of several solutions, but I'm not sure they'd work: 1) Give an experienced GM/DM the ideas, let them go with them provided they keep the idea more or less intact. Problem: Finding a GM/DM that doesn't have their own campaign and world planned out, getting them to accept. 2) Keep the ideas and fantasize about playing through them. Problem: It gets lonely without friends. 3) Stop getting ideas. Problem: I think too much. Possible solution: Stop thinking. Problem: everything Suggestions on how to proceed would be helpful and greatly appreciated.

The first thing that comes to my mind? There's a lot of us DMs who want to play, not just lead games, offer to run a "hot-seat" campaign of some kind, each of you DMing every other week/month/chanuk. It could be the same campaign, two different campaigns with two different groups, the two of you being the only common denominator or whatever other solution you might come up with. It might not be exactly what you want, but honey DOES catch more bees than pepperspray! (it doesn't kill them as efficiently though)

Asaram said: The first thing that comes to my mind? There's a lot of us DMs who want to play, not just lead games, offer to run a "hot-seat" campaign of some kind, each of you DMing every other week/month/chanuk. It could be the same campaign, two different campaigns with two different groups, the two of you being the only common denominator or whatever other solution you might come up with. It might not be exactly what you want, but honey DOES catch more bees than pepperspray! (it doesn't kill them as efficiently though) That would actually work kind of well with what I have in mind... Have each player design a quest or quest chain for when they DM, so when it's their turn, they're ready. For when they DM, their character can go off on some other errand if they want to prevent the plague of metagaming... Awesome suggestion, now that I think about it. Thanks!

You're welcome. Just please consider that not every player would make a good DM, or would want to DM, so don't pressure the ones that aren't interested, encourage or recruit the ones that are :)

Asaram said: You're welcome. Just please consider that not every player would make a good DM, or would want to DM, so don't pressure the ones that aren't interested, encourage or recruit the ones that are :) I'm planning on recruiting people who have experience DMing and want to do it as well as play. 2-3 people should be enough for the entire party, in fact...

What sort of campaign is it you're hoping for then?

Asaram said: What sort of campaign is it you're hoping for then? Broad question. I'll answer the necessary parts: World-- homebrew Game-- D&D next (playtest) Focus-- Generic questing, roleplaying as opposed to rollplaying.

Ah, too bad. I've gotten so horribly fed up with D&D and Pathfinder lately I can barely stand to look at my books :)

Asaram, out of curiousity, why fed up? (Just another D&D/PF player.) - Gauss

Well I to am sick of D&D and Pathfinder. They are ok games and fun to play, but that is not all there is to roleplaying. There are other game mechanics, genres, and so on. There are some "other" games out there but the sad truth of it, there aren't many and if they are, the players/GMs are keeping tight lipped about it. I was so frustrated I posted to several communities on G+. Might try some other spots like Myth-Weavers , Obsidian Portal , Infrno , RPGGeek and such. I will be exploring those places as well. There are other places. Anyone else want to post suggestions?

Well, I've just GMed it too much I think. The system also lends itself poorly to the two kinds of games I prefer to run, Horror or Intrigue. Good system (especially Pathfinder) but overexposure and fiddlyness makes it less interesting for me :)

Makes sense, Pathfinder has its flaws for sure. Ive actually been interested in trying out other systems but havent the money (and maybe not the time) for a committed game.  I don't run horror much, what about Pathfinder does not lend itself to Horror? - Gauss

I've heard splendid things about The Burning Wheel fantasy rpg, especially as far as ROLEplay. Y'all may want to look into that if various incarnations of D&D/PF aren't working for you.

It has a very high focus on combat. Fighting abilities, equipment, tactics. It's a game where everyone is set to Fight the problems that arise, and often Horror is about hiding from it, at least until you understand it. Every system has it's own ups and downs, this is one of D&Ds/Pathfinders. And yes, I know one can work around it, with enough skill and effort, I just never managed to get that skill :)

Ahhhh, yeah, my players learn that if they try to fight some of the creatures I will throw at them they will die. They have to learn to recognize when something can be best dealt with it via social, investigation, running away, or the sword. :) - Gauss

Asaram said: It has a very high focus on combat. Fighting abilities, equipment, tactics. It's a game where everyone is set to Fight the problems that arise, and often Horror is about hiding from it, at least until you understand it. Every system has it's own ups and downs, this is one of D&Ds/Pathfinders. And yes, I know one can work around it, with enough skill and effort, I just never managed to get that skill :) Well, there's nothing like a dead character to truly scare the players out of combat. Especially if the one that dies is pretty hardy. Our DM had us exploring an abandoned cave castle that was full of puzzles that we had to logic our way through. Incorrect paths led to traps and such (open a tempting chest, a spear shoots out towards the head and a sword appears out of a bottom slot and slices the legs-- 2 reflex saves), but the truly frightening aspect was that we heard something crawling around wherever we went, but no matter how much we looked, we couldn't find it. Well, after making a pretty close to fatal blunder towards a room full of gears and levers, because one of us ran into what seemed to be a trip wire, but turned out to be a string of web, and, lo and behold, a phase spider with permanent haste  appeared. Naturally, our two tanks were like "we can do this", but after the bard pretty much disappeared for good, we were much more focused on solving all the puzzles quicker to get out, setting up obstacles and anything we could to try to get away from our hunter. Needless to say, our DM was nice that game, he could've easily killed all of us with that thing.

Like I said, it can be done, but takes more effort and has a different focus. That coupled with overexposure (and, honestly, several players on here being less than polite because specific parts of content was disallowed) has turned me off of the game. I might GM it again in the future, but I doubt it. It's nothing personal against anyone, but I just like GURPS and WoD far more than Pathfinder. I get more out of GMing in those games.