If there were a game or setting you'd really like to play (likely solo), but could never find a group, would it be worth it to you to pay a GM a nominal feel to run the game / campaign?

Or, as a GM, would you be willing to run something outside of your normal game for a nominal fee?

Just wondering.

  Depends on the cost, I guess.  But yeah, as a player I'd be willing, assuming a reasonable price/quality.

  Don't think I'd enjoy GMing it though.

Never in a million years. Ever. No GM is that good.

I'd definately GM for money.  Talk about a dream come true.

Because we have had it come up recently, I would like to state that any 'paid' type of game on RPoL is not allowed, and nobody should be using RPoL's resources to offer to run a game (or, for that matter, play in one) for a fee of any kind.

Please feel free to continue with the topic at hand.

My answer to the question:

Nope, even if it meant that I'd never play another RPG again.

I remember stories told from my old group about crazy sized D&D games with, like, 15 people all playing at once, back at the store they used to have Magic tournaments at.

My thoughts on that were, "Man, for a game that big, it'd have to cost money." Then one of my friends tried to convince me to do just that. No way, not with 15 people, that's for sure! LOL

The amount of time a GM puts into an average game, what price would be worthwhile?  If you paid him/her for that time, the game suddenly wouldn't be worth it.  Games seem to make sense only when they're free.

In reply to minioch (msg #6):

Maybe the game store could pay the GM for that kind of thing, but private people paying to game, not a chance.

Paying a GM only makes sense in MMORPGs.

  I think it depends upon what you mean.  I have paid for games at convention, but most of the money normally goes to the convention, not the GM.

  I've played with too many REALLY good GM's  (my DW for one) for free to be willing to pay on a regular basis. However, if I really wanted to play in a specific module for a table top game, and the GM was strapped for money, I might buy the module for him/her to run.

I always thought that's what paying for the pizza was.

It would be awkward to introduce money into a game session (as opposed to saying "if you GM, we'll buy the pizza").

I'd be tempted, to either pay a GM out of desperation, or taking money to GM a game for players.
Of course, the one taking money would probably have to be someone who wasn't a friend, since paying a friend or taking their money would be weird.
But, ultimately, it wouldn't work.  Money changes things, and would take the fun, friendly atmosphere out of the game, where the I would inevitably start feeling like the GM is only there for the money, or that I, as the GM, would feel like the players would be too demanding, since I'm being paid.

If that makes sense.

I would pay Robin Williams to run a game for me but that's about it.

I've actually found that offering to GM ensures that someone else will leap to the opportunity. No idea why ...

*laughs*  That's a good point.   I feel the same way about Stephen Colbert, too.

However, I'd add that anyone I'd consider worth really spending money to have as a GM (or a player, for that matter) is someone I couldn't afford.

I think adequate payment for the GM would be pizza. It's what *I* would accept as payment.

But as for money, though, money, while it's nice to have, gets in the way of relationships. That includes gaming relationships. So, stick with food. It's much less complicated :)

I would not pay any old GM. However, there are a couple of GMs I've had who are so spectacular that I would pay them. On the other hand, both of those spectacular GMs who I would theoretically pay both publish gaming books professionally (for Chaosium and Steve Jackson Games respectively). I have bought the books they've written...so I am paying them in a sense.

I would pay $2-3 to enter into a convention game...and that money might be going to the GM...probably a stranger. That would be fine...but it wouldn't be an ongoing thing...it would be a one time transaction.

As for an ongoing thing...I wouldn't pay a GM for an ongoing game. I'd chip in for pizza though. Mainly because that might be strange.

Now, putting the shoe on the other foot. Would I GM for money? Only under very specific circumstances.
1) It would have to be for people who aren't my friends. I don't ask my friends to pay for spending time with me.
2) It would have to be for D&D4e or Pathfinder...preferably a Pathfinder Adventure path. Not because I like D&D...but rather because I don't like D&D and running modules would take very little effort for me. By doing a D&D module, it would be unequivocally a job for me. It would be something I could put all my skill into, but not my soul. It would be like all those female prostitutes who are lesbians, or male prostitutes/rent boys who are straight. They have sex with men for money, but their actual sexuality is reserved for women. I'd run a hack'n'slash D&D/Pathfinder module for strangers for money, but I'd reserve the time and energy and roleplay intensive GURPS/etc games for people who I care more about.
3) The game would have a set of ending parameters. i.e. This game will run from Level 1 to Level 20, and then the game is over. I don't want to be stuck running some D&D group for ever.
4) I don't need the money, and I have other ways to use my time, so if I agreed to do this, if would be because the people who want to pay me have a compelling story that makes me empathize with their situation. I'd rather run this game for people who are new to RP'ing and want learn how to play and don't have anyone to teach them...I'd throw in GM training for free so they could end up doing it on their own after I left. Or people who are isolated and just don't have the social network to game...or...alternately...

I'd run a really in depth and intense solo or small group game for some crazy rich lawyer who has the money but doesn't have the time to play regularly and so needs to hire a GM to run for her or him.