So I play D&D. For those of you who don't know what that is, I recommend searching the internet (what? I'm too lazy to put links to articles here myself.), but if you've heard of it or played it and would like to stick around, I'm glad to have you.
I was reminded today of the sheer fun that the game can inspire, and it wasn't even a session. An idea for a mini-campaign, or an adventure module, popped into my head, and instead of ignoring it like I otherwise would have, I decided to let it sit and stew. Frankly, I think it's a pretty great idea. The story and the world are all textbook fantasy, but the detail which I have gone to to think about and create artwork and preparation is far above my usual level. And I think it pays off. Of course, I haven't played it yet, so who really knows.
But I think that that enthusiasm for the game, for the story, will be what ultimately makes the player experience better. I've played (and run) a lot of campaigns, but more often than not I get tied up in trying to make the story that the players want.
That's not a horrible consideration, but if the players are so needy and specific with their likes that it becomes a problem for the game master, then either they should try running a campaign or you should change your system to something that favors that.
But I ignored players when creating this. I made it for myself as much as I made it for others, and the others I speak of are strangers on the internet, not at all the friends who I play with. And I think ignoring them made a difference, possibly for the better. I'm more engaged with what I'm running, which hopefully will make them in turn more engaged.
When I finish the module I'll share the materials in a google folder for others to use. Until then...
Good hunting.