Help me, Traditional Games. You're my only hope.
I want to be able to DM. Or GM. Whatever it's called. I just want to have a good time with my friends. We only tried DND a single time about three years ago and it was an unmitigated disaster for unrelated reasons. But traditional games sound so fun, and I REALLY want to try again. I figure the only way I get 'em all to play is if I can DM. So how do I do it?
I mean, first off, I know there's lots of different versions- 3, 3.5. 4, 5, and Pathfinder, I believe? Is any version alright or is one better for the uninitiated? Or something like a cyperpunk-y sorta thing?
How does a DM balance encounters? How do I know if I'm making it difficult enough for them to be challenged but easy enough to where they don't all die? I mean this both in the context of making encounters, but also just PLAYING the encounters and rolling dice / cheating the dice behind the wall or whatever.
How do I make sure everyone is having a good time, or at the very least encourage roleplaying so it's not just about the mechanics of rolling dice and counting numbers?
Is there anything else I absolutely need to know that i haven't brought up?
This is my most desperate hour. Help me, Traditional Games. You're my only hope.