Is everyone having fun?
That's really just it. You could have the worlds finest storyteller, weaving intricate tales seamlessly going between story and combat, but if no one is having fun then you're missing out on the true essence of the game.
Even as I was typing that last sentence, I was thinking that having exactly that person would be awesome, but the reason for that is because that's kind of what I'm looking for in an adventure. When I play a character I like a good balance of roleplaying along with combat. I find it very enjoyable to be immersed into the game, but not all players are going to be looking for that. I've written on this before, but it's still very true, if your group is more combat oriented and you're not providing them with combat, they may not enjoy the experience all that much.
While I was reading Of Dice and Men: The Story of Dungeons & Dragons and The People Who Play It, I found one section of the last chapter very inspiring and very well said. The author, David Ewalt, and Frank Mentzer, author and writer for D&D, were discussing the question "What's the secret to being a good Dungeon Master?" Mentzer's reply is very much the key to making sure that everyone enjoys the time they devote to D&D. Mentzer says, "Emphasize priorities with you players, we all have, especially in this day and age, a very limited amount of time. So when you sit down at a gaming table, don't waste time on trivialities. Don't get bogged down in rule arguements,. Resolve them equitably and quickly and keep things moving." He later goes on to say, "You must have your sensors out, find out what grabs people and cater to it. The ideal game is a player-driven game They are not acting in a play you wrote You are presenting a setting, you are the stage dressing and letting them come up with the play. And when the come up with a plot twist, you should be able to go that way full force, because that is what they want to do."
The hardest part that a DM has is ensuring that they aren't putting up invisible walls everywhere and forcing the players to go down a per-determined path. The players may not go where you expect them to go and as a result what you may planned may not be done. Just as with life though, there may be consequences for straying away from the planned path.
Overall, as long as you and your party are happy then your sessions of D&D will continue to be enjoyable. Mentzer concludes their conversation of the secret to being a good DM with this thought. "Remember, the game master is part of the group, it is not an adversarial situation, though plenty of game masters run it that way. The game master has to be able to transcend his own desires and evolve. All the members of the gaming group - and that includes the game master - have to feel like they're winning."
In my mind, as long as everyone is having fun, then everyone is winning.
Overall, as long as you and your party are happy then your sessions of D&D will continue to be enjoyable. Mentzer concludes their conversation of the secret to being a good DM with this thought. "Remember, the game master is part of the group, it is not an adversarial situation, though plenty of game masters run it that way. The game master has to be able to transcend his own desires and evolve. All the members of the gaming group - and that includes the game master - have to feel like they're winning."
In my mind, as long as everyone is having fun, then everyone is winning.