Gamemaster: Difference between revisions
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[[Image:The DM.jpg|thumb|right|Hope to god he knows the rules.]]The '''Gamemaster''' or '''GM''' source of all your fun and sorrow in role-playing | [[Image:The DM.jpg|thumb|right|Hope to god he knows the rules.]]The '''Gamemaster''', or the '''GM''' as he is often called, is the source of all your fun and all your sorrow in a role-playing game. An adept or experienced GM will make the worlds of the RPG come to life, and present a vision that makes you feel as if you're really there. In other cases, the GM can come off as a total dick. The GM is responsible for describing the game world, playing the role of its inhabitants ([[NPC]]s and monsters) and adjudicating the results of your actions. | ||
==Other Terms== | ==Other Terms== | ||
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==How do I shot GM?== | ==How do I shot GM?== | ||
[[Image:Werewizard.jpg|thumb|right|The best advice on how to be a good GM ever.]] | [[Image:Werewizard.jpg|thumb|right|The best advice on how to be a good GM ever.]] | ||
A lot of people come asking for advice on how to run a role-playing game, but the simple truth of the matter is that a game master is not born; rather, made. Only experience, reading and knowing the group of people you play with will help you become really good. Different GMs have different approaches, some improvise everything, others painstakingly prepare every map, encounter and NPC the players come across. This way of doing things rarely pays off, as players usually hold to long-standing player customs of | A lot of people come asking for advice on how to run a role-playing game, but the simple truth of the matter is that a game master is not born; rather, made. Only experience, reading and knowing the group of people you play with will help you become really good. Different GMs have different approaches, some improvise everything, others painstakingly prepare every map, encounter and NPC the players come across. This way of doing things rarely pays off, as players usually hold to long-standing player customs of shrugging off all over your meticulously-planned work, as they decide to take one wrong turn or ignore one person that was supposed to put them on the right track you laid down for them, and wander off in the complete opposite direction. Some GMs counter this by [[railroading]] their players, which is generally seen as an [[RAGE|douche]] way of doing things. When being railroaded, the players typically become little more than unwilling spectators to the GM's personal fantasy movie, which usually (read: always) sucks. | ||
If you know what your players want you're one step closer to running a good game. Some just want to kick some goblin arse, others want to get involved in the political intrigue at court, others don't really know what they want. Try to lead them on adventures that involve all the characters and give them all challenges that depend on what they do best. If you have a rogue in the party make sure to have some sneaking or trap-finding to be done, if you have a barbarian be sure there will be opportunity to kick some ass and so on. Talk to your players. | If you know what your players want you're one step closer to running a good game. Some just want to kick some goblin arse, others want to get involved in the political intrigue at court, others don't really know what they want. Try to lead them on adventures that involve all the characters and give them all challenges that depend on what they do best. If you have a rogue in the party make sure to have some sneaking or trap-finding to be done, if you have a barbarian be sure there will be opportunity to kick some ass and so on. Talk to your players. | ||
Revision as of 23:06, 12 May 2013
The Gamemaster, or the GM as he is often called, is the source of all your fun and all your sorrow in a role-playing game. An adept or experienced GM will make the worlds of the RPG come to life, and present a vision that makes you feel as if you're really there. In other cases, the GM can come off as a total dick. The GM is responsible for describing the game world, playing the role of its inhabitants (NPCs and monsters) and adjudicating the results of your actions.
Other Terms
Various games refer to the Game Master with different names:
- Dungeon Master (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Keeper (Call of Cthulhu, Trail of Cthulhu)
- Storyteller (All World of Darkness games, most White Wolf games)
- Referee (Various)
- Maim Master or Aedile (FATAL, lol)
- Werewizard (Monster Horrorshow)
- Zombie Master (All Flesh Must be Eaten)
- Hollyhock God (Nobilis)
- Sargon (Hero Quest)
- Marshall (Deadlands)
- Big Mack Daddy (Stuperpowers)
- Cardmaster (Sine Requie)
- Lead Narrator (Cosmic Patrol)
- Overseer (Fallout PnP)
- Ghostmaster (Ghostbusters RPG)
- AI (Red Dwarf RPG)
How do I shot GM?
A lot of people come asking for advice on how to run a role-playing game, but the simple truth of the matter is that a game master is not born; rather, made. Only experience, reading and knowing the group of people you play with will help you become really good. Different GMs have different approaches, some improvise everything, others painstakingly prepare every map, encounter and NPC the players come across. This way of doing things rarely pays off, as players usually hold to long-standing player customs of shrugging off all over your meticulously-planned work, as they decide to take one wrong turn or ignore one person that was supposed to put them on the right track you laid down for them, and wander off in the complete opposite direction. Some GMs counter this by railroading their players, which is generally seen as an douche way of doing things. When being railroaded, the players typically become little more than unwilling spectators to the GM's personal fantasy movie, which usually (read: always) sucks.
If you know what your players want you're one step closer to running a good game. Some just want to kick some goblin arse, others want to get involved in the political intrigue at court, others don't really know what they want. Try to lead them on adventures that involve all the characters and give them all challenges that depend on what they do best. If you have a rogue in the party make sure to have some sneaking or trap-finding to be done, if you have a barbarian be sure there will be opportunity to kick some ass and so on. Talk to your players.
In the end there is really only one rule, Rule 0, which states: Have fun. Meaning everyone at the table. Make sure everything is moving forward, try to avoid stalling and monotony. If the players are really stuck just throw something at them, even ninjas. Keep things happening and everyone interested.
If people aren't excited or interested it's often better to pull out another game, switch GMs, watch a movie or just WATCH ALL THE PORN.
A Rebuttal From That Guy
What kind of after-school-special-carebears-bullshit is this? As the GM your one and only duty is to win. Why in the name of Tiamat would you want to help the players anyways? They sit around your basement, drink your beer, herp their derps, and shit all over your carefully constructed masterpiece. They aren't your friends, they are animals. And there's only one way to deal with animals. That chest? It had a Sphere of Annihilation. The new warstrider you built? It gets one-shotted by the imperial manse. Your psyker? Fails his perils roll and summons a bloodthirster. Oh you survived? Deploying rocks now. They might hate you for it but its the only way to keep the story progressing in the right direction (yours). After all to rule one must either be feared or loved, and who could love you?
And this elegan/tg/entlemen is why we never let That Guy DM.
Shut up. Just shut the hell up. You know what? You're dead. You died. Orcus reached through a tear in the abyss and pulped you like an orange. Now get ready to roll a new character, we're playing my erotically charged My Little Pony Homebrew- *BLAM* Oh, don't mind me, I just crawled out of the 40K Section. Praise the Emprah.