100% GMing

Treasure Tables is on hiatus as of December 13th, 2007 -- after two years of daily posts, I needed a break. If you're looking for GMing material, I have two recommendations: the hundreds of posts in TT's archives, and my new project, the multi-author GMing blog Gnome Stew. Happy GMing! -- Martin

How Different RPGs Define the GM’s Role

Mon. December 26, 2005

Chris Chinn, of Deep in the Game (one of the best RPG blogs around), recently wrote a post entitled An exercise for the viewer at home.

In it, Chris excerpts a snippet of text from the intro to Exalted that reveals a lot about the assumptions underlying that RPG. I love this idea (thanks, Chris!), so I’m going to try it here in a slightly different form.

I went through 30+ RPGs and wrote down their definitions of the GM’s role — and found a range of definitions, from appalling to marvelous (including some that will make you wonder how so many people ever got into GMing). With reader contributions, 97 games are now covered on this list.

First, a few notes about this list.

It’s not a representative sampling of every possible “type” of RPG, by any means! But there is quite a bit of diversity in terms of publisher, genre, era and approach. (Update: It has quickly become a lot more comprehensive, thanks to reader contributions!)

Along with the publisher’s name, I’ve included two things with each entry that can be pretty telling: publication date, and which page the definition came from (as well as the number of pages in the book, not counting blank pages or ads at the end).

Many RPGs go through several different editions, and even when I have multiple editions they aren’t all included here — because the most interesting differences are between the oldest and newest editions. (I also included Vampire, but not Werewolf or any of the other Storyteller games, for pretty much the same reason.)

How ~~30+~~ 97 RPGs Define the GM’s Role

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons – Players Handbook, 1st Edition) (TSR, 1978)

The game is ideally for three or more adult players: one player must serve as the Dungeon Master, the shaper of the fantasy milieu, the “world” in which all action will take place. [...] A good Dungeon Master will most certainly make each game a surpassing challenge for his or her players. [...] The Dungeon Master must design and map out the dungeon, town, city, and world maps. He or she must populate the whole world, create its past history, and even devise some rationale for what transpired (and will probably happen). (Pages 7 & 8 of 128)

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons – Dungeon Master’s Guide, 2nd Edition (TSR, 1989)

Being a good Dungeon Master involves a lot more than knowing the rules. It calls for quick wit, theatrical flair, and a good sense of dramatic timing, among other things. (Page 7 of 192)

Adventure! – Core book (White Wolf, 2001)

[T]he Storyteller is a “director” of sorts. The Storyteller acts as a combinanation narrator and referee, creating the drama through which the players take their characters. As a Storyteller, you create the environmnet in which the characters are placed. You are responsible for tying the story’s disparate threads together and making sure the whole thing runs smoothly. Your most useful tools in balancing story and game are your imagination and the rules systems. (Page 107 of 272)

All Flesh Must be Eaten – Core book, 1st Edition (Eden Studios, 1999)

To enforce the rules and provide a coherent setting, one of the participants assumes the role of Zombie Master (called Game Master, Chronicler or Referee in other contexts). (Page 20 of 231)

Alternity – Player’s Handbook (TSR, 1998)

The participant in the game who acts as moderator, narrating adventures and representing other characters involved in the adventure who aren’t controlled by the players. (Page 9 out of 245)

Amber – Core book (Phage Press, 1993)

This is the person who controls the “world” and runs the game. All the non-player characters (NPCs), including guards, innocents, and villains are controlled by the GM. The GMs [sic] control even extends to things like weather, cross-universe politics and natural disasters. (Page 9 of 256)

Ars Magica – Core book, 4th Edition (Atlas Games, 2000)

No definition provided. (272 pages)

Batman Role-Playing Game – Core book (Mayfair Games, 1989)

The Gamemaster is like the writer of a Batman comic book, unfolding the story and making it work. The GM also has the important task of playing the roles of all the other Characters in the adventure. [...] The Gamemaster writes down the basic framework of the story, drawing out plans for the various locations, assigning abilities to the villains, and creating the special plot twists that might occur. The GM must have a good grasp of the rules of the game, because he or she is the one who conducts play and acts as a referee. (Page 5 of 192)

BESM d20 – Core book, Revised (Guardians of Order, 2004)

No definition provided (192 pages)

Bubblegum Crisis – Core book (R. Talsorian Games, 1996)

One of you will take on a different role, that of the Referee (or Gamemaster, or GM): the person who presents the story plot to the players, controls any characters not controlled by the players themselves (logically called non-player characters), and applies the rules of the game. [...] The Referee uses the background given in the gameworld to devise a basic plot into which he places the player characters. He describes the situations to them as the characters would know it and the players describe what their characters are doing and how they are responding to the situation. The plot generally flows from there, with the Referee presenting obstacles, non-player characters, and other elements to the players in story form and the players continually deciding what their characters will do and reacting accordingly. This way both the players and the Referee create a story together…and have a lot of fun along the way. (Page 18 of 168)

Bunnies & Burrows – Core book (Fantasy Games Unlimited, 1976)

Rather, there is a Gamemaster (GM) that oversees the game, designs the playing area, is expected to modify the rules given herein to suit his or her fancy, and is the only omniscient participant in the game. (Page 1 of 74)

Burning Wheel – Core book, Revised (Burning Wheel, 2005)

In Burning Wheel, it is the GM’s job to interpret all of the various intents of the players’ actions and mesh them into a cohesive whole that fits within the context of the game. [...] He has the power to begin and end scenes, to present challenges and instigate conflicts. [...] Most important, the GM is responsible for introducing complications to the story and consequences to the players’ choices. (Page 268 of 303)

Call of Cthulhu – Core book, 2nd Edition (Chaosium, 1983)

A game moderator, known as the Keeper of Arcane Lore (“Keeper”), is necessary for this game, and his role is to attempt (within the rules of the game) to set up situations for the players to confront. [...] …a game moderator who runs the world in which the adventures occur. (Page 5 of 96)

Call of Cthulhu – Core book, 5.6 Edition (Chaosium, 1999)

The player who acts as keeper becomes the game moderator. Perhaps using a published scenario, or creating on of his or her own, the keeper knows the entire plot of the story and presents it during play, incidentally taking the parts of all the monsters, spooks, and sinister or ordinary people that the investigators meet. (Page 24 of 287)

Castle Falkenstein – Core book (R. Talsorian, 1994)

One of you will become the host, a player of the Great Game who has all the good parts: judge, jury and creator of the fantasy world everyone else will share. As Host, it will be your job to pose the Situation that all the Players will become involved in… [...] As Host, you have a lot of tools at your disposal: you’ll get to create all the characters the other platers don’t, (including the parts of the Bad Guys), using them to shape and create the adventures you conceive. (Page 134 of 224)

Chivalry and Sorcery – Core book (Fantasy Games Unlimited, 1977)

No definition provided. (128 pages)

Code of Unaris – Core book (Gold Leaf Games, 2004)

A gamemaster wears many hats. She narrates the story, plays the parts of any fantasy personas the players meet, handles rule adjudication, and usually takes a lot of grief from the other players when things don’t go their way (and that’s the good part). (Page 114 of 314)

Continuum – Core book (Aetherco/Dreamcatcher Multimedia, 1999)

The game master has designed the scenario — or purchased a pre-written one — which the player characters will play out, and the non-player characters are essentially his levers within the story, with which he can seek to guide the plot. (Page 213 of 224)

Cyberpunk 2020 – Core book, 2nd Edition 2.01 (R. Talsorian Games, 1993)

No definition provided. (254 pages)

Dangerous Journeys – 1: Mythus (Game Designers’ Workshop, 1992)

As an impartial and disinterested participant in the story, the GM serves both to help and hinder the player group. The GM lays out the scenario, provides information to the players, acts the roles of minor characters, adjudicates disputes between the players’ personas and characters they meet, interprets the game rules, and critiques play after the completion of an adventure by awarding merits to individual players for the skill with which they played during the game. (Pages 6 & 7 of 416)

The Deryni Adventure Game – Core book (Grey Ghost Press, 2005)

Gamemaster (GM): the person who runs the game for one or more players. The GM organizes play sessions; presents the game world usually through narration, although game aids like maps are often used; roleplays or acts the part of secondary characters and villains (called “non player characters” orNPCs); and determines the outcomes of any character’s actions within the world, usually through the use of dice as a randomizing factor. The GM serves as narrator, director, sound effects, and “extras” such as NPCs. (Page 67 of 254.)

Doctor Who – Player’s Manual (FASA, 1985)

…he moderates the game, keeping in mind and reinforcing the limits and rules of the game. Called the gamemaster, this player judges the effects of the player characters’ actions and determines what the response to those actions will be. He plays all the ‘bit parts’: the bystanders, aliens, villains, and other characters who are not central to the action but who interact with the players’ characters in some way. [...] He is responsible for making the game run smoothly so that all have a good time. He guides the action so that the players will succeed — but only after making a number of important decisions and only if they work hard and play their roles well. (Page 3 of 48)

Dogs in the Vineyard – Core book (lumpley games, 2004)

You’re the GM, though, and that means you don’t have just one character: you have everything else. You play all the supporting characters and antagonists, you have final say over the imaginary sets where the action happens. You set the pace, push the characters into conflict and crisis, and describe the consequences of their decisions. [...] For instance, it’s never the GM’s job to plan what’ll happen. The GM’s job is to create a town at a moment of crisis (which I’ll tell you how to do in good detail) and from then on, only respond. (Page 2 of 101)

The Dominion Tank Police – Core book (Guardians of Order, 1999)

A typical role-playing scenario requires a handful of players and one person to run the game, known as the Game Master (GM) or referee. The players tell the GM what their respective characters would like to do throughout the course of the adventure scenario and the GM describes the results of their actions. When the GM works closely with each and every player, the game adventure remains exciting and fun for all. (Page 14 of 176)

DragonQuest – Core book, 2nd Edition (SPI, 1982)

The GM is a master story-teller, a weaver of tales which deal with those themes aforementioned: fairy tale, myth, and fantasy. [...] While the players act out the parts of their characters, the GM gets to act out the parts of everyone else who inhabits the world — shopkeepers, evil wizards, dragons, and giants. Along with playing these parts, the GM is the referee of all the actions which occur; his impartiality is assured by the absence of a game persona directly identified with him. (Page iv of 156)

DragonQuest – Core book, 3rd Edition (TSR, 1989)

There are many other characters and monsters, all of whom are operated by the gamemaster. The gamemaster is a combination of referee, storyteller, and “Hand of Fate.” He keeps the story unfolding by telling the players what is happening and judging the results of any actions the players take. He has a very free hand to interpret the situation as he sees fit within the guidelines of the rules. (Page 3 of 160)

d20 Modern – Core book (Wizards of the Coast, 2002)

The GameMaster, as the director and special effects designer, decides what the story is about and takes on the roles of all the other characters — the villains, the extras, the distinctive guest stars. The gamemaster also keeps track of the rules, interprets the outcome of actions and describes what happens. Together, players and GM create a story and everybody has a great time. (Page 5 of 384)

Duel – Core book (Crunchy Frog Enterprises, 1992)

One person, the game master (or GM) sets the plot of the story, but the rest of the people involved provide the characters (known as player characters, or PCs) that are the heroes of the story. It is almost like a round-robin story telling session, but in a role-playing game, the GM has control over what happens. (Page 1 of 36)

Dungeons & Dragons – Core book, 2nd Edition (TSR, 1978)

The characters are then plunged into an adventure in a series of dungeons, tunnels, secret rooms and caverns run by another player: the referee, often called the Dungeon Master. [...] The Dungeon Master designs the dungeons and makes careful maps on graph paper. (Page 5 of 48)

Dungeons & Dragons – Core book, 3rd Edition Bluebook (TSR, 1979)

The characters are then plunged into an adventure…run by another player: the referee, often called the Dungeon Master. (Page 5 of 46)

Dungeons & Dragons – Game Master’s Guide 3.0 Edition (Wizards of the Coast, 2000)

Rather, you get to decide how your player group is going to play this game, when and where the adventures take place, and what happens. You get to decide how the rules work, which rules to use, and how strictly to adhere to them. [...] You get to build a whole world, design all its characters, and play all of them not played directly by the other players. [...] Since you control the pacing, the types of adventures and encounters, and the nonplayer characters (NPCs), the whole tenor of the game is in your hands. (Page 6 of 256)

Elric! – Core book (Chaosium, 1994) (Also the same in Stormbringer, 5th Edition)

The most fun in the game is had by the gamemaster. The player who acts that part moderates the game. Using a published scenario or one he or she has created, the gamemaster narrates the game universe and acts as the adventurers’ opposition. That opposition must be smart and mean, or the players will be bored, and it must be presented fairly, or the players will be outraged. (Page 9 of 162)

Everway – Playing Guide (Wizards of the Coast, 1995)

[T]he game-master has to know the game, the setting, and the characters well enough to present an engaging plot and pace the action so that the plot unfolds dramatically. The gamemaster invents strange lands for the heroes to explore, exotic creatures for them to encounter, weird mysteries for them to solve, and daring quests for them to undertake. (Page 2 of 162)

The Fantasy Trip: In The Labyrinth – Core book (Metagaming, 1980)

The key to the game is the Game Master, or GM. The GM sets up the labyrinth which the characters will explore. He may even create an entire outside world for them to travel through! The GM referees the game, taking the part of Fate and the Gods. He (or an assistant) also plays the monsters, beasts, and other wanderers that the players will encounter. The Game Master is the final arbiter; he should strive to be fair, but his word is law. It is his task to keep balance in the game and to see that the players have a fair chance — and enjoy themselves! (Page 3 of 72.)

Farscape – Core book (Alderac Entertainment Group, 2002)

He or she serves as a combination of narrator, referee and supporting cast: he develops the setting and adventures, describes the environment and plot developments. and portrays any non-player characters (NPCs) the PCs may encounter. The GM also serves as an arbiter of the rules, enforcing the die rolls and making sure that the group maintains proper balance. He is, in effect, the director of the Farscape story which the group is telling: steering it in the right directions and giving the PCs the opportunity to play Hero. (Page 13 of 320)

Gamma World – Core book, 2nd Edition (TSR, 1981)

The referee is the participant who is willing to provide the mental and physical labor of completing the game within the framework provided. He will also preside over the actual play of the game itself. [...] He must carefully balance risk with reward. The game he creates must not be so “deadly” as to make survival of the player-characters impossible. On the other hand, he must see to it that the player-characters are challenged. Too many rewards given at too little risk is sure to create a boring game. (Page 4 of 56)

Gamma World – Core book, 3rd Edition (TSR, 1986)

A role-playing game requires one player to play the role of the Game Master (GM for short), the creator and teller of the story and the arbitrator of the game’s events. The GM creates the goals and obstacles of an adventure and plays the part of all the creatures encountered throughout the story. It is a tough job, but one that is very rewarding, for only the GM knows what is really happening and what obstacles lie before the heroes. (Page 2 of 64)

Gamma World – Core book, 4th Edition (TSR, 1992)

No definition provided. (192 pages)

GURPS – Basic Set, 3rd Edition, Revised (Steve Jackson Games, 1999)

The nature of the adventure is set by a referee, called the Game Master (GM, for short). The GM determines the background and plays the part of the other people the characters meet during their adventure. [...] The GM describes the situation, and tells players what their characters see and hear. [...] Depending on the situation, the GM may determine what happens arbitrarily (for the best possible story), or by referring to specific game rules (to decide what is realistically possible), or by rolling dice (to give an interesting random result). (Page 8 of 278)

GURPS – Campaigns Book, 4th Edition (Steve Jackson Games, 2004)

The Game Master (GM) is the referee of a roleplaying game. But that’s putting it too simply. He is like a mystery writer…a storyteller…an umpire…a cosmic book-keeper…the “house” at a gambling casino…and (to the characters) a minor deity. [...] The GM is the final authority. Rules are guidelines…the designers’ opinion about how things ought to go. But as long as the GM is fair and consistent, he can change any number, any cost, any rule. His word is law! (Page 486 of 576, but the Campaigns Book starts at p. 337)

Hackmaster – GameMaster’s Guide (Kenzer and Company, 2001)

The purpose of this book, after all, is to better prepare you for your role as game moderator and referee. [...] As GM you are master of your table. The success of your own campaign is primarily in your hands and you must take a firm, active hand in guiding it. (Page 14 of 368)

HeroQuest – Core book (Issaries, 2005)

One person takes the role of the narrator who plays a wide array of narrator characters–everyone except the player heroes. The narrator also plays the world–tells what the weather is, how steep a mountain is, how suspicious a person seems, and so on. The narrator’s job is to place limits on the heroes, confronting them with entertaining challenges as they try to accomplish their goals. (Page 9 of 288)

HERO System – Core book, 4th Edition (ICE, 1990)

When playing a roleplaying game, one player takes the parts of the director and author. This person, called a GameMaster (GM for short), decides the basic plot of the adventure. The GM describes the setting to the players…The GM acts out the roles of all of the people the players encounter in the course of their adventures. (Page 4 of 220)

HERO System – Core book, 5th Edition (DOJ, 2002)

GM: Game Master — the director, referee, and arbiter of a roleplaying game session. (Page 8 of 374)

HoL – Core book (Black Dog Game Factory, 1995)

In agreeing to be HoLmester [sic], you have accepted multiple burdens:
1. Speaking to those writhing, whining, benumbed nematodes, the players, as though they had frontal lobes.
2. Inviting them to your house and trusting them not to urinate in the toaster.
3. Prostituting your thespian capacity for free pizza and liquid proteins.
4. PURCHASING ALL THE SUPPLEMENTS WE CAN GOUGE YOU FOR.

NOT TO MENTION creating new player characters for all the bozos who creak down and moan about having to pick from the pre-gens. (Page 61 of 144, probably)

Hunter Planet – Core book, 2nd Edition (HPAC Australia, 1987)

The person running the game (called a CM in Hunter Planet) supervises all facets of the game from the character creation to the actual adventure itself. When characters are created, players confirm any points they think of with the CM when it arises. (Page 33 of 35)

In Nomine – Core book (Steve Jackson Games, 1997)

The GM must create the structure of the story (that is, write the plot, or adapt an existing adventure to his players’ characters), assume the roles of the NPCs, and describe the ongoing events as engagingly as possible so the players stay interested. (Page 27 of 208)

James Bond 007 – Basic Game (Victory Games, 1983)

The director is called the Gamesmaster (usually abbreviated as GM). The players will act out the parts of the heroes, and the GM will handle all the villains and minor characters (called Non-Player Characters, or NPCs). The GM creates the script, portrays all secondary characters, and acts as the final arbiter on the rules of the game — that is, the rules all have agreed to play by. (Page 5 of 160)

kill puppies for satan – Core book, 1st Edition (lumpley games, 2001)

No definition provided. (32 pages)

Legend of the Five Rings – Core book (Alderac Entertainment Group, 1997)

The Game Master (called the “GM”) is a vital part of the game. While each player creates a single character — the main characters of the story — the GM is responsible for creating the supporting cast the player’s characters encounter. He takes the role of every character the players meet and he devises a plot for the characters to participate in, improvising plot twists when the players decide to a different direction than the one he planned. He is the player’s senses, describing all the details of a scene. [...] The GM is an author and improvisational actor, but he is also a referee. Whenever a dispute arises between players, the GM must use the rules (along with a good, healthy dose of common sense) to make a decision. (Page 8 of 250)

Lejendary Adventures Lejendary Rules (Trigee Enterprises, 1999)

The LM will determine the cosmic environment for game play. He or she will adapt and/or create the whole universe, direct and orchestrate all the events of the game’s worlds and the variety of environments found therein. [...] It is the job of the LM to relate the campaign-specific information available to players, and relate to them all sensory data the game environment provides to their Avatars. [...] The LM will also play the role of every person or creature encountered that is not directed by a player. [...] Lastly, the LM will adjudicate all disputes as the final authority on the rules, award meritorious play, and manage playing time on a regular and agreed-to basis so as to provide the highest quality of entertainment possible for all participants the campaign. (Page 4 of 208)

Little Fears – Core book (Key 20, 2001)

Little Fears is written with the belief that the GM should be open to the suggestions and improvisations of the players and the players should be the same with regard to the GM. Together, everyone works to build a great story. The game-master is there to throw in adventure seeds and provide some interaction and the players are there to pick up which seeds they like and interact as well. (Page 64 of 137)

Living Steel – Core book (Leading Edge Games, 1988)

One person, the Gamemaster, acts as a sort of referee, moderating the adventure and portraying everything and everyone in the world that the characters encounter, and guiding the development of the plot. (Page 1 of 179)

Lord of the Rings – Core book (Decipher, 2002)

One member of your group is the Narrator, the person in charge of creating the outline of an adventure for your characters to take part in. She explains the situations and plays the parts of all the non-player characters (NPCs), anyone in the story that another player doesn’t control. She describes to you what your character sees, or what happens in the adventure. (Page 6 of 304)

Lords of Creation – Rule Book (Avalon Hill, 1984)

The Game Master (abbreviated GM) makes up an outline for the adventure. He invents the setting, and populates the adventure with villains, monsters, and other personalities. The GM also acts as a judge to make sure that game action flows smoothly and that everyone has a good time. (Page 3 of 64)

Macho Women With Guns – Core book, 3rd Edition (BTRC, 1994)

You are the GM, and in game terms that translates to complete godhood. It’s the only chance you’ll get, so abuse it to the hilt. (Page 41 of 68)

MechWarrior – Core book, 3rd Edition (FASA, 1999)

The gamemaster controls the story. He or she keeps track of what is supposed to happen when, describes events as they occur so that the players (as characters) can react to them, keeps track of other characters in the game (referred to as non-player characters, or NPCs), and resolves attempts to take action using the game system. (Page 6 of 223)

Metamorphosis Alpha – Core book, 1st Edition (TSR Rules, 1976) (Also unchanged in the 2002 version, James M. Ward’s Metamorphosis Alpha Universe)

The referee is that participant who decides he would enjoy running the game and is willing to accept the burden of drawing the starship levels and locating the life forms on each level as well as noting where the various technological items and/or new information is to be found… (Page 3 of 32)

Middle-Earth Role Playing – Core book, 2nd U.S. Edition (Iron Crown Enterprises, 1986)

The Gamemaster has been described as the limited “author” of the FRP game; actually, he functions as more than this. The Gamemaster not only describes everything which occurs in the game as if it were really happening to the player characters, but he also acts as a referee or judge for situations in which the actions attempted by characters must be resolved. [...] He must develop the setting and scenarios for the play of the game, using the game rules, and either material of his own design or commercially available play aids. [...] In addition, the Gamemaster plays the roles of all of the characters and creatures who are not player characters, but nonetheless move and act within the game setting. (Page 4 of 128)

Munchkin – Munchkin Master’s Guide (Steve Jackson Games, 2003)

This is the book for the DM…or, as you may prefer to call yourself, the Referee, the Game Master, or God. This is the book that tells you how to use the power that is rightfully yours. Keep your players happy, if you wish…or abuse them like the helpless pawns that they are…you’re in control. (Page 5 of 48)

Mutants & Masterminds – Core book, 2nd Edition (Green Ronin, 2005)

One player takes the role of Gamemaster (or GM) and describes the setting and the challenges your characters encounter. The Gamemaster plays the supporting characters and villains in the story. The GM also acts as referee to adjudicate the rules of the game and make sure everything’s handled fairly. (Page 6 of 255)

Paranoia – Core book, 2nd Edition (West End Games, 1987)

In Paranoia, the gamemaster presents adventures for his players to enjoy. [...] You pretend to be Everything Else — The Computer, the plot, the people who the Troubleshooters meet, all the world and everything in it. You also act as the referee for the game, judging whether or not players’ actions are possible or permissible. (Page 31 of 134)

Paranoia – Core book, 5th Edition (West End Games, 1995)

The gamemaster is a player, he just works under different rules than the other players. The gamemaster has more weapons, more tools, and more options than the other players but he also has a certain responsibility. He has to “run” the adventure. First, by setting up the situation, then by introducing it and, finally, by helping the players play through it. The “regular” players have fun by roleplaying their characters and trying to figure out how to accomplish the adventure “goal,” while the gamemaster has fun setting up and running the situations and interactions…and, of course, torturing the player characters. (Page 15 of 224)

Paranoia XP – Core book (Mongoose Publishing, 2004)

A fun and friendly player called the Gamemaster (GM) generously describes the story’s setting and events. […] The GM introduces the game session, describes the setting, and plays the roles of the nonplayer characters (NPCs) you encounter during the story. When you want your character to do something, describe it to the GM. He determines your success using common sense and the game rules. Often he rolls dice, or asks you to roll instead. Because he interprets your success or failure in each action, he thereby determines your success or failure in the whole game. (Page 14 of 256)

Pendragon – Core book, 4th Edition (Chaosium, 1993)

The gamemaster describes the world and events within it to the players. He controls the nonplayer characters.

The gamemaster in a roleplaying game directs the flow of the game while the players control the actions of the characters. As the gamemaster describes what is going on, where they are, and other details of the plot, the players choose actions for their characters, thus cooperating with him in creating the adventure.

The gamemaster oversees the imaginary world, describing it in detail and directing its course. [...] When they have questions or need help, players turn to the gamemaster for answers. Likewise, the gamemaster must ask for opinions from the players to make it an acceptable game. (Page 5 of 351)

Primetime Adventures – Core book (Dog-eared Designs, 2004)

During an episode, the producer’s main job is to provide antagonism for the protagonists, in the form of crises, moral dilemmas and occasionally a plain old villain. The producer also has to multitask, feeding individual storylines, incorporating the wishes of players, and playing the part of many supporting characters. (Page 14 of 106)

Prince Valiant – Core book (Chaosium, 1989)

Being the Storyteller is much more work than being a regular player. [...] Having control of a story in which your friends play the major roles can be a very interesting and rewarding experience.

The Storyteller has control over everything in the game except the actions of the Adventurers. His job is something like being a referee at a sports event. The referee may or may not be a popular, but he has a certain amount of power over the players. The players must accept this heirarchical situation with grace and politeness, deferring to the Storyteller even when they disagree with him. Remember that everyone can be a Storyteller in the Advanced Game. (Page 7 of 128)

Reich Star – Core book (Creative Encounters, 1990)

It is the Gamemaster (GM) who creates a plot, situation, supporting characters and then acts as a referee. [...] In this way, a role-playing game is much like “living” a movie, with the Game-master being writer, director, and supporting cast; and each player is an actor playing the starring role. (Page 6 of 248)

Ringworld – Explorer Book (Chaosium, 1984)

The gamemaster, the person who moderates the evolving story, prepares challenges for the explorers. He or she maneuvers all the elements of setting and non-player-characters, and interprets the game rules. (Page 2 of 60)

Runequest – Core book (Chaosium, 1978)

The player creates one or more characters, known as Adventurers, and plays them in various scenarios designed by a Referee. The Adventurer has the use of combat, magic, and other skills, and treasure. The Referee has the use of assorted monsters, traps, and his own wicked imagination to keep the Adventurer from his goal within the rules of the game. (Page 3 of 120.)

Serenity Roleplaying Game – Core book (Margaret Weis Publishing, 2005)

One player needs to take charge of the game, and take on extra responsibilities. That’s the Game Master. The GM creates the basic outline of the story that the crew will follow and plays the part of all the NPCs — all those people the crew meets during their adventures. The GM is the players’ window into the ‘Verse. The GM tells the players what they see and hear (and smell and taste and feel). But the GM needs to remember that the crew are the stars of this tale. The players have to make their own choices in the story — meaning they’ll get themselves into trouble all by their lonesomes! The GM has to think on his feet and adjust the story when the unexpected happens (and it will happen!).

Another role the GM plays is that of arbiter. The GM will be the only person who knows all the facts in the game. As there will probably be some disagreements, the GM settles any arguments over the game rules or questions about character creation or how the story develops. Final decisions rest with the GM, but he should remember that his chief job is to help everyone have fun. Fair play is a part of that notion. After all, with power and authority come responsibility. (If you’re a GM, you’d much rather be like Mal than an Alliance stooge, right?) The GM needs to be fair, while still keeping things fun for everyone. (Page 5 of 223.)

The Shadow of Yesterday – Core book, 0.9 Edition (Anvilwerks, 2004)

These players describe what their characters do while one particular player, known in this text as the Story Guide, describes their surroundings and the other characters (often known as non-player characters or NPCs) that they meet. (Page 5 of 38)

Shadowrun – Core book, 1st Edition (FASA, 1989)

The gamemaster has many functions, including creating adventures, roleplaying NPCs, and mediating rules and other formalities of play. (Page 152 of of 214)

Shadowrun – Core book, 3rd Edition (FASA, 1998) (Also the same in 2nd and 4th Edition.)

The gamemaster controls the story. He or she keeps track of what is supposed to happen when, describes events as they occur so that the players (as characters) can react to them, keeps track of other characters (referred to as non-player characters), and resolves attempts to take action using the game system. (Page 10 of 336)

Silver Age Sentinels – Core book, 1st Edition (Guardians of Order, 2002)

As a GM, your contribution will be much greater than that of any one player. You must establish the setting, villains, conflicts, and plot of the adventure, as well as all of the other non-player characters your gaming group will meet in the end. [...] Should you assume the role of GM, you must possess creativity, sound judgment, and the ability to improvise in unexpected situations. Game Mastering takes extra time and effort, but the reward of watching the players revel in the game setting and plot you have created makes it all worthwhile. (Page 17 of 336)

Sorcerer – Core book (Adept Press, 2001)

The hope is that playing Sorcerer should generate a good story, specifically one that you and the players are proud of. If you, the GM, don’t have a dramatic narrative goal, why play? (Page 16 of 141)

Space 1889 – Core book (GDW, 1989)

RPG rules are not meant to limit the referee, but rather to free him from having to decide how to resolve every routine event in the game. By freeing him from that task, the rules allow him to make his most important contribution to the game–his imagination.

It is the referee’s imagination that turns the cold, printed words of the rules into a rich, vibrant world, full of colorful characters and thrilling adventure. To make this world come alive for your players, you will have to do four things. The referee must describe the world, play the non-player characters, resolve critical events, and guarantee adventure. (Page 34 of 216)

Stargate SG-1 – Core book (Alderac Entertainment Group, 2003)

The preparation of those obstacles is the purveyance of the Gamemaster (GM), who controls the action and coordinates of the remainder of the gaming universe. If the character are the heroes, then the GM is the supporting cast, as well as the narrator and arbiter of all the rules. He develops the adventures that the characters will go through, planning the mission parameters and the things the characters need to do in order to succeed. As play unfolds, he describes the environment in which the characters find themselves, coordinates plot developments and other twists, and portrays any non-player characters (NPCs) who the players encounter — from the friendly natives to hostile Goa’uld to General Hammond back at the SGC. (Page 6 of 488)

Star Trek – Player’s Guide (Decipher, 2002)

The Narrator acts out the supporting cast roles, playing the parts of everyone else — the guest star, the villain, and the red-shirted security man who dies in the first act. She becomes the director, the set designer, and the producer; she decides what this week’s episode will be about and adjudicates the rules so everybody knows what they can do to keep the Romulans at bay or the deflector shields up. The Narrator designs individual episodes, Star Trek adventures all your own. (Page 7 of 256)

Star Trek: The Role Playing Game – Star Fleet Officer’s Manual (FASA, 1983)

…he moderates the game, keeping in mind and reinforcing the limits and rules of the game. Called the gamemaster, this player judges the effects of the player characters’ actions and determines what the response to those actions will be. He plays all the ‘bit parts,’ the bystanders, villains, and other characters who are not central to the action but who interact with the players’ characters in some way. [...] He is responsible for making the game run smoothly so that all have a good time. He guides the action so that the players will succeed — but only after making a number of important decisions and only if they work hard and play their roles well. (Page 4 of 40)

Star Wars – Core book (West End Games, 1987)

The gamemaster, or “GM,” runs the game. When a player wants his or her character to do something, the gamemaster decides what happens, using the rules as a guide. [...] He also acts as a “director,” describing the universe in which the characters live to the players. He takes the roles of non-player characters, or “NPCs,” people who live in the Star Wars universe but are not controlled by the players. [...] But most important, the gamemaster creates an adventure for his players — a story for their characters to experience, complete with supporting cast, an interesting plot, and rewards for success. (Page 5 of 121)

Star Wars – Core book, 1st Edition (Wizards of the Coast, 2000)

The Gamemaster is the director and special effects designer, deciding what the story is about and taking on the roles of all the other characters — the villains, the extras, the special guest stars. The Gamemaster also keeps track of the rules, interprets the outcome of actions, and describes what happens. (Page 6 of 318)

Tales from the Floating Vagabond – Core book (Avalon Hill, 1991)

This is the Guy in Control, the Head Honcho, the Big Cheese, the Boss, He knows what’s going on in the game world, and lets the Players know, piece by piece, as they find things out. He also dreams up all the little nasties to toss at the Players (Oops! Sorry, Patrons) to make life difficult for them. (Page 5 of 96)

Talislanta – Core book, 4th Edition (Shootingiron Design, 2001)

The Gamemaster plays a vital role in the Talislanta game, serving as a combination narrator, moderator, and role-player. (Page 7 of 502)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness – Core book, Revised (Palladium Books, 1988)

The game master (GM) is another player (a real person!) who controls all the characters in the game except the different player’s [sic] characters. (Page 6 of 109)

Toon – Core book, Deluxe Edition (Steve Jackson Games, 1991)

One person, the Animator, runs the game. The Animator tells the players what sort of cartoon they’re in, who (or what) lives there, and what happens. The Animator picks the adventure from the Short Subjects and Feature Films in this book. Experienced Animators can write their own adventures! (Page 5 of 205)

Traveller – Book 0 (Game Designers’ Workshop, 1981)

Most games require an umpire of some sort (also called the referee, the judge the dungeon master, ref, ghod [sic], or some other title depending upon circumstances), whose job is to administer the imaginary world in which the players pretend to he gunslingers or swordsmen or whatever and to adjudicate the inevitable conflicts between the players and their environment. In many games the umpire is also the architect of the imaginary world the players explore, creating every aspect of it in as much detail as the players require. [...] A referee must keep track of all things that various characters do, determine if and how these actions change the background, decide if and how these changes will affect the characters, note the passage of game time (from a character’s point of view, months may pass in a single evening’s adventure), and adjudicate conflicts between the characters run by the players (called player-characters) and the characters run by the referee (called non-player characters or NPCs). (Page5-7 of 48)

Traveller (Marc Miller’s) – Core book (Imperium Games, 1996)

Management of the game is performed by a special player known as the referee. While the other players each concentrate upon portraying their specific character, the referee portrays all of the places they go and creatures they meet. Like the director of a movie, the referee judges what can and cannot be accomplished in a particular scene. Like the umpire of a sports event, he decides how the game rules apply to the particular situation, and makes rulings based on the spirit of those rules when the action strays outside those boundaries. And like the host of a party, he makes sure that all of the players are involved in the fun and have a good time. (Page 11 of 192)

Traveller20 – Core book (RPG Realms, 2002)

No definition provided. (448 pages)

Tunnels and Trolls – Core book, v5 (Flying Buffalo, 1979)

Someone must create (dig) and stock a dungeon with monsters, magic, and treasure. The person who does that has godlike powers over his or her own dungeons, but is expected to be fair to the other players. The Game Master, or GM (also referred to from time to time as the Dungeon Master, or DM) may not play as a character inside his or her own dungeon. (Pages are not numbered.)

Unknown Armies – Core book, 2nd Edition (Atlas Games, 2002)

Traditionally, the role of Game Master has involved providing a place and time to meet, offering drinks (usually caffeinated in order to heighten player tension and attention), and the occasional salty snack. Plus providing a story, complete with clever puzzles, gripping thrills, and unearthly danger, of course. (Page 275 of 336)

Vampire: The Masquerade – Core book, 1st Edition (White Wolf Publishing, 1992)

The Storyteller describes what happens as a result of what the players see and do, and must decide if the characters succeed or fail, suffer or prosper, live or die. [...] The Storyteller’s primary duty is to make sure the other players have a good time. [...] As the Storyteller, you are in charge of interpreting and enforcing the rules, yet you are also an entertainer — you must struggle to balance your two roles. (Page 23 of 270)

Villains and Vigilantes – Core book, Revised (Fantasy Games Unlimited, 1982)

His purpose in a role-playing game is to provide those factor that cannot be taken care of by simple die rolls or pages upon pages of rules; that is, variety. It is the GM’s imagination alone which makes a role-playing game enjoyable for the players. (Page 44 of 47)

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay – Core book (Games Workshop, 1986)

To decide what the players can or cannot do, whether they succeed or whether they fail in any action, there is the gamesmaster (GM). The GM controls the world in which the players’ characters live; he is the final arbiter whose word cannot be disobeyed. [...] The GM will use these rules to present a balanced setting in which the fictional characters can adventure. He will make the adventure seem real. But the rules are only guidelines, and when the GM feels he has to change them, he will. (Page 9 of 366)

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay – Core book (Black Industries, 2005)

The GM is the referee and the lead storyteller, the person in charge of running the game. The GM presents the stories and situations, describes the Warhammer World and its denizens, and adjudicates the rules. The GM is the most important member of your group, so choose wisely. The GM ought to be fair-minded, well spoken, and imaginative. An eye for detail is also helpful. (Page 9 of 256)

The World of Darkness – Core book (White Wolf Publishing, 2004)

This chapter is aimed at the Storyteller alone, the single player most responsible for forming the shape and scope of the story. Players fill in valuable details, and can take the game in interesting directions, but the Storyteller, like a film director, ultimately decides what parts of the collaborative script are made a part of the story. (Page 189 of 223)

The World of Synnibar – Core book, 2nd Edition (Wonderworld Press, 1993)

As Fate is the unseen controller of all destinies in the Centiverse, his or her control is absolute and all decisions are final. [...] During the game, as Fate, you may use any reference material within this book. Other players may not unless they have your permission… [...] Fate has absolute control during the game regarding rolls and interpretation of the rules. Fate may not, however, deviate from the rules as they are written, for if he or she does and the players find out, then the adventure can be declared null, and the characters must be restored to their original condition… (Page 332 of 477)

Conclusions Based on the Original 30+ Definitions

Having a simple, concise definition of the GM’s role is an essential part of any RPG. It gives new players somewhere to start, and experienced players (who are new to that game) an idea of what the GM does differently in that particular game. Running Primetime Adventures, for instance, isn’t the same as running Star Trek — and their respective definitions do a good job of making that clear.

In looking at this list, there are a number of things that jump out at me. In no particular order:

• Boy, have we come a long way in the past 20 years! I expected this list to show that pretty well, but actually seeing it is a completely different experience.

• There is no “perfect” definition of the GM’s role — but there are plenty of lousy ones. Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay is the worst offender: “he is the final arbiter whose word cannot be disobeyed.” Give me a break.

• A lot of these definitions, especially the older ones, don’t make being the GM sound like fun. Words and phrases that turn me off include “moderator,” “referee,” “the rest of the people involved” and “formalities of play,” among others. If it doesn’t sound like fun, why would anyone want to do it?

• Some definitions improved between editions. Shadowrun, for example, goes from having a pretty useless definition (1st Edition) to having a serviceable one (3rd Edition). Call of Cthulhu shows similar improvement.

• Others, unfortunately, actually got worse over time. I much prefer Vampire: The Masquerade’s definition to the one in World of Darkness, despite the 12-year gap between the two.

• ~~It’s unbelievable that a massive tome like Hero System (5th Edition) can’t squeeze a definition of GMing into its 370+ pages.~~ (Update: Actually, I just missed it — sorry about that, Hero! It has a definition, just not a very good one.) Ditto AD&D (2nd Edition), which provides the best example of a non-definition-definition on the list. No wonder it was hard to learn how to play AD&D well!

• The same isn’t really true of kill puppies for satan and Macho Women With Guns (although the latter has a definition, it’s almost completely useless). They’re not designed to be good “first games” in any way, and both are humorous in nature — I don’t expect much in the way of hand-holding, in other words.

• Putting something this important at (or near) the end of a core book is a big no-no. Why should someone who is new to the hobby, or new to that game, have to wade through the whole book to find out something so crucial to the game? Hero System (5th Edition), World of Darkness and Burning Wheel, I’m looking at you.

• My vote for best definitions overall, in order: Burning Wheel (most useful information in the least amount of space — a great balance), Primetime Adventures (clearest, most intuitive definition), Star Trek (incorporates examples, sounds like a lot of fun) and Vampire: The Masquerade (includes an crucial element: “The Storyteller’s primary duty is to make sure the other players have a good time”).

What do you make of this list? What jumps out at you, good or bad — and what do you think makes up a great definition of the GM’s role?

Edit: Also, Travis Casey supplied the definition of “Game Master” from Design Patterns of Successful Role-Playing Games (draft) in his comment below (thanks, Travis!). How does this broad-based, inclusive definition stack up to the others? Is it useful?

Want to Contribute?

As I mentioned up top, this list comes from the books on my shelf — and I’d love to have your help in adding to it. I’m most interested in adding games that fit one or both of these criteria:

Doesn’t appear on the list at all.
An edition of the same game appears on the list, but the description of game mastering has changed significantly between editions.

To have a game added to the list, you’ll need to make sure you provide the following: full name of the game, source, publisher, edition (if applicable), year of publication, the page number you found the definition on and how many pages are in the book. Sometimes, it may not be obvious what to excerpt — use your best judgment, and pick the most concise section of text if more than one seems to be applicable.

It’s also worth mentioning that I may shorten excerpts as needed. The goal is to quote enough text for comparison purposes (and stay within “fair use”), not to reproduce big chunks of game text.

My thanks to everyone who has already contributed — and thank you in advance for your help!

More posts about: Role of the GM

Comments

78 Responses to “How Different RPGs Define the GM’s Role”

akm on December 26th, 2005 9:13 am

Interesting stuff. I have two to add:

The Shadow of Yesterday, Revised Edition
2005, Clinton R. Nixon (Anvilwerks Online)
(From unpaginated electronic text)

As a Story Guide, you are responsible for binding the game together into an enjoyable narrative.

I don’t have a pithy quote for it, but my own definition includes setting the stage then getting out of the way. My sessions only go south when I’m trying too hard.
Ian on December 26th, 2005 10:30 am

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, page 9. Developed and Designed by Green Ronin, published by Black Industries. It’s the new edition, copyright 2005.

The GM is the referee and the lead stoyteller, the person in charge of running the game. The GM presents the stories and situations, describes the Warhammer World and its denizens, and adjudicates the rules. The GM is the most important member of your group, so choose wisely. The GM ought to be fair-minded, well spoken, and imaginative. An eye for detail is also helpful.
Nathan P. on December 26th, 2005 10:52 am

Continuum, Roleplaying In The Yet. Aetherco/Dreamcatcher Multimedia, Inc. 1999. First Edition, Core book.

On page 213 of 224: “The game master has designed the scenario – or purchased a pre-written one – which the player characters will play out, and the non-player characters are essentially his levers within the story, with which he can seek to guide the plot.”

This is from the couple of paragraphs that serve as the “Introduction to Roleplaying”. There is a whole chapter with GM tips and advice, but it doesn’t define the role beyond “..the GM has to stay cheerfully flexible as his players tie his plotlines into Gordian knots of paradox.” (p. 146) before referring the reader to the above page.
Martin on December 26th, 2005 12:13 pm

akm: Thank you for mentioning TSoY.

I grabbed a page number and page count by using “print preview,” and after skimming it I went with a definition from earlier in the book.

Ian: Thanks! I was hoping to see the newest version of WFRP mentioned — and that’s a big change from their previous (lousy) definition. (I pulled the page count from Amazon.)

I like the designation of the GM as lead storyteller, not just storyteller. And including “The GM is the most important member of your group” is a very interesting choice.

Nathan: Thank you. I went with the first piece only, but it was great to see the additional details from earlier in the book.
Jim on December 26th, 2005 11:54 pm

I would be also interested, as a point of reference, which of these games also have a “what is roleplaying” section/chapter, and which do not? That is, to me, a clear indicator of a game intended to be a “first game.”

Oh, and a correction:

HERO System – Core book, 5th Edition (DOJ, 2002)
“GM: Game Master — the director, referee, and arbiter of a roleplaying game session.”(page 8 of 374 pages)
Nathan P. on December 27th, 2005 12:13 am

Heh – For some reason I didn’t notice that you covered Continuum already, Martin. My bad.

To answer Jim’s question, on the table of contents it has a big bold “If You Are New To Roleplaying, See Page 213″. On page 213 is one column (the book is double-column formatted) of very general overview. It seem perfuntory, to me. As mentioned, however, there is also a GMing chapter thats about 10 pages, IIRC.
Martin on December 27th, 2005 6:58 am

Jim: Thank you — I don’t know how I missed the definition in Hero System, because once I couldn’t find one I looked again. And again. Ah well.

Offhand, I’d say about 2/3 of the games I first wrote up had at least a briref “What is roleplaying?” section.

Nathan: Nope, I’m confusing you here: I didn’t already do Continuum (it got added because you provided a definition), I was just thanking you for providing the extra info that you did.
Brendan on December 27th, 2005 9:28 am

From Dogs in the Vineyard (lumpley games, 2004, 1st ed) p. 2:

“You’re the GM, though, and that means you don’t have just one character: you have everything else. You play all the supporting characters and antagonists, you have final say over the imaginary sets where the action happens. You set the pace, push the characters into conflict and crisis, and describe the consequences of their decisions.

…

Furthermore, the game calls for a pretty particular division of power between players and GM, one you might not be accustomed to. For instance, it’s never the GM’s job to plan what’ll happen. The GM’s job is to create a town at a moment of crisis (which I’ll tell you how to do in good detail) and from then on, only respond. Play the NPCs up to your elbows but then be willing to let them die.”
Martin on December 27th, 2005 9:47 am

Brendan, what’s the page count on DitV?
Streamweaver on December 27th, 2005 11:55 am

DMing is hard to define because but I definitly appreciate VtM including the part about fun.

Something that strikes me though is I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything in any gaming book about what the role of a player is, at least not in a group. The entire RPG experience is from within a group but the only real acknowlegement I ever see of this in a book is when it touches on the subject of a DM.

Why isn’t there anything out there that teaches players how to play with one another?
Martin on December 27th, 2005 12:05 pm

Brendan: Never mind — Google found me the page count. Thanks for the DitV entry.

Streamweaver: While many of the books I looked through had comparable definitions for what players do, you’re right — I’ve never seen a comprehensive “how to be a great player” section, ever. That would be a kickass resource.

My guess is that it’s never been written because the general assumption is that playing is “easy.” That may be true — but playing well isn’t easy, or at least it doesn’t always come naturally.

It doesn’t require the same kind of work as GMing does, but I’ve played with some amazing players and there’s a biiiig gap between my skill as a player and theirs. I’d love to learn how to narrow that gap a bit, and become a better player.
Jeb on December 27th, 2005 1:33 pm

Nice collection. I’ll see if I can pull a few more together for you.

I will disagree with you about Shadowrun. It seems that they went from a concise definition in the first edition to an incomprehensible one in the third.
Rich on December 27th, 2005 1:45 pm

Mutants & Masterminds-Core book, 2nd edition
2005 Green Ronin

“One player takes the role of Gamemaster (or GM) and describes the setting and the challenges your characters encounter. The Gamemaster plays the supporting characters and villains in the story. The GM also acts as referee to adjudicate the rules of the game and make sure everything’s handled fairly.”
Martin on December 27th, 2005 2:15 pm

Jeb: Sounds good! What do you prefer about the original Shadowrun definition vs. the newer one?

Rich: I’d be happy to add M&M, but I need a page count and the page number where you found the definition before I can do that.
Crazy Jerome on December 27th, 2005 4:07 pm

Hero System – Hero System Rulebook, 4th ed.(ICE, 1990)

No strict definition, but most of the 3rd paragraph in “What is Roleplaying” talks about DM and players. I’ve snipped the player bits. Afterwards, the next two paragraphs expand on that, and provide exceptions (being “referee” during combat, for example):

“When playing a roleplaying game, one player takes the parts of the director and author. This person, called a GameMaster (GM for short), decides the basic plot of the adventure. The GM describes the setting to the players… The GM acts out the roles of all of the people the players encounter in the course of their adventures.” Page 4 of 220

DragonQuest – Core book, 3rd ed. (TSR, 1989)

Section is What is Role-Playing and definition occurs midstream. Immediately after, it goes on to talk briefly about some of the tools at his disposal before launching into a small example of play.:

“… There are many other characters and monsters, all of whom are operated by the gamemaster. The gamemaster is a combination of referee, storyteller, and “Hand of Fate”. He keeps the story unfolding by telling the players what is happening and judging the results of any actions the players take. He has a very free hand to interpret the situation as he sees fit within the guidelines of the rules.” Page iii of iv in ToC and Intro, followed by 156 of the book proper (i.e. 160 pages total)
Martin on December 27th, 2005 9:25 pm

Got ‘em, thanks CJ.
Martin on December 28th, 2005 7:33 am

There’s a thread full of interesting responses to this post over on the HERO GAMES discussion boards.

Just thought I’d mention it here, since there’s no trackback.
PRGRM on December 29th, 2005 7:19 pm

Alternity – Player’s Handbook (TSR, 1998)

The participant in the game who acts as moderator, narrating adventures and representing other characters involved in the adventure who aren’t controlled by the players. (Page 9 out of 245)

This game also provides a whole “Fast-Play Rules” chapter which defines the basic rules of the game and the player’s role in the game, also describing the key concepts of it.

Alternity – Gamemaster’s Guide (TSR, 1998)

What does a gamemaster do? Basically, he presents adventures for the players to run their heroes through, and acts as the moderator of the rules.(…)As a Gamemaster, you have a number of jobs to handle during and between the game sessions. Unlike other types of games that have strict rules and deal with limited situations, a roleplaying game such as the Alternity game is as wide open as the players’ imagination. For this reason, the presence of a game moderator to act as referee, story designer, and narrator is essential. (…) However, the Gamemaster isn’t competing against the players. When the Gamemaster and the players get together to tell a fun and exciting group story, everybody wins. That’s the power and appeal of roleplaying. (page 9 of 246)

This is at the beginning of the “Fast-Play Rules” chapter in the Gamemaster guide, the corresonding chapter to the Player’s Handbook.
Martin on December 31st, 2005 5:22 pm

Thanks PRGRM — I’ve added the Alternity PHB’s definition to the list.
Boing Boing on January 1st, 2006 12:02 am

What a game-master is for, according to 30+ games

Martin sez, “Treasure Tables has taken 30+ role-playing games and written down their definitions of what the game-master does.” Advanced Dungeons & Dragons – Dungeon Master’s Guide, 2nd Edition (TSR, 1989) Being a good Dungeon Master involves a lot…
g026r on January 1st, 2006 12:24 am

Paranoia, core rulebook, 2nd Edition (West End Games, 1987):

"In Paranoia, the gamemaster presents adventures for his players to enjoy. The players pretend to be Troubleshooters; they play colorful characters, say witty things, have clever ideas, solve mysterious puzzles, and blow each other up. You pretend to be Everything Else — The Computer, the plot, the people who the Troubleshooters meet, all the world and everything in it. You also act as the referee for the game, judging whether or not players’ actions are possible or permissible.

"It’s very simple. You describe a situation to the players; the players decide what they want to do and tell you. You roll the dice and decide whether each player’s actions succeed or fail. You then tell the players what happens, and ask them what they do next.

"At the same time, you are playing the roles of any non-player characters with whom they interact, deciding what those NPCs do, and determing whether or not NPC actions succeed.

"All together, the actions of the players and NPCs are supposed to become, over time, a satisfying story. To make these actions more than purely random, you must provide a goal, obstacles, interesting events, and a climax. The story is more important than the rules: be willing to fudge die-rolls, or interpret things in dramatically-appropriate ways in order to make sure everyone has a good time."

It then goes on about each specific task a GM does, but that’s their general definition.
g026r on January 1st, 2006 12:25 am

That’s page 31 of 134, by the way.
Runnerpaul on January 1st, 2006 1:19 am

For what it’s worth, the paragraph you have listed for Shadowrun Third Edition was cut & pasted directly onto p.17 of Shadowrun Fourth Edition (WizKids/FanPro 2005).
Drew Vallas on January 1st, 2006 6:24 am

All emphasis from original texts. Should be HoLmeister, but, typos are as written.

HoL (damn near the funniest RPG ever printed)

In agreeing to be HoLmester, you have accepted multiple burdens:
1. Speaking to those writhing, whining, benumbed nematodes, the players, as though they had frontal lobes.
2. Inviting them to your house and trusting them not to urinate in the toaster.
3. Prostituting your thespian capacity for free pizza and liquid proteins.
4. PURCHASING ALL THE SUPPLEMENTS WE CAN GOUGE YOU FOR.

NOT TO MENTION creating new player characters for all the bozos who creak down and moan about having to pick from the pre-gens. Of course you can make your own PCs. Do whatever butters your muffin.

* Y’know, like yoo-hooh ‘n’ stuff… Why? Whaddya think I meant?

Paranoia formerly known as XP

GM Rule #1. You are IN CHARGE. You are ALWAYS RIGHT.
GM Rule #2. The players aren’t your enemies. They’re your entertainment.
GM Rule #3. Always turn the players against each other, not against you.

g026r’s text, more or less, starts pg 51 (though this version expounds the text).
Jon on January 1st, 2006 8:26 am

From some of the ones I have lying about the house, since my parents made me get them out of their attic:

Villains and Vigilantes – core rulebook, revised edition (Fantasy Games Unlimited, 1982)

The gamemaster’s job is not an easy one. His purpose in a role-playing game is to provide those factor that cannot be taken care of by simple die rolls or pages upon pages of rules; that is, variety. It is the GM’s imagination alone which makes a role-playing game enjoyable for the players. (page 44 of 47)

DragonQuest – core rulebook, 2nd edition, page iv (SPI, 1982)

The GM is a master story-teller, a weaver of tales which deal with those themes aforementioned: fairy tale, myth, and fantasy. This job may, at first glance, seem both mammoth and unattractive. It is, however, one of the most enjoyable gaming experiences this author and many other individuals have ever found. While the players act out the parts of their characters, the GM gets to act out the parts of everyone else who inhabits the world — shopkeepers, evil wizards, dragons, and giants. Along with playing these parts, the GM is the referee of all the actions which occur; his impartiality is assured by the absence of a game persona directly identified with him. (page iv of 156)

Silver Age Sentinels – core rulebook, 1st edition (Guardians of Order, 2002)

As a GM, your contribution will be much greater than that of any one player. You must establish the setting, villains, conflicts, and plot of the adventure, as well as all of the other non-player characters your gaming group will meet in the end…Should you assume the role of GM, you must possess creativity, sound judgment, and the ability to improvise in unexpected situations. Game Mastering takes extra time and effort, but the reward of watching the players revel in the game setting and plot you have created makes it all worthwhile. (page 17 of 336)

Dungeons and Dragons – core rulebook, 3rd edition Bluebook (TSR, 1979)

The characters are then plunged into an adventure…run by another player: the referee, often called the Dungeon Master. (page 5 of 46)
Martin on January 1st, 2006 9:43 am

Welcome, Boing Boing readers!

g026r: Thank you — I’ve added Paranoia.

Drew: I’d love to include both HoL and Paranoia XP, but I need the page numbers and page counts for both before I can add them to the list.

Jon: Thanks! All 4 games that you quoted have been added to the list.
JMstar on January 1st, 2006 10:30 am

The World of Synnibar, by Raven C.S. McCracken, Second edition, 477 pages, page p.332:

As Fate is the unseen controller of all destinies in the Centiverse, his or her control is absolute and all decisions are final.

General rules
1. During the game, as Fate, you may use any reference material within this book. Other players may not unless they have your permission…
2. Fate should not alter anything, except random encounters, once the adventure has started…
3. All dice rolls should be made in view of the players to avoid possible disputes.
4. All players must state what they are doing or casting before they roll the dice.
5. Once players start the game with one character, they may not change characters…
6. Once players state that their characters do something foolish or undesireable, they may not change their minds…
7. Players will answer any questions the referee asks about their characters.
8. Fate has absolute control during the game regarding rolls and interpretation of the rules. Fate may not, however, deviate from the rules as they are written, for if he or she does and the players find out, then the adventure can be declared null, and the characters must be restored to their original condition…
9. …if a ruling is disputed and a player is found to be absolutely correct, the player may receive double gaming points for the entire adventure…
10. If players wish to use knowledge that their characters would not normally have, then they must roll an Ego roll…
11. All power drains, such as constitution usage, EGs, and uses of enchanted items, must be recorded accurately.
12. The referee should never overmatch the party with insurmountable odds unless they request or cause it themselves – let fate take its course.
13. …the referee should be careful when awarding characters with treasure. Characters that receive too much money will buy all sorts of spells, mutations, weapons, and provisions, which may increase their power too quickly.
Allen Varney on January 1st, 2006 10:53 am

PARANOIA XP (2004):

“The GM tells you what you see. You say what you want to do. The GM tells you what happens.” (page 6 of 256)

“In a roleplaying game (RPG), you play the role of an important character in a story. A fun and friendly player called the Gamemaster (GM) generously describes the story’s setting and events. Remember always to express your gratitude and admiration to the kind GM. [...] You depend on the GM for all knowledge about the story’s setting and circumstances. The GM introduces the game session, describes the setting, and plays the roles of the nonplayer characters (NPCs) you encounter during the story. When you want your character to do something, describe it to the GM. He determines your success using common sense and the game rules. Often he rolls dice, or asks you to roll instead. Because he interprets your success or failure in each action, he thereby determines your success or failure in the whole game.
“How fortunate you are! For all his omnipotent power and unimpeachable authority, your GM is a fair and just referee, and not IN ANY WAY a petty tyrant who will kill your character on the spot if he feels unappreciated or harrassed. Thank him for this, fervently and frequently.” (page 14 of 256)
drow on January 1st, 2006 11:42 am

Munchkin (Munchkin Master’s Guide, Steve Jackson Games, 2003, pg 5 of 48)

This is the book for the DM … or, as you may prefer to call yourself, the Referee, the Game Master, or God. This is the book that tells you how to use the power that is rightfully yours. Keep your players happy, if you wish … or abuse them like the helpless pawns that they are … you’re in control.
drow on January 1st, 2006 11:47 am

Star Wars (Star Wars Core Rulebook, Wizards of the Coast, 1st Edition, 2000, pg 6 of 318)

The Gamemaster is the director and special effects designer, deciding what the story is about and taking on the roles of all the other characters – the villains, the extras, the special guest stars. The Gamemaster also keeps track of the rules, interprets the outcome of actions, and describes what happens.
drow on January 1st, 2006 11:55 am

Middle-Earth Role Playing (Iron Crown Enterprises, 2nd U.S. Edition, 1986, pg 4 of 128)

The Gamemaster has been described as the limited “author” of the FRP game; actually, he functions as more than this. The Gamemaster not only describes everything which occurs in the game as if it were really happening to the player characters, but he also acts as a referee or judge for situations in which the actions attempted by characters must be resolved. The Gamemaster has to do a lot of preparation before the game is actually played. He must develop the setting and scenarios for the play of the game, using the game rules, and either material of his own design or commercially available play aids. Until the players actually encounter certain situations during play, much material concerning the setting and the scenario is known only to the Gamemaster. In addition, the Gamemaster plays the roles of all of the characters and creatures who are not player characters, but nonetheless move and act within the game setting.
drow on January 1st, 2006 12:01 pm

Batman Role-Playing Game (Mayfair Games, 1989, pg 5 of 192)

The Gamemaster is like the writer of a Batman comic book, unfolding the story and making it work. The GM also has the important task of playing the roles of all the other Characters in the adventure.

… The Gamemaster writes down the basic framework of the story, drawing out plans for the various locations, assigning abilities to the villains, and creating the special plot twists that might occur. The GM must have a good grasp of the rules of the game, because he or she is the one who conducts play and acts as a referee.
drow on January 1st, 2006 12:06 pm

James Bond 007 (Basic Game, Victory Games, Inc., 1983)

The director is called the Gamesmaster (usually abbreviated as GM). The players will act out the parts of the heroes, and the GM will handle all the villains and minor characters (called Non-Player Characters, or NPCs). The GM creates the script, portrays all secondary characters, and acts as the final arbiter on the rules of the game – that is, the rules all have agreed to play by.
drow on January 1st, 2006 12:13 pm

amend: James Bond 007 (Basic Game, Victory Games, Inc., 1983, pg 5 of 160)
drow on January 1st, 2006 12:18 pm

Star Trek: The Role Playing Game (FASA Corporation, 1983, Star Fleet Officer’s Manual, pg 4 of 40)

As with other role-play games, one player does not have a permanent role to play. Instead, he moderates the game, keeping in mind and reinforcing the limits and rules of the game. Called the gamemaster, this player judges the effects of the player characters’ actions and determines what the response to those actions will be. He plays all the ‘bit parts,’ the bystanders, villains, and other characters who are not central to the action but who interact with the players’ characters in some way.

The gamemaster often creates the adventures, and when he presents them he provides enough opposition to the characters’ efforts to make the game exciting. His job is not to make the adventure goals impossible, but to make them challenging and fun. He is responsible for making the game run smoothly so that all have a good time. He guides the action so that the players will succeed – but only after making a number of important decisions and only if they work hard and play their roles well.
drow on January 1st, 2006 12:33 pm

Gamma World (TSR, 3rd Edition, 1986, pg 2 of 64)

A role-playing game requires one player to play the role of the Game Master (GM for short), the creator and teller of the story and the arbitrator of the game’s events. The GM creates the goals and obstacles of an adventure and plays the part of all the creatures encountered throughout the story. It is a tough job, but one that is very rewarding, for only the GM knows what is really happening and what obstacles lie before the heroes.
Jerril on January 1st, 2006 12:38 pm

Martin: for HoL – determining the exact page is challenging, as the book doesn’t have page numbers, a table of contents or an index. It’s I think 140 pages long not counting ads etc, but I may have miscounted.

That said, the section on being the HoLmeister is more or less on page 61. Same disclaimer, ie coulda miscounted.
drow on January 1st, 2006 12:47 pm

Star Wars (West End Games, Inc., 1987, pg 5 of 121)

The gamemaster, or “GM,” runs the game. When a player wants his or her character to do something, the gamemaster decides what happens, using the rules as a guide.

He also acts as a “director,” describing the universe in which the characters live to the players. He takes the roles of non-player characters, or “NPCs,” people who live in the Star Wars universe but are not controlled by the players.

But most important, the gamemaster creates an adventure for his players – a story for their characters to experience, complete with supporting cast, an interesting plot, and rewards for success.
drow on January 1st, 2006 12:52 pm

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness (Palladium Books, Revised Edition, 1988, pg 6 of 109)

The game master (GM) is another player (a real person!) who controls all the characters inthe game except the different player’s characters.
drow on January 1st, 2006 1:01 pm

Toon (Steve Jackson Games, Deluxe Edition, 1991, pg 5 of 205)

One person, the Animator, runs the game. The Animator tells the players what sort of cartoon they’re in, who (or what) lives there, and what happens. The Animator picks the adventure from the Short Subjects and Feature Films in this book. Experienced Animators can write their own adventures!

(pg 56)

The Perfect Animator

Part of the art of being an Animator is transmitting the proper atmosphere to the players. In order to make the game feel like a cartoon, you should wave your arms about wildly, bounce up and down, speak in funny voices, and make sound effects – KABOOM! SPROING! SPLAT! The sillier, the noisier, the nuttier you act, the better.

The Toon Commandments

1. FORGET EVERYTHING YOU KNOW ABOUT ROLEPLAYING.
2. ACT BEFORE YOU THINK.
3. KNOW THE RULES – CHECKING RULES IS SLOW. SLOW IS BAD.
4. KNOW YOUR CHARACTER AS YOURSELF.
5. IF YOU WANT TO DO IT, EXAGGERATE IT.
6. IF IT’S SIMPLE, COMPLICATE IT.
7. IF YOU’RE IN A JAM, DO WHATEVER YOU CAN TO MAKE IT WORSE.
8. WHEN IN DOUBT, RECAP.
9. WHEN YOU CAN’T RECAP, MAKE SOMETHING UP.
10. WHEN YOU CAN’T MAKE SOMETHING UP, CHEAT.

The most important thing to remember about being an Animator is that you are in charge. Anything you say goes. Be open enough to take good (i.e., funny) suggestions from your players, but never forget who’s running the show.
Travis Casey on January 1st, 2006 3:40 pm

Well, it’s not an RPG per se, but the 9/26/2005 draft copy of Design Patterns of Successful Role-Playing Games (http://legendaryquest.netfirms.com/books/Patterns.zip — it’s a zip of the PDF) defines and considers the Game Master pattern on pages 56-60 (of 255).

Its definition:

The term “Game Master” is somewhat nebulous. It means different things in different games, primarily because the role of the Game Master varies. The Game Master essentially falls into the “everything else” category. That is, if a crucial game aspect is neither specified as a player responsibility nor handled mechanically, then it falls to the Game Master to assume that task. Some traditional Game Master responsibilities are:

1) Acting as the final arbiter in disputes between players.
2) Ensuring all players participate.
3) Describing scenes, including preparing any necessary background materials.
4) Creating and playing non-player characters.
5) Creating challenges for players to overcome when appropriate.
6) Creating a sense of rising tension building to some dramatic climax.
7) Creating a sense of mystery and intrigue in a storyline when appropriate.

Any of these responsibilities can be given to other players or replaced with some purely mechanical process. In fact, all Game Master responsibilities can be parceled out in one fashion or another, as evidenced by the fact that some games exist without any Game Master at all.

(End definition.) It points out Universalis as an example of an RPG without a game master; I’d add Capes as another.
ChaosElbows » Treasure Tables: How Different RPGs Define the GM%u2019s Role on January 1st, 2006 8:55 pm

[...] Treasure Tables: How Different RPGs Define the GM%u2019s Role [...]
LudoRob on January 1st, 2006 11:36 pm

This list is becomming very comprehensive. I had a look at Ars Magica 1st Ed- there’s not really any such section, partially due to the game designers promoting a shared/alternating GM style. This is one of several reasons this game gets my vote for “worst choice possible for a new GM”.

But otherwise:

Pendragon 4th Ed, 1993, Chaosium Inc
-
To play the game a second task must be undertaken by one player: that of the gamemaster. The gamemaster describes the world and events within it to the players. He controls the nonplayer characters.
The gamemaster in a roleplaying game directs the flow of the game while the players control the actions of the characters. As the gamemaster describes what is going on, where they are, and other details of the plot, the players choose actions for their characters, thus cooperating with him in creating the adventure.
The gamemaster oversees the imaginary world, describing it in detail and directing its course. He is no an adversary, but rather the key to the world of Arthurian Britain. He brings both friends and enemies to life for the players. When they have questions or need help, players turn to the gamemaster for answers. Likewise, the gamemaster must ask for opinions from the players to make it an acceptable game. (Page 5 of 351)
…

Castle Falkenstein, 1994, R Talsorian Inc
-
One of you will become the host, a player of the Great Game who has all the good parts: judge, jury and creator of the fantasy world everyone else will share. As Host, it will be your job to pose the Situation that all the Players will become involved in, whether it’s a desperate mission to restore a Lost King to a throne like I did, or to battle the forces of the marauding Fredonian Air Pirates as they swoop down on a helpless city you have all sworn to defend. The scope of your adventures in New Europa will have no limit except those of your own mind- and the few rules I’ll outline in these pages to help keep things consistent and authentically Steam Age.
As Host, you have a lot of tools at your disposal: you’ll get to create all the characters the other platers don’t, (including the parts of the Bad Guys), using them to shape and create the adventures you conceive. You’ll also have this world as a tool. The stories, pictures and descriptions I have brought together in these notebooks for you to enjoy, beside being a record of my own adventures, they are a god source of information on just how the world of Castle Falkenstein works. They are also a pretty fair example of how Diaries and Journals works as well. Lastly, you’ll have these rules I have cobbled together from the many Adventure Entertainments I have personally “hosted” for my Steam Age friends at parties and gatherings all over New Europa, a background of experience that I give you to use in your own adventures. (Page 134 of 224)
…
Rob
LudoRob on January 1st, 2006 11:37 pm

Another one:

Legend of the Five Rings
1997, Alderac Entertainment Group
-
The Game Master
The Game Master (called the “GM”) is a vital part of the game. While each player creates a single character – the main characters of the story – the GM is responsible for creating the supporting cast the player’s characters encounter. He takes the role of every character the players meet and he devises a plot for the characters to participate in, improvising plot twists when the players decide to a different direction than the one he planned. He is the player’s senses, describing all the details of a scene.
If you are going to be the GM, don’t feel overwhelmed. There is an entire chapter dedicated to helping you run L5R, including an introductory adventure to show you how it’s done.

The Rules
The GM is an author and improvisational actor, but he is also a referee. Whenever a dispute arises between players, the GM must use the rules (along with a good, healthy dose of common sense) to make a decision. (Page 8 of 250)

…
Rob
Drew Vallas on January 2nd, 2006 1:06 am

re: HoL: The book looks like the work of several guests at our nation’s finest mental health institutions; it is ENTIRELY hand-written and hand-illustrated, with no pagination whatsoever. According to Amazon, the book runs 144 pages and twenty bucks. It is in its second printing, this time by The CaBil; originally, it was a published under the imprint of the Black Dog Game Studio, a division of WW. (I consider myself lucky to possess an original copy.)

Also.. there’s a great game pamphlet included in Buttery HoLsomeness called Freebase, which takes place in the World of Reality(tm).. It’s written mainly as a handbook to players, but there’s a mention of the GM on pg 1 (of 16):

Through the battle scars you receive during play, you will also accumulate experience; that is, you will get better at doing what you do. To rate this, FB uses Experience Points, or “XPs.” These may be spent on new equipment, magical componants, or to achieve the next “level” (q.v.). Some Players who keep “Cover Jobs” receive XPs from their GM (General Manager) on a weekly basis in the form of a “Paycheck,” but the more comfmon for of acquisition is through combat.
Martin on January 2nd, 2006 9:20 am

Thank you for this (massive!) update to the list! It’s now nearly doubled in size And I agree with Rob: It’s quickly becoming fairly comprehensive, or at least a lot more representative of the full spectrum of eras/styles/etc. than it was originally.

I know it takes a lot of time to type these in, and I appreciate the effort everyone is putting into expanding this list.

I’d love to see excerpts from GM-less games (like Capes and Universalis) that address how the “traditional” GM duties are split up within the group. If anyone has access to those games, that would rock.
Viktor on January 2nd, 2006 10:41 am

Hmmm … can’t believe Prince Valiant and HeroQuest didn’t make it on this list … so here’s what they say on the matter:

Prince Valiant:
“The Storyteller has the most challenging role in the game. Being the Storyteller is much more work than being a regular player. On the other hand, the Storyteller has a great deal of influence over the game. Having control of a story in which your friends play the major roles can be a very interesting and rewarding experience.
The Storyteller has control over everything in the game except the actions of the Adventurers. His job is something like being a referee at a sports event. The referee may or may not be a popular, but he has a certain amount of power over the players. The players must accept this heirarchical situation with grace and politeness, deferring to the Storyteller even when they disagree with him. Remember that everyone can be a Storyteller in the Advanced Game.”

It appears that in 1989 Mr Stafford felt that with great power came great responsibility, or something like that…

HeroQuest:
“One person takes the role of the narrator who plays a wide array of narrator characters–everyone except the player heroes. The narrator also plays the world–tells what the weather is, how steep a mountain is, how suspicious a person seems, and so on. The narrator’s job is to place limits on the heroes, confronting them with entertaining challenges as they try to accomplish their goals. Some game groups have one narrator who runs all the games; others may rotate the narrator position, allowing everyone a chance to play and to narrate.”

Further, the Narrating chaper in HQ gives some text that contributes to a definition of the role:

“The focus of HeroQuest is the story, not the rules. Nothing is more galling than having to spend limited preparation time generating pages of game statistics instead of working on the characters, experiences, and surprises of the campaign. Let the narrative direct what happens, and turn to the rules only when drama demands that chance make the outcome uncertain. Apply common sense, and do not make a decision that seems wrong just because it is what the rules say to do…
Most importantly, we want you to have as much fun as the players do. Over the years, we have learned that the best narrators always seem to have a lot of fun themselves. Develop your childish enthusiasm. Enjoy yourself!”

I’ve always had a lot of respect for Stafford as someone who seems to understand that rolegames are first, and foremost, games and also someone who seems to be able to write clearly, concisely, and cleverly to deliver his games to a wider audience.

It’s interesting to see how his presentation of the fundamental aspects of the rolegame qua pastime have developed over the years.

–
Viktor on January 2nd, 2006 10:47 am

Occurs to me, I forgot to provide page refs for my contributions, so here they are:

Prince Valiant: p7-8 of 128
HeroQuest: p9, 177 of 288
Martin on January 2nd, 2006 12:23 pm

Viktor: I had to guess at which edition of HeroQuest you excerpted — based on page count, I went with the 2005 (Impressions) edition. Is this correct?

Thanks for the definitions.
luke on January 2nd, 2006 6:28 pm

I obsessively read the GMing advice in rpgs now. Therefore, I dub this the best post evar. I’ll try to post some tidbits up myself.

(BTW, I agree with your assessment of Star Trek. That’s a well put together game.)

-Luke
Michael on January 2nd, 2006 7:49 pm

Damn, I wish I had my copy of “Hunter Planet (The All Australian Role Playing Game)”. The description of the ‘Certified Maniac” (CM) was pretty amusing.

Others:
Everway
Designer: Johnathan Tweet
Published by Wizards of the Coast, 1995
Playing Guide, p 2 of 162
“[T]he game-master has to know the game, the setting, and the characters well enough to present an engaging plot and pace the action so that the plot unfolds dramatically. The gamemaster invents strange lands for the heroes to explore, exotic creatures for them to encounter, weird mysteries for them to solve, and daring quests for them to undertake.”

Metamorphosis Alpha (1st Ed)
Designer: James M. Ward
Published by TSR Rules, 1976
Page 3 of 32
and, without changes,
James M. Ward’s Metamorphosis Alpha Universe (25th Anniversiary Ed)
Designer: James M. Ward
Published by Fast Forward Entertainment, 2002
Page 3 of 64

“The referee is that participant who decides he would enjoy running the game and is willing to accept the burden of drawing the starship levels and locating the life forms on each level as well as noting where the various technological items and/or new information is to be found…

[Cut from 2002 edition] The referee will find that imagination and creativity are most helpful in his role as Supreme Arbiter (or Starship Master) of the course of the game.

Adventure!
by Andrew Bates and Bruce Baugh
Published by White Wolf, 2001
core book, page 107 of 272 (first page of Book II: Rules, prior pages were fiction)
“[T]he Storyteller us a “director” of sorts. The Storyteller acts as a combinanation narrator and referee, creating the drama through which the players take their characters, As a Storyteller, you create the environmnet in whhc the characters are placed. You are responsible for tying the story’s disparate threads together and making sure the whole thing runs smoothly. Your most useful tools in balancing story and game are your imagination and the rules systems.

Space 1889 by Frank Chadwick
Published by GDW, 1989
page 34 of 216 (there’s an earlier one, but this is better)
In an RPG [players] interact with a world defined by the referee, and the rules are merely present to help him in the task of definition. RPG rules are not meant to limit the referee, but rather to free him from having to decide how to resolve every routine event in the game. By freeing him from that task, the rules allow him to make his most important contribution to the game–his imaginiation.
It is the referee’s imagination that turns the cold, printed words of the rules into a rich, vibrant world, full of colorful characters and thrilling adventure. To make this world come alive for your players, you will have to do four things. The referee must describe the world, play the non-player characters, resolve critical events, and guarantee adventure.
Alex on January 2nd, 2006 8:30 pm

Stargate SG-1 (Alderac Entertainment Group 2003, pg 6 of 488)

The preparation of those obstacles is the purveyance of the Gamemaster (GM), who controls the action and coordinates of the remainder of the gaming universe. If the character are the heroes, then the GM is the supporting cast, as well as the narrator and arbiter of all the rules. He develops the adventures that the characters will go through, planning the mission parameters and the things the characters need to do in order to succeed. As play unfolds, he describes the environment in which the characters find themselves, coordinates plot developments and other twists, and portrays any non-player characters (NPCs) who the players encounter – from the friendly natives to hostile Goa’uld to General Hammond back at the SGC. The players for their part, react to these elements as their respective characters would: affecting their personalities, describing their actions, and so on.
luke on January 3rd, 2006 12:06 am

I’d also like to respond to your “I’m looking at you” regarding BW.

The “Role of the GM” and “Role of the Players” section for BW is quite deliberately set after all the rules. Why? Because player and GM are all on equal footing in the rules. Everyone has to learn them and be able to apply them. There’s no special rules for either — except what is stated right there in the Role of the GM section. So in order to get to that section, and have it mean something, you’ve got to read the rules.

Also note that you posted an excerpt. In the sections preceding that excerpt, there is a discussion about how to use the various game mechanics to build a serviceable game. I don’t think that section means anything unless you know the rules.

-L

PS: Yes, I also know that in the middle of the book I say, “stop reading and play now.” But I also tell you, briefly, how to play.
LudoRob on January 3rd, 2006 8:22 am

Hoo Ha, Hunter Planet! Can’t let the home team down, so…
-
Hunter Planet Second Ed (Yes, it had a 2nd ed.)
1987, David Bruggeman / HPAC Australia

Rule 1.
As CM (Control Man) you are on the side of Truth, Justice and the _Human_ way. It is essential that you remember that Humans are not your average sane race- they are one of the more devious, nasty, untrustworthy, primitive, unpeaceful, and generally un-nice people in existence. You are on their side (see footnote 81).
Page 22 of roughly 35
-
NB: There is no footnote 81.
Alternatively, from the section “What Actually is Hunter Planet (A guide for the uninitiated)”:

2. The person running the game (called a CM in Hunter Planet) supervises all facets of the game from the character creation to the actual adventure itself. When characters are created, players confirm any points they think of with the CM when it arises. In Hunter Planet, the general rules are:
(a) If you didn’t write it down, you haven’t got it.
(b) If you say you’re going to do something, you’ve done it.
(c) You can do anything you like, there are only consequenses.
-
Mind you, the entire game is basically flavour text
…
Rob
Martin on January 3rd, 2006 9:02 am

Michael and Alex: Thanks for additional definitions.

Rob: What page did the second definition from Hunter Planet come from? That’s the one I’d like to go with. (Sounds like a pretty…quirky…game. )

Luke: That makes sense — thank you for explaining your approach.

I may be alone in this personal preference, but even knowing that the idea in BW is to have everyone on an even footing up until that point, I’d still like to have a definition of the 2 different roles — player and GM — right up front.

It doesn’t have to be as comprehensive as your (later) definition is, just enough to give the reader a taste of what’s to come — and an idea of whether or not GMing BW is for them.
Viktor on January 3rd, 2006 11:26 am

HeroQuest edition referred to:

The edition I referred to is the only (so far) edition of HeroQuest, the rolegame for Gloranthan roleplaying, published by Issaries Inc. HeroQuest was a “second edition” of Hero Wars. As I understand it, HW was principally written by Robin Laws with help from others while HQ was mostly written by Greg Stafford with help from others.
Martin on January 3rd, 2006 11:39 am

Viktor: Okeydoke — I’ve changed the publisher name on HQ to Issaries.
Michael on January 3rd, 2006 1:05 pm

LudoRob: Thanks! I was hoping to get that out there. Thanks for the info on 2nd Ed., as well, now I know what I want for Christmas…
GilaMonster on January 3rd, 2006 1:21 pm

d20 Modern. Total pages 384

“The GameMaster, as the director and special effects designer, decides what the story is about and takes on the roles of all the other characters – the villains, the extras, the distinctive guest stars. The gamemaster also keeps track of the rules, interpretes the outcome of actions and describes what happens. Together, playes and GM create a story and everybody has a great time.” Page 5

“One player serves as Gamemaster, a combination director, narratora and referee. The GM describes situations, asks players what their characters want to do and resolves those actions according to the rules of the game. The GM sets each scene, keeps the story moving and takes on the roles of the opponents and other characters that the players’ heroes encounter in each adventure.” Page 6

There’s a much more detailed breakdown further in (pages 189-190)
GilaMonster on January 3rd, 2006 1:29 pm

That would be d20 Modern by Wizards of the Coast. Only one edition exists at the moment.
NelC on January 3rd, 2006 1:55 pm

GURPS Basic Set, Campaigns Book, Steve Jackson Games, Fourth Edition, 2004, page 486 of 576 (Note Basic Set is two books: Characters, pages numbered p1-336, and Campaigns, numbered p337-576). This excerpt is the first few paragraphs of the 18-paged Chapter 18: Game Mastering:

“The Game Master (GM) is the referee of a roleplaying game. But that’s putting it too simply. He is like a mystery writer… a storyteller… an umpire… a cosmic book-keeper… the “house” at a gambling casino… and (to the characters) a minor deity.

“The GM is the final authority. Rules are guidelines… the designers’ opinion about how things ought to go. But as long as the GM is fair and consistent, he can change any number, any cost, any rule. His word is law!

“Many things are left up to the GM to decide. A game world gets realism from its completeness. The GM adds all the details that make it come alive. With a good GM, even a bad set of rules can be fun. With a good set, the sky’s the limit. We semi-modestly believe that GURPS is a very good set of rules of rules indeed — but without the GM the rules are nothing.”
Rich on January 3rd, 2006 9:15 pm

OOOPS!!! Sorry about that. Been away from the PC for a few days.

Mutants & Masterminds 2nd edition

Page Count: 255 including the character sheet.
Definition on page 6.
Martin on January 4th, 2006 8:16 am

d20 Modern, GURPS 4th Ed. and M&M have all been added — thank you.

Edit: I should also mention that DNAphil has started a thread related to this post in the GMing Q&A Forum: Your Own GM Definition. In it, Phil asks “Here is my question to the rest of the group. Using the definitions from all the RPG’s listed in the article, what is yourr own personal GM Definition?”

If you’re interested in following up on Phil’s idea, head on over to post in the thread.
Tree on January 4th, 2006 11:08 am

Is it possible to reorder these in chronolgical order? It would be great to see how the wording and defining has changed over the decades.

(I’ll do it myself in a text file, but just a suggestion if others are interested, too.)
Martin on January 4th, 2006 12:21 pm

Tree: I thought about including the entries in both formats — alpha and chrono — when I first wrote the post, but decided it would be too long to be useful.

I agree that seeing them in chrono order would be neat, though. Perhaps the best option would be to create a text file for the chrono list and link to it from the main post. If I was to do that, I’d probably wait until the list wasn’t getting added to any more.

If anyone has ideas on how best to handle this, I’m all ears
Colin Fredericks on January 4th, 2006 12:23 pm

From the next version of one of my own games:

Super Console, page 1 (comes after pages i-iii):

“Tabletop games are usually run by one person, whom other games call the Game Master, but whom we call the CPU. That person handles controlling all the monsters, describing the terrain, speaking for the townsfolk, etc. etc. The CPU rounds up a bunch of his friends to be Players, each controlling the actions of a single Main Character (or MC).”

Or, from the Glossary on page 2:

“CPU: The person who controls the game.
Known in other tabletop games as the Game Master, Storyteller, Dungeon Master, Hollyhock God, etc. ad nauseam. Every game seems to have their own name for it, so we made up our own too. Now we get to be cool too, right guys?”
Martin on January 5th, 2006 8:23 am

Colin: Has Super Console already been published? I’d prefer to keep the list to published games, and I can’t tell for sure if this one is already on the market.
LudoRob on January 9th, 2006 1:12 am

Doh! The “What Exactly /is/ Hunter Planet” section is p33 of 35.

Rob
Martin on January 9th, 2006 8:19 am

Thanks, Rob — HP has been added to the list.
Alex on January 9th, 2006 11:23 pm

You’re very welcome. Here are a few more from my collection.

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (Players Handbook: First Edition), TSR Hobbies Inc., 1978, pg 7-8 of 128

The game is ideally for three or more adult players: one player must serve as the Dungeon Master, the shaper of the fantasy milieu, the “world” in which all action will take place. The other participants become adventurers by creating characters to explore the fantastic world and face all of its challenges — monsters, magic, and unnamed menaces. As is typical for most of us in real life, each character begins at the bottom of his or her chosen class (or profession). By successfully meeting the challenges posed, they gain experience and move upwards in power, lust as actual playing experience really increases playing skill. Imagination, intelligence, problem solving ability, and memory are all continually exercised by participants in the game.

…

Each individual campaign has its own distinctive properties and “flavor”. A good Dungeon Master will most certainly make each game a surpassing challenge for his or her players. Treasure and experience gained must be taken at great risk or by means of utmost cleverness only. If the game is not challenging, if advancement is too speedy, then it becomes staid and boring. Conversely, a game can be too deadly and become just as boring, for who enjoys endlessly developing new characters to march off into oblivion in a single night of dungeon adventuring?!

Sometimes, however, because of close interaction (or whatever other reason) two or more Dungeon Masters will find that their games are compatible to the extent that participants in these individual campaigns can use the characters created in one to adventure in the others. In such cases the Dungeon Masters have created a very interesting “world” indeed, for their milieux will offer interesting differences and subtle shifts which will pose highly challenging problems to these players.

Ultimately, despite the fact that this is a game system created by someone else, the game’s viability rests principally with the referee. The Dungeon Master must design and map out the dungeon, town, city, and world maps. He or she must populate the whole world, create its past history, and even devise some rationale for what transpired (and will probably happen). As players, you help immeasurably by participating, by letting the referee know that you appreciate his or her efforts, and by playing well and in a sportsmanly fashion. Good play inspires better creations to challenge that play.

Ars Magica (Fourth Edition), Atlas Games, 2000, 272 pgs

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Bubblegum Crisis, R. Talsorian Games, 1996, pg 18 of 168

One of you will take on a different role, that of the Referee (or Gamemaster, or GM): the person who presents the story plot to the players, controls any characters not controlled by the players themselves (logically called non-player characters), and applies the rules of the game. The Referee must have a firm grasp of the game rules and the fictional background in which the world is set. It’s the most demanding position in terms of time, energy, and imagination— a lot like directing a play when you can’t control all the actors—but it can be very rewarding as well.

The Referee uses the background given in the gameworld to devise a basic plot into which he places the player characters. He describes the situations to them as the characters would know it and the players describe what their characters are doing and how they are responding to the situation. The plot generally flows from there, with the Referee presenting obstacles, non-player characters, and other elements to the players in story form and the players continually deciding what their characters will do and reacting accordingly. This way both the players and the Referee create a story together … and have a lot of fun along the way.

Call of Cthulhu (Edition 5.5), Chaosium Inc., 1998, pg 23-24 of 288

THE KEEPER

The player who acts as keeper becomes the game moderator. Perhaps using a published scenario, or creating one of his or her own, the keeper knows the entire plot of the story and presents it during play, incidentally taking the parts of all of the monsters, spooks, and sinister or ordinary people that the investigators meet. The keeper has the responsibility for preparing a scenario without bias. He or she must make the opposition smart and mean, or there will be little challenge for the players, and they will be bored.

The keeper needs to understand the game in order to he able to answer player questions and to be able to present the material fairly. To be a keeper, read the rules on creating investigators, the game system, and sanity, and then go on to read about magic and the Mythos. You’ll find individual monster and spell descriptions in the reference section. Those entries can he consulted, and do not need to be read through and memorized. (That would be quite a feat!) Skim the keeper’s lore chapter.

Then choose one of the short scenarios from this book. Read it, then invite some friends over. Have them roll up investigators together (be sure to photocopy enough investigator sheets first). Or photocopy the ready-made investigators at the back of this book, and let them each choose one―all they need are 60 more points of skills.

Summarize the rules for the players, and supply a photocopy of the game tables at the back of this book. When you’re set to play, don’t worry about making mistakes the first time around. It is your privilege to make mistakes. While you are learning how to invent your own scenarios, use the ones in this book or consult one of the many scenario supplement books available. Often printed scenario thoroughness and extra information can be welcome.

As you need, consult the reference and resources sections. or read pertinent sections in the keeper’s lore chapter.

With the purchase of this book and some dice, you have everything needed to play the game.

Cyberpunk 2020 (The Second Edition 2.01), R. Talsorian Games Inc., 1993, 254 pgs

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Dangerous Journeys (1: Mythus), Game Designers’ Workshop, 1992, pg 6-7 of 416

The Gamemaster

Let us consider the role of gamemaster more fully. The gamemaster (GM for short) is the producer and director of the game action. A GM must know the game rules, the premises upon which they are constructed, and then prepare for play. Because a fantasy roleplaying game (FRPG for short) is a long-term activity, a GM must have materials prepared for game action spanning days, weeks, months, and possibly years of roleplaying activity by the player group. Such materials, in toto, are referred to as a campaign. A play episode which has a start and a conclusion is usually referred to as an adventure or scenario, while a portion of an adventure is usually called a session. As noted, a campaign lasts for as long as the group involved desires, An adventure might conclude in two or three hours, or it might require 10 or 20 times that to be resolved. In part, the time required is dependent on how well the player team operates, how well it uses its creativity and imagination in problem solving. The length of an adventure also depends on the complexity of the particular quest or mission involved.

Gamemasters know all the secrets behind each adventure situation, but they reveal information only as their players’ game personas discover it through their announced actions and observations. Thus, the GM is not only the producer, director, and source of all information, but also the sole player of those roles not taken by the other game participants. Does your character encounter a guardsman? A Gypsy fortune teller? A learned sage? A powerful villain? All of those will be played by the gamemaster.

As an impartial and disinterested participant in the story, the GM serves both to help and hinder the player group. The GM lays out the scenario, provides information to the players, acts the roles of minor characters, adjudicates disputes between the players’ personas and characters they meet, interprets the game rules, and critiques play after the completion of an adventure by awarding merits to individual players for the skill with which they played during the game. That brings us to just what it is that you will do as a player in the Mythus game.

Doctor Who (The Players Manual), FASA, 1985, pg 3 of 48

One player does not have a permanent role to play. Instead, he moderates the game, keeping in mind and reinforcing the limits and rules of the game. Called the gamemaster, this player judges the effects of the player characters’ actions and determines what the response to those actions will be. He plays all the ‘bit parts’: the bystanders, aliens, villains, and other characters who are not central to the action but who interact with the players’ characters in some way.

The gamemaster often creates the adventures, and, when he presents them, he provides enough opposition to the characters’ efforts to make the game exciting. His job is not to make the adventure goals impossible, but to make them challenging and fun. He is responsible for making the game run smoothly so that all have a good time. He guides the action so that the players will succeed — but only after making a number of important decisions and only if they work hard and play their roles well.

The Dominion Tank Police, Guardians of Order Inc., 1999, pg 14 of 176

To help answer the question “What are the limitations on my character’s abilities and talents?”, RPGs employ a rule system to help settle character conflicts and resolve character actions. The system mechanic usually outlines the use of a random generator (dice for random numbers, cards for random events, etc.) to add an unpredictable element to the game. A typical role-playing scenario requires a handful of players and one person to run the game, known as the Game Master (GM) or referee. The players tell the GM what their respective characters would like to do throughout the course of the adventure scenario and the GM describes the results of their actions. When the GM works closely with each and every player, the game adventure remains exciting and fun for all.

In The Dominion Tank Police Role-Playing Game, player. can create and assume the role of various character types including:

• A Tank Police officer from the series (e.g. Leona Ozaki, Al Britain)
• A super-criminal from the series (e.g. Buaku, Annapuna)
• A super-mercenary from the series (e.g. a Red Commando)
• A completely original character

The characters created will depend on the type of adventures the GM intends to run and the number of players. For example. if the GM is intending to run an adventure focused on the Tank Police set immediately after the events of the videos, he or she may wish to limit the player characters to those officers portrayed in the show: Leona, Britain, Al, Specs (Lovelock), Chaplain, and maybe even the Chief. Alternatively, the players might focus on a different tank police squad with mostly original characters, and perhaps only a few series characters (that have been transferred between squads). If the GM wants to focus on the Buaku Gang and has more than three players, the players will certainly need to create new characters since only three Buaku Gang members (Buaku, Annapuna and Unipuma) were presented in any detail. There is no limitation preventing the mixture of existing series and original characters in the same adventure.

Dragon Lords of Melniboné, Chaosium Inc., 2001, pg 191 of 208

THE RULES for Dragon Lords of Melniboné are relatively compact, but cover a lot of topics. New players need to read or to be familiar with these chapters: “Introduction,” “Adventurers,” and “Game System.” Most also will want to examine the chapters “Magic and Religion” and “The World of the Young Kingdoms.”

Dungeon masters should read as well this chapter and the one for “The World of the Young Kingdoms,” and be aware of the issues covered in the Game System chapter. Every dungeon master should thumb through the entire book.

Dungeons & Dragons (Second Edition), TSR Hobbies Inc., 1978, pg 5 of 48

Dungeons & Dragons is a fantastic, exciting and imaginative game of role playing for adults 12 years and up. Each player creates a character or characters who may be dwarves, elves, halflings or human fighting men, magic-users, pious clerics or wily thieves. The characters are then plunged into an adventure in a series of dungeons, tunnels, secret rooms and caverns run by another player: the referee, often called the Dungeon Master. The dungeons are filled with fearsome monsters, fabulous treasure and frightful perils. As the players engage in game after game their characters grow in power and ability: the magic users learn more magic spells, the thieves increase in cunning and ability, the fighting men, halflings, elves and dwarves, fight with more deadly accuracy and are harder to kill. Soon the adventurers are daring to go deeper and deeper into the dungeons on each game, battling more terrible monsters, and, of course, recovering bigger and more fabulous treasure! The game is limited only by the inventiveness and imagination of the players, and, if a group is playing together, the characters can move from dungeon to dungeon within the same magical universe if game referees are approximately the same in their handling of play.

The Dungeon Master designs the dungeons and makes careful maps on graph paper. The players do not know where anything is located in the dungeons until the game begins and they enter the first passage or room. They create their own map as they explore. While only paper and pencil need be used, it is possible for the characters of each player to be represented by miniature lead figures which can be purchased inexpensively from hobby stores or directly from TSR Hobbies. The results of combat, magic spells, monster attacks, etc., are resolved by rolling special polyhedral 20-sided dice which come with this game.

Dungeons & Dragons (Player’s Handbook: Third Edition), Wizards of the Coast, 2000, pg 6 of 288+16

When you play the Dungeons & Dragons® game, you create a unique fictional character that lives in your imagination and the imaginations of your friends. One person in the game, the Dungeon Master DM controls the monsters and people that live in the fantasy world. You and your friends face the dangers and explore the mysteries that your Dungeon Master sets before you.

Dungeons & Dragons (Game Master’s Guide: Third Edition), Wizards of the Coast, 2000, pg 6 of 256

Let’s start with the biggest secret of all: the key to Dungeon Mastering. (Don’t tell anybody, okay?) The secret is that you’re in charge. This is not the telling-everyone-what-to-do sort of in charge. Rather, you get to decide how your player group is going to play this game, when and where the adventures take place, and what happens. You get to decide how the rules work, which rules to use, and how strictly to adhere to them. That kind of in charge.

You’re a member of a select group. Truly not everyone has the creativity and the dedication to be a Dungeon Master. Dungeon Mastering (DMing) can be challenging, but it’s not a chore. You’re the lucky one out of your entire circle of friends that plays the game. The real fun is in your hands. As you flip through the Monster Manual or look at published adventures on a store shelf, you get to decide what the player characters (PC5) take on next. You get to build a whole world, design all its characters, and play all of them not played directly by the other players.

It’s good to be the DM.

The DM defines the game. A good DM results in a good game. Since you control the pacing, the types of adventures and encounters, and the nonplayer characters (NPCs), the whole tenor of the game is in your hands, It’s fun, but it’s a big responsibility If you’re the sort of person who likes to provide the fun for your friends, to create new things, or to come up with new ideas, then you’re an ideal candidate for DM.

Elric!, Chaosium Inc., 1994, pg 9 of 162

THE GAMEMASTER

The most fun in the game is had by the gamemaster. The player who acts that part moderates the game. Using a published scenario or one he or she has created, the gamemaster narrates the game universe and acts as the adventurers’ opposition. That opposition must be smart and mean, or the players will be bored, and it must be presented fairly, or the players will be outraged.

To be a gamemaster, read all of the tabbed rules section, and then become familiar with the rest of the book. The Gamemaster chapter has some useful entries, including notes for conversions from Stormbringer and a stock of non-player characters. Know the general procedures for combat and magic, but don’t feel you need to memorize everything—most questions can be answered as they arise.

Start with the scenarios in this book, or choose and convert one from a Stormbringer supplement, or create one of your own. Photocopy some adventurer sheets, then invite some friends, and have them roll up adventurers. Summarize the rules for them, and supply a photocopy of the game tables at the back of this book. You’re ready to play.

Farscape, Alderac Entertainment Group, 2002, pg 13 of 320

Game Masters

While most players have but a single character to keep track of, the Game Master’s job is much more complicated. He or she serves as a combination of narrator, referee and supporting cast: he develops the setting and adventures, describes the environment and plot developments. and portrays any non-player characters (NPCs) the PCs may encounter. The GM also serves as an arbiter of the rules, enforcing the die rolls and making sure that the group maintains proper balance. He is, in effect, the director of the Farscape story which the group is telling: steering it in the right directions and giving the PCs the opportunity to play Hero.

While the GM’s job involves much more work than the players. it can also be the most rewarding. The players have only their characters to run with: the GM has the whole universe. The Uncharted Territories is a big place, and the GM has a chance to serve as ringleader for all its sights and wonders.

Tips and ideas on Gamemastering a Farscape game can be found in Chapter Twelve.

Gamma World (Second Edition), TSR Hobbies Inc., 1981, pg 4 of 56

The referee is the participant who is willing to provide the mental and physical labor of completing the game within the framework provided. He will also preside over the actual play of the game itself. Instructions detailing the referee’s tasks are given in the material to follow. However, three attributes necessary for a good referee — imagination, creativity, and a sense of fair play — must be provided by the referee himself. He must carefully balance risk with reward. The game he creates must not be so “deadly” as to make survival of the player-characters impossible. On the other hand, he must see to it that the player-characters are challenged. Too many rewards given at too little risk is sure to create a boring game.

Gamma World (Fourth Edition), TSR Inc., 1992, 192 pgs

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Hackmaster (GameMaster’s Guide: Fourth Edition), Kenzer and Company, 2001, pg 14 of 368

The Role of the Gamemaster

“We will not lie, cheat, or steal, nor tolerate such actions among our own.”
–GM’s Creed

Greetings Friend, and well met.

Welcome to the ranks of an esteemed group of individuals who, as unsung heroes, have been carrying the torch of role-play forward for nearly thirty years. Here, we proudly bear the title GameMaster and be you a veteran GM simply advancing from HackMaster 3rd edition to HackMaster 4th edition or a prospective GM rising up from the masses to heed the call, we welcome you into our fold as an equal.

Your position as GameMaster is not an easy one. It requires wit, determination, drive, imagination, diplomacy, organization and the ability to think on one’s feet and to roll with the punches. You are essential to the game. Through the selfless endeavors of in-th-trenches GMs such as yourself that strive to hone your skills and keep your players challenged, the HackMaster experience continues to grow. You are the reason players keep returning to the table and bringing new blood into the game. That’s right, you! As a GM, you are the backbone of the HackMaster experience and bear some credit for any success, and certainly for any failures, the game may experience in the future.

The GameMaster Guide is reserved for your eyes only. It contains all the essential rules that are not discussed in the Player’s Handbook. It has been placed here so you can have control over it. While players are not your enemies, they are by no means your allies and it is imperative that you bear that in mind at all times. But this book is not just about ‘hard rules’. As you will soon discover, a large portion of this book is devoted to discussions of the principals behind the rules. Another sizable component is brimming with source material that will arm you to handle those situations that will inevitably arise from time to time that are not explicitly covered by the rules. The purpose of this book, after all, is to better prepare you for your role as game moderator and referee. The better you understand the game, the better equipped you will be to handle unforeseen developments and unusual circumstances.

As GM you are master of your table. The success of your own campaign id primarily in your hands and you must take a firm, active hand in guiding it. When you take on the title of GM you are entering into a contract of sorts with the players you have assembled. They are agreeing to show up to your game each week and invest time as you weave your magic and take them into realms of high adventure. In return, you are agreeing that you will give them something worthy of their time.

Let me stress this is not a relationship you should enter into lightly. If you are skimming through this introduction, slow the hell down, back up and read it again. Slowly. It is crucial that you understand the grave nature of the commitment you are about to make.

(Note: HackMaster is both a parody of a game and a working system.)

Lejendary Adventures (The Lejendary Rules), Trigee Enterprises, 1999, pg 4 of 208

The Lejend Master

Play is directed by a Lejend Master or Lejend Mistress, usually referred to simply as the LM (and when spelled out “Lejend Master” meaning Lejend Mistress as well.) The LM will determine the cosmic environment for game play. He or she will adapt and/or create the whole universe, direct and orchestrate all the events of the game’s worlds and the variety of environments found therein. If the campaign is to be about thwarting a slavery ring, it is the LM that establishes the extent of the ring’s operations and the nations and regions in which the ring operates. If the campaign is to involve exploring alternate dimensions, it is the LM that creates the dimensions to be explored. If the campaign involves an evil sorcerer summoning demons from unwholesome places, the LM creates both the unwholesome places and the twisted residents.

It is the job of the LM to relate the campaign-specific information available to players, and relate to them all sensory data the game environment provides to their Avatars. In other words, the LM provides the players with the information their characters already know, and will also describe everything that is seen, heard, smelled, tasted, touched, and perhaps “felt” by sixth sense or the like. If a player wants to know what an Avatar sees when looking out the door of a shop, the LM describes the buildings along the street, the people moving about, and any activity that would catch the character’s eye.

The LM will also play the role of every person or creature encountered that is not directed by a player. When the Avatars ask directions of a merchant, it is the LM that takes the part of the merchant and offers directions to the players. If the person encountered is surly, the LM is surly when dealing with the players. If the person is friendly, the LM is friendly, and so on.

Lastly, the LM will adjudicate all disputes as the final authority on the rules, award meritorious play, and manage playing time on a regular and agreed-to basis so as to provide the highest quality of entertainment possible for all participants the campaign. The LM is charged with understanding the rules and providing enjoyable play for all of the participants.

Marc Miller’s Traveller, Imperium Games, 1996, pg 11 of 192

The Referee

Management of the game is performed by a special player known as the referee. While the other players each concentrate upon portraying their specific character, the referee portrays all of the places they go and creatures they meet. Like the director of a movie, the referee judges what can and cannot be accomplished in a particular scene. Like the umpire of a sports event, he decides how the game rules apply to the particular situation, and makes rulings based on the spirit of those rules when the action strays outside those boundaries. And like the host of a party, he makes sure that all of the players are involved in the fun and have a good time. Being a role-playing referee is not an easy thing to do. Portions of this book give instructions and advice to prospective Traveller referees, and many other areas of the book provide special tips concerning specific situations.

Paranoia (Fifth Edition), West End Games, 1995, pg 15 of 224

Many games separate the “players” (those who create and play individual characters) from the gamemaster (the guy who sits down and runs the adventure, playing all the “non-player” characters so completely that the so-called players are having all the fun and the gamemaster is doing all the work.
That’s not how Paranoia is supposed to be played.

The gamemaster is a player, he just works under different rules than the other players. The gamemaster has more weapons, more tools, and more options than the other players but he also has a certain responsibility. He has to “run” the adventure. First, by setting up the situation, then by introducing it and, finally, by helping the players play through it. The “regular” players have fun by roleplaying their characters and trying to figure out how to accomplish the adventure “goal,” while the gamemaster has fun setting up and running the situations and interactions … and, of course, torturing the player characters.

Reich Star, Creative Encounters, 1990, pg 6 of 248 (243)

It is the Gamemaster (GM) who creates a plot, situation, supporting characters and then acts as a referee. As a player, you would play the role of a fictional character of your own creation who would then take part in the scenario created by the GM. In this way, a role-playing game is much like “living” a movie, with the Game-master being writer, director, and supporting cast; and each player is an actor playing the starring role. However, in the game world the players in effect control the actions of the characters they portray – they are not bound totally by the script. It is up to the thinking ability of the player, the skills and abilities of his character, and the roll of dice that will always determine the final outcome of a situation. Both player and Gamemaster are dealt with in more detail later in this book, but first let’s look at some of the materials you will need before playing a game.

Shadowrun (Second Edition), FASA Corp., 1992, pg 10 of 296

The person controlling the story is called the gamemaster. His or her job is to keep track of what is supposed to happen when, describe events as they occur so that the players (as characters) can react to them, keep track of other characters in the game (referred to as non-player characters), and resolve attempts to take action using the game system. The gamemaster describes the world as the characters see it, functioning as their eyes, ears, and others senses. Gamemastering is not an easy task, but the thrill of creating an adventure that engages the other players, tests both the players’ gaming skills and the characters’ skills in the game world, and captures the players’ imaginations makes it worthwhile. FASA publishes game supplements and adventures to help this process along, but good gamemasters always adapt the game universe to suit their own style.

Stormbringer (Fifth Edition), Chaosium Inc., 2001, pg 16 of 304

The Gamemaster

The most fun in the game is had by the gamemaster. The player who acts that part moderates the game. Using a published scenario or one he or she has created, the gamemaster narrates the game universe and acts as the adventurers’ opposition. That opposition must be smart and mean, or the players will be bored, and it must be presented fairly, or the players will be outraged.

To be a gamemaster, read all of the rules chapters, pages 52-179, and then become familiar with the rest of the book. The “Gamemasters” chapter has some useful entries, including notes for conversions from earlier editions of Stormbringer and a stock of non-player characters. Know the general procedures for combat and magic, but don’t feel you need to memorize everything–most questions can be answered as they arise.

Start with the scenarios in this book, or choose and convert one from a Stormbringer sourcebook, or create one of your own. Photocopy some adventurer sheets, then invite some friends, and have them roll up adventurers. Summarize the rules for them, and supply a photocopy of the game tables on pages 292-296. You’re ready to play.

Traveller (Book 0), Game Designers’ Workshop, 1981, pg 5-7 of

Most games require an umpire of some sort (also called the referee, the judge the dungeon master, ref, ghod, or some other title depending upon circumstances), whose job is to administer the imaginary world in which the players pretend to he gunslingers or swordsmen or whatever and to adjudicate the inevitable conflicts between the players and their environment. In many games the umpire is also the architect of the imaginary world the players explore, creating every aspect of it in as much detail as the players require. In other cases, the background is already there, either provided by the designers of the game or by the novel, story, or movie, that the world is inspired from. In the latter, the umpire usually makes a few minor changes to put a stamp of individuality upon a game and make it something unlike any other.

…

A referee will usually find it necessary to commit great amounts of information to paper (no mind could possibly hold all the information necessary for any but the most rudimentary mythos). This commonly takes the form of maps of the region the players are currently moving around in, and notes on such characteristics of the region as the referee may consider important (like a cave containing a large dragon or the nature of the military forces of the region, and so on). For most cases, the referee can keep track of the players’ actions on paper, but sometimes, a group will make use of miniature figures, realistically posed and painted to represent the players (one figure per character) and the various people they encounter while carrying out their operations. Playing with miniatures requires several times as much work as the normal paper-and-pencil version of a game, but many consider added visual effect worth the effort.

A referee must keep track of all things that various characters do, determine if and how these actions change the background, decide if and how these changes will affect the characters, note the passage of game time (from a character’s point of view, months may pass in a single evening’s adventure), and adjudicate conflicts between the characters run by the players (called player-characters) and the characters run by the referee (called non-player characters or NPCs). The referee, while doing all this, must also keep the players’ interest up. In most RPGs, it is the referee that makes the difference between a dull, boring session and a vibrant exciting one.

Traveller20, RPG Realms, 2002, 448 pgs

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Critical Miss » on January 10th, 2006 8:48 am

[...] “I went through 30+ RPGs and wrote down their definitions of the GM’s role — and found a range of definitions, from appalling to marvelous (including some that will make you wonder how so many people ever got into GMing!). With reader contributions, 70 games are now covered on this list!” [...]
Martin on January 10th, 2006 9:00 am

Alex: WOW. That was awesome — you took the list straight from 70 to 89!

It’s great to see the evolution of D&D, Gamma World and Traveller through the years — and through different publishers.

Thank you again!
David Bruggeman on January 20th, 2006 12:30 am

Hunter Planet was fun. The CM (or GM if you prefer) was in the primary role of story teller and co-ordinator. Any maps moved around the player so it didn’t really matter which direction they took. There wasn’t any point wasting a great scene in your game if they took the wrong turn. The funniest part was when players ask to see the map after the game!
Martin on January 20th, 2006 8:58 am

David: That does sound entertaining. If I ever come across a copy, I’d love to take a peek at HP.
Definitions of GMing, In Media Res and Recruiting Players for non-d20 RPGs - Treasure Tables on January 22nd, 2006 9:40 am

[...] • DNAphil’s thread about writing your definition of the GM’s role isn’t new, but it’s popped back up this week. Phil’s idea was to compile your own definition of GMing using the 85+ examples from How Different RPGs Define the GM’s Role (one of TT’s most popular posts ever), and it’s an interesting exercise. [...]
Sensei Le Roof on February 3rd, 2006 1:03 pm

Here we go…

Tales from the Floating Vagabond (Avalon Hill, 1991… edition number?)

Gamemaster
This is the Guy in Control, the Head Honcho, the Big Cheese, the Boss, He knows what’s going on in the game world, and lets the Players know, piece by piece, as they find things out. He also dreams up all the little nasties to toss at the Players (Oops! Sorry, Patrons) to make life difficult for them. Gamemasters in this game are called “Bartenders”. Aren’t these guys just too clever?
(verbatim, page 5 of 96 [if you count the character sheet])

Also notable… BESM d20, Revised Edition (Guardians of Order, 2004) – no definition provided (192 pages)
Too bad I already sold my Wheel of Time RPG book… but I bet you’d get the same result. ^_^
Martin on February 3rd, 2006 2:13 pm

Got ‘em, Sensei — thank you.
Game Master, Referee, Storyteller: What’s in a Name? - Treasure Tables on February 27th, 2006 7:10 am

[...] I pulled most of these terms directly from the 91 games covered in How Different RPGs Define the GM’s Role — and in some ways, this post is an expansion on that one, too. [...]

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