Principles of Game Mastering

[Cybermancer]

While cleaning off my dresser earlier today, I found a laminated, pocket sized aide de memoir on the principles of leadership. Reading over it, I began to think of how they could be applied or modified for Game Masters. So here it goes.

1. Achieve professional competence.

For a GM, this means, knowing the rules. Not necesarily by heart but at least be well familar with them and know where to look up a reference. There are other ways of achieving competence as a GM, such as being prepared, having a plan and using other skills to run a good game.

2. Appreciate your own strengths and limitations and pursue self-improvement.

I think this is just plain good life advice but for GM's, I would say that it can be applied to their skill sets. Not so good at using accents? Avoid using them at first but you can watch movies where accents are used well and try to imitate them in between sessions. If you're really good at describing details and drawing a picture with words, then focus on narration whenever possible.

3. Seek and accept Responsibility.

This one is a bit harder to relate directly to GM's. They probably have either already sought out the position or accepted it when thurst upon them.

4. Lead by example.

This one is very important. You wouldn't like it if your players cheated so you can't cheat yourself. You want your players to arrive on time and prepared so you must do so yourself.

5. Make sure your followers (players) know your meaning and intent, then lead them to the accomplishment of the mission (an enjoyable game).

Be clear on house rules and rule interpretations. Communicate any restrictions along with why those restrictions are in place. Explain what sort of game you're running so that everyone knows what to expect. Then carry out that game within those expectations.

6. Know your soldiers (players) and promote their welfare.

This is pretty important. Know what your players want out of game and try to give it to them. Does player A want action and adventure while player B wants political intrigue? Try to work both into the game. Does player C like building stuff while Player D likes solving puzzles? Let Player D follow some clues to a solution that required Player C to build something.

7. Develop the leadership potential in your followers (players).

You don't want to be the GM all the time, right?

8. Make sound and timely decisions.

Game pacing can be very important. A working solution now is better than the perfect solution later. You can always hash things out later when you have more time.

9. Train your soldiers (players) as a team and employ them up to their capabilities.

This ties into knowing your players. Some of the best games occur when the players all work together to accomplish their goals. There is a feeling of shared experiences and accomplishment. Knowing your players abilities can go a long way to helping them become a team.

10. Keep your followers (players) informed of the mission (game), the changing situation and the overall picture.

I'm not suggesting you tell your players what is going on behind the scenes in the game, that would ruin the game for them. But they do need to know things like a change in gaming time or venue. If a player misses a session, bring them back up to speed when it's possible to do so. If you're changing a house rule, let everyone know ahead of time.

I think a lot of GM's follow most of these rules, most of the time, without even thinking about it. I also think that a whole lot more could be written under each heading.

[Natasha]

Yip, pretty good.

Certainly one of the things I value most in a leader and a Game Master is a sense of being on the same team. I can't stand the us vs. them mentality in some organisations.

As Master Tsu says, the leader has five virtues: intelligence, trustworthiness, benevolence, courage, and sternness. I agree completely.

[jedi078]

Might want to add:

Don't drink. The last table top game I was in the GM got too drunk to remember what happened during the last hour of play. After a break he tried to repeat what we just did. We tried to him where we were at for 10-15 minutes before one of the players called a stop to the game.

Of course this could be listed under #1.

[Rockwolf66]

I've seen all 11 of those principles violated by a person metagameing a personal vendeta with her husband. I've also known a real jerk who violated the first ten and then stold from the local gameing community.

Still I've known some pretty amazing GM's like Nekira, Misfit, and Aaron R. who do live up to those principles to the best of their abilities. I know that when I play in any of their games I am going to be challanged but in a good way. I myself have lousy paceing when GMing a PbP game although apparently my IRL games are quite fun (or so my players tell me).

[Natasha]

I've seen all 11 of those principles violated by a person metagameing a personal vendeta with her husband. I've also known a real jerk who violated the first ten and then stold from the local gameing community.

That's horrible.

[Noon]

I think all PBP games are incredibly hard to pace. You really have to work up a game plan in advance, you can't just work it out as you go.

[Cybermancer]

Might want to add:

Don't drink. The last table top game I was in the GM got too drunk to remember what happened during the last hour of play. After a break he tried to repeat what we just did. We tried to him where we were at for 10-15 minutes before one of the players called a stop to the game.

Of course this could be listed under #1.

Not really. That's pretty specific while these are meant to be more general. Not drinking, if you held this to be important, could be filed under 3. Seek and accept responsibility, 4. Lead by example, 5. Make sure your players know your meaning and intent and then lead them to the accomplishment of an enjoyable game, and 8. Make sound and timely decisions.

[Noon]

Jeez, I drink at games and the worst it gets is I forget a bonus here or there, or lose a note amongst my papers.

Don't drink that much, rather than don't drink? And if someone can't because if they start drinking they can't stop...that's outside of RPG advice.

[Rockwolf66]

Jeez, I drink at games and the worst it gets is I forget a bonus here or there, or lose a note amongst my papers.

Don't drink that much, rather than don't drink? And if someone can't because if they start drinking they can't stop...that's outside of RPG advice.

Last time I had a GM drink on the job she had one drink and ended up danceing around an imaginary stripper pole. It took brainbleach to get that awful image out of my head.

As for the GM who ran while wrung out tired...he missed the statement when we told him "We sneak the King Tiger tank up the fire escape." Needless to say we had alot of fun shelling Nazi's from the roof of a "Vital" factory.

[jedi078]

Jeez, I drink at games and the worst it gets is I forget a bonus here or there, or lose a note amongst my papers.

Don't drink that much, rather than don't drink? And if someone can't because if they start drinking they can't stop...that's outside of RPG advice.

Don't drink too much, as in know your limits.