Masters of the RPG?

sieg · Post by **sieg** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 6:36 pm

Hello all,

I'm working up the Game Master section of the Victorious: Victorian Roleplaying in the Age of SuperMankind (the Siege Supers game) and I've hit a conundrum. It seems minor, but I'd like some input.

How do people feel about the term(s) for a Game Master? Do you prefer "GM" as the baseline term for the person who runs the game? Do you prefer more descriptive titles like Dungeon Master (A/D&D), Starship Master (Metamorphosis Alpha), Administrator (Top Secret), Referee (Traveller), Castle Keeper (C&C), etc.?

I've heard differing opinions and would like to get some feedback from the fine folks here!
Thanks,

Mike
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Plaag · Post by **Plaag** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 7:04 pm

Judge

ShaneG.

serleran · Post by **serleran** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 7:05 pm

I prefer not using a term for it, at all.

Omote · Post by **Omote** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 7:06 pm

Personally, when reading something that us supposed to be informal, I'd use gamemaster. If the writing is rules type of document, the abbreviation can be GM, as long as GM is referenced somewhere specifying that it stands for gamemaster.

Just how I've always manager using the term in different documents.

-O
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sieg · Post by **sieg** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 7:15 pm

Isn't "Judge" copyrighted by JG?

Serleran, ya gotta call them something! Else how do you explain how to play? "One player is the...erm...nothing. The Nothing does stuff." etc.
Ok, one vote for Game Master/GM. Check.
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TheNewGuy · Post by **TheNewGuy** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 7:20 pm

Well, there's a catch here Sieg -- a descriptive title can really set a game apart in players' minds, but if it's a title that too many people generally think is "dumb", it's probably best to stay with GameMaster (GM).

That said, given that you're working on a Victorian-era game, where style and atmosphere matter a lot when selling the genre, I can't help but find Distinguished Gentlemen (DG) and the optional alternative, Esteemed Lady (EL) somehow compelling.

"The Distinguished Gentleman behind the screen requires that you roll a d20"

"A Distinguished Gentlemen is not expected to contribute to the price of the pizza"

"Excuse me, Esteemed Lady, but what is damage of an elephant gun, again?"

Forgive me, Sieg
TheNewGuy
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seskis281 · Post by **seskis281** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 7:44 pm

I just tell 'em to call me "Lord of All that Transpires at the Game Table!"

Nah,

I'm from the south originally, where "Coke" is used as generic for soft drink, so I still tend to say "DM" as a general codifier... GM works best, I think, for generic writing descriptor, I rarely say CK even though I play almost exclusively C&C.... the hardest one, for me, is LM for LA... it just doesn't roll off the tongue as well.

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Buttmonkey · Post by **Buttmonkey** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 8:29 pm

I much prefer the simple GM. I usually find the alternatives adopted by individual games to be more or less stupid and irritating.

Treebore · Post by **Treebore** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 8:30 pm

GM
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cheeplives · Post by **cheeplives** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 9:16 pm

I can say that after writing SIEGE Engineer some umpteen different times, I really wish I had gone with GM for StarSIEGE: Event Horizon.
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Indigo Rose · Post by **Indigo Rose** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 9:23 pm

TheNewGuy wrote:
Well, there's a catch here Sieg -- a descriptive title can really set a game apart in players' minds, but if it's a title that too many people generally think is "dumb", it's probably best to stay with GameMaster (GM).

That said, given that you're working on a Victorian-era game, where style and atmosphere matter a lot when selling the genre, I can't help but find Distinguished Gentlemen (DG) and the optional alternative, Esteemed Lady (EL) somehow compelling.

"The Distinguished Gentleman behind the screen requires that you roll a d20"

"A Distinguished Gentlemen is not expected to contribute to the price of the pizza"

"Excuse me, Esteemed Lady, but what is damage of an elephant gun, again?"

Forgive me, Sieg
TheNewGuy

What's to forgive, NewGuy?

Personally, before I read this thread I had fully intended to say just go with the generic term of GM. But I think TheNewGuy's idea is just so amazing cool that I'll chime in with a second vote for Distinguished Gentleman/Esteemed Lady! So there.
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Treebore · Post by **Treebore** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 10:26 pm

You know Sieg, you can use "GM" and then put a paragraph in the beginning of the "GM section" suggesting other GM alternatives, such as EL or DG. (Esteemed Lady or Distinguished Gentleman)
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Traveller · Post by **Traveller** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 10:58 pm

Referee, just to pick a nit, was also used to refer to OD&D's GM. In fact, in my D&D pastiche (link in sig), I made it a point NOT to use DM.
Castellan as a GM alternative for this game sounds cool.
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csperkins1970 · Post by **csperkins1970** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 11:34 pm

I was thinking "Governor" or "Governess" for a Victorian-era game. Of course it would work better if the players adopted a cocky accent as in "What's that guvna?"

TheNewGuy's suggestions work for me too.

Harry Joy · Post by **Harry Joy** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 11:52 pm

You can call the role whatever you want to, but I will always pronounce it "dee-em".

hth

Indigo Rose · Post by **Indigo Rose** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 9:24 pm

Traveller wrote:
Referee, just to pick a nit, was also used to refer to OD&D's GM. In fact, in my D&D pastiche (link in sig), I made it a point NOT to use DM.
Castellan as a GM alternative for this game sounds cool.

Maybe it's the years I spent in reenactment (I think I just identified myself as another geek on the List), but I can't think of the term "castellan" without thinking of the SCA and similar groups! It'll always seem a medieval term to me because of that.
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Gleemax Jr · Post by **Gleemax Jr** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 9:41 pm

at least its not something like "upstairs maid."
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Matthew · Post by **Matthew** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 10:38 pm

Game Master (and not Games Master) is definitely my preferred usage as a neutral baseline. I like thematic terms as well, but Game Master is the umbrella term for me.
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Traveller · Post by **Traveller** » Thu May 01, 2008 12:39 am

Indigo Rose wrote:
Maybe it's the years I spent in reenactment (I think I just identified myself as another geek on the List), but I can't think of the term "castellan" without thinking of the SCA and similar groups! It'll always seem a medieval term to me because of that.

What's funny is that I was thinking of the Doctor Who character in the first place.
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Lord Stinger · Post by **Lord Stinger** » Thu May 01, 2008 11:43 am

GM is pretty much the standard we use when referring to the person who runs the games. Since many different game styles are played, it seems to cover all the bases.

If you are referring to a specific game that those in your convo are familiar with then go ahead and throw out the DM, the CK and whatever else your group regularly uses.

Indigo Rose · Post by **Indigo Rose** » Thu May 08, 2008 11:33 pm

Traveller wrote:
What's funny is that I was thinking of the Doctor Who character in the first place.

That's true! Sieg and I were just watching the Tom Baker Doctor Who episode "The Deadly Assassin" last night, which had all the Gallifrey goodness of Presidents and Castellans and the Master skulking about looking like a third-degree burn victim...

...I think I'm getting off-topic here. Just a bit. (makes a u-turn, tires squealing)

Um, yes, "castellan" can be a good name! But I still like NewGuy's idea of Distinguished Gentleman.
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