The Art of Gamemastering The Gamemaster, or GM, is the person that creates the potential for how interesting and enjoyable a gaming session can be. This potential can only be reached with help from the players, but no matter how well the players participate they can only go as far as the GM allows. GMing is no easy task. They must create an entire gaming universe that spans everything from the layout of a planet to the layout of a room. They must create interesting villains, believable bystanders, fascinating background stories, and an engaging plot that can hold a group of players and keep them session after session for an entire campaign, which can last a single night or continue indefinitely. The art of gamemastering is balancing all of these factors together with actual players who will not do what you expect them to do. Any rules or advice about gamemastering are subordinate to the first rule of gaming, which is that ultimate goal of gaming is to have fun. This cannot be stressed enough. If a GM loses sight of having fun, the game is already over. But as long as a GM follows this rule, he cannot fail to be a fine gamemaster. Designing an Adventure If you are new to GMing, designing an adventure can be a daunting task. Using pre-produced adventures can be a good stepping stone to being a self-reliant GM. Even for an experienced GM, using materials such as maps or pre-made villains can save time and add to overall game play. When planning your own material, use elements that are familiar to you. By using the street layout of your home town, building where you work or go to school, and other known locations you can default to the details that already exist when the unexpected happens. Gaming systems that take place in other environments such as the wild west or outer space can make it difficult to default to such known details. Doing general research about the time period or genre can be most beneficial. This research does not need to be complex work in a library. In the above examples some research might be as simple as watching an old western movie or reading a Sci-Fi novel. Other systems are highly specialized and can be observed only though that system. Read the players and gamemaster handbook thoroughly to understand as much as you can about the universe. The level of intricacy in the planning of an adventure is up to the GM. Some plan every room and character down to the square foot and skill level, others only having the vaguest idea of the plot, and make up the detail on the spot. Neither extreme is objectively better, it all depends on what the GM is comfortable with and how much time they have to plan. The important thing with planning is to not let it get in the way of game play. As with all aspects of gaming you must remember the overall purpose of what you are doing. The purpose of planning is to have smoother game play. If you spend all of your time flipping through your notes trying to figure out how many hit points some minor villain you've created has, then you are defeating the purpose of planning (see Game Pacing). Player Interaction This section is perhaps the most important, and certainly the most difficult to master. Players and their characters are the one element of gaming the GM does not control. It may seem unwarranted to say that player interaction is the most important aspect of GMing, but remember that the first priority of a GM is to make sure the players have a good time. The GM is the god of the game but servant of the players. The number one in player interaction is flexibility. A GM can plan a dynamite adventure, but if the players don't want to play it, it does no good to force them. A GM must adjust his plans to how the players are interacting with their environment and each other. Players will always throw you for a loop, and they never seem to pick the obvious choice. An example might elucidate this phenomena. Say the player characters (PCs) need to get into a building to free a captured group member. You have a scenario if they try to sneak in the front, black, roof, or sewers, as well as if they try to shoot their way in. One PC decides to steal a vehicle and crash it right into the fifteenth floor, where the enemy is holding the captured group member. You never thought of this, and quite frankly you don't know what would happen if they did. You could block them from this plan, saying to every vehicle they try "it doesn't start", and funnel them into a scenario you've thought of. But this will only annoy the players and make them think (correctly) that they really don't have any choice. A good GM is will be able to improvise what will happen, even without guide-lines to follow. Would the vehicle explode? Would the captured character be killed? Make up something that is fast and believable. You can also get the players to do what you want without them knowing. Say your group was going to get an important clue at a crime scene, but they don't even bother to go there. You can have it turn up somewhere else. Perhaps a bum picks it up and later tries to sell it on the street. You must be careful not to let the players know you ever intended to find the information any other way, otherwise they will feel controlled. Player involvement is very important. If a player doesn't feel like his character matters in the adventure then why would they wish to continue playing? During character creation, talk with each player about their character's background. It makes the role-playing easier and if you can incorporate the players background into the stories they feel more involved. If you notice players interest waning make something interesting happen where that PC makes the choice or is the star of the action. Splitting up a group into smaller subgroups can often help the shy players from the overbearing ones. Also, talking to the players out-of-character can help. Often the loudest players are the most experienced, and if you explain them to tone it down so that some of the new players can make some choices they will usually understand. Meshing the characters into the adventure should begin long before the game starts. You should integrate character creation with adventure design (often the two can work off each other). You must make sure that each character fits in with both your adventure and each other. Except under very peculiar circumstances a mercenary and a pacifist would not associate with one another. If high character tension is what the players want, then by all means have the odd couple, but make sure all the players know what they are getting into. Characters often having conflicting goals, but if players start to take it personally or have conflicting ideas on how to have fun with gaming in general it is up to you to moderate a solution. (see Gaming Environment) Game pacing The best planned adventure and the most enthusiastic players will not make a good gaming session if the first scene gets bogged down in dice rolling and page turning and takes an hour and a half to complete. As a GM you must keep the game moving. This can be difficult, especially when PCs do as they always do and take a totally unexpected course of action. Rule one of pacing is know the system. You won't have to keep looking up the armor class of a minotaur or the top speed of an imperial star destroyer if you have the information in you head (or at least have the page number marked for handy reference). Know how to deal with every type of situation, or if you don't make sure those situations don't come up (see Player Interaction). Of course it is impossible to know everything about a system, so rule two of pacing is bending the rules. It is impractical to follow every rule in every situation. If its more trouble than its worth to spend time looking up the rules, make it up. Just make sure it seems fair to everyone and it goes smoothly. Sometimes it is appropriate to explain to your players that your bending the rules to make the game smoother, and sometimes its not. In general players don't like knowing that the GM is above the rules, because it makes them feel powerless. But remember that rules are there to improve game play, not hinder it. The GM is weaving a story with his players. Often times the dice roll for a non-playing character (NPC) does matter as much as the story it is a part of. It is OK to roll, and if the dice role would really mess up where the characters are going, to change the die total. Be careful if you choose to do this. It is important not to let the players know when you do this (they would really feel powerless) and also to not make a habit of this. The randomness of dice adds an element of fun for the PCs and for the GM as well. In general keep things flowing. If you want to stop to describe a scene in great detail or to give dramatic weight to what is happening, that is completely fine. Well paced is not necessarily fast paced. A well paced game will help to make sure that everyone is having a good time. Gaming environment The gaming environment comprises the factors of gaming outside the PCs and GM, everything from where you play to the different tools used in gaming. A GM must create a good gaming environment both inside and outside the game. Internal elements of the gaming environment are called props. Some examples of props are maps the players use to get a better understanding of the PC's surroundings, pictures of NPCs, replicas of items the PCs encounter, and miniatures used to represent where the PCs are in a real space. Props can be homemade or store bought. Miniatures, for example, can be elaborate metal figures bought at hobby stores and painted, or they can be scraps of paper representing the different characters. Even non-tangible things such as eerie music, mood lighting, or funny voices for NPCs can used as props. Props add to the role-playing helping the players own imagination. If properly used they can really add to a gaming session. Of course don't overdo it. If the props detract from the flow of the game don't use them. Elements external to the game can have just as much impact on the sessions enjoyment. If you hold gaming sessions in your own home you have more control over these elements. Make sure everyone has a comfortable seat, and can see and hear everyone else. It can be a good idea to have refreshments while you game, as GM you might want to set up a rotating schedule of who brings the food and drinks. It is no fun to get a game ready and then sit and wait for straggling players to arrive. Stress punctuality, with possible consequences for repeated tardiness (see Rewards and Punishments). Who plays affects game play. It is of course important that the players get along. If there is conflict among them that arises from gaming or outside of gaming, remind everyone that the goal is for everyone to have fun and that you will have to exclude them if they can't abide by that. Also too many or too few players can be detrimental to gaming. Two to four people, excluding the GM, is optimal for a group. One on one gaming can be very fun, but does have a different feel than group games. Playing a campaign One of the great joys of gaming is continuing the same characters and plot line from session to session. Such a multi-session adventure is called a campaign. In campaigns, PCs can really develop a personality that can grow and mature. Decisions that were made long ago can have repercussions in the future. A campaign can make a game more realistic and more enjoyable. As a GM, your crafting of a quality campaign is both difficult and rewarding. In a good campaign every decision has a consequence. If in one session the PCs broke their word to an NPC, in future sessions other NPCs might be less trusting. Like PCs, NPCs can develop during a campaign. Recurring NPCs can become stronger or grow weaker, can change alignments or can be revealed to be other than what they originally appeared. Campaigns are ways to involve the players more personally. In multiple sessions a GM can have several subplots that carry from session to session in addition to the main plot of each adventure. These subplots can be about individual PCs pasts deeds and there repercussions, about friends or enemies the PC may have made, or goals the PC pursues parallel to the group as a whole. The continuity of a campaign can be destroyed if different PCs come in and out session after session. If you wish to run a campaign ask for a commitment from you players, and have them tell you in advance if they can't make a session here or there so you can account for that in the story line. If a player is going to be gone just once it can be appropriate for another player or the GM to control that character for the session, but the character will lose his personality if this happens too often. If a player cannot commit to multiple sessions then you may have to exclude them from your campaign (see Rewards and Punishments). Rewards and Punishments Rewards and punishments are what makes the game more real, and gives the PCs actions more weight. It can also make the GM the bad guy in the players eyes. There are two different types of rewards and punishments, inside the game and outside the game. Inside the game rewards most often come in the form of experience points (or some derivative there of), increased skills, a larger reputation, and material gains. The appropriate amount of reward is a delicate balance. If you give to little the players will be displeased and discouraged, and if you give too much they will become greedy and always expect a large reward. It is tempting to give into player demands but try to be fair. This way when you reward them extra when they do particularly well they will really appreciate it and strive to do well in the future. They will know their performance matters. You can reward players not just for how well their PCs did in the game, but for how well they stayed in character. Punishment inside the game usually take the form of natural consequences of player action. If a PC constantly antagonizes a more powerful NPC, they may get attacked. Always be lenient on characters at first, after all this is a fantasy world and not real life. This is especially important with new players who may not fully understand game mechanics. Explain the situation and the likely outcome, and ask if they are sure the want to continue. Sometimes players get caught up in the heat of the moment with the game or other PCs. If they have done irreparable damage it is OK to stop the game and "rewind" back a bit. Killing a PC should only be done under extreme circumstances. Players put a lot of time and effort into creating characters and take it personally when they die. Only kill a character if they repeatedly do actions which are mortally dangerous and you have explained that they may (or even will) die. Even in such cases you can often merely maim or capture them. Rewards and punishments outside the game relate to such things as punctuality and attendance. This, of course, is not necessary but can be a gesture of giving back to those who care about campaign continuity. Don't be too quick or too harsh with punishments, remember that you"re all there to have fun. Mixing things up If the average gaming session becomes dull don"t be afraid to try gaming in different ways. It was stated in Game Pacing that the rules are only there to help the flow of the game. The same applies to all aspects of the gaming system. As you become more and more experienced feel free to change the rules (with proper discussion with your players, of course). Some ideas- try a game with no dice, only role-playing; try a game where the players are on two distinct teams opposed to each other; try a game with two GMs; try a game where the GM rotates to different people in the middle of a session; play where the PCs don't know there own statistics (an amnesia victim?); or play a game in real time where the players have a time limit to accomplish a goal. There are an infinite number of interesting and different ways to role-play outside of the style described in the rule book. Try a few. Source: Andy Ellefson These pages are in no way endorsed or sponsored by Lucasfilm Ltd or West End Games. ®, TM & © Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL). All rights reserved. Trademarks of LFL used by West End Games under authorization.