Ghilemear wrote:
Namely, I cannot fathom how that would work outside a board game.  Can someone help me out here?  Where could I find some good examples of GMless mechanics?  Thanks in advance!

First, it helps if you start calling them "GM-full" games, and not "GM-less". It's more appropriate to the kind of play, where the functions of a GM are not missing, but are shared between all the players. So, "GM-full", because if you consider "being the GM" as a sort of different category, different from "simple players", then they are played ONLY by GMs. Everyone at the table is a GM.

The second step is taking that idea of the GM as a sort of "god of the game", and not a player, and kill it dead.

"The GM doesn't exist". There is no such thing as "the role of the GM" as a thing outside of the rule of a specific game, and different games give different responsibilities and rules to follow to the players, GMs included. What EXIST is a list of responsibilities that SOMEONE has to take during a game (playing a certain NPC, for example), that are completely independent from each other and can be fulfilled by different persons without any problem

If you want to read more about this, I suggest reading these two threads:
Silent Railroading and the Intersection of Scenario Prep & Player Authorship
You've Landed on Gaming Group "Park Place", Pay $15 Rent
But I suggest you read them only AFTER reading (and, more important, playing) some GM-full games.

There are many kinds of GM-Full games. Many have a sort of "rotating GM", for example, in POLARIS, when you play your protagonist the player seated in front of you play your opposition (enemies, demons, etc.) while  the other players play other kind of NPC, depending of the seating position. (so you will play the enemies of HIS character..).  Other give the players a choice, for example in ANNALISE you choose the player who will be the story-guide for you in a scene (and this work very well when you have players good at guiding different kind of scenes). In others when it's your turn YOU play the GM and frame the scene (as in 1001 NIGHTS, for example).  In other games there is no GM even for a single scene, the authorities are always shared (as in SPIONE). Other games have a even stranger role division (in DIRTY SECRETS, for example, there a single "investigator" and all tbe other players take turns in playing the opposition).

It's not even a clear-cut "traditional games" / "GM-full games" division. A lot of games with a single GM don't give that single GM all the "Almighty authority" that rule zero give to "traditional GMs" . The GM is a player, as all the others, simply with different authorities and responsibilities. And they are not always the dame (see for example the game THE POOL where when a player win a roll he can add a "monologue of victory" where he assume some of the GM authority...)

P.S.: Maybe this was a "Actual play" thread... are you asking in reference to some idea about a game you are creating, or as a curious player?

Hey man,

Necromantis wrote:
Do any of the games you guys mentioned have the group play a single character. (particularly a single character that everyone in the group would control only part of - mind - body - concience etc etc)  I am having trouble finding one that does?  Not even sure how to search for one that does.
Looking for something to read up on for a game idea I had.

Folks sometimes call them "Herman's Head" RPGs. I've never played one. Here's some:

Guy Shalev's <a href="http://craniumrats.pbworks.com/f/Cranium+Rats+Beta+3.0.pdf">Cranium Rats

Jason Blair's <a href="http://www.hekeba.com/games/insectsofgod.pdf">Insects of God

MachMoth's <a href="http://machmoth.tripod.com/rpg/shattered_spirits_beta01.pdf">Shattered Spirits

Michael B. Sullivan's <a href="http://wso.williams.edu/~msulliva/campaigns/john/">Everyone Is John

Years ago there was another one that was about the seven deadly sins, but I can't remember the title.

Paul

p.s. Ron's game <a href="http://spione.adept-press.com/">Spione and Vincent Baker's game <a href="http://www.lumpley.com/games/match.html">Matchmaker also deserve a look.