Hi there,

The fellow who goes by "nipfipgip...dip" suggested, in this thread:

Is it about time someone drew a list of the names given to the GM role over time?
It would be quite long.

Yes!! For historical purposes, let's get that list going. Please include as many games that you know of that use a given term, so this thread can have some utility in the future.

I'll start:
"Dungeon Master," first used in Dungeons and Dragons, in the mid-70s.

And ...?

Best,
Ron

How about Marshal from Deadlands
and
<shamelessplug>Airedale</shamelessplug> from Knights of the Road?

aaron

edit: actually, it becomes just a flavor bit doesn't it?

Funny how the question is "what is the GM called"?

Quite often Game Master or GM.

The question might more properly be phrased, what do you call that participant in an RPG who has the traditional split of power which enables him to create events mostly at will with director stance play, and is in chargte of portraying all characters that do not belong to the players officially (NPCs)?

I suppose the former is easier, but then I can answer:

Player.

In Universalis, we refer to the multiple GMs that comprise all the participants of the game as Players.

But getting back to the more traditional definition:

Keeper - CoC
Referee - Traveller
Seneschal - tRoS
Storyteller - WoD and other WW productions

Just a few obvious ones.

Mike

Narrator...alot of games.

Doesn't Agone have some bizarro GM name...like Emminence or something?

Hey,

Hero Wars uses "Narrator," but I'm pretty sure it's not the first. Any help on this one, folks?

The term in Agone is "Eminence Grise," or Gray Eminence, which is a reference to Cardinal Richelieu specifically and to any "power behind the throne" generally. I find it very appropriate for that game, as the text is explicitly Illusionist.

Best,
Ron

Off the top of my head:

Stuperpowers calls the GM the "Big Mac Daddy" or BMD. Humorous RPGs have a long history of calling the GM something goofy.

And on that note, the GM for Toon is "the Animator". There's a good "historical" reference for you, as Toon is one of the oldest comedy RPGs.

All of White Wolf's games call the GM the "Storyteller", or ST. Except HOL, where the GM is the "HOL Master", or HM, IIRC.

Nobilis calls the GM the "Hollyhock God".

edit: more when I get home and can access my RPG collection

Hey,

One of the earliest post-DM terms was "Referee," used in High Fantasy in the late 70s.

How about early BRP (Call of Cthulhu, RuneQuest)? "Game master," if I'm remembering correctly. Tunnels & Trolls? The Fantasy Trip ("Game master" there too ... or was it?)? Damn, I need my library back, and it's all still in boxes from the move.

Best,
Ron

P.S. Editing this much later - screwed up the reference; High Fantasy used "Judge" not Referee.

Space Opera (1980): StarMaster (always with both capitals)

Some very minor variations on "gamemaster..."

DragonQuest (SPI ca. 1982) used gamesmaster (note the extra s, not a typo), and HackMaster uses GameMaster (always with both capitals). (The HackMaster glossary also lists "Screen Grunt" and "Screen Monkey" as derogatory alternatives.)

What was the wacky title from Immortal? That game had wacky terms for everything.

Thinking about it, I think that we can blame CoC for starting the wacky title trend wayback.

Didn't some of the Bad Classics have some interesting terms, too? Games like SenZar, Synnibar, DeadErth.

It's funny, but, though I just read through it, I can't remember if Children of the Sun used a strange term. It seems that most recent games I can't remember the term. I think that I've reached a stage where if there is something other than GM, I just block it out and replace it with GM.

Just remembered my favorite, however, a title which really speaks volumes of meta-game about how the position works: the Computer from Paranioa.

Mike

I believe Narrator is used in Story Engine as well.

In Spycraft the GM is refered to as Game Control

Jesse

My Sea Monkey RPG (published, even): "Giant Human Head"
Tribe 8: "Weaver"

Nobilis: Hollyhock God
Donjon: Donjon Master (only mentioned once for copyright reasons)
Dust Devils: The Dealer

Plug. Matchmaker: Cupid.

-Vincent

Plug. Matchmaker: Cupid.

Um...I thought Matchmaker was GM-less. "Cupid" just has the highest agglomeration of traditional GM powers. I say we throw this one off the list and dunk Vincent's head in skunky beer for good measure.

What was the name used in Paranoia? I remember all the great Jim Holloway illustrations of him, but not what the game called him.

Paul

Ha! Skunky beer for you too, Paul. Mike already said the Paranoia one: the Computer.

(You're right about Matchmaker, of course. I'm ashamed. My pluglust overcame my good sense.)

-Vincent

Catle Falkenstein - The Host
Dying Earth - Game Moderator (which may be a Robin Laws thing - Feng Shui uses it too)
I think Ars Magica uses Story Guide but I wouldn't swear to that.

Ian

You know what? Thinking about it, I'm not sure that its "the Computer" in Paranoia. To be technical the Computer is a very powerful NPC, but not absolutely omnipotent (and certainly not omniscient). In any case, thinking about it, I think that it's GM. I just always think of the GMs role in Paranioa as the Computer, and label him so.

Mike

Ha, I've got one!

The crappy Tales From The Crypt game, put out as part of West Ends' d6 line, calls it the Game Monster. You'd think they would have went with CryptKeeper, but he's an NPC I guess. Anyway, pretty clever, considering that bad puns were a staple of both the old EC comics and the HBO series.

- Scott

Theatrix uses Director

I'm sure I've seen Moderator

Celtic Legends used Legend Master

Dark Conspiracy used referee.

Tribe 8 used Weavers

Your right Ian.
Story Guide for Ars Magica- I consider this valid, as it uses slighly different GM semantics.

7th Sea-Something Odd, can't remember-Referee?!

The trends are kinda interesting, accross companies/designers.
WW-StoryTeller
FASA-GM
WOTC-{GD}M
Robin Laws-Game Moderator

damion wrote:
7th Sea-Something Odd, can't remember-Referee?!

damion wrote: The trends are kinda interesting, accross companies/designers.
WW-StoryTeller
FASA-GM
WOTC-{GD}M
Robin Laws-Game Moderator

Mike Holmes wrote: What was the wacky title from Immortal? That game had wacky terms for everything.

For what it's worth, I was curious to see this as a big list, and stuck the whole thing up at a webpage:

http://www.harlekin-maus.com/gm.html

Maybe if I'm inspired I'll sort it also by title (or someone who also knows JavaScript can send me the code. I'm a little lazy right now).

Okay, I'm home...

Puppetland uses puppetmaster
Shattered Dreams uses Gamemaster
Arrowflight uses Game Master
Suzerain uses director
Extreme Vengeance uses Director
EPICS uses Director
MERP uses Gamemaster
Dying Earth uses Game Moderator
Whispering Vault uses Gamemaster
Tales from the Floating Vagabond uses Game Master
Lost Souls uses referee
Aria uses Mythguide
Cyberspace uses Gamemaster
James Bond uses Gamesmaster (note the "s")
Space 1889 uses Referee
Zero uses game master
Abyss uses Gamemaster
Orkworld uses Game Master
Le Mon Mouri uses GameMaster
Everway uses Gamemaster
Story Engine uses narrator
Psychosis uses Guide
WYRD uses Ring Giver
QAGS uses gamemaster
Pocket Universe uses Game Master
Swashbuckler uses Gamemaster
It Came from the Late, Late, Late Show uses Director
Epiphany uses GameMaster

Can you tell I'm procrastinating on something I'm supposed to be doing?

Here's a lot of the work done for ya:

http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=6856

B-Movie RPG (Guildhall Press): EM (Evil Mastermind)
Starchildren (apparently) and our frustration: The Man

Ron Edwards wrote: Tunnels & Trolls?

In response to the fact that I, as the D&D referee of our 1980 gaming group, got such a colorful name as "Dungeon Master", my wife and our good gaming friend (who ran Star Frontiers and Gamma World, respectively), took the names "Space Queen" and "Mutant Master".

Multiverser uses "referee"; it is not capitalized except when appropriate.

--M. J. Young

In Monopoly, they're called the Bank or the Banker (I forget which).

Fang Langford

called a beer master in Boast

Well, this thread was as good as any excuse to inventory my RPG collection, so here is my entire RPG collection, indexed by what it calls "that guy". Some notes:

1. If a title is in italics, it uses the term for an assistant GM rather than the main GM. This is mainly an issue in the "Narrator" entry.
2. The date after each game is the date of the printing I'm using, as far as I can tell.
3. Games in bold I've actually run or played, as of 2002-09-08.
4. If it appears in two places, it uses two terms interchangibly.
5. The "none" entry is for games that claim to be RPGs but have no GM.
6. Yes, I own all these games. I am a geek.

Administrator -- Top Secret (1981)

Animator -- Toon (1991)

Bartender -- Tales from the Floating Vagabond (1992)

Big Mac Daddy (BMD) -- STUPERPOWERS! (2001)

Booker -- Kayfabe (2002)

Camp Counselor -- Squeam 3 (2000?)

Cobbler -- Chain of Being (higher arc system version, 2002)

Conductor -- UnderWorld (1st ed, 2000)

Counselor -- Power Kill (1999)

Chronicler -- CJ Carella's Witchcraft (2000)

City Planner -- Nightlife (1990)

Director -- noir (1996), Theatrix (1993)

Dungeon Master (DM) -- Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (2nd ed, 1989), Dungeons & Dragons (3rd ed, 2000)

Game Master/gamemaster (GM) -- 7th Sea (1999), Amazing Engine (1993), Amber Diceless (1992), Boot Hill (1984), Big Eyes: Small Mouth (2nd ed, 2000), Cartoon Action Hour (2002), CoNTINUUM (1999), Demon City Shinjuku (1999), Eldritch Ass Kicking (2002), Elfs (2000), El Hazard (2001), Fading Suns (1st ed, 1996 and 2nd ed, 1999), Furry Pirates (1999), Gamma World (Alternity Edition, 2000), GURPS (3rd ed, 1994), HeartQuest (2002), Hero System (5th Edition, 2002), Heaven & Earth (2nd ed, 2001), Heavy Gear (1st ed, 1995), In Nomine (1997), InSpectres (2002), James Bond 007 (1983), Kult (first English version, 1993), Little Fears (2001), Og (1995), The Mechanoids (1985), Nightbane (2000), Paladin (2002), Palladium Fantasy RPG (2nd ed, 2000), Paranoia (2nd ed, 1987), Passion Play (2000), Rifts (1999), Project A-ko (1995), Robotech (1988), Swashbuckler (1998), Murphy's World (1st ed, 1995), Nephilim (1994), Nexus Live Action Roleplaying (1994), Risus (?), Sketch! (2000), Skyrealms of Jorune (3rd ed, 1992), Sorcerer (2001), Star Wars (WEG version, 2nd ed, 1992; d20 1st ed, 2000 and Revised 2002), Star Wars Live Action Adventures (1996), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness (1988), Underground (1993), Trollbabe (2002), Unknown Armies (1998), Warhammer Fantasy Role-Play (1995), Webs Gaming System (1993), Zero (1997)

Game Moderator (GM) -- Dying Earth (2001), Feng Shui (1996), Godlike (2001), OctaNe (2002), Over The Edge (1st ed, 1992 and 2nd ed, 1997)

Guide -- Brave New World (1999), The Everlasting: Book of the Light (?), Psychosis: Ship of Fools (1994)

Hollyhock God -- Nobilis (2nd ed, 2002)

Host -- Castle Falkenstein (1994)

Holmeister (HM) -- HOL (1994)

Keeper -- Cthulhu Live (1st ed, 1997 and 2nd ed, 1999)

Marshal -- Deadlands (Revised, 1999), Hell on Earth (1998), Lost Colony (2002)

Mythguide -- Aria (1994)

Narrator -- Dragonlance: Fifth Age (1996), Hero Wars (2000), Immortal (1994), Immortal: Milennium (1999), Laws of Ascension (2001), Laws of the East (2000), Laws of the Hunt (1st ed, 1998 and Revised, 2002), Laws of the Night (for Masqerade 2nd ed, 1997 and Revised, 1999), Laws of the Resurrection (2002), Laws of the Wild (Apocalypse: 2nd ed, 1997 and Revised, 2001), Laws of the Wyld West (1999), The Lonq Night (1997), Maestrom Storytelling (1997), Marvel Super Heroes Adventure Game (SAGA Version, 1998), Oblivion (1996), The Shining Host (1998)

none -- De Profundus (2001), The Extraordinary Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1998), Pantheon & Other Roleplaying Games (2000),

Puppetmaster -- Puppetland (1999)

Referee -- Boot Hill (1984), Cyberpunk (1988), Bubblegum Crisis (1996), Cyberpunk 2.0.2.0. (v2.01, 1993), Marc Miller's Traveller (1996), Mekton Zeta (1998), Space: 1899 (1988), Star Legion (2nd ed, 2001), Star Frontiers (1980), Teenagers From Outer Space (2nd ed, 1997), Tinker's Damn (1997), Traveller (reprint, 2000)

Storyguide -- Ars Magica (4th ed, 1997)

Storyteller (ST) -- Aberrant (1999), Adyenture! (2001), Aeon (aka Trinity, 1997), Changling: the Dreaming (1st ed, 1995 and 2nd ed, 1997), Kindred of the East (1998), Laws of Ascension (2001), Laws of the East (2000), Laws of the Hunt (1st ed, 1998 and Revised, 2002), Laws of the Night (for Masqerade 2nd ed, 1997 and Revised, 1999), Laws of the Resurrection (2002), Laws of the Wild (Apocalypse: 2np ed, 1997 and Revised, 2001), Laws of the Wyld West (1999), The Lonq Night (1997), Mage: The Ascension (2nd Edition, 1995), Mage: The Sorcerers Crusade (1998), Mummy: The Resurrection (2001), Oblivion (1996), The Shining Host (1998), Vampire: The Dark Ages (1996), Vampire: The Masqerade (Revised, 1998), Werewolf: the Apocalypse (2nd ed, 1994 and Revised, 2000), Wraith: the Oblivion (2nd ed, 1998)

Weaver -- Tribe 8 (1998)

Is it OK to extend this exercise into imaginary nonexistent RPGs? (This is the RPG theory forum, after all).

Las Vegas RPG: The House*

Dude, Where's My Car? RPG: That, you know, guy

Pageant, the RPG: Gam master

Provincetown, the RPG: Gaymaster

YMCA RPG: Gymmaster

Modern Education RPG: Multilinear Adjucative Cross-Perceptual Linguistic Facilitator Specializing In Afferent Semiotics of Nondeterministically Selected Polyhedral Surfaces

Sewers & Selectmen, the Local Politics RPG: City Hall

Monty Python's Flying RPG: The Fat Naked Organist

Your Cat, the RPG: Door Opening Device (DOD)

Iron Chef RPG: Chairman**

The Dubya Administration RPG: Dick Cheney

The Forge RPG: The Server***

Airplane! The RPG: The man in charge, the big cheese, top dog, head honcho...

Stripes and Whistles, the Referee RPG: Referor

Basic Cable, the RPG: TVGuide

Basic Training, the RPG: Sir (or Ma'am)


*"The House rules" is therefore not just a plural noun phrase, it's also a declarative sentence.

**whose descriptions must all begin "If memory serves me..."

***reflective of the principle that answering to any sort of "master" or other authority figure is automatically deprotagonizing

- Walt

Fate (Synnibar - Sorry..)

Zombie Master (All Flesh Must Be Eaten)

Didn't HKAT! have Director or something?

hyphz wrote: Fate (Synnibar - Sorry..)

As a related observation: how many of these are actually used? I know that in 90% of the games I play, the title gets ignored and we default to "GM". Offhand, the only titles we've actually stuck to are GM, DM and Storyteller, with the occasional "Fear Me, For I Am The Hollyhock God..."

Hi Gareth,

My experience is similar to yours - even in Dust Devils, for instance (in which "the Dealer" is literally the case), we just say "GM." That's one of the reasons I went with Game Master, or GM in most of the text, in Sorcerer. It seems to parallel the actual behavior/term in use.

Which leads to the concepts ... that alternative names for "that guy" are Color at best, and in some cases meaningless Color, which seems aesthetically displeasing but I suppose isn't a big deal.

That's not to say that the roles, tasks, and "purpose" of GMing is the same across all these games. Here's my real thought on the matter, though: the diversity among the names doesn't parallel the diversity among the functions. I can see some real diversity of function within the games that use the term "GM," for instance, and I can see similarity/identity of function across different terms, especially some of the more kitschy ones.

Best,
Ron

Ron Edwards wrote: That's not to say that the roles, tasks, and "purpose" of GMing is the same across all these games. Here's my real thought on the matter, though: the diversity among the names doesn't parallel the diversity among the functions. I can see some real diversity of function within the games that use the term "GM," for instance, and I can see similarity/identity of function across different terms, especially some of the more kitschy ones.

"Og"?

Didn't some of the Bad Classics have some interesting terms, too? Games like SenZar, Synnibar, DeadErth

Hello, all. This will be my first post on this forum.

Referee was used in the RTG titles.

There was a game called Agone that I owned for a while which called the GM the Eminence Gris (or Gray Eminence). Produced by some French company, I think. (Please do not laugh at me. I only bought the game because it looked cool when I first looked at it)

I've also seen Narrator, Storyteller, Controller (although I can't for the life of me remember which game THAT one came from), and Game Control (from Spycraft)

Hi Kevin,

Welcome to the Forge! Nice to have you here.

I will make one suggestion that will help us all out - please read all of a thread before replying to it. In this case, your points and references have been brought up already by others.

Best,
Ron

Thanks for the warm welcome, Ron.

As far as reading the entire thread, Point taken. I was posting at 4 am, so even if I did read the whole thread, I probably wouldn't have been able to deciper it anyway.