Golden Rule for all GMs

Punstarr · Post by **Punstarr** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 8:15 pm

In my opinion, this is the MOST important thing for any GM/DM/ST/Judge/Whatever to keep in mind:

The game that you are running is an interactive story. This story is not about your NPCs, nor is it about any one player character. It's about -all- the player characters. It's not Blade, where one character is paramount and the others are just supporting characters. It's a team movie, and the story should center on that team. An individual character can have the focus be on him or her every now and then, but it's important to make sure that each character has his or her moment in the sun. Don't neglect any one player... they're all an important part of your game setting. Make them feel it.

Narf the Mouse · Post by **Narf the Mouse** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 10:22 pm

One of the more important qualities of a game, to me, is that the players know that the game is being played straight - No favoring characters, no hidden cheating for or against the players, no vendettas. The GM should play the game with the rules and by the rules and explain all exceptions.

Thunderhowl · Post by **Thunderhowl** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 4:53 am

This is an ironically timed topic for me since I just got savagely shafted at my last Mage LARP. So frustrating.

Punstarr · Post by **Punstarr** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 2:13 pm

I just feel this is a rule that too many GMs forget... we had one GM who honestly thought his games were for the purpose of showing off just exactly how badass his NPCs were and how much the PCs suck comparatively.

Thunderhowl · Post by **Thunderhowl** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 4:36 am

I once had an ST schedule an assassination scene for my character specifically when the other members of my coterie were at work, and she then showed up with enough firepower to level half the clan I was in.

After being railroaded to Final Death by an NPC who disregarded evidence, Status and Clan Prestige I finally gave up and went to my fate.
After the scene was done, the ST and I went for coffee, and I asked her why, if the ST team wanted my character written out of the game so badly, they didn't pull me aside and just tell me? We could have come up with a really cool death scene that would have improved the game. Instead I got an unsatisfying end to my character, and was left with a very bitter taste in my mouth. She apologized, but LARPs in Saskatoon have a really
bad track record with treating the players like adults to this day.

STs have to put up with a lot of whining and stupidity, and I get that, but it always seemed to me that they always have a better time when they take the time to explain things to their players. They'd be suprised at the amount of players that would appreciate a loud, splashy, dramatic death scene, since it can give a really satisfying amount of closure to a character that's time is up.