The Game Master

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Gamma World, the 1978 Post Apocalyptic roleplaying game from TSR. It was my very first TTRPG.

I can still fondly remember picking the boxed set up from this hole in the wall gaming store. At the time, the store focused on selling model railroad accessories and miniatures for wargames, but they had one book shelf in the corner that held roleplaying books.  The cover of the box had an image of a destroyed and overgrown city with men carrying laser rifles approaching it.

I bought it immediately and read it cover to cover as soon as I got home.

I wanted to play so badly, but no one I knew played roleplaying games, much less ran roleplaying games. So, I started prepping, making characters, and coming up with ideas. Then I wrangled a few friends and started running my very first roleplaying game.

It was a glorious disaster.

Over the years I became the forever Game Master or Dungeon Master or Keeper or Referee or … well the names for the role varies as much as the styles and that’s what Mike and I will be discussing in this episode. We are talking about Game Masters, what it is and what types of styles and skill you should develop or avoid to make your games epic.

Mike, do you remember the very first game you ever ran? What is the role of the Game Master?