benlehman: (Default)
benlehman ([personal profile] benlehman) wrote2008-07-23 06:41 pm

I'll run your game for you

A role-playing game design thought: If you're going to design a game, make sure that the GM role is fun, because you're going to be the GM, like, %101 of the time. The author of Maid RPG got this, and made the GM into the Master, who all the Maids have to adore and serve. Hah!

But in general, I think it's a service to a game designer for someone to run their game for them. Not in terms of playtesting (though that's also a service) but simply in terms of letting them reflect on their own design, after its done, from a position that they don't usually get to see.

So, I'd like to propose a game designer game-mastering exchange program. Any game designer (with finished game) I'm likely to see soon: I'll run your game for you if you will do the same for someone else, later, in "pay it forward" style.

[identity profile] matt-rah.livejournal.com 2008-07-24 02:33 am (UTC)(link)
Hah! On Wednesday night of last week I completely removed the GM role from Showdown, and it works completely fine. On Saturday at DexCon we played, and I got to be one of the Heroes; it was nice!

Matt