All posts by Marx Stead

The Game Master is a story teller. As such, he needs to be one of the key focal points of the game session. Think of him as the Ring Master at a circus. Even if he is not one of the performers, his job is to direct the attention and focus of the audience. When was the last time you saw a Ring Master that sat quietly in the corner or behind a partition? Never. He is always standing boldly in the center of the action, unless of course he is stepping aside so that the audience can give their attention to a performer, which is where he directs there attention.
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In a tradition that dates back to the early days of role-playing, many Game Masters have become accustom to separating themselves from their players with that ubiquitous cardboard barrier known as the GM screen. Tradition is not always good.
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This is a mistake I see even experienced Game Masters make all too often, and it is one of my biggest pet peeves. You know those little boxes you find in published scenarios that are filled with description text or narration for the Game Master to read to the players? DON’T READ IT!

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