I started reading the Tales of the Valiant Game Master's Guide (ToV GMG) last night and read the first 30 pages. I also completed the "How to Be a GM" and "Adventures and Campaigns" sections, with some excellent advice here.
The 'How to be a GM' section is a treasure trove of practical advice. It's a 'blue collar' guide that breaks down the nuts and bolts of game mastering, from understanding game dynamics to managing interpersonal issues, maintaining player agency, and even advice on note-taking and pacing. Even if you're well-versed in these areas, the practicality of this section and its ability to set you up for success before gameplay make it a must-read.
It's a common misconception in the hobby that 'being a Matt Mercer equals success.' However, the reality is far from it. YouTube and scripted "let's play" shows can give people terrible misconceptions about gamemastering and make it seem more like TV and play-acting. Success in game mastering involves a lot of preparation, social skills, coordination, and the ability to keep the game engaging and balanced while respecting player agency and keeping stories on track and progressing.
The game master is the movie's director, producer, crew, set builders, supporting cast, special effects people, grips, sound people, and everyone else on set. It isn't a movie since the players are in control, but the metaphor holds regarding building a believable world for the players to play in.
There is more to being a game master than most know, and the first part of the GMG tackles the issue and lays out everything clearly, which is a huge help to new game masters. The hobby still has a game master shortage, and one great GM can sell dozens of players on games and books.
If Wizards thinks they can get an AI to be a DM, just watch those insane AI videos and realize that a machine can't keep a narrative story consistent or even sane for one minute. This takes real, living people, and the ToV GMG's first chapter is akin to a Game Mastering 101 college course. Training current and future GMs is player acquisition and retention since they are the "face" of your business.
If you want the Game Mastering 201 book, check out the Kobold Guide to Gamemastering, which contains about 150 pages of excellent articles and advice. Even if you have been doing this for 40 years, don't think you "know it all" because even I found a lot of great ideas and inspiration for games just by reading these. Reading the experiences and stories of other game masters inspired me in my games, and even if you know it all, their enthusiasm will spark yours and bring that energy to your craft.
Storytelling is an art; listening to other artists discuss the craft is beneficial.
A lot of "how-to game master" books and OSR games skip over the basics or sound "blah blah" when discussing the dirty, gritty, dealing with other people, and "at the table" topics. The ToV GMG dives straight in, lays out all the roles and responsibilities nicely, and creates an environment that lends itself to success when running a game.
Even I, who has been game mastering for most of my life, learned a few things and was inspired to run games by reading this chapter. It is nice to see a company that cares about your success and training the next generation of game masters to enjoy the hobby. It won't just become an "AI-run" activity without a soul behind the story and disappear into the machines. Once you let AI run the show, the hobby is dead.
The tabletop RPG hobby is still "real" and is a form of storytelling between living, breathing, feeling, and thinking people. The competition between D&D 2024 selling its soul to AI and Kobold Press banning AI and going all-in on the traditional game is more significant than just the OGL. This is a battle for the heart of roleplaying.
Next time, chapter two, Adventures and Campaigns...
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