DM or GM?

[Zhaleskra]

Just call me MASTER ! That's sufficient.
No really it is DM followed by Spielleiter (SL) == GM.

It's been a while since I've used German, but wouldn't Spielleiter be "Play Leader"?

 

[Maggan]

DM if playing D&D, GM for most everything else.

Ditto.

Maybe Keeper for Call of Cthulhu.

/M

 

[-SIN-]

I prefer to do away with the specific's.

MASTER does the trick just fine.

It may be a tad egotistical, but the DMG even states that in your games the GM is pretty much 'God'. We do most of the hard work preparing each session, and have to lay down & enforce the rules, so we're responsible for the success of each game...

and we all know that with great power comes great responsibility, so with a great responsibility should come great power, and power equals superiority.

Bow down before the master. Shower him with gifts of beer. And Great shall be your reward!...

 

[isoChron]

Hm, I thought you play a game. And you lead a game, not a play. I always thought "a" play is something you connect to music as in "The play of Daniel" from Pro Cantione Antiqua directed by Mark Brown. But my english isn't that good.

In German <you play a game> is "Du spielst ein Spiel" so it's the verb and the Noun using the same word. Maybe you can say <you play a play> but it isn't something I heard of 'till now.

Game Master == Spielmeister, translated literally.
Play Master sounds really odd but would mean the same.

That's a good reason to stick with MASTER == MEISTER or HERR.

 

[Asmor]

2.) I prefer Host, because both of the "* Master" titles imply inherent superiority (and I'm above putting myself above others, does that even make sense?) and "host" is a more accurate description of what I'm doing.

You know, I never thought about it like that. I guess I'll have to start making a big deal when other people use DM/GM now.

Of course, I can still use it because I am superior to the schlubs I game with.

I keed, I keed. Kinda.

I voted both. GM is the general term, and every game has its own... DM is the only one I like, though. Referee, storyteller, etc all seem... pretentious, I guess. I'm the DM in D&D and the GM otherwise, although I sometimes slip and use DM for other games too just because my RPG world is very D&D-centric.

 

[Elf Witch]

I tend to use DM for DnD games and GM for others like Shadowrun. But I often interchange them.

I usually call my DM a ratbastard becuse that is what they usually are.

 

[The Green Adam]

Whatever enhances the feel of the game...though I default to Gamemaster most of the time...

Dungeon Master for D&D
Editor or Editor-in-Chief for Superhero games
Storyteller for Ars Magica and Changeling
Director or Narrator for Star Trek, Star Wars and other media licensed universes

As such...

D&D has Adventures
Superhero games have Issues
Ars Magica and Changeling have Adventures or Tales
Media lincensed, Anime and Toon universes have Episodes

 

[Khairn]

GM for me.

I like nostalgia as much as the next player, but I help run the game, not just the dungeon. And besides, a GM doesn't have as much of a direct link to D&D as DM does.

 

[Baduk]

I think I'm going to train my PC's in calling me Shalif (that's the word, right?)

 

[Glyfair]

2.) I prefer Host, because both of the "* Master" titles imply inherent superiority (and I'm above putting myself above others, does that even make sense?) and "host" is a more accurate description of what I'm doing.

Well, it implies control in this sense, but control over the dungeon (it's not "player master"). If you aren't the master of the dungeon than perhaps you shouldn't be a DM