DM or GM?

[Raith5]

I am not sure if this has been discussed but I wonder if the time has come to move away from the term Dungeon Master to describe the role of the person who runs the game. Is this term appropriate or anachronistic? Has the time come to refer to this role as the Game Master, Referee or something else? I am not sure. What do you think?

 

[tlantl]

Or we could change the name of the game to Goblins and Goodies and call the guy behind the screen the Goblin Master.

Jeez!

 

[delericho]

DM is a sacred cow. Kill it at your peril.

For any other game, I would go with GM, but for D&D, it has to be DM.

 

[Minigiant]

D&D games are controlled by a DM.

END OF CONVERSATION. CHOOSE NEW TOPIC.

 

[Eldritch_Lord]

Should White Wolf drop Storyteller for their games, or any system drop Referee, Judge, Seneschal, and similar terms? Nope. Even the name of the guy behind the screen helps evoke a certain feel or mood. Heck, hardly anyone uses DM screens these days, instead preferring laptops or tablets or nothing at all, yet we still use phrase like "behind the screen" to describe their jobs.

Game-specific names should remain as they are unless there are good reasons to change them, and there aren't any such reasons to get rid of the DM.

 

[MatthewJHanson]

Keep it. Even if you never play in the dungeon, its still part of the name of the game.

 

[Elf Witch]

I always use DM for DnD games. GM for Shadowrun and Storyteller for Whitewolf games.

 

[CleverNickName]

"Hello, I am your Dungeon Master for the evening. But you can just call me God."

 

[the Jester]

Is there any reason whatsoever to change it?

Will calling the DM the GM make your game any better?

Will calling the DM the GM accomplish anything other than change for change's sake?

Screw that.

 

[Aeolius]

Ampersand Master.