GM or DM

[Clumsy Bob]

Just reading a couple of threads lately caused me to ask the question. What do you call the guy (or gal) who runs your game, GM or DM?

 

[Zimok]

DM, I never heard GM before except in my 4 years of everquest..

 

[Centaur]

DM of course was the original, however with the Plethora of other games out there, and the tendency in our group not to do much with "Dungeons" per se... we have adopted the more universal term of GM.

Everything evolves through time to something that works best. Just look how many revisions we have had of D&D/AD&D..... say no more.

 

[MojoGM]

I'd have to vote for GM (Surprised, ain't ya? )

As my games are not usually dungeon focused, the general term Game Master seems more appropriate.

And Dungeon Master always makes me think of a short gnome who steps out from behind a rock or tree to provide useless advice. (If you've never seen the old Dungeons & Dragons cartoon, this will make no sense).

 

[Buttercup]

I call my self a DM. Some of my players say DM, some say GM and one says Referee. I guess it's just what you are used to.

 

[Mercule]

For D&D, most of my group seems to prefer "DM", but we all user "GM" everywhere else. Myself, I don't see much point in swapping terminology for the same role just because you changed games.

So, DM, Storyteller, Mythguide, Controller, etc. are all "GM" to me. About the only alternate name I use with any regularity is "referee". I use that to underscore the neutral nature of the GM. My role isn't to oppose the players or to spoonfeed them. It is to arbitrate the rules (of course there's more to it, but this aspect is the one that so many people seem to forget).

 

[hong]

My players call me Sir.

Well, not really, but I wanted to steal Tsyr's line, you know?

 

[Wombat]

I am The Ref or the GM, depending

The first is my nickname from way back, even prior to rpgs.

As for the GM/DM split, well, since we are in a group that has played multiple systems and settings, not to mention not having run a true dungeon in years, GM seems more appropriate.

 

[s/LaSH]

I'll use DM, because we really just play D&D.

If I were refering to any game other than D&D, I'd use GM, because that's perfectly generic.

If I were talking about my homebrew system, I'd use 'group', in order to be as open-structured as possible - the 'group' is that body which makes decisions about how the game is run. It can mean everyone, it can mean one guy who doesn't have a hero to run (the traditional model that I expect everyone to use).

'Dungeon Master' has its own ominous ring to it, of course. I like that part.

 

[Dinkeldog]

My players can call me whatever they like as long as the checks come in on time.