Quote from: RPGPundit;495957Are you of the opinion that anyone can GM?

Yes within limits. RPGs can handle a variety of circumstances and due to interest and personal ability referees do not handle all of these equally.

Specific setups are easier to run than other. For example D&D dungeons are very straightforward for a novice to referee and a major contributor to it's popularity among experienced and beginning players.

Quote from: RPGPundit;495957What are the basic skills require?

To understand, and apply the rules of the game in respond to how the players describe their characters actions. That is the single most important skill that a referee must possess. It has some similarity to refereeing sports events.

The main difference is that sport referee are looking for rules violations and making calls on unclear situations (like whether a ball is inbounds, etc). While a referee is actively playing the game along with the players through running the NPCs and managing the campaign.

Quote from: RPGPundit;495957Does the skill set required to the GM consist of things so difficult that it is a "hurdle" in our hobby?

No. But it is a subset of the general gamer population.

Quote from: RPGPundit;495957Do you think that there is a lack of GMs (or good GMs) out there; or is that rubbish?

The nature of entertainment and gaming has changed considerably over the past 40 years. I think the industry has been doing the wrong things in order to keep roleplaying a viable business. The hobby was likewise threatened but the rise of the open game license and the internet has ensured that the roleplaying will remain a viable hobby for a long time.

The main problem of the industry is that other forms of roleplaying have taken for themselves areas that used to be under tabletop roleplaying. The most important of which are MMORPGs like World of Warcraft, following by the background heavy miniature wargames like Warhammer and Battletech. While Euro style wargames and Magic the Gathering are not roleplaying games they do compete with the tabletop industry for gamers time and money.

In the second decade of the 21st century there is a overwhelming wealth of options for gamers to choose from. There are variety of reasons why the most popular games (WoW, MtG, etc) are on top. IMO one main reason is that WoW and MtG in particular are convenient forms of gaming that appeal to both causal and dedicated gamers.

The Tabletop industry has focused too much on either catering to the players or trying to emulate the successful elements of other types of gaming/roleplaying.  Catering to the players seems logical because players vastly outnumber the referees. Emulating elements of other games is logical because they seem to be crucial to their success. The problem with both is that they try to use game mechanics to "fix" the problem of the roleplaying industry.  One by giving an expanding array of options for the players the other by coming up with new rules that emulate other games.

The one crucial element that distinguishes tabletop roleplaying is the human referee. It is tabletop's strength and Achilles heel.  A skilled referee can create a compelling roleplaying campaign that keeps going while a poor referee can destroy interest in tabletop roleplaying within a handful of sessions. No matter how well designed no amount of mechanics can change a poor referee into a good referee.

What can be done for the industry to start focusing on teaching people how to be good referee. Something that exists mostly outside of game mechanics. And making it easy for people to referee in the design of their product lines.

Because the human referee is the one thing that alternatives to tabletop roleplaying lack.

I realize that everyone here is trying to avoid self-aggrandizement and all, but whereas I don't think the reffing is particularly difficult,  I have known and do know some dudes who suck suck suck suck at it and there is no denying that they are not alone in this regard. It's really not suited to everyone.

Can anyone be a GM? Yes.

Does it take a special skill set? It takes some skills in world-building and mediation, but I don't think of those as "special skills", just ones it takes time & effort to develop.

Is that a hurdle? Yes. Because it arises from desire, not training or assignment.

Can everyone be a good GM? That matters, much like literature, on every person's tastes.

In my experience, the worst DMs I came across over the years were typically individuals who were gung-ho hardcore about wanting to be the DM.  For these particular individuals, it was all about ego and their own self-aggrandizement.  They just loved hearing the sound of their own voice and/or were crappy wanna-be novelists.

The better DMs I've gamed with, were not total egomaniacs.  They had a much higher tolerance for uncertainty and could improvise on the fly quite effectively.

There is literally only one skill necessary to be a good GM, and that's the ability to shut up, open your fucking ears, and listen.

Other skills can make you a great GM, but that one skill alone will make you good.

I can answer the question with a question.

How hard is it to entertain half a dozen guests, simply by talking to them?

Guess it depends on who the guests are.

Quote from: RPGPundit;495957Are you of the opinion that anyone can GM?

Yes, though as with all things the quality will differ.

QuoteWhat are the basic skills require?

The ability to think on your feet.
The ability to plan ahead.
The ability to throw your plans away at a moment's notice.
The ability to pay attention to one player at a time while still listening to the rest with part of your attention.
The ability to learn the game's rules OR the confidence to let someone else handle that portion.

Note that creativity is not on the list. There are more than enough campaign settings, adventures, movies, books, etc. to use that the ability to think up unique and exciting things is a useful tool, but not a necessity.

QuoteDoes the skill set required to the GM consist of things so difficult that it is a "hurdle" in our hobby?

I don't think the skillset is a big hurdle. A lot of it overlaps with the things a good player should have. It's definitely harder work than being a player, and requires a lot of practice to get really good at it. I think that's a bigger hurdle than the skillset.

QuoteDo you think that there is a lack of GMs (or good GMs) out there; or is that rubbish?

Don't know. I've gamed with one group for over a decade and almost everyone at the table has taken at least one turn behind the proverbial screen.

Quote from: JDCorley;496138There is literally only one skill necessary to be a good GM, and that's the ability to shut up, open your fucking ears, and listen.

Other skills can make you a great GM, but that one skill alone will make you good.

I agree, actually, JD.

-clash

Quote from: Aos;496134I realize that everyone here is trying to avoid self-aggrandizement and all, but whereas I don't think the reffing is particularly difficult,  I have known and do know some dudes who suck suck suck suck at it and there is no denying that they are not alone in this regard. It's really not suited to everyone.

Yeah, that's true. I've met a lot of GM that really, really suck. But I think in most instances that's really down to an attitude problem rather than lack of skill. It's something they could fix rather easily if they were willing to listen and learn.

Quote from: JDCorley;496138There is literally only one skill necessary to be a good GM, and that's the ability to shut up, open your fucking ears, and listen.

Other skills can make you a great GM, but that one skill alone will make you good.

Yup, I'd go with that.

Wow, all of the "GMs are viking hat wearing tryants!" posts here are starting to make me think I'm at TBP or even the Forge.


IME, players tend to be pretty lazy about gaming and have no clue what they actually want to do in the game.  

If I took the "shut up and listen" route, I'd be hearing crickets most of the time.  Or a lot of non-game chatter.

Quote from: jgants;496149Wow, all of the "GMs are viking hat wearing tryants!" posts here are starting to make me think I'm at TBP or even the Forge.


IME, players tend to be pretty lazy about gaming and have no clue what they actually want to do in the game.  

If I took the "shut up and listen" route, I'd be hearing crickets most of the time.  Or a lot of non-game chatter.

The "watch and listen" works even in this instance. If you spot your players are, as you say , lazy, you adapt your GMing style and take more of active lead. The point is not all groups are the same and to make the game you got to adapt.

Quote from: jgants;496149If I took the "shut up and listen" route, I'd be hearing crickets most of the time.  Or a lot of non-game chatter.

Then maybe you are not putting enough in your game that interests people, or people are getting together for reasons other than the interest they have in your game.  Both of those are key pieces of information you would never get if you weren't listening.

My group gets together casually and plays casually. We're cool with hanging out and yacking about stuff or talk about what we saw on Youtube that was funny or whatever. That is crucial information for any GM of my group.

I don't think GMing itself is difficult. The Preperation and devising your own adventures is what stops my local group from taking my place. Hence me slowly simplifying the GM role through my latest games.

I don't think it's 'hard' or 'special' to be a GM, but being good at it takes some creativity and a proper attitude.
And some sorts of players can definitely make it harder on you..  
The guys I play with on Saturday night are all over-gamed/jaded and I wouldn't enjoy running a game for them... even though I think of myself as being pretty decent at it.