The Gospel According to Wilen

Last week I was checking out Elliot Wilen's livejournal. He has a nifty little item called "The history of the GM-as-God meme" that's worth a look-see. Although it is out of fashion in some circles, I generally work within the model of the GM as benevolent dictator. As a gamemaster I want all the power that comes with that set-up and I'm willing to accept that means I shoulder the lion's share of responsibility for the game. Some people seem to think that being the omnipotent autocrat of the game means ignoring or undervaluing player concerns. Far from it. I'm always struggling with trying to make sure the game is about them just as much as it is about me. But when that doesn't work out I can't really blame anyone but myself. On the flip side I always try to support the GM when I'm on the other side of the screen, because I can sympathize with the GM's plight. It's not always easy juggling an entire universe in your head while trying to keep everyone else's desires front and center.