Gamemaster's screen

Last updated
The gamemaster's screen separates the players' view of the game (top) from the gamemaster's private information and dice rolls (bottom) View from behind the screen (8735516858).jpg
The gamemaster's screen separates the players' view of the game (top) from the gamemaster's private information and dice rolls (bottom)

A gamemaster's screen, also called a GM's screen, is a gaming accessory, usually made out of either cardboard or card stock, and is used by the gamemaster to hide all the relevant data related to a tabletop role-playing game session from the players in order to not spoil the plot of the story. It also hides any dice rolls made by the gamemaster that players should not see. In addition, screens often have essential tables and information printed on the inside for the gamemaster to easily reference during play.

Contents

History

A gamesmaster (left) behind a screen RPG-2009-Berlin-2.jpg
A gamesmaster (left) behind a screen

The first commercial gamemaster's screen was the Judge's Shield , produced by Judges Guild in 1977 for use with Dungeons & Dragons . [1] This featured three pieces of 8.5" x 11" cardstock designed to be taped together to form a three-panel screen, the two outer pieces in a vertical (portrait) orientation, and the middle piece in a horizontal (landscape) orientation. [2] This design allowed the gamemaster to peer over the lower middle section more easily. The Judge's Shield had tables on both sides of the screen, with information relevant to the players on their side, and information for the gamemaster on the other side. Information included "Attack matrices with minus armor classes, saving throws, weapons' strikes & damages, weapon priority, phantasmal forces, encounters, experience points & levels, monster compendium of statistics." [2] The Judge's Shield proved to be a popular item, and less than a year after it was introduced, it had become Judges Guild's second best-selling product. [3] : 191 

In 1979, Judges Guild also produced a gamemaster screen for Game Designers' Workshop's science fiction role-playing game Traveller . This consisted of four pieces of 8.5" x 11" green cardstock, designed to be taped together to form a four-panel screen. Once again, tables and information relevant to the players and the gamemaster were printed on their respective sides. [4]

Seeing the commercial success of these accessories, TSR, Inc. published the Dungeon Masters Screen in 1979 for their new Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game. This product differed from the two Judges Guild screens in several ways. While the Judges Guild screens came as separate pieces of cardstock that had to be taped together, the TSR product included two ready-made screens: a two-panel 17" x 11" screen, and a three-panel 25.5" x 11" screen. And while, like the Judges Guilds screens, the gamemaster's side of the screen was covered in tables and information, TSR designed the player's side to be purely decorative, with art by Dave Trampier. (A second printing later the same year featured art by Errol Otus). [1] : 95  The first edition version of the Dungeon Masters Screen garnered a Gamer's Choice award that year. [1] : 111–112  The use of artwork on the player's side became the industry standard from that point on.

Other game companies quickly followed suit. In 1980, Flying Buffalo created a "Project Director's Screen" for the science fiction role-playing game The Morrow Project ; [5] in 1981, Metagaming released its "Fantasy Masters' Screen" for The Fantasy Trip ; [6] and in 1983, FASA published a "Gamemaster's Screen" for Star Trek: The Role Playing Game — possibly the first commercial use of the term "gamemaster's screen". [7]

Since then, many companies have produced gamemaster's screens for their particular games.

Other examples

Reception

The appearance of the gamemaster's screen elicited various responses from critics.

In the October-November 1977 edition of White Dwarf (Issue #3), Don Turnbull reviewed The Judge's Shield and found it a very useful tool, saying, "These panels contain virtually all the information needed for DM and players during a game, and moreover are much more durable than the Ready Ref Sheets. Unless you have made up your own, an essential for any serious DM." [12]

In the UK magazine Imagine , Jez Keen called the tables printed on TSR's Dungeon Master's Screen more useful and accessible than those found in the Dungeon Masters Guide rulebook. [13]

By 1992, Rick Swan opined that buying the ubiquitous gamemaster's screen had become a waste of money: "Consisting of a few cardboard panels and a handful of tables copied directly from the rule books, referee screens are arguably the worst buy in gaming. Anybody with a photocopier, a pair of scissors, and a bottle of glue can put together a customized screen in an hour or two, so there’s little incentive to spring for the authorized version unless you’re a compulsive collector or just plain lazy." [14]

Related Research Articles

<i>Dungeons & Dragons</i> Fantasy role-playing game

Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game (RPG) originally created and designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The game was first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. (TSR). It has been published by Wizards of the Coast, now a subsidiary of Hasbro, since 1997. The game was derived from miniature wargames, with a variation of the 1971 game Chainmail serving as the initial rule system. D&D's publication is commonly recognized as the beginning of modern role-playing games and the role-playing game industry, and also deeply influenced video games, especially the role-playing video game genre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gamemaster</span> Person who acts as an organizer in role-playing games

A gamemaster is a person who acts as an organizer, officiant for regarding rules, arbitrator, and moderator for a multiplayer role-playing game. They are more common in co-operative games in which players work together than in competitive games in which players oppose each other. The act performed by a gamemaster is sometimes referred to as "Gamemastering" or simply "GM-ing".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dave Arneson</span> American game designer (1947-2009)

David Lance Arneson was an American game designer best known for co-developing the first published role-playing game (RPG), Dungeons & Dragons, with Gary Gygax, in the early 1970s. Arneson's early work was fundamental to the role-playing game (RPG) genre, pioneering devices now considered to be archetypical, such as cooperative play to develop a storyline instead of individual competitive play to "win" and adventuring in dungeon, town, and wilderness settings as presented by a neutral judge who doubles as the voice and consciousness of all characters aside from the player characters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keith Baker (game designer)</span> American writer and game designer

Keith Baker is an American game designer and fantasy novel author. In addition to working with Wizards of the Coast on the creation of Eberron, he has also contributed material for Goodman Games, Paizo Publishing and Green Ronin Publishing. In 2014, Baker and Jennifer Ellis co-founded the indie tabletop game company Twogether Studios.

<i>Combat Shield and Mini-adventure</i> Tabletop role-playing game supplement for Dungeons & Dragons

AC2 Combat Shield and Mini-Adventure is a 14-page accessory designed for the Basic Set and Expert Set of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It was published in 1984 by TSR, Inc. and written by David Cook.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Judges Guild</span> Role playing game publisher

Judges Guild is a game publisher that has been active since 1976. The company created and sold many role-playing game supplements, periodicals and related materials. During the late 1970s and early 1980s the company was one of the leading publishers of Dungeons & Dragons related materials. Its flagship product, City State of the Invincible Overlord, was the first published RPG supplement to feature a fully developed city environment. The supplement was followed closely by numerous ancillary cities, maps, and other materials published by Judges Guild.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">City State of the Invincible Overlord</span> Role-playing game supplement

City State of the Invincible Overlord is a fantasy role-playing game supplement originally published by Judges Guild in 1976. It was the first published fantasy role-playing game city setting, designed for use with Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), and officially approved for use with D&D from 1976 through 1983. It was later republished under license by Necromancer Games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tabletop role-playing game</span> Form of role-playing game using speech

A tabletop role-playing game, also known as a pen-and-paper role-playing game, is a classification for a role-playing game (RPG) in which the participants describe their characters' actions through speech, and sometimes movements. Participants determine the actions of their characters based on their characterization, and the actions succeed or fail according to a set formal system of rules and guidelines, usually containing Dice-Rolling. Within the rules, players have the freedom to improvise; their choices shape the direction and outcome of the game.

<i>Lords of Creation</i> (role-playing game) Multi-genre role-playing game

Lords of Creation is a multi-genre tabletop role-playing game published by Avalon Hill in 1983. Although expectations were high when Avalon Hill entered the role-playing game market, the game failed to find an audience and was discontinued relatively quickly.

<i>Dungeon Masters Screen</i> Tabletop role-playing game supplement for Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeon Masters Screen is an accessory for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.

<i>Judges Screen</i>

Judge's Screen is a role-playing game supplement published by TSR in 1984 for the Marvel Super Heroes role-playing game.

<i>Judges Shield</i>

Judge's Shield is a gamemaster's screen created by Judges Guild in 1977 for the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons, the first such screen to be published.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Traveller Referee Screen</span> Science-fiction role-playing game supplement .

Traveller Referee Screen is a 1979 role-playing game supplement for Traveller published by Judges Guild.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set</span> Role-playing game rule set

The Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set is a category of companion accessories across multiple editions of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. In general, the Starter Set is a boxed set that includes a set of instructions for basic play, a low level adventure module, pre-generated characters, and other tools to help new players get started.

<i>Earthdawn Gamemaster Pack</i>

Earthdawn Gamemaster Pack is a supplement published by FASA in 1993 for the fantasy role-playing game Earthdawn.

<i>Elric! Gamemaster Screen</i>

Elric! Gamemaster Screen is a supplement published by Chaosium in 1994 for the fantasy role-playing game Elric! that is based on the series of novels by Michael Moorcock about the character Elric of Melniboné.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fantasy Earth: Basic Rules</span>

Fantasy Earth: Basic Rules is a role-playing game published in 1994 by Zody Games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The First Fantasy Campaign</span> Role-playing games supplement

The First Fantasy Campaign is a supplement for fantasy role-playing games written by Dave Arneson and published by Judges Guild in 1977.

<i>Legendary Lives Players Primer</i> Tabletop role-playing game supplement

Legendary Lives Player's Primer is the first of two books published by Marquee Press in 1990 required for the role-playing game Legendary Lives.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Schick, Lawrence (1991). Heroic Worlds: A History and Guide to Role-Playing Games. Prometheus Books. p. 143. ISBN   0-87975-653-5.
  2. 1 2 "Judge's Shield". RPG Geek. BoardGameGeek. Retrieved 2020-01-06.
  3. ↑ Shannon Appelcline (2014). Designers & Dragons: The '70s. Evil Hat Productions. ISBN   978-1-61317-075-5.
  4. ↑ "Referee Screen". RPG Geek. BoardGameGeek. Retrieved 2020-01-06.
  5. ↑ "Gamemasters Shield". RPG Geek. BoardGameGeek. Retrieved 2020-01-06.
  6. ↑ "Game: The Fantasy Trip: Fantasy Masters' Screen". Google Arts & Culture. Retrieved 2020-12-02.
  7. ↑ "Star Trek Gamemaster's Kit". RPG Geek. BoardGameGeek. Retrieved 2020-01-06.
  8. ↑ Elric!: Gamemaster Screen, Chaosium, 1994, ISBN   9781568820118
  9. ↑ Hollow Earth Expedition Gamemaster Screen (EGS1002), Exile Game Studio, July 9, 2007, 11.1 x 8.6 x 0.5 inches, ISBN   978-1604024890
  10. ↑ Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: GM's Screen, Paizo Publishing, LLC.; Brdgm edition, December 22, 2009, 11 x 8.6 x 0.4 inches, ISBN   978-1601252166
  11. ↑ Bill Olmesdahl Star Wars: Gamemaster Screen for Second Edition, West End Games, 1992, ISBN   9780874311839
  12. ↑ Turnbull, Don (Oct–Nov 1977). "Open Box". White Dwarf . Games Workshop (3): 12.
  13. ↑ Keen, Jez (July 1985). "Game Reviews". Imagine (review). TSR Hobbies (UK), Ltd. (28): 42.
  14. ↑ Swan, Rick (May 1992). "Roleplaying Reviews". Dragon . TSR, Inc. (181): 75.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.