RPT Newsletter #004 | The Game Master as Public Speaker

[Stephan Hornick]

The Game Master as Public Speaker
From JohnnFour | updated December 10, 2020

Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #004

In opinion polls, people fear speaking in public more than they do dying. Even though game mastering is not quite the same as public speaking, I admit I still felt a twinge of nervousness this past September when I set-up my GM screen after a year-long hiatus and started a brand new campaign.

I think it’s of great value to view game mastering as a form of public speaking and for you to constantly look for ways to improve your public speaking, or “game master oratory”, skills.
Last week we discussed a very simple, yet powerful, technique to add impact to your voice. Here are three more easy and effective public speaking tips to add impact to your sessions:

• Eye contact. Look your players in the eye to make them feel connected to you and draw them more personally into your game.
• Use gestures. Make purposeful hand, face and body gestures to add colour to your words. Gestures increase your own energy and enthusiasm as well as bring your stories to life.
• Be enthusiastic. Your enthusiasm will raise the energy level at the whole table. It is very infectious and everybody will have more fun.

As your game sessions go on, it’s too easy to sit back in your chair, slouch your shoulders and bury your head in books and charts. By using eye contact, gestures and enthusiasm though, you will add a whole new level of on-going energy that your players will bounce back to you. Your speaking will have much more impact and everyone will have a great time.

 

[Stephan Hornick]

I might add to the third tip: Love your story, make the players love it, don't run games you don't like.

 

[JochenL]

As we are playing mostly online nowadays (Thank you, Corona!), this advice is more important than ever, at least IMO. I have been using Roll20 as my online medium until @Stephan Hornick suggested Theater of the Mind and the use of the webcam. Of course, this cannot replace sitting around a table but being able to see the reactions of my co-players tremendously improved the gameplay experience for me. We are currently playing on Discord with webcams and are using Miro for visualization and maps. I have the video stream in the center of the monitor most of the time and only switch to other windows when I need to look up something.

 

[Stephan Hornick]

And miro is so much better than many VTTs in my opinion! Thank you, Jochen and Björn! Because you see the mouse of others and it is easy to just point to things instead of describing what you are refereing to.