The first thing a gamemaster has to do to run a succesful roleplaying-game is to know both the rules and the story by the heart. And if not all the players know the rules by heart then make sure at least one other player does. It makes it a lot easier to run the game without too many interruptions this way.

 The next thing is to ban players -that are not showing enough interest in the game- away from the rest. These people usually destroys the hole game for the others.

 Make sure no alcohol is involved as long as the game is running. If the players get a little "dizzy" from the booze they are no longer serious enough to make realistic decitions in the game and the fun has gone.

 Try to create the right atmosphere. Turn of the lights and use candles instead. Put on the right kind of music in the bagground (no music with vocals) and encourage the players to act and talk like their charactes would.

 Try to create an atmosphere as fitting to the game as possible. Reward the players fit for the way they played and acted and let them believe they solved the problem the best possible way how hard it ever be!

 To become a splendid gamemaster practice is the only way. I learned it the hard way. But never-the-less it will never hurt to listen to a few advices from an expirienced gamemaster. Remember this ONLY are tips!

  If you want to create your own story or your own game, please do so! It sure will reflect your true abillities as a gamemaster. To read about how to do so see below.

 Remeber your job is not to go against the players and kill them at any price. If this is your tactic your days as a gamemaster sure will be short! You should of course show them that they cannot just do as they please and convince them that a mistake could be their certain death. But the players also need to feel their actions in the game has influence on the story and the only happy ending there will ever be is when the players feel they made all the right decitions all the way (no matter if they did or not).

 Always be prepared for the unprepared. You can never make a story and then belive it not to change on the way. It certainly will! Therefore you must be able to change the rest of the story in a sec. without destroying the essence of it. This can be the really tricky part of being a gamemaster.

 You are the person who should always be on top of things in order to keep the game running. Make room for a little joke or fun now and then, but NEVER let it get out of hand. If you do the game is ruined!

 If you have a very long game-evening have a break for coffee and cookies or something like that (NO BOOZE)! This way the players gets a needed break for thinking and discuss their actions. You will see it really is worth it!

 Not only the gamemaster has the responsibillity to make a good game. So do the players. If the players is not in the right mood for playing a game they shouldn´t be playing at all. They´ll eventually suck out the fun for the others and destroy the efforts of the gamemaster.

 As you make your character, don´t put up too many expectations. If you only wanted to a big bunch of muschles and ends up with a tiny skinny person you sure will be dissapointed. Try to imagine how and what this person is you´ve made, and find a way love him/her. Every person have their advantages.

 Next try to make your character to act the way he/she is supposed to, maybe even talk with a different voice when you talk for your person. Also adress the other players by the names on their character-sheets. This way the game really comes to life.

 Going to extremes without making a live-action roleplayinggame, the players could even dress up as their characters, and the gamemaster could dress up as a Master from the Worlds of Mysteries. It sure would be fun.

 At last - do not attempt to test the gamemaster. Try not to see how far you can go before he/she punishes you -only to see how he/she responds to your teasing. You certainly do not want to piss off a GAMEMASTER!

 My ideas for a story for roleplaying often evolve from a single picture in my mind. A picture from a dream or my fantasy which I don´t know what to do with. I cannot paint it, I cannot show it and I cannot make people feel the same way about it as I do. So what do  do? Well, I make a roleplayinggame out of it. And somewhere in the game this picture is the scene. This way I share this picture with others.

 This is inspiration, the same thing that makes movies, songs, books etc. First thing you have to do making a story is to know the skeleton of the story, the essence. Of course you can play a game on basis of this if you are good and I´ve even runned games without stories. I simply let the players make the story on the way. But they must under no cercumstances realize that you have no story. Better be sure of what you´re doing before you try this!

 Well, now you have this schematic or skeleton of the story. What´s next? I try to imagine which players will be playing this game, which characters they´ll make etc. With this in my mind I now create different scenes along the schematic - the flesh on the skeleton. Carefully I detail these scenes and decides whether this is where they get important clues or not.

 Now I create important persons the players will meet along the way in the story. Especially the true Bad Guy! But also his "workers" and the friends of the characters. This is the skin of our game.

 To blow some life into this game we´ve now created I now think of some alternatives. What if the players blow up my spaceship or decides to kill the dragon or their best clue? What if they don´t get the point? How can I then save the game? Of course the players will do something eventually that you didn´t foresee. But try to be prepared for the worst anyway. You cannot save your story by simply tell the players, that they can´t do this or that. Let them do it their way, if they really believe (in unison) that they´re doing the right thing. Just be smart....and quick to think up something new....

 Now this isn´t very easy and it is very time-consuming. Don´t try to do this on your own but make it together with your friends.

 First you have to come up with a hole new idea. It could be for a completely new universe (a new type of roleplaying-game) or an update of rules for a known universe.

 Don´t start with making the rules for the game. It will eventually get way to complex. Start with a detailed describtion of the universe (background, religions, races, policy, travelforms etc.). This is truely hard work. Never the less it´s quite interesting and worth the effort.

 Then the next thing is to make the rules for the game and adapt them to your universe. This isn´t as easy as it first seems. Beware NOT to make your rules to complex but make them as simple as possible and yet make them very describing.

 Before accepting this new game, try it out with your friends a couple of times to make sure, there´s no holes in your rules. Only then you can say to have created a new game.

 It took me one and a half year of hard work to complete 22nd Century ACE. The universe of 22nd Century (the first game) evolved only from a set

of rules mostly. Therefore it´s such a caotic and violent future.