Game master, this stranger is your friend!
Your "best" friend for as long as you are trapped in the room, your guardian angel in the success of your mission, your ally in every step that brings you closer to the correct code for your escape.
But what exactly are the responsibilities of the game master? First of all, he must know the rooms he works with inside and out. Each game master takes charge of specific rooms, which certainly do not change at the last minute, not even in the slightest, without first informing him.
He always arrives at least half an hour before his first group arrives. He sets up the room, puts things in the right place and makes sure that everything is working properly before closing the door behind him. Once the group of players arrives, he leads them into the room and explains the terms and rules of the game (what they can look for and where it is forbidden, what to watch out for, how they will communicate with him during the game and how they will operate in case one or more players want to leave the game early, etc., etc.). Some escape rooms follow the policy according to which the game master must explain the scenario and plot to the players, giving them basic information about their mission in advance.
Then, for the next hour or an hour and a half, the game master is locked in a control room from which he supervises the players in his room via hidden cameras. But he certainly does more than that. Through a computer screen, he communicates with the prisoners, giving them clues each time so that they can successfully solve the puzzles. Step by step, these clues, when wisely decoded, “open” the escape path a little more, until the players solve the last puzzles and ultimately end up with the knowledge, that is, the decryption, of the long-awaited code. Therefore, one of the qualifications of the right game master is the correct and quick typing of instructions, so that the players, on the one hand, understand the messages he wants to convey to them and, on the other hand, do not waste time communicating with each other.
If the players ultimately fail to escape, the game master either shows them the steps they could have taken to successfully complete their mission, or – and this depends entirely on the company – simply opens the exit door for them, avoiding revealing the secrets of the puzzles so that they can try the room again if they wish. If they manage to escape the room within the time limit, the game master “celebrates” with them and usually takes a group photo of them holding signs like “We have escaped”, “We Won”, “We are the champions”, etc.
As for the characteristics of a perfect game master, they clearly include high levels of energy, politeness, ingenuity, the ability to "play ball" communicatively with the players and of course to be cheerful and have a good sense of humor (players always like that!). But above all, he must have the ability to concentrate completely on what he is watching. To not miss a moment of the players' action, to pay attention to even the smallest detail in their movements.
In any case, the role of the game master is undoubtedly charming and certainly crucial to the success of a group's mission.