Finally, the GM needs to be able to quickly Pause the Entire Game -- even if the players can't -- for those times when he really needs a minute to get things ready.
Please also exposed as a trigger in the script API. Sometimes I do want some time to inspect how well my munchkins are doing, before deciding how difficult to make the next area.
E.g. I place a door, add the "pause" trigger, and then I can decide in time if I want to adjust what's behind the door.
As for procedural generation: Its a must have for the map editor, that's for sure.
But I also expect it in other places, e.g. loot distribution, random character generation and other roles where you need something dynamically generated during a live game session.
One fundamental condition though: I still want to choose as a GM which of the autogenerated elements I want to pick, and, if I want to customize it further prior to spawning it.
This goes hand in hand with the "pause" function - whenever the game would handle something via trigger in a fully scripted campaign, respectively would roll something (outside of the combat system), I want the option to intercept and choose what should happen next.
As for map generation:
The ability to pre-generate modules for boss areas, cities and alike where customized NPCs or key elements of the story take place is certainly required. But on-the-fly generation of tiny dungeon modules, house interiors and alike isn't less important - and once again with the same prerequisite that the GM can choose or force a re-roll if he isn't happy with the generated module, as well as the option to pause the game to make some final preparations. This effectively allows large, vivid cities without blocked off areas, without the need for the GM to plan everything in detail ahead.
Effectively, I'm not even sure if you need to generate every single house interior on map generation for GM mode - leaving the areas "blank" with on-the-fly generation of interiors and alike is sufficient if the players are not going to break into every single house. Unlike single-player, where you always have those annoying users who try to glitch into every single single off-limits area, inevitably encountering "empty" regions. In GM mode, you could leave an area (explicitly) unmodeled, and patch in procedural content if required. The game engine would need to track these areas by shape, and would require the ability to give a preview without actually distributing the submodule yet.
As for live control of players and NPCs: Yes, it's necessary. But it shouldn't be the default. Generally, the GM shouldn't be locked into the same timeframe as the players, as his primary role is to ensure that world around the players remains vivid and responsive, while the players are kept busy in encounters.
I'm not yet sure how to deal with players who want to use the environment or act more RP like - especially beyond the engines capabilities. Allow the GM to trigger arbitrary effects on behalf of a player action? Essentially a "powerplay" skill button which hands control over to the GM to resolve the effects?
