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What best describes railroading as you understand it?
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<blockquote data-quote="Primitive Screwhead" data-source="post: 2968972" data-attributes="member: 20805"><p>Glad to have you back!</p><p></p><p></p><p>And in truth, with the media in question...tonal inflection, pacing, even body language can lead a player into thinking a particular way about the information presented.</p><p> Standard generic example, you meet some scruffy looking nerf-herders on the road to Al'heirim..</p><p>Depending on how the GM describes the initial encounter can push the group to either attack or talk. Meta-game information, like having initiative cards stacked and ready, or pulling out figures from the box, have an effect as well.</p><p></p><p></p><p> Only if said players are motivated and involved in the setting enough to pursue said story line....</p><p></p><p></p><p>And in describing, intentionally or not, you shade these descriptions with what you want them to hear. Watch any 'news' channel. Your perspective will color the information and how you present it, which colors how it is received and acted upon. </p><p></p><p></p><p>Agreed on the first half.. but IMHO there are two extremes and neither of them result in as good a game as does taking the middle road...</p><p></p><p></p><p>Hmm.. I see a trend here. You have assumed that my stance is based on the extreme of the GM maintaining a selfish story line... </p><p>Rethink my comments after removing this assumption. The story line can well be the players..if they are willing to offer one..</p><p>If they are not willing to, then yes.. my story line, as the only fish in the water, will be the one to go with. </p><p></p><p> <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/laugh.png" class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":lol:" title="Laughing :lol:" data-shortname=":lol:" /></p><p>Replace "game master" with "person" and you got it in one! <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite9" alt=":eek:" title="Eek! :eek:" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":eek:" /> </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Nay my friend.. you definition seems to have shrunk beyond comprehension...</p><p>Or perhaps, we are talking two completely different things...which I think is more likely.</p><p></p><p>I work under the assumption that any presentation can be colored by the presenters own motives, opinions, and assumptions. Look around on this board for examples, just upthread is a presentation of the definition of manipulation that provided only half the story.. the half that supported the posters viewpoint. </p><p></p><p></p><p>The best CP2020 game I ever ran resulted in a player approaching me the next day after he realized that the CIA had manipulated his character through a series of events in order to cut down some of the Corporate power in Night City. The players choices had very real meaning and very real effect.. the only difference is that I knew what those choices were going to be before they made them. By presenting the information in certain manners I led him to make the choices I expected. </p><p> If he had gone all wonky on me and went another way, then the Corps would have gained an edge over the CIA instead of the other way around. Real impact. In this case, it changed the face of Night CIty.</p><p></p><p>Leave the negative connotations aside for a moment....</p><p></p><p>Manipulation in itself is not a bad thing. </p><p>Manipulation by a GM who is more interested in thier own satisfaction than thier players is..</p><p></p><p>Railroading in itself is not a bad thing.</p><p>Railroading by a GM who is more interested in thier own satisfaction than thier players is..</p><p></p><p>Freedom of players to pursue thier own story line is not a bad thing.</p><p>Freedon of players who do not have a story line to pursue is...</p><p></p><p><img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Primitive Screwhead, post: 2968972, member: 20805"] Glad to have you back! And in truth, with the media in question...tonal inflection, pacing, even body language can lead a player into thinking a particular way about the information presented. Standard generic example, you meet some scruffy looking nerf-herders on the road to Al'heirim.. Depending on how the GM describes the initial encounter can push the group to either attack or talk. Meta-game information, like having initiative cards stacked and ready, or pulling out figures from the box, have an effect as well. Only if said players are motivated and involved in the setting enough to pursue said story line.... And in describing, intentionally or not, you shade these descriptions with what you want them to hear. Watch any 'news' channel. Your perspective will color the information and how you present it, which colors how it is received and acted upon. Agreed on the first half.. but IMHO there are two extremes and neither of them result in as good a game as does taking the middle road... Hmm.. I see a trend here. You have assumed that my stance is based on the extreme of the GM maintaining a selfish story line... Rethink my comments after removing this assumption. The story line can well be the players..if they are willing to offer one.. If they are not willing to, then yes.. my story line, as the only fish in the water, will be the one to go with. :lol: Replace "game master" with "person" and you got it in one! :eek: Nay my friend.. you definition seems to have shrunk beyond comprehension... Or perhaps, we are talking two completely different things...which I think is more likely. I work under the assumption that any presentation can be colored by the presenters own motives, opinions, and assumptions. Look around on this board for examples, just upthread is a presentation of the definition of manipulation that provided only half the story.. the half that supported the posters viewpoint. The best CP2020 game I ever ran resulted in a player approaching me the next day after he realized that the CIA had manipulated his character through a series of events in order to cut down some of the Corporate power in Night City. The players choices had very real meaning and very real effect.. the only difference is that I knew what those choices were going to be before they made them. By presenting the information in certain manners I led him to make the choices I expected. If he had gone all wonky on me and went another way, then the Corps would have gained an edge over the CIA instead of the other way around. Real impact. In this case, it changed the face of Night CIty. Leave the negative connotations aside for a moment.... Manipulation in itself is not a bad thing. Manipulation by a GM who is more interested in thier own satisfaction than thier players is.. Railroading in itself is not a bad thing. Railroading by a GM who is more interested in thier own satisfaction than thier players is.. Freedom of players to pursue thier own story line is not a bad thing. Freedon of players who do not have a story line to pursue is... :) [/QUOTE]
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What best describes railroading as you understand it?
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