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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Manbearcat" data-source="post: 9512315" data-attributes="member: 6696971">Skimming these exchanges at warp speed and found this to comment on.As I’ve said in the past, I think there are some false distinctions and false dynamics set up regarding what meaningfully constitutes railroaded play. Regarding micro vs macro, this is one such case:* Railroaded play is a macro phenomenon where pressure upon play aggregates, culminates, and is exerted at the throughline or trajectory level.You could look at it as “the strategic layer.”* Instances of Force are micro phenomenon which, in concert at scale or even singularly if an instance of Force is of high enough magnitude, generate the macro phenomenon of Railroaded play.You could look at it as “the tactical layer.”[HR][/HR]One other thing I’ve commented on in the past is related to the above.It is not remotely sufficient to “defang Railroaded play” merely by offering either/both (a) alternative sequencing of plot points/nodes or (b) breaking up the GM/module metaplot via brief diversions of auxiliary content such as setting(GM)-derived side quests.Metaplot node 1 > side quest to rescue x > Metaplot node 3 > side quest to slay y > Metaplot node 2 > side quest to recover n > Metaplot node 4* The above is irrelevant to the macro pressure which Railroaded play exerts. The consequential throughline and trajectory of play is still intact even if the players decide to fill in the middle of the puzzle before the left corner vs the right corner…or if the host whips out a deck of cards and deals a hand of Hearts for a brief diversion from the puzzle.Further, the signature of Force in the puzzle’s picture will surely be detected in the course of putting that puzzle together when the table goes back to it from the brief diversion of a round of Hearts. What is salient, what is permissible, how things are framed, how action resolution is mediated/curated, and what consequences are rendered will be expressed in particular key moments (or more) in such a way that  seminal content/results which invest play with defining forward momentum will be controlled via subtle (sometimes not so subtle) deployments of Force.</blockquote>

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