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<blockquote data-quote="Maxperson" data-source="post: 8695411" data-attributes="member: 23751">Or I do what I do and pause the scene at the point that the farrier agrees to take Bob to the blacksmith and ask the other players what they would like to do.&nbsp; Then I can bounce back and forth between them making Bob happy, and the other players happy.One of four things will happen in that situation.1. The entire group will decide to go with Bob.&nbsp; If they choose to do this, I will honor their choice.2. Bob will go alone and the group will do something else.&nbsp; Either together or individually.&nbsp; If they choose to do this I will honor their choice.3. Bob will decide that he doesn't want to miss the main plot or whatever else the group decides to do and will put the blacksmith thing on the back burner.&nbsp; If Bob decides to do this I will honor his choice.4. Some of the other group members will go with Bob and the others will go do something else.&nbsp; If they choose this I will honor their choice.I don't need to force Bob towards the plot or the group towards Bob's side quest.&nbsp; Everyone can have fun doing their own things for a bit.I'm in the latter camp.&nbsp; Any amount of removal of my agency by denying my character the ability to choose what he wants to do is bad.&nbsp; Railroading is bad.&nbsp; However, linear doesn't have to be.&nbsp; If a PC gets arrested for a crime and the party can't break him out, he's going on trial no matter what the players choose to do.&nbsp; That's a linear consequence of that PCs action, not a railroad. A leads to B.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Maxperson, post: 8695411, member: 23751"] Or I do what I do and pause the scene at the point that the farrier agrees to take Bob to the blacksmith and ask the other players what they would like to do. Then I can bounce back and forth between them making Bob happy, and the other players happy. One of four things will happen in that situation. 1. The entire group will decide to go with Bob. If they choose to do this, I will honor their choice. 2. Bob will go alone and the group will do something else. Either together or individually. If they choose to do this I will honor their choice. 3. Bob will decide that he doesn't want to miss the main plot or whatever else the group decides to do and will put the blacksmith thing on the back burner. If Bob decides to do this I will honor his choice. 4. Some of the other group members will go with Bob and the others will go do something else. If they choose this I will honor their choice. I don't need to force Bob towards the plot or the group towards Bob's side quest. Everyone can have fun doing their own things for a bit. I'm in the latter camp. Any amount of removal of my agency by denying my character the ability to choose what he wants to do is bad. Railroading is bad. However, linear doesn't have to be. If a PC gets arrested for a crime and the party can't break him out, he's going on trial no matter what the players choose to do. That's a linear consequence of that PCs action, not a railroad. A leads to B. [/QUOTE]

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