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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Bedrockgames" data-source="post: 5587232" data-attributes="member: 85555">I think there are all different kinds of ways to railroad. As a player, I consider it railroad when the GM clearly coerces us, or alters things so we get on track. I don't mind if the GM has anticipated a series of events, and if there are naturual consequences that flow from how we react to those events. It is when the GM deliberately imposes negative consequences on you for not going where he wants you to that it is a problem in my experience. And I agree, railroading can crop up in instances of an adventure that is otherwise pretty open (if that is what you are saying)----and I must admit I don't mind it in brief instances, so long as it isn't as heavy handed and imposing as your example above. I get that the GM only has so much time, a little nudge here and there is fine. But at the end of the day the PCs should be free not to bite. I haven't been following this thread too closely so forgive me if I misunderstand how this next point was dealt with, but consequences on their own aren't a bad thing. In my mafia campaigns, players have total liberty to pursue whatever rackets, alliances, personal goals, etc they want. And because I have a fully fleshed out set of characters in the underworld they inhabit, I can generally react with realistic consequences (good or bad) when the players do things---I also have a lot of NPCs in motion doing their own things. There is nothing wrong with presenting a meaningful situation to the players, as long as they can engage it how they wish or ignore it if they wish to do so. Things like this crop up in real life (you mother calls and says your sister is in the hospital, your friend offers a chance to join him on a business venture, etc). Example From my own campaign:In my last campaign, the players set out to impress their capo, and succeeded by making money with some innovative rackets. The capo had been secretly plotting against the boss from the beginning. After they interacted with him a bit, I decided he would try to bring them into the conspiracy. He propositioned them, offering them good positions, and assuring them he had other capos lined up behind them. This scenario wasn't something I originally intended them to participate in. Originally the family war was going to be more of a backdrop, but because they impressed the capo and played it smooth, he brought them in. However, they chose to act like they were going along, and then immediately told the boss what was up. This moved them from the periphery of a mob war to the center.</blockquote>

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