Do Plot-Based Adventures Necessarily Involve 'Railroading'?

[Akrasia]

Some of my favourite published products for D&D include the old B2 (Keep on the Borderlands) and L1 (Secret of Bone Hill) modules. One of the things that I really like about those modules is that they essentially give the DM a relatively compact setting with plenty of interesting adventure locations -- plus room to add your own ideas. Adventures using those modules do not need to involve any 'plot', or the 'plot' that does emerge can be created by the DM and/or her/his players as they play through the module.

Similarly, I also really love ICE's classic 'Middle-earth' campaign guides from the 1980s and early 1990s (Arnor, Angmar, Mirkwood, etc.). Those campaign guides, in addition to including the most beautiful maps ever produced for FRPGs, provide the GM with an overview of the main towns, fortresses, ruins, etc. of the region in question. They also include a few adventure ideas, plus lots of NPC stats. However, what actually happens is up to the GM and his/her players.

Current products that have similar qualities include Necromancer's 'Lost City of Barrakus' and, I believe, Gygax's upcoming 'Castle Zagyg', as well as the new 'Wilderlands' box set from Judges' Guild.

In contrast to these 'setting-based' modules and campaign books, I rather dislike the original Dragonlance series produced by TSR. Those modules were all heavily plot-driven, and seem terribly 'railroady' as a consequence.

Similarly, I've been reading through the new 'Ashes of the Damned' series for WFRP 2e (the sample adventure in the core book, as well as the 'Ashes of Middenheim' book), and am starting to think that I will not run it. I really love WFRP 2e, but this series strikes me as a railroad (at least so far).

So, in my experience, it seems hard for 'plot-driven' adventures to avoid being 'railroads' -- i.e. adventures that require the DM to 'push' her/his players down a specific, pre-established path. At least I cannot think of any plot-driven module or campaign product that avoids this quality.

Maybe I simply prefer products that let me, as GM, come up with the plots on my own -- or improvise in response to the players' actions -- but give me the resources to do so (i.e. provide me with an interesting setting, stats, maps, etc.).

What are other people's views on this? Are there examples of 'plot-driven' adventures that avoid the 'railroad trap'? If so, what are they?

Thanks!

 

[Crothian]

Railroading is something a DM does moreso then the module. A good DM can not railroad even the most plot driven module. THough this might be hard and take some work, I fully belief that a good DM beats a raidroad module any day of the week.

 

[Akrasia]

Railroading is something a DM does moreso then the module. A good DM can not railroad even the most plot driven module. THough this might be hard and take some work, I fully belief that a good DM beats a raidroad module any day of the week.

Is your point that in the hands of a good GM a module/adventure that appears to be a 'railroad' will in fact not be one (i.e. the GM will figure out a way not to run it in the manner that it was written)?

I guess I consider myself to be a decent GM, but I've never had success with (what I perceive to be) 'railroady' adventures.

 

[Crothian]

Is your point that in the hands of a good GM a module/adventure that appears to be a 'railroad' will in fact not be one (i.e. the GM will figure out a way not to run it in the manner that it was written)?

I guess I consider myself to be a decent GM, but I've never had success with (what I perceive to be) 'railroady' adventures.

Yes that is my point. But it does take more then beign a good DM it also takes a bit of time and creativity and possibly luck that the module can fit into a campaign.

So, what d20 module do you consider rail roady?

 

[caudor]

Railroading is something a DM does moreso then the module. A good DM can not railroad even the most plot driven module. THough this might be hard and take some work, I fully belief that a good DM beats a raidroad module any day of the week.

I agree. Imagine if you showed up at a game and the DM announced that he was simply going to read you a novel. Boring right?

A good DM sees 'plot' as the skeleton on which to weave the story based on the way players react to what is presented. Adventure hooks are used to create expectations for the adventure and to gently guide PCs into the forces of conflict that already exist. To create believable drama, there often needs to be some structure, but I would not necessarily call this plot.

 

[I'm A Banana]

If you have a story you want to tell, you cannot let the PC's do as they desire -- it destroys you story.

Railroading isn't always nessecarily a bad thing, of course. Some groups LOVE to be lead by the nose. Most of mine do. But if your group likes the freedom to decide what stories to tell, a DM who has a story to tell will be a bad fit.

Composing a story out of a collection of events is often seen as "better DMing," but it's only better for a group who knows what to do when given a collection of events. Versus a group who doesn't know what to do unless you give their characters really defined motivations.

 

[Klaus]

What is everyone's opinion on using a flowchart of sorts for plot- or event- based adventures, like was suggested in the DMG and used (only) in Speaker In Dreams.

Y'know, treating decisions and events like corridors and rooms in a dungeon, for the DM's ease.

 

[CarlZog]

I think there's a difference between an adventure with a plot and an adventure that is driven by a linear series of events. The latter becomes like a video game that robs the PCs of free will and drives them along a predetermined path.

Crothian's right that a good DM can salvage most linear modules, though it may take more work than it's worth.

I hear a lot talk these days about "storylines", which to me suggests the linear format of narrative fiction. As a DM, I've never thought of myself as storyteller. I create "situations" that PCs are either thrust into, or choose to get involved in. What manner of involvement they choose is up to them. Often, the situation is a conflict between two entities. The PCs nearly always have their choice of sides, and the outcome is usually as much a mystery to me as it is to them.

When culling modules for use or for ideas, I'll look at the more linear ones, but will only adopt those whose core conflicts could easily allow for a breadth of possible outcomes. I usually end up borrowing the central idea, but discarding the progression of events that the designer has deemed necessary to his/her "story."

Carl

 

[I'm A Banana]

Still railroading, just flexible railroading, where you can switch tracks.

It's the style I use most commonly myself, but it is still limiting. They can't branch until given options A, B, and C, and then those options can only lead to outcomes X, Y, and Z. Unfortunately, plots aren't like a dungeon where you can't diverge until the DM says there's a corridor. In-character, there are ALWAYS multiple paths.

 

[CarlZog]

Unfortunately, plots aren't like a dungeon where you can't diverge until the DM says there's a corridor. In-character, there are ALWAYS multiple paths.

Exactly. Flowcharts may be a useful tool to help a DM prepare for the possibilities, but once players get a hold of things, all bets are off. They'll invaribly take the one course of action that NEVER occurred to you as a possibility. Letting them do it will keep you on your toes and require a lot more work, and often a lot of ad-libbing. But it can be very rewarding and lead to whole new adventures that are better than anything you could have thought up on your own!

Carl