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General Tabletop Discussion
*TTRPGs General
Do Plot-Based Adventures Necessarily Involve 'Railroading'?
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<blockquote data-quote="Steel_Wind" data-source="post: 2517378" data-attributes="member: 20741"><p>Ahhhh. And there we come to it. The true divider among men when this issue arises.</p><p></p><p>Thanks for that. It helps set this debate in stark relief.</p><p></p><p>There are two basic clashes during all of the hundreds (yes, hundreds) of threads on this subject on ENWorld:</p><p></p><p><u><strong>Clash #1: The Deep Divide</strong></u> The pre-planned and plotted adventure is The Ideal Form of Gaming vs. Improv Roleplaying is the One True Game.</p><p></p><p>This is a pretty stark fundamental divider among players and DMs alike. While most incorporate a bit of both in to their games, there are some improv players/DMs who insist that their form is the <u>only</u> way to game.</p><p></p><p>For this conflict - <strong><em>any</em></strong> pre-planned adventure is a Bad Way to Game. </p><p></p><p><em>Impact on terminology:</em> "Railroading" is a term used in the pejorative to describe any DM style which uses a pre-planned adventure in any manner, no matter how artfully done or accomplished. I it's not about maximizing player choice - it's about the wrong thing.</p><p></p><p><u><strong>Clash #2: Overt Control is Bad: </strong> </u> This clash focuses not on pre-planned adventures are bad/ improv is good - but looks only at how the player perceives their game experience in play. Acts which resort to kidnapping or forcing the PCs to march at sword point to a location are the only acts which classify as "railroaded". Other more artful devices are excused.</p><p></p><p>This clash defines the debate not in tersm of pre-planned vs. improv, but in the nature and degree of the control device used in game.</p><p></p><p><em>Impact on terminology: </em> "Railroad" in this discussion is used in the pejorative to imply an overt and highly objectionable way of controlling player choices in game. </p><p></p><p>From these two different clashes - you can see how a supporter of the artful and subtle control who is "anti-railroad" in clash #2 is "pro-railroad" when it comes to debating clash #1. </p><p></p><p>So no - it's not about defining terms to mean sily things and then calling the objection silly. It's about two discussions being carried on under one banner.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Steel_Wind, post: 2517378, member: 20741"] Ahhhh. And there we come to it. The true divider among men when this issue arises. Thanks for that. It helps set this debate in stark relief. There are two basic clashes during all of the hundreds (yes, hundreds) of threads on this subject on ENWorld: [U][B]Clash #1: The Deep Divide[/B][/U] The pre-planned and plotted adventure is The Ideal Form of Gaming vs. Improv Roleplaying is the One True Game. This is a pretty stark fundamental divider among players and DMs alike. While most incorporate a bit of both in to their games, there are some improv players/DMs who insist that their form is the [U]only[/U] way to game. For this conflict - [B][I]any[/I][/B] pre-planned adventure is a Bad Way to Game. [I]Impact on terminology:[/I] "Railroading" is a term used in the pejorative to describe any DM style which uses a pre-planned adventure in any manner, no matter how artfully done or accomplished. I it's not about maximizing player choice - it's about the wrong thing. [U][B]Clash #2: Overt Control is Bad: [/B] [/U] This clash focuses not on pre-planned adventures are bad/ improv is good - but looks only at how the player perceives their game experience in play. Acts which resort to kidnapping or forcing the PCs to march at sword point to a location are the only acts which classify as "railroaded". Other more artful devices are excused. This clash defines the debate not in tersm of pre-planned vs. improv, but in the nature and degree of the control device used in game. [I]Impact on terminology: [/I] "Railroad" in this discussion is used in the pejorative to imply an overt and highly objectionable way of controlling player choices in game. From these two different clashes - you can see how a supporter of the artful and subtle control who is "anti-railroad" in clash #2 is "pro-railroad" when it comes to debating clash #1. So no - it's not about defining terms to mean sily things and then calling the objection silly. It's about two discussions being carried on under one banner. [/QUOTE]
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