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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Imaro" data-source="post: 6817689" data-attributes="member: 48965">You're zeroing in on only part of my statement... I didn't say the DM creative process wasn't part of your playstyle... the difference, at least IMO, is that as the DM I get to flex my creative processes from the get go as opposed to being restrained to using it only at points of faiure.Well, and again speaking only to how I create and run my sandboxes, since everything cannot possibly be created from day 1 (Both time and imagination are constraints) there are always things being added to the sandbox weekly.  My players and I have an understanding that if the character decides to go in a different direction whether motivation/goal wise, exploration wise, or even theme-wise... either in-game flags or out of game discussion should signal this and that will be factored into the sand box at a later time... though admittedly I try to have at least some if not all of the necessary pre-authored material for this change of direction ready by next play session.  Now I'd like to go into some of the advantages I see of doing it my way as opposed to improv 'ing as we go, with three caveats... This is off the cuff and just my immediate thoughts as opposed to being deeply analyzed...  that I do implement some improvisaton in my game but try to keep it restricted to minor and/or easily remembered things... and that this works to my strengths and weaknesses as a DM and may not work as well or at all for another...1. It dispenses with the need to keep track of large swaths of improvised setting/story information (My players don't mind jotting down notes but keeping track of a setting being built feels like too much work in the moment of actual play for us.)2. It provides a consistent and deep setting that is ideal for both exploration and character driven play (this is important because I have a mix of players when it comes to which style they enjoy some enjoy character driven games while others just want to explore grab gold and fight beasties). 3. It allows me as the DM to be reactive to my players and what they want to do while still playing to my strengths of evoking setting (description, sense of wonder, etc.).4. Provides a feeling of versimilitude for I and my players... this is important because I've noticed in my players that if the world doesn't feel like it has a life of it's own, they are less likely to make connections with NPC's  and tend to care about things only at a very superficial level. 5. Provides a certain level of objectivity for those players who value overcoming combat and non-combat challenges, either through skill use, clever thinking or even avoidance. Well if anecdotes help I ran my Far North campaign for 5e in this manner from level 1 to level 12, and it only ended because the PC's actually achieved their goals at that point... though not necessarily in the manner they first believed they would.</blockquote>

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