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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Guest&nbsp; 85555" data-source="post: 5726762">First Hussar your point about objectivity is well taken. Whatever gives you and your group the most fun, that is the right way to play. If you like inventing stuff as you go (all the time or on occassion), then I think you should play that way. My posts haven't been an attempt to tell you you're wrong, just to contrast my preferences with yours.I am on i phone (so forgive) but wanted to answer your question, as it is a good one. My approach to D&D varies depending on whether the adventure is urban or exploration. But when I run a modern or urban game my style is a something I call character driven (it is very similar to the approach described in clash bowley's article Situational GMing). This has strong sandbox elements (at least the way I run it) but the focus is on characters, power groups, etc.I basically drop my PCs into an interesting situation full of character conflicts, power plays and character dependant events. To do this I create all major characters fully in advance, sketch out minor characters and establish motives, goals , etc. This is all set in stone. The drama stems from PCs interacting with the set up and characterz, and my characters reacting to the PCs. So I make plenty of decisions on the fly. If a PC who is a member of the martino family makes a secret deal with an enemy boss, I need to decide how Michael Caesar Martino responds. My goal is twofold: give players total freedom over their characters in this context and create a consistent environment with colorful and fleshed out characters. All my improv needs to be rooted in the characters or in what course of events logically follow. When creating new characters on the fly I establish their motives and traits and stick with them.This does require a good deal of note taking and prep. I use a daytimer to help plot out and adjust NPC behavior based on their motives and PC decisions. For me the important thing in this style of play is the GM is the source of all material external to PCs. So I wouldn't want a skill roll to change or create facts, just tell me how well they function in light of the facts. This works for me anyways. And I'd be lying if I said I never deviated from this philosophy (I wouldn't want to ruin fun because I feel The One Way must be adhered to at all times). Hope this explanation is helpful.</blockquote>

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