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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Imaculata" data-source="post: 6723018" data-attributes="member: 6801286">Actually, it does both. Certain events continue even if the players are not there. For example, I have a villain that is trying to establish a hold on the region. And depending on how much trouble the players cause "it", it may or may not be successful. And if they ignore it entirely, then it will continue its merry work, and they may find some powerful opposition in the future. I do not force them to engage their enemy, and in fact, they are free to ignore the villain entirely. But it does have consequences for the story.But other aspects of the plot may come to the players, regardless of where they are in the world. I have an undead pirate captain who was accidentally allowed to be resurrected, due to a mistake by the players, and now he came to seek his vengeance. The players do not have to look for him, he'll come to where ever they are. I also have a bunch of cultists, who struck a powerful blow against the city where the players are currently at. It could have happened anywhere really, but this was one of those cases where something dramatic had to happen to pick up the plot again. I try to find a good balance between plot and freedom. Too much freedom, and it ends up feeling like there is no plot, and everything is just random. But too much plot, and it feels like the players are just watching a movie. I prefer something in between, where you have good storytelling, and a sandbox as well.The campaign world is basically a confined sandbox. It has a plot line running through it, which is free to branch out in any direction, and it has some mini plots that happen where ever the players happen to be. There's never just one plot. There are multiple plots, along with an overarching story. And depending on where the players go, I can pick up a different plot line. Eventually all these plot lines lead to one big conclusion, but since every plot line can be affected by the players, the outcome can change.So this is not what I would call a railroad. The players do not have to do anything, and they don't have to go anywhere. They are free to explore the world as they want. The only thing set in stone, is the sort of ending that the story is heading towards. But that ending may take many shapes, depending on what allies the players form during their adventures (which may span a whole year of playing sessions). There are some large decisions that may have a great effect on the plot, and the ending is always in motion, changing with each unpredictable thing that the players do. Yes, there will be a big naval battle at the end, and I know what enemy they will be fighting. But how many others will be dragged into this conflict? What will happen to the rest of the region? These are things that I have deliberately not written in stone. It's sort of like having a rough idea of the ending to a book, but writing the rest as you go.Only if you write both the outcome, and their decisions for them. That is railroading. If you allow choice, and players can affect the plot, then that is not railroading. Having a plot is not the same as railroading. You can have a plot, and also not railroad.That is a terrible advice in my opinion. Don't ever write a plot? Why not? I think most players enjoy a sense that there's an actual story, rather than the DM just throwing stuff at them. I think a better advice would be for the DM to not restrict himself too much, by writing too much of the plot in advance. Come up with a conflict, and the people/creatures that are part of that conflict, and don't write a resolution. Next, throw the players into this situation, and let them sort it out. Then pick up the plot from there.Railroading, is when you force your players to follow a certain path, and then also write the outcome. D&D should be an interactive plot, in my opinion, where the players make key decisions that alter the plot. Does the villain always escape, or can the players be clever enough to foil his plans? These are the sort of things that break away from railroading.  If you make sure that your story does not hinge on the villain surviving or dying, then there's no need to railroad anything. What ever happens, happens.</blockquote>

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