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Is Railroading ever a good tactic?
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<blockquote data-quote="Professor Phobos" data-source="post: 1511593" data-attributes="member: 18883"><p>That example- with the docks, and the escaping bad guy- is a perfect example of railroading.</p><p></p><p>The DM presents them with a problem. They find a way to solve it- one not part of the DM's plan- and the DM tries to stop it.</p><p></p><p>Bad. Tsk tsk.</p><p></p><p>Easy enough to let them try to capture the guy- and then just run with the consequences of their actions. This is why detailed notes on events are a hindrance to GMing- it'll never, ever happen the way you plan. Hell, that's kind of the point to RPGs- spontaneous, unpredictable storytelling. With Mountain Dew.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Bullplop! Starting conditions are not railroading. Nor are tacit agreements before play- if I tell my players "I'm running Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil next week" and they say "sure!" then they're agreeing to go into the damn temple.</p><p></p><p>It isn't railroading if the players agree to it.</p><p></p><p>And as for the "unmotivated players" problem, I'd find it an easier solution to just say "Hey, guys? You want to adventure? You've got to go and find it" rather than say "Go into this temple, here, and there'll be stuff to kill."</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Professor Phobos, post: 1511593, member: 18883"] That example- with the docks, and the escaping bad guy- is a perfect example of railroading. The DM presents them with a problem. They find a way to solve it- one not part of the DM's plan- and the DM tries to stop it. Bad. Tsk tsk. Easy enough to let them try to capture the guy- and then just run with the consequences of their actions. This is why detailed notes on events are a hindrance to GMing- it'll never, ever happen the way you plan. Hell, that's kind of the point to RPGs- spontaneous, unpredictable storytelling. With Mountain Dew. Bullplop! Starting conditions are not railroading. Nor are tacit agreements before play- if I tell my players "I'm running Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil next week" and they say "sure!" then they're agreeing to go into the damn temple. It isn't railroading if the players agree to it. And as for the "unmotivated players" problem, I'd find it an easier solution to just say "Hey, guys? You want to adventure? You've got to go and find it" rather than say "Go into this temple, here, and there'll be stuff to kill." [/QUOTE]
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