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Judgement calls vs "railroading"
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<blockquote data-quote="Tony Vargas" data-source="post: 7050591" data-attributes="member: 996"><p>Science? Last I checked (c1989, I think it was - wow, I should keep more current, but philosophy of mind just isn't high on my list of interests), the Behaviorists were a school of philosophy, and not a very well-regarded one, at that. </p><p></p><p><img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite2" alt=";)" title="Wink ;)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=";)" /> </p><p></p><p></p><p> As does so much. And, that's a big stone in the foundation of 5e's DM Empowerment, as it calls for DM judgement (rulings) constantly, right there in it's rules, making it natural for players to expect such calls and to accept them with far less debate than they'd've tended to under the opposite-extreme 'RAW' zietgeist of the 3.x era.</p><p></p><p> Yeah, it is. Most of us would probably go with Railroading meaning presenting no choices, or only one valid choice (all others dead-end quickly and badly for the players). And, of course, it's viewed very negatively. so maybe some other term, or just spelling it out, as you have, without using a term that means something else to most of us? </p><p></p><p> I disagree. It's a simple one. DM Empowerment does, as the name suggests, give the DM a lot of powerful tools. The opportunity to make judgement calls often and all but arbitrarily is one of them. It could be used by a DM who wants to be an engineer or conductor on the RP Line to 'railroad' the party either in the sense you use it, or the usual, less pleasant sense. That's up to the DM. </p><p></p><p>I'd also argue that a directive style is not as negative as it's made out to be. You can run a very enjoyable game that's comparatively linear, where the players have few real choices about the direction of the 'story' (adventure), (nor the outcome, beyond being free to screw it up if they play badly enough). That can be with player connivance, if you lampshade that they're all climbing aboard the train to story town (I've had players who lampshade it "where are the rails, anyway? I look for rails, we need to find the plot!" for that matter). Or it can all be kept behind the screen, to preserve some other desired feel on the part of the players. </p><p></p><p>Being suitable for that method of DMing (I say method rather than style, because it can be used in the service of fitting the game to many different styles) is perhaps one of 5e's greatest strengths. </p><p></p><p> I see the distinction as unimportant, or at best academic.</p><p></p><p>Except for the use of the 'railroading' label, which carries, as I pointed out, negative connotations for many.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Tony Vargas, post: 7050591, member: 996"] Science? Last I checked (c1989, I think it was - wow, I should keep more current, but philosophy of mind just isn't high on my list of interests), the Behaviorists were a school of philosophy, and not a very well-regarded one, at that. ;) As does so much. And, that's a big stone in the foundation of 5e's DM Empowerment, as it calls for DM judgement (rulings) constantly, right there in it's rules, making it natural for players to expect such calls and to accept them with far less debate than they'd've tended to under the opposite-extreme 'RAW' zietgeist of the 3.x era. Yeah, it is. Most of us would probably go with Railroading meaning presenting no choices, or only one valid choice (all others dead-end quickly and badly for the players). And, of course, it's viewed very negatively. so maybe some other term, or just spelling it out, as you have, without using a term that means something else to most of us? I disagree. It's a simple one. DM Empowerment does, as the name suggests, give the DM a lot of powerful tools. The opportunity to make judgement calls often and all but arbitrarily is one of them. It could be used by a DM who wants to be an engineer or conductor on the RP Line to 'railroad' the party either in the sense you use it, or the usual, less pleasant sense. That's up to the DM. I'd also argue that a directive style is not as negative as it's made out to be. You can run a very enjoyable game that's comparatively linear, where the players have few real choices about the direction of the 'story' (adventure), (nor the outcome, beyond being free to screw it up if they play badly enough). That can be with player connivance, if you lampshade that they're all climbing aboard the train to story town (I've had players who lampshade it "where are the rails, anyway? I look for rails, we need to find the plot!" for that matter). Or it can all be kept behind the screen, to preserve some other desired feel on the part of the players. Being suitable for that method of DMing (I say method rather than style, because it can be used in the service of fitting the game to many different styles) is perhaps one of 5e's greatest strengths. I see the distinction as unimportant, or at best academic. Except for the use of the 'railroading' label, which carries, as I pointed out, negative connotations for many. [/QUOTE]
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