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<blockquote data-quote="cmrscorpio" data-source="post: 3987703" data-attributes="member: 32173">I've found one trick really works well for keeping PCs generally on the track.&nbsp; I'm sure most (if not all) of us DMs have done this in the past.Don't tell them other things exist.&nbsp; If you don't want the players to go off on tangents, then don't seed them for it by telling them extraneous information.&nbsp; Sure, you want to provide a rich world, but more often than not, the players want to know what is relevant to what you want them to do.&nbsp; For example, say your characters stumble upon a treasure map.&nbsp; Don't put anything on that map that you don't want them to encounter.&nbsp; If a map to a hidden treasure site, why on earth would the map maker put anything else on there besides the absolute essential things needed to find the treasure.&nbsp; You put relavant landmarks/riddles/cyphers, and that's it.&nbsp; If your players walk into a tavern and start hitting up the local partons for gossip and you want them to investigate the local ruins, don't have a dozen rumors about the maurading orcs over in the next town or that the local priest has been wandering the streets at night.&nbsp; As someone mentioned before, telling your players that there is a dense, nigh impenatrable jungle inhabited with fierce, deadly monsters is tantamount to saying &quot;ATTENTION: THIS AREA EXISTS&quot;.&nbsp; If you draw attention, PCs will pay attention.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="cmrscorpio, post: 3987703, member: 32173"] I've found one trick really works well for keeping PCs generally on the track. I'm sure most (if not all) of us DMs have done this in the past. Don't tell them other things exist. If you [b]don't want[/b] the players to go off on tangents, then [b]don't seed them for it [/b]by telling them extraneous information. Sure, you want to provide a rich world, but more often than not, the players want to know what is relevant to what you want them to do. For example, say your characters stumble upon a treasure map. Don't put anything on that map that you don't want them to encounter. If a map to a hidden treasure site, why on earth would the map maker put anything else on there besides the absolute essential things needed to find the treasure. You put relavant landmarks/riddles/cyphers, and that's it. If your players walk into a tavern and start hitting up the local partons for gossip and you want them to investigate the local ruins, don't have a dozen rumors about the maurading orcs over in the next town or that the local priest has been wandering the streets at night. As someone mentioned before, telling your players that there is a dense, nigh impenatrable jungle inhabited with fierce, deadly monsters is tantamount to saying "ATTENTION: THIS AREA EXISTS". If you draw attention, PCs will pay attention. [/QUOTE]

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