D&D General Not Railroad, Not Sandbox ... What else is there?

[Omand]

So, to lighten the discussion and get back to the OP.

There are the little known railbox and sandroad styles of running a campaign.

One involves one line of rail and some sand ...

OK, I will see myself out.

Cheers

 

[Neonchameleon]

The long and short IS, when playing one is NOT telling a story. PERIOD

The long and the short is that when playing you are no more telling a story than an actor is when in a play. PERIOD.

And yes actors are part of stories and help tell them and tell them themselves.

 

[Ovinomancer]

The long and short IS, when playing one is NOT telling a story. PERIOD

I'm curious, then: what, in your opinion, is being created by the shared imaginary events that occur in play?

 

[Yaarel]

The essence of a "story" is a desire and an obstacle to that desire.

From the perspective of adventure design, this means the designer must actualize something desirable that the players want.

If the object of desire is only excitement and treasure, it is an isolated dungeon crawl. If it integrates preferences and ambitions of the character personality and backstory, it invites immersion into the wider regional and world setting.

 

[Ovinomancer]

The essence of a "story" is a desire and an obstacle to that desire.

From the perspective of adventure design, this means the designer must actualize something desirable that the players want.

If the object of desire is only excitement and treasure, it is an isolated dungeon crawl. If it integrates preferences and ambitions of the character personality and backstory, it invites immersion into the wider regional and world setting.

You're contrasting a planned story with one discovered. The latter isn't less of a story just because I can only see it in retrospect.

 

[S'mon]

1. Railroads have pre-written stories.
2. You can tell a story about what happened in a Sandbox, but there's no story before or during play.
3. Story-creation games make stories as they go along - "Story Now".

 

[Yaarel]

You're contrasting a planned story with one discovered. The latter isn't less of a story just because I can only see it in retrospect.

Same thing.

A "discovered" story simply means, something is getting in the way of what the characters desire.

Indeed, most stories start with the main characters havingnt yet realized what they want. It is because of the "inciting incident" that they discover what they want. And when they go to get it things go horribly wrong. And thus the adventure begins.

 

[Ovinomancer]

Same thing.

A "discovered" story simply means, something is getting in the way of what the characters desire.

Indeed, most stories start with the main characters havent yet realized what they want. It is because of the "inciting incident" that they discover what they want. And when they go to get it things go horribly wrong. And thus the adventure begins.

Sorry, I'm getting from this that you think that once a conflict is discovered, either because it's intentionally introduced or because one is found in play, that this is the point that story starts and that now it's, what, up to the GM to detail bits of it out for play? I'm really not at all clear on your argument here -- you seem to be arguing for prepped story.

 

[Yaarel]

Sorry, I'm getting from this that you think that once a conflict is discovered, either because it's intentionally introduced or because one is found in play, that this is the point that story starts and that now it's, what, up to the GM to detail bits of it out for play? I'm really not at all clear on your argument here -- you seem to be arguing for prepped story.

The DM does well to avoid a prescripted story. But it helps when the DM understands "narrative structure", thus presents a timely salient encounter for the story that the players themselves are writing.

There are several good storytelling theories out there, that writers reference. A DM can find one that they like.

 

[Ovinomancer]

The DM does well to avoid a prescripted story. But it helps when the DM understands "narrative structure", thus presents a timely salient encounter for the story that the players themselves are writing.

There are several good storytelling theories out there, that writers reference. A DM can find one that they like.

Okay, you're coming at this from the perspective that it's the GM's job to guide the story and ensure things like pacing. This isn't required at all, even in D&D. It's certainly a valid approach to take in D&D, though, and one I think is predominant.