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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Shardstone" data-source="post: 9372136" data-attributes="member: 6807784">There is this platonic ideal of a D&D game where the players are all hyper-engaged, thinking with all cylinders firing, coming up with creative solutions to problems and forcing the DM to think on their feet to advance the situation. This platonic ideal, while cute, does not track to reality all of the time.Many times, I or others I know who enjoy railroads are showing up to the game after a rough day. Work, school, family, kids, health, etc etc. People are rarely 100% there, and sometimes, they just want to do the obvious thing, enjoy the obvious reward, and move on with their lives. This is where the railroad shines.I don't need some hyper-open experience to enjoy a game. I don't always want my GM to ask me to come up with a hundred different unique solutions for infiltrating the castle. I don't always want to have to wrack my brain figuring out a creative way to skip the looming challenge. Instead, sometimes I just want to do the thing, have the DM tell me what I'm going to have to attempt next, and then do it.In other words, railroads are an easy comfort. With a good DM, railroads don't feel bad. With a good DM, railroads bring a certain relaxation not found in big sandbox games. With a good DM, a railroad can be an interesting and tense affair.</blockquote>