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<blockquote data-quote="Raven Crowking" data-source="post: 5042819" data-attributes="member: 18280">Yes, but the problem here is how the term “hook” became conflated with “NPC plot”, which in turn is conflated with “Things worth doing”.When the DM throws hooks, he is giving the PCs purchase on the world, rather like good shoes give you purchase on the pavement.&nbsp; The more hooks he throws, the better the purchase, and the better able the PCs are to make meaningful decisions.&nbsp; Hooks in this context are not just “here’s an adventure” but also “here are some things you might be interested in”.In a living world, much like the real world, information is always flowing.&nbsp; Some of it is useful.&nbsp; Some of it is not.&nbsp; All of this information consists of hooks or potential hooks.&nbsp; If there is only one hook, certainly the players can choose to do something else, although they are making that choice in a vacuum.&nbsp; Even in a game where the players are responsible for seeking information out (and, IMHO, this makes for the best possible gaming) that information is sought within the context of other information.If the DM only offers one “hook”, there is no means by which the players may instigate a plot of their own.&nbsp; They don’t have enough information to do so.&nbsp; As soon as enough information exists, there is more than one hook.&nbsp; Therefore, I contend that it is true that multiple options are necessary for any option to have meaning.&nbsp; Moreover, I contend that there must be enough options that all cannot be followed before the choice of which to follow becomes truly meaningful.YMMV, of course.RC</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Raven Crowking, post: 5042819, member: 18280"] Yes, but the problem here is how the term “hook” became conflated with “NPC plot”, which in turn is conflated with “Things worth doing”. When the DM throws hooks, he is giving the PCs purchase on the world, rather like good shoes give you purchase on the pavement. The more hooks he throws, the better the purchase, and the better able the PCs are to make meaningful decisions. Hooks in this context are not just “here’s an adventure” but also “here are some things you might be interested in”. In a living world, much like the real world, information is always flowing. Some of it is useful. Some of it is not. All of this information consists of hooks or potential hooks. If there is only one hook, certainly the players can choose to do something else, although they are making that choice in a vacuum. Even in a game where the players are responsible for seeking information out (and, IMHO, this makes for the best possible gaming) that information is sought within the context of other information. If the DM only offers one “hook”, there is no means by which the players may instigate a plot of their own. They don’t have enough information to do so. As soon as enough information exists, there is more than one hook. Therefore, I contend that it is true that multiple options are necessary for any option to have meaning. Moreover, I contend that there must be enough options that all cannot be followed before the choice of which to follow becomes truly meaningful. YMMV, of course. RC [/QUOTE]

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