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<blockquote data-quote="jgsugden" data-source="post: 7986077" data-attributes="member: 2629"><p>I can't speak for the author of that post, but I can say that these approaches are warning signs for me that there will not be as much plot as I prefer in a campaign. These low plot games tend to be more about strategy game "win all the battles each night as our only goal" type games. That being said, there are exceptions to these general rules.</p><p></p><p>A true sandbox, where the PCs can go anywhere with no breadcrumbs being dropped by the DM is often indicative of short or no storylines. That being said, I've seen DMs that weave story elements into whatever the PCs decide to do to tell their larger story - with a belief that you can always tailor the story to the setting the players choose to explore.</p><p></p><p>Funnels are the opposite side of the spectrum. If there is no choice, then often you're not letting the players tell a story with you so much as you're telling a story with the player's characters. The story may be there, but the players end up with only the impact the DM decides will be there.</p><p></p><p>Western/West Marches can be great games with amazing storylines. The players find puzzle pieces through out their exploration that add up to answers in exciting ways. Or, as has been the case in most of the Hexcrawl style of games, especially ones where players drop in and out, the exploration can just run into a bunch of thematically similar dungeons with little story giving them any relational significance. The biggest problem with these games is the inconsistency as players drop in and out and often take key information for themselves without sharing it - and then leave the campaign. It makes plot driven story telling very hard. You can get around it, but it is a lot of work for a DM to keep straight who knows what and when they need to double up on clues that have been lost to player attrition.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="jgsugden, post: 7986077, member: 2629"] I can't speak for the author of that post, but I can say that these approaches are warning signs for me that there will not be as much plot as I prefer in a campaign. These low plot games tend to be more about strategy game "win all the battles each night as our only goal" type games. That being said, there are exceptions to these general rules. A true sandbox, where the PCs can go anywhere with no breadcrumbs being dropped by the DM is often indicative of short or no storylines. That being said, I've seen DMs that weave story elements into whatever the PCs decide to do to tell their larger story - with a belief that you can always tailor the story to the setting the players choose to explore. Funnels are the opposite side of the spectrum. If there is no choice, then often you're not letting the players tell a story with you so much as you're telling a story with the player's characters. The story may be there, but the players end up with only the impact the DM decides will be there. Western/West Marches can be great games with amazing storylines. The players find puzzle pieces through out their exploration that add up to answers in exciting ways. Or, as has been the case in most of the Hexcrawl style of games, especially ones where players drop in and out, the exploration can just run into a bunch of thematically similar dungeons with little story giving them any relational significance. The biggest problem with these games is the inconsistency as players drop in and out and often take key information for themselves without sharing it - and then leave the campaign. It makes plot driven story telling very hard. You can get around it, but it is a lot of work for a DM to keep straight who knows what and when they need to double up on clues that have been lost to player attrition. [/QUOTE]
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