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Message: <blockquote data-quote="rogueattorney" data-source="post: 2350595" data-attributes="member: 17551">I think that the biggest arguments I've seen over "Railroading" stem from people's failure to distinguish the DM setting the scenario and Railroading.  Let's put this in a war-gaming setting.  The referee sets up the battlefield and places the troops.  The players then get to move the pieces, decide who, what, when to attack, etc., etc.  The referee comes in to make judgment calls (that unit has 50% cover), but is otherwise hands off.It's the same thing for D&D.  The DM sets the scenario...Goblin invasionMeteor ShowerGate to Hades sucks half the kingdom inThe Black Hand is trying to assassinate King Rex IIIMerchant needs someone to recover the Lost MacGuffin of WhositWhateverHe sets up the "board" (creates the setting, dungeon, etc.).  He places the troops (figures out where the pc's start, when various events occur, etc.).  And then he lets the pc's go at it.  When something happens that requires a judgment call (Villain is foiled unexpectedly, what does he do now?  PC's fail to stop X from happening, what hapens next?) he does so.  Otherwise, the pc's have the run of the show.All of the above is setting the scenario.  Railroading occurs when the judge starts telling the players when, where, and how he can move his troops on the 'board'.  Of course, RPG's are tougher than wargames because the 'board' isn't well-defined.  It's quite possible for the pc's to start moving off of the 'board' (i.e. outside of the parameters of the campaign as envisioned by the referee) without realizing it.  That's where the line gets fuzzy, and the DM needs to really think about what he should do in order to prevent bad feelings with the players.  This is where the DM's relationship with the players comes into play.  Can he focus the pc's without destroying the illusion of choice? Does he have a good enough OOC relationship with the players to just say, "look guys, you're going someplace I wasn't expecting and I'm not prepared"?  That's also the point where players have the give the DM a bit of a break and be understanding.R.A.</blockquote>

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