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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Katana_Geldar" data-source="post: 5403855" data-attributes="member: 85476">I don't think there's any hard and fast rule on how to railroad light, as it's up to each DM to decide how well their players are of carrying the plot forward...and whether there should be a plot at all. I've had a very interesting time running the same module for two different groups. It's 4e Tomb of Horrors superadventure, relatively plot-light (at least at the beginning) so it means I can do what I like with getting the players well onto to wagon. I have found though, that the second group (online, the other one is real time), is a lot more spontaneous and I have to improv more than with my real-time group, though I have to prod them quite a bit more to keep them moving along to where the action is going to be.One of the great things about the module, like Gary's original, is that locations were rather non-specific, all you had to worry about was what plane you were on and that is it. And this means I can do a Shrodringer's Gun with the locations: the dungeon just happens to be where I need it to be for the players to find it. They've missed a few plot hooks, and I've had to provide them with more obvious ones, but since they are more inclined to talk to NPCs than the first group I took through the module I've had to improv a lot. When I feel like railroading, I always think of Shrodringer's Gun and that usually kills the temptation. Ask yourself "How important is it that X happens?"  Do the players have to talk to the king to get the quest? Does the King have to be in a certain place in order to give the players the quest? As long as you keep your object firmly in mind, you won't railroad...much. I see story in an RPG more like stepping stones, there are a few options and alternative routes but you all end up in the same place...unless you are wiling to put your ending in the hands of your players. Something I have not done, yet.</blockquote>

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