Railroads (wooh! wooh!)

[Man in the Funny Hat]

A while ago, I raised the topic of the sacred cows in roleplaying – those things which often generate a (negative) knee jerk response - and one of those is predetermined plot direction, or ‘railroading’. So, in the interests of challenging such truisms: when is it okay to railroad a little? How do you go about it?

There's really nothing wrong with "railroading" per se. It is, after all, nothing more than play that proceeds on a certain course because there aren't any BETTER options. The problem enters in when it becomes blatantly obvious that the DM is arbitrarily and clumsily removing options such that the players feel that NOTHING their characters do could alter the results that the DM is essentially demanding that the players provide him.

It's been my experience that players can be railroaded on a regular basis so long as they don't WANT to choose other options. If the course the DM intended for the games events is the same course that the players will naturally seek and desire then "railroading" is more a matter of simply pandering to what you KNOW the players will want to do anyway - and using that against them to lead the game where YOU want it to go. It's when you have to FIGHT the players, to deny their characters the opportunity to make even small changes in the outcome of events in order to preserve your pre-chosen destiny; that's when "railroading" becomes a problem.

 

[Rel]

Thats not railroading, that using "Sh*t happens" to move the story in a direction you want it to go, because you think it will be cool.

Please don't try to circumvent the profanity filter like that, Treebore.

 

[Treebore]

Please don't try to circumvent the profanity filter like that, Treebore.

What is more acceptable? Crap? Stuff? Crud? Is there a sticky thread somewhere with acceptable substitutions listed?

Kind of like the Paladins CoC, not exactly clear on what is acceptable.

 

[Nightfall]

When it is okay? When you have brain dead players AND you're trying to run an grand adventure path like say Shackled City, Age of Worms or Savage Tide.

 

[Treebore]

That is one of the reasons I never run them or bought the hardcover. They are nothing but 20 levels of railroading, and lots of people are loving it! Shocks the heck out of me! My players commented that a "campaign" planned out 20 levels in advance is nothing but a big railroad. Has to be.

I could definitely make it appear that it isn't, but, well... I got plenty of other great stuff to use.

 

[Nightfall]

Tree,

You'd be suprised...I know it's a "railroad" for adventure paths, but these are good railroads.

Especially when you have brain dead players that feel the need to examine EVERY detail just to find out, "he's just a peasant asking for a gold coin."

 

[pawsplay]

Railroad is, by definition, excessive linearity. "Good" railroading is nothing more than an ordinary kind of guidance. The reason it's called railroading is because the game won't run off its tracks. "Tour busing" is okay, in my book.

 

[Nightfall]

paws,

Right, I don't mind guidelining my PCs, but to keep them always on a certain path...not sure it's that worth while. Usually.

 

[Ranger REG]

I don't care how subtle you are, if I've been playing in a campaign - working towards character goals, making what *I* thought were important character choices - only to find out that there was never really any choice all along... I can't think of anything more disappointing in a game.

On the other hand, if the GM wants to run a particular type of game, and that game requires the players to move in a particular direction, I usually have no problem accepting the hint and cooperating. I prefer a lack of subtlety in these case. Don't try to trick your players into making decisions, unless you're truly happy for them to go in an unexpected direction.

Always make sure there are more than one ways to reach a goal. Watch NBC's Treasure Hunter for inspiration.

 

[Rel]

What is more acceptable? Crap? Stuff? Crud? Is there a sticky thread somewhere with acceptable substitutions listed?

There is no set list I can give you of what words are and are not acceptable. However, as it says in the rules you may not "use clever tricks to run around the profanity filters". If you feel the need to use a bit of off color language then my suggestion is to simply type what you want to say and let the smilies take care of the rest. But adding asterisks into the word appears as an attempt to say what you wanted to say and let it be seen without adhering to the rules.

If you have any further questions about this policy, please feel free to e-mail me or one of the other mods.