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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ShinHakkaider" data-source="post: 2957990" data-attributes="member: 9213">You know I'm reading all of this stuff about how railroading is "bad" and the game should be controlled by the players and I'm thinking that all of this should be common sense for experienced DM's. I'm also not seeing a middle line here about using published adventures. The fact that you use a published adventure isnt railroading, it's HOW you use the adventure which once again comes back to a point that one or two people have already pointed out, it's the DM NOT the adventure itself. A DM who let's his players know that he's using a adventure path or a module is letting his players know that there is a definite goal in mind for the adventure. It's the PLAYER'S responsibility at that point to speak up and say "uh, no. we want to just wander and do whatever". Then the PLAYER'S and the DM to talk and reach a middle ground as to what they want. As a DM with limited time I really get all types of heated when I read things that basically say that the DM should be slave to the player's whim, which I think is absolute garbage. There needs to be a balance to this relationship. As a DM I'm there to basically help my players to have fun, but also to enjoy myself as well. I've done the freeform plot thing before, several times and I'll tell you IT SUCKS. My players, tend to like direction. And I'm not talking about my present group, I'm talking about most of the people I've run games for since I was 13 back in 1984. Direction and focus are not railroading. That being said if youre using a published adventure and the PC's stray from the path of the adventure...let them. They dont know what the details of the adventure are. The illusion of choice is only an illusion for the DM because he/she is the only one who is aware of how things are supposed to go. Let the players try to carry out whatever plan that they want to, if it's a good well thought out plan they might have a chance of success. If they pull it off, great. But as a DM sometimes we have to think on our feet, so we have to change the plan that's in front of us  to make sure that our players have fun. But that doesnt mean we SCRAP the plan altogether becasue it's a published adventure. Bottom line, the players really only start to suspect things are wonky when the DM tells them flat out: "NO". Otherwise most time they'll TRUST you to do right by them. So the trick is: don't tell them no unless it's something truly outrageous. Let them bribe the bad guy instead of fighting him, let them try to pick pocket the Duke with the heavily armed escort, let them try to do whatever. But as long as they are aware there is a consequence for failure there shouldnt be a problem. But railroading, it's only railroading if they think that there's only one way to do things.</blockquote>

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