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Message: <blockquote data-quote="happyelf" data-source="post: 2962314" data-attributes="member: 40394">Your'e acting like this is absurd, but one of the primary components of the GM-player relationship is that of power. Narritive control. Fiat. This is the fundmental nature of the GM status at the table. It's about power. If the GM goes 'too far', that's railroading. It doesn't matter how he goes too far, wether it's but mind controling npcs, or sudden monster attacks to punish deviation form the plot, or threats from uber NPCs, or endless dungeon corridors, or "your character is an X they would not do that", if he stomps on player choice too much, in a way they don't like, it's railroading.I'm not saying anything like that. As i've already said, it's a matter of preference, and how often choices are limited.Because if it goes to far, it obviously is. Are you honestly saying you see no argument for posession- hyjacking the PC- to qualify as railroading?Here's some alternative takes on the situation:Player: Wow, it's funny how we always need a higher number than we roll. . .or,Player: Wow, it's funny how we always come up against super-strong npc's with an armor class of at least 18 whenever we go off the beaten track . . or, GM: Look if you don't do what you're told, the palace guards will kill you. That's the logical consequences of your choice, ok? So do as you're told!It's easy to act like players are whining, but the fact is that plenty of GM's railroad and plenty of players are justified in loathing it, no matter what specific form it takes. That is just as true of various sorts of control that some would like to pretend do not qualify as railroading.Railroading also has a specific definition. A form of excessive GM control that the players find objectionable or innapropriate.Once again, that criticism is utterly without value. There are thousands of words in common usage that are meaningless by your criteria. Pretty much any term with subjective content, for a start.</blockquote>

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