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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Celebrim" data-source="post: 5204555" data-attributes="member: 4937">I guess I should clarify what that means, especially sense people feel like quoting it.First, it's impossible to have a game without a plot that the DM has some input on.  Even if you are freeform and sandbox, the DM is shaping the plot of the game to some extent.So really when I say, "create situations and not plots", I'm engaged in a bit of short hand abbreviation of the full idea.  Technically, the short hand version of the full idea is incorrect, because as I just stated, you can't help but create a plot of some fashion.To understand what I mean, you have to look at what plot usually means in a context other than a RPG.  In a novel, the plot of the story principally revolves around the actions of the protagonist.  Whatever the protagonist is doing is the plot of the story.  The problem with this in an RPG context is its not the DM's job to determine before hand what the protagonists do.  That means that some very common literary plots can only occur in an RPG when they are to a certain extent unforeseen.  For example, a plot in which the protagonist betrays someone can be anticipated as a likely result in the scenario, but the plot of the adventure can't depend on that happening.  This is in fact true of all traditional plots that involve growth or change on the part of the protagonist.  Likewise, a plot that depends on particular things happening to the PC's - like their being captured and having to prove their innocence in a trial - can't be planned out before hand as if they were a certainty.  Such plots still might happen, but the overall plot can't depend on them and you better be prepared for forks in story.This leads to a very long list of movie or novel plots that the DM can't actually plan for because they depend on the protagonist making particular choices that the DM ought not (IMO) actually force on the players.  No matter how much you enjoyed the plot in your favorite movie or novel, you have no right and should not expect that plot to be the plot of your RPG story.  Of course, these plots might still happen, and they might even be somewhat likely, but you better recognize that they aren't certain.An example might be a 'Man against Nature' plot where the action and dramatic tension depends on surviving some hazardous climate or situation.  In D&D, this is by no means easy to set up.  You may plan that the PC's get on a boat, there is a storm, and the PC's are shipwrecked, but in play all of the following could occur:a) The PC's could cast a divination (even as simple as augury) to determine whether their journey is successful.  Or they might have sufficient mundane skill to effectively predict the weather.  They can delay the journey until they are assured of favorable weather.  (Incidently, in practice, ship owners with access to magic may do this as a matter of course in your world, or at least, if I owned a ship, I would.)  b) The PC's may decide to find an alternate means of travel, taking the long land route when available, or even teleporting.c) The PC's may have the skill and resources to prevent the ship from sinking.d) The PC's may have the skill and resources to make the ultimate challenge trivial, bypassing everything you intended to create dramatic tension even if the plot does occur.  An example of this is something as simple as 'Create Food and Water'.e) The PC's may simply refuse to get on the boat out of a 'unreasonable' fear that the only reason that you'd want them on a boat is so horrible things can happen to them.  The PC's may continually refuse to put themselves in a sitaution that they can't extricate themselves from if things go badly.In effect, the PC's are often choosing whether they are going to risk a 'Man vs. Nature' plot.</blockquote>

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