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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Arilyn" data-source="post: 7732681" data-attributes="member: 6816042">This is a very interesting conversation dealing with two distinct philosophies and game styles/preferences. As I mentioned in an earlier post I have been starting to experiment more with the "indie" style. Games like FATE and Cortex are my preferred games, but I often GM them in a more traditional style, although I alter a lot of details based on player choice and what's cool at the moment, as long as it doesn't break consistency.I think having a large tool box is maybe the best way to go? Lanefan' s GM toolbox is filled with a selection of good traditional tools, and he is suspicious of those "newfangled" toys. pemerton, on the other hand, loves the "newfangled" toys and is ignoring the old ones, finding fault in their ability to help construct stories.I enjoy the newfangled tools a lot. I also come up with stories for players to adventure through ahead of time, and I even purchase modules, cause I appreciate other ideas too. Although, modules end up playing very differently than what was published, I find them to be useful springboards, especially if I'm feeling tapped creatively. Looking back at my campaigns, I am using a variety of tools. Running with player driven goals can work really well, but sometimes it fizzles. Having a cool story is not railroading, and let's me come up with really neat twists and turns that might not happen, if I'm improvising, but sometimes, the players aren't that into it...I think a good GM should have a full toolbox with goodies from the many years the hobby has existed. Being flexible and adaptable is usually considered an invaluable trait, and many different tools designed for different purposes can help. Mixing things up helps keep up player engagement. Game getting a little unfocused lately, as an indie style? Have players go through a preplanned story, and give them a creative break. Players getting restless with troubles GM is throwing at them? Let them create and pursue their own agendas for a while. It can be fun to explore all the details on a map. It can also be really tedious, so skip it and get to interesting bits. It all depends on mood, needs of the story, and player preferences. Those preferences, however, can change, even if playing with same group.</blockquote>

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