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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Celebrim" data-source="post: 9857290" data-attributes="member: 4937">Yes. But, also fully applies to a sandbox or an improvisational game as well.The key point is the GM using some technique to steer the game how they want it to go usually with some form of illusionism - fudging, Schrodinger's map, false choice, obdurium walls, invincible/irresistible NPCs, small world, etc. to either directly put the story back on the rails or steer it so that the players get back on the rails without realizing it or thinking they were using their own agency.Or to put it another way, the GM is not using techniques to limit their own power like dicing for the result, adhering to previously constructed fiction (even if and especially if unknown to the players), adhering to the previously agreed upon rules (even if and especially if the players don't realize you broke them), or granting players explicit narrative authority.From a player perspective a skilled GM can railroad you while looking like he isn't.  For example, you can dice for the result by the difficulty is always just out of reach, or else I use the broad latitude of "partial success" or "partial failure" or "success with complications" to introduce something that will steer the game where I want it to go.  This later technique is particularly empowered in systems where those fiat empowering results are the most common sort of results.  You can give the players a choice, where either both choices eventually lead to the same thing or where one choice is just worse than the other so the players will always take the pill you want them to.  "Take the red pill and your story continues.  Take the blue pill and the story is over."The skilled railroader never shows that he's bothered by the game getting off the rails. That's the secret to making it work.  Herding players is like herding cats.  If you make it obvious to the cat what you are doing, they'll hiss and resist.  If you make the cat think they are making their own choices when you put out the food bowl, you'll probably get away with it.  I mention this only because some people seem to think that it's easy to tell when you are on a railroad, or because they seem to think if you are allowed to jump off the train that you can't possibly be on a railroad.</blockquote>

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