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<blockquote data-quote="AbdulAlhazred" data-source="post: 7375908" data-attributes="member: 82106">I think this is another one of those spherical cow kind of things. You COULD in theory, perhaps, play a Story Now type of game where the GM frames a scene, something happens, and then without reference to anything else except his own judgment the GM could simply say &quot;OK, now your at place X, and Y is happening&quot; and frame another scene. It just never happens that way.Reality is that the PCs do some stuff, and change the state of the fiction in a way that represents some sort of choices. They make a pact with the dwarves to go fight giants, instead of exploring the tunnel into the Underdark. The next scene MIGHT be 'fighting giants', but that can hardly be a railroad! Its MUCH MUCH more likely there will be some scenes in between as well. Maybe less important ones where some relationships are established, some gear is procured, further assistance sought, whatever. A whole other agenda could be interjected at that point and unrelated activities centered on being in a dwarf fortress might happen (IE maybe another character had a goal to find out how to make an indestructible breast plate, so he goes and tries to make a deal with the dwarf weapon smiths). The trajectory of the game will be in the direction which the player's signal they want to go, but the actual path can be leisurely and even a little wandering at times. Remember, setbacks and failures happen too, and those will tend to deflect the characters from their long-term goals. They may have immediate blowback which requires handling, possibly creating new subsidiary goals along the way.I think when [MENTION=42582]pemerton[/MENTION] talked about the PCs leading the villagers out of danger from the giants there was some of that going on.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="AbdulAlhazred, post: 7375908, member: 82106"] I think this is another one of those spherical cow kind of things. You COULD in theory, perhaps, play a Story Now type of game where the GM frames a scene, something happens, and then without reference to anything else except his own judgment the GM could simply say "OK, now your at place X, and Y is happening" and frame another scene. It just never happens that way. Reality is that the PCs do some stuff, and change the state of the fiction in a way that represents some sort of choices. They make a pact with the dwarves to go fight giants, instead of exploring the tunnel into the Underdark. The next scene MIGHT be 'fighting giants', but that can hardly be a railroad! Its MUCH MUCH more likely there will be some scenes in between as well. Maybe less important ones where some relationships are established, some gear is procured, further assistance sought, whatever. A whole other agenda could be interjected at that point and unrelated activities centered on being in a dwarf fortress might happen (IE maybe another character had a goal to find out how to make an indestructible breast plate, so he goes and tries to make a deal with the dwarf weapon smiths). The trajectory of the game will be in the direction which the player's signal they want to go, but the actual path can be leisurely and even a little wandering at times. Remember, setbacks and failures happen too, and those will tend to deflect the characters from their long-term goals. They may have immediate blowback which requires handling, possibly creating new subsidiary goals along the way. I think when [MENTION=42582]pemerton[/MENTION] talked about the PCs leading the villagers out of danger from the giants there was some of that going on. [/QUOTE]

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