What is your definition of Railroading?

[Man in the Funny Hat]

My definition is to force the PC's to take certain courses of action when it is blatently obvious that the LACK of other options is by design/intent of the DM. If the lack of other options is not apparant to the players then it is NOT railroading - even if that lack of options is by direct intent of the DM. It's only railroading when it FEELS like railroading to the players.

 

[tylermalan]

NO, I'd say that WoW is a sandbox, the opposite of railroading. There are certain adventures there but what the adventurers do, in what order, and if they succeed is up to them. The PCs can do whatever they want, go where ever they want, and in their own timeframe. They ignore all quests and plot points and can sit in the woods killing boars for weeks if they want.

So, is all that stuff the definition of a sandbox? If not, what is the definition of a sandbox?

And, with that, is there even a way to create a sandbox in D&D?

 

[tylermalan]

It seems that the general consensus is that railroading is restricting player options, but only overtly so, enough to be noticeable by the players.

What type of options are most commonly restricted during "railroading"? Actions? Location?

 

[DaveyJones]

It seems that the general consensus is that railroading is restricting player options, but only overtly so, enough to be noticeable by the players.

What type of options are most commonly restricted during "railroading"? Actions? Location?

it varies. in Dragonlance it was forcing the pcs into areas and events they had to go.

so if you tried to wander off the beaten path... infinite draconians appeared.

or you were automatically captured and imprisoned. only to be set free by the elves without you being able to help. and then dragged to the elf court. and...

no ifs no ands no buts.
it is this way or no way.

 

[Stormborn]

It seems that the general consensus is that railroading is restricting player options, but only overtly so, enough to be noticeable by the players.

What type of options are most commonly restricted during "railroading"? Actions? Location?

Actions: Placing an "unwinable" encounter in the way of the PCs. For example, while playing the final scene in a module your PC rolls and confirms a critical against a BBEG who is taking the McGuffin and being told "nothing happens" just because the BBEG is in the next two modules and is therefore "unkillable." (That really happened to me - Witchfire Trilogy book one.) Or being told that for some reason your spells suddenly dont work here or other violations of the rules for the sake of Plot.

Locations: This all depends on how it is handled. Many a dungeoncrawl is fairly linear, but linear isnt the same as a railroad, mainly because that the PCs know "if we enter the dungeon we will be heading a certain direction." It becomes railroading when the PCs are not allowed to back track, leave (with out good reason), or other wise forced by the enviroment to make choices they do not want to make.

All railroading can be smoothed over by a good GM who is able to adapt even published material to his players, to anticipate their actions, and provide reasonable responces as to why the PCs may not or must do certain things.

On a sidenote I think its perfectly acceptable for the GM to say upfront (and thats the key, upfront where everyone understands and agrees): OK guys, I have an adventure that I think will be fun, but I want certain events to occur at certain times. To do that I may have to force things or restrict your actions. The bad guy might get away no matter what you do, for example, or you might all get knocked out. If I do that I will give out [plot points/action points/beanies/other means of keeping track of bonuses] that you can spend to alter the game in ways favorable to you.

No, not everyone will want to play that game. But you know up front and can opt out if you wish.

 

[painandgreed]

So, is all that stuff the definition of a sandbox? If not, what is the definition of a sandbox?

And, with that, is there even a way to create a sandbox in D&D?

Sandbox (Wikipedia)

I run my D&D games as a sandbox. I inform the players there is no right or wrong way to go. If, halfway through an adventure, it looks too tough (or too boring), picking up and moving to another town to avoid the plot is just as good as anything else. I try not to think of my campaigns as stories or adventure paths but rather in terms of what would all the NPCs do if it wasn't for the PCs, then I alter everything as the PCs do affect things. The main trouble with this is that you have to come up with an adventure plot for the PCs because nobody can make their world detailed enough for them to act independantly (ie you have to have those NPCs with question marks over their heads), and two, you have to make things up on the fly really quickly because every now and then the PCs will want to do something you have given no thought to.

 

[DungeonMaester]

I hate my players.

They metagame the assumption that every lead I drop is vital to the storyline, go long with it, and then accuse me of railroading.

Oh yeah..Thats why ive stopped Dming...

---Rusty

 

[sniffles]

"Railroading" is any time the DM tells me what my character does, so long as my character isn't mind-controlled, charmed, or otherwise unable to control her actions.

When the DM says, "You pick up the sword..." or something of that nature rather than asking me what I'd like my character to do, he's just shoved me into the DM Express.

 

[AntiStateQuixote]

Railroading is when the DM tells a story TO the players instead of WITH the players.

 

[molonel]

Railroading is when the DM tells a story TO the players instead of WITH the players.

Nice and succinct.