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<blockquote data-quote="Reynard" data-source="post: 5444112" data-attributes="member: 467">In theory, I want to run a pure sandbox of a campaign. I want the PCs to have true freedom -- within the context of the campaign milieu -- to do whatever they wish. In reality, however, I cannot provide them this. I have limited time to prepare materials, and since we play a prep-oriented game (Pathfinder) just &quot;winging it&quot; is not an optimal solution.This used to cause me all sorts of stress and difficulty. Then, one day, I realized I could have my cake and eat it too, by doing one simple thing: ask them.Now, shortly (a day or two) after a session ends, assuming the party is at a decision point (i.e. not in the middle of a dungeon or whatever) I ask them to tell me what their next course of action is. They can choose anything they like, but they have to tell me in advance of the next session, so I can use the time window (usually a week or two) to prepare appropriate materials.It is a compromise. It isn't a true sandbox because I expect the players to stick with whatever they said they were going to do, at least for the 3 or 4 hours we are playing. At the same time, I give them as much choice as is feasible in deciding what they will be doing when we play.It isn't perfect. I'd rather play for 12 hours at a clip, doing almost everything on the fly like I used to when I was a) 20 years old with no real responsibilities, and b) running AD&amp;D (which is much more wing-it friendly). But, alas, I'm an old man with kids and a wife and a career and a group that would rather play PF than LL. So we do what we can.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Reynard, post: 5444112, member: 467"] In theory, I want to run a pure sandbox of a campaign. I want the PCs to have true freedom -- within the context of the campaign milieu -- to do whatever they wish. In reality, however, I cannot provide them this. I have limited time to prepare materials, and since we play a prep-oriented game (Pathfinder) just "winging it" is not an optimal solution. This used to cause me all sorts of stress and difficulty. Then, one day, I realized I could have my cake and eat it too, by doing one simple thing: ask them. Now, shortly (a day or two) after a session ends, assuming the party is at a decision point (i.e. not in the middle of a dungeon or whatever) I ask them to tell me what their next course of action is. They can choose anything they like, but they have to tell me in advance of the next session, so I can use the time window (usually a week or two) to prepare appropriate materials. It is a compromise. It isn't a true sandbox because I expect the players to stick with whatever they said they were going to do, at least for the 3 or 4 hours we are playing. At the same time, I give them as much choice as is feasible in deciding what they will be doing when we play. It isn't perfect. I'd rather play for 12 hours at a clip, doing almost everything on the fly like I used to when I was a) 20 years old with no real responsibilities, and b) running AD&D (which is much more wing-it friendly). But, alas, I'm an old man with kids and a wife and a career and a group that would rather play PF than LL. So we do what we can. [/QUOTE]

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