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<blockquote data-quote="pemerton" data-source="post: 5445240" data-attributes="member: 42582">Dausuul, the confusing thing about &quot;the DM takes the lead in shaping the plot&quot; is that in any but the most radical D&amp;D games the GM has primary responsibility for introducing non-PC game elements.So the GM is nearly always going to have the greater influence on the direction the plot can go (if by &quot;plot&quot; we mean something like &quot;interaction between game elements unfolding over time&quot;).The difference I see between a sandbox and my preferred approach is that, in a sandbox, the GM places elements in the gameworld driven (more-or-less) by a coherent vision of the gameworld, and then the players explore that world using their PC as the vehicles. Whereas in my preferred approach, the GM places elements in the gameworld driven (more-or-less) by a desire to engage those concerns that the players have revealed through their PC building and their previous play.In both approaches the GM has responsibility for placing the main game elements. In both approaches the players make choices that are affirmed. But the logic that governs the GM's work is different in each approach. Sandbox GMing is (roughly) worldbuilding. My sort of GMing is (roughly) situation building. I don't think either is a railroad under any (old or new) use of that term.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="pemerton, post: 5445240, member: 42582"] Dausuul, the confusing thing about "the DM takes the lead in shaping the plot" is that in any but the most radical D&D games the GM has primary responsibility for introducing non-PC game elements. So the GM is nearly always going to have the greater influence on the direction the plot can go (if by "plot" we mean something like "interaction between game elements unfolding over time"). The difference I see between a sandbox and my preferred approach is that, in a sandbox, the GM places elements in the gameworld driven (more-or-less) by a coherent vision of the gameworld, and then the players explore that world using their PC as the vehicles. Whereas in my preferred approach, the GM places elements in the gameworld driven (more-or-less) by a desire to engage those concerns that the players have revealed through their PC building and their previous play. In both approaches the GM has responsibility for placing the main game elements. In both approaches the players make choices that are affirmed. But the logic that governs the GM's work is different in each approach. Sandbox GMing is (roughly) worldbuilding. My sort of GMing is (roughly) situation building. I don't think either is a railroad under any (old or new) use of that term. [/QUOTE]

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