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<blockquote data-quote="timbannock" data-source="post: 4628187" data-attributes="member: 17913">So true.&nbsp; Players witnessing events is bad news.I've DM'd for 20+ years and I've run railroads and open-ended stories alike.&nbsp; It wasn't until recently though that I did a session with pre-made characters -- i.e., I made the character's backgrounds and connections, the players just added gender, name and age.It was supposed to be a little railroady at first, but then totally open-ended.But the railroad was obvious.&nbsp; I dragged them from scene to scene and they witnessed a lot of cool stuff in my mind...but to them, it was just watching and occasionally reacting, not acting.The story was well-plotted, had all sorts of stuff going for it.&nbsp; But the pacing and the fact that I started with a railroad killed it.&nbsp; We never got to a second session with it.So yeah, if there's a railroad, make it transparent, and be prepared to cut it out if it's not working.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="timbannock, post: 4628187, member: 17913"] So true. Players witnessing events is bad news. I've DM'd for 20+ years and I've run railroads and open-ended stories alike. It wasn't until recently though that I did a session with pre-made characters -- i.e., I made the character's backgrounds and connections, the players just added gender, name and age. It was supposed to be a little railroady at first, but then totally open-ended. But the railroad was obvious. I dragged them from scene to scene and they witnessed a lot of cool stuff in my mind...but to them, it was just watching and occasionally reacting, not acting. The story was well-plotted, had all sorts of stuff going for it. But the pacing and the fact that I started with a railroad killed it. We never got to a second session with it. So yeah, if there's a railroad, make it transparent, and be prepared to cut it out if it's not working. [/QUOTE]

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