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<blockquote data-quote="Janx" data-source="post: 4628207" data-attributes="member: 8835">Dasuul's examples hit it best.&nbsp; The problem wasn't in what the DM planned, it's how the DM reacted to the players going off course.GMing is a balance.&nbsp; Ultimately, everything the PCs do or don't do has consequences.&nbsp; Thus, when the DM initiates a plot, if the PCs don't do anything, the bad guy wins.&nbsp; That's not a railroad.The railroad is when the GM refuses to accept any equally plausible alternative and refuses to let the players attempt it.&nbsp; As Dasuul's example demonstrates it.I don't believe in sandbox games.&nbsp; Oblivion, while a great game, is not realistic to me, because there are no consequences to plots I don't pursue.I believe everything we do is a story, just that some stories are better than others.&nbsp; Therefore, the GM's job is to create a FLEXIBLE story for the players finish.&nbsp; When you're dealing with a good party, it can be fairly easy to predict that they will take up the quest to save the princess.&nbsp; So you write material for that, based on the projected path they will probably take (or a couple paths if you're not sure).The key mistake GMs make, which lead to railroads, happens when the players get a brilliant idea, or notice a hole in the plan, so they want to take a different approach.&nbsp; The GM balks.&nbsp; They freeze and come up with an instant failure to the player's new plan.&nbsp; A good GM pauses, considers, and adjusts the material to fit the new plan.&nbsp; This may mean ENDING the session, so he can reorganize.&nbsp; A lot of GM's don't get that, they think the game must go on.&nbsp; A smart GM sets up a cliff-hanger, and runs, so he can go fix his handiwork.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Janx, post: 4628207, member: 8835"] Dasuul's examples hit it best. The problem wasn't in what the DM planned, it's how the DM reacted to the players going off course. GMing is a balance. Ultimately, everything the PCs do or don't do has consequences. Thus, when the DM initiates a plot, if the PCs don't do anything, the bad guy wins. That's not a railroad. The railroad is when the GM refuses to accept any equally plausible alternative and refuses to let the players attempt it. As Dasuul's example demonstrates it. I don't believe in sandbox games. Oblivion, while a great game, is not realistic to me, because there are no consequences to plots I don't pursue. I believe everything we do is a story, just that some stories are better than others. Therefore, the GM's job is to create a FLEXIBLE story for the players finish. When you're dealing with a good party, it can be fairly easy to predict that they will take up the quest to save the princess. So you write material for that, based on the projected path they will probably take (or a couple paths if you're not sure). The key mistake GMs make, which lead to railroads, happens when the players get a brilliant idea, or notice a hole in the plan, so they want to take a different approach. The GM balks. They freeze and come up with an instant failure to the player's new plan. A good GM pauses, considers, and adjusts the material to fit the new plan. This may mean ENDING the session, so he can reorganize. A lot of GM's don't get that, they think the game must go on. A smart GM sets up a cliff-hanger, and runs, so he can go fix his handiwork. [/QUOTE]

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