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<blockquote data-quote="FireLance" data-source="post: 4994585" data-attributes="member: 3424">If I might interject here for a moment: would it be more accurate to say that as long as the characters still get to make meaningful choices which result in different outcomes, even if all of the outcomes have certain similar elements, it is still a role-playing game?Consider the following (admittedly fairly contrived) scenario: the characters are chasing after a fleeing villian when they come across a group of farmers menaced by a band of hobgoblins. The players could choose to ignore the farmers' plight and continue to chase after the villain, in which case they are likely to capture him after a hard fight, or they can stop to help the farmers, in which case the villian will escape them. However, the DM has decided that if the villain escapes from the PCs, he will encounter another group of bounty hunters who will capture him instead. Further assume that the players are experienced enough to know that they have no real chance of success if they split the party in order to pursue both objectives, so they must effectively choose between helping the farmers or continuing to pursue the villian. Now, in both cases, the villian is captured. The only difference is who does the capturing. Is this still a role-playing game?Now add a further twist: if the players decide to continue pursuing the villian, a mounted patrol of guardsmen come by shortly after they leave the scene and saves the farmers so that even that outcome remains unchanged regardless of the players' choice. Effectively, the players' choice becomes whether they want to be known as the heroes who captured the villian or the heroes who saved the farmers. Is this still a role-playing game?</blockquote>

[QUOTE="FireLance, post: 4994585, member: 3424"] If I might interject here for a moment: would it be more accurate to say that as long as the characters still get to make meaningful choices which result in different outcomes, even if all of the outcomes have certain similar elements, it is still a role-playing game? Consider the following (admittedly fairly contrived) scenario: the characters are chasing after a fleeing villian when they come across a group of farmers menaced by a band of hobgoblins. The players could choose to ignore the farmers' plight and continue to chase after the villain, in which case they are likely to capture him after a hard fight, or they can stop to help the farmers, in which case the villian will escape them. However, the DM has decided that if the villain escapes from the PCs, he will encounter another group of bounty hunters who will capture him instead. Further assume that the players are experienced enough to know that they have no real chance of success if they split the party in order to pursue both objectives, so they must effectively choose between helping the farmers or continuing to pursue the villian. Now, in both cases, the villian is captured. The only difference is who does the capturing. Is this still a role-playing game? Now add a further twist: if the players decide to continue pursuing the villian, a mounted patrol of guardsmen come by shortly after they leave the scene and saves the farmers so that even that outcome remains unchanged regardless of the players' choice. Effectively, the players' choice becomes whether they want to be known as the heroes who captured the villian or the heroes who saved the farmers. Is this still a role-playing game? [/QUOTE]

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