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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Vyvyan Basterd" data-source="post: 5008128" data-attributes="member: 4892">I don't mean that you should exclude other elements and only play to your strengths. But you should be aware of your strengths as that will help you present a fun game. Those other elements, if still included, will potentially become strengths over time.My strong suit is accounting, but I also like to sing. I'm not going to put my family's financial future at risk by quitting my job and starting a rock band.I've experimented over my many years of DMing various groups with different place on the sliding scale. You have to "take risks" and explore other elements to determine where your strengths lie in the first place. Some examples:One player REALLY wanted a completely open sandbox and was vocal enough to convince me and his fellow players to give that end of the scale a go. We even switched from our old favorite Greyhawk to the Realms at his request. I seeded the group with dozens on sites and rumors to entice them in choosing from anything and everything the Realms had to offer. What did they do? They (meaning the mostly silent group led by the vocal sandbox player) ignoring every interesting aspect of the Realms, every plot seed, and even their own backgrounds to wander through the wilderness looking for random encounters. When everyone made it perfectly clear that they had no clue what they wanted to do and that they were bored with sandbox player's seeming lack of purpose they demanded he figure out what they should do. Next stop? Undermountain. If you just wanted to play Undermountain, why not say so instead of saying you wanted a sandbox?I asked my current players to write personal "Quest Cards" for a new 4E campaign. The result was less than resounding. They didn't want the burden on developing plot. They don't want a sandbox. Took a risk and it fell flat. Players and DMs need a game they enjoy first and foremost without forcing a risk of something they don't enjoy.I used the term story and I regret it. I had a feeling it would result in this response from somebody. IMO, a Roleplaying Game always results in a story. I didn't mean you should play out a pre-determined story, but instead that the adventures your characters embark upon become a story in their own right. No matter where you fall on the sliding scale you end up with a story.</blockquote>

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