Mr. Young exaggerates, but not by much - but that's not an argument against world-building, more an injunction to think about broad structure and logic of the world more than minutae, because without those, when the players veer off the map you have absolutely nothing to fall back on. Further, it's worth developing some of the serious powers of the setting to decide what's going to clobber the players when they do stupid things. World-build for the unexpected.
Why Worldbuilding is Bad II
- Thread starter FireLance
- Start date
Mr Young is only stating a specific facet of a far more general principle - the players will do as they wish, not as the DM wishes.
Players will dodge the things you prep, avoid areas of the world you detailed, nimbly dodge or ignore the tasty plot hooks you dangle in front of them. They'll find ways through encounters you didn't consider, bypass traps with unforeseen yet simple plans. In general, they'll make your life as a DM difficult by not following a script.
It is all their fault, I tell you!
Players will dodge the things you prep, avoid areas of the world you detailed, nimbly dodge or ignore the tasty plot hooks you dangle in front of them. They'll find ways through encounters you didn't consider, bypass traps with unforeseen yet simple plans. In general, they'll make your life as a DM difficult by not following a script.
It is all their fault, I tell you!
punkorange
First Post
Wow, maybe the game would be more fun as a DM without the players? Or maybe we could get someone to write some AI players 
I agree though, it's best to get an overall theme for your setting so that when players leave your carefully mapped region, and they will, you'll have a theme to continue beyond it's borders.
I agree though, it's best to get an overall theme for your setting so that when players leave your carefully mapped region, and they will, you'll have a theme to continue beyond it's borders.
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