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<blockquote data-quote="Ourph" data-source="post: 3545722" data-attributes="member: 20239">I think the problem people see with this approach is simply that not having enough information can be just as limiting as having too much.&nbsp; If a DM planned dino themed adventures on an island and all of a sudden the PCs decide to go do X and X is something that the DM hadn't planned on using as an adventure, then it's very likely the DM has nothing prepared to help him handle X.&nbsp; For some DMs that might be OK, but (IME at least) the vast majority of DMs handle the situation by trying to somehow finagle the &quot;story&quot; so that even attempting to do X first requires that the PCs complete adventure #3, which the DM already had prepared.&nbsp; So while the DM had arranged things so that there is a logical reason to do adventure #3, it still means the PCs don't get to do X, like they wanted.For example, let's say X is &quot;building a boat and sailing around the island to map it&quot;.&nbsp; The DM doesn't have the coastline mapped out or any coastal encounters planned because he's planned only &quot;inland&quot; dino encounters.&nbsp; So he rules that building a boat requires the skills of the local native tribe, who just happen to demand the PCs do &quot;Dino-themed Adventure #3&quot; that the DM already had prepared before they'll lend a hand.&nbsp; I'm not saying it's impossible to wing an exploration of the island's coast, but it's not easy and (again IME) the vast majority of DMs shy away from it.&nbsp; So to me at least the idea of eschewing &quot;world-prep&quot; to focus exclusively on &quot;adventure-prep&quot;&nbsp; reminds me of the old adage about failing to plan being the same as planning to fail.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Ourph, post: 3545722, member: 20239"] I think the problem people see with this approach is simply that not having enough information can be just as limiting as having too much. If a DM planned dino themed adventures on an island and all of a sudden the PCs decide to go do X and X is something that the DM hadn't planned on using as an adventure, then it's very likely the DM has nothing prepared to help him handle X. For some DMs that might be OK, but (IME at least) the vast majority of DMs handle the situation by trying to somehow finagle the "story" so that even attempting to do X first requires that the PCs complete adventure #3, which the DM already had prepared. So while the DM had arranged things so that there is a logical reason to do adventure #3, it still means the PCs don't get to do X, like they wanted. For example, let's say X is "building a boat and sailing around the island to map it". The DM doesn't have the coastline mapped out or any coastal encounters planned because he's planned only "inland" dino encounters. So he rules that building a boat requires the skills of the local native tribe, who just happen to demand the PCs do "Dino-themed Adventure #3" that the DM already had prepared before they'll lend a hand. I'm not saying it's impossible to wing an exploration of the island's coast, but it's not easy and (again IME) the vast majority of DMs shy away from it. So to me at least the idea of eschewing "world-prep" to focus exclusively on "adventure-prep" reminds me of the old adage about failing to plan being the same as planning to fail. [/QUOTE]

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