On Railroading

Well, I have been railroaded before, and mind you, sometimes it is a necessary evil, but it can be overlooked if it furthers the plot of the campaign.

Now I know of what I speak, because I do in fact work on a railroad, all the live long day, and all rails have divergent tracks. And yes, I have played characters that go "off script" and can occassionally take something away from the game with all the innovation. And I am reminded on occassion as to the focus, and matters at hand as to "the why", the reason why we are doing what we do.

Kill the warlord, rescue the damsel, find the treasure, etc. are all easily remembered goals, and in the field it is usually easy to return to plot, after some "player improvisation".

Plotting that involves mystery of sorts can lend to the meanderings of players. If clues are too simple, players feel insulted if not cheated, and if they are too complicated, frustration can sometimes lead to interesting side plots, or some antipathy between players and GMs alike.

Big city adventures can lead to great nights, usually stemming from PC ideas of "making trouble" and or raising Hell attitudes, and often Players give me great ideas as they speculate as to NPCS, or what is manner of beast is making the grunting noises behind the door. However, some players run amuck and having some idea as to their destination is helpful, but sometime off the cuff kicks ass and all that.

I carrot and stick alot more that railroad. I give em a little, see where they go. I "reintroduce plot" in campaigns to refocus them on moving forward if they are too far off the beaten path with other clues, the shadowing/tailing character who could be friend, foe, or maybe just working for the local thieves guild/mob adding another side plot in need be.

My players hated to be confined, as did I , in fact some prided themselves on being uncontainable, but also whined that they were tired of playing a series of meaningless adventures not connected with a common theme.

"Give em what they want, just not the way they expect it". Bill Goldman said it. It translates to almost everything in life.

Knowing why you are there is great mantra to follow as players, as characters and as GM.