Quote from: PencilBoy99I definitely buy the "interesting choices" thing, but i'm not sure how to come up with them.

Bren, Steven Mitchell, and Ratman_tf have all given good advice.

I have a simpler one to add to that - give players more information.

The logic behind this is that a lot of scenarios already have choices, but they aren't interesting for the players. A classic is when they have the choice to go right or left in a dungeon. In many dungeons, the players have no idea what is off in each direction - so their choice is arbitrary and uninteresting. On the other hand, if they have information, then this could be a tactical choice. Do they take on the vampire before they have a chance to get worn down - or do they wipe out the ghoul servants first and possibly get more information and resources? The information doesn't have to be complete or perfect, but it should be reliable enough to base decisions on.

There should absolutely be some surprises, but I go as far as trying to make it a rule that the PCs are always better informed than any single NPC they encounter.

As long as you have multiple points to go to, then you have decisions. The key is giving players enough information that those are informed, meaningful choices.

Don't try to create choices beforehand though. The best choices emerge through play.

One way to provoke that is to make play about things the players care for. Usually this comes in the form of stuff they own or have some responsibility over: a fief, a gang, a community, a close NPC, etc. If the game by default don't provide those things, ask for them yourself. Incentive them to create and bring those things to the fore of play, to risk them, wager them. The more they feel like the fiction you're creating together is theirs, the more they will invest. Then you challenge or threaten those things and see what they do.


P.S: some games that do this by default, or at least help you do it..

- Apocalypse Word: the classes/playbooks have stuff they must take care or manage (the Hardholder and his community, the Chopper and his gang, the Operator and his crew, etc) and the GM is supposed to challenge those through play, thus prompting hard choices on the players. The book has golden advice for this playstyle.

- Pendragon: makes players responsible for a whole lot of things by default: their families, fiefs, reputation, the kingdom. Even their passions and personalities. Then the GM challenge those through adventures. Voi là!

- Beyond the Wall: similar to above. Players have a say in creating their community, their history and close NPCs, so they automatically are invested and care for it.

Quote from: Itachi;1082118Don't try to create choices beforehand though. The best choices emerge through play.

I think it's ok to visualise some possibilities, but yes don't try to constrain it to either/or. Create a situation, leave the resolution open.