Sandboxes, Railroading and Illusionism in RPGs

RPGPundit · March 21, 2025, 05:53:22 PM

Quote from: tenbones on March 20, 2025, 05:39:02 PM
Quote from: RPGPundit on March 19, 2025, 04:18:08 AMThe only REAL way to let go is to run the game as a Clockmaker God. The players aren't would-be authors, you aren't a would-be author. Instead, you are allowing the world to create itself.

This is the way. Learning to run your games this way takes time. Everyone is arguing what "is a railroad" vs. "linear adventures" - but they're all moving goalposts because as a GM you end up falling into all of these relative traps learning through trial and error (and hopefully advice) which eventually, if you stick it out, end up running it like a Clockmaker.

Well, it takes a bit more time BEFORE the campaign starts. If you set things up properly before the campaign, and you have a good set of random generators at your disposal, you can manage to handle the "clockmaker god" role very easily in actual play.

zircher · March 22, 2025, 03:40:17 PM

I think the biggest advantage to sandbox play is that the GM is also engaged, surprised, and flexing their creativity. It is one of the reasons that I gave up early on published adventures. If I do have one, it is to be cannibalized for spare parts and inspiration more than running as is.

RPGPundit · March 23, 2025, 04:24:05 PM

Quote from: zircher on March 22, 2025, 03:40:17 PMI think the biggest advantage to sandbox play is that the GM is also engaged, surprised, and flexing their creativity. It is one of the reasons that I gave up early on published adventures. If I do have one, it is to be cannibalized for spare parts and inspiration more than running as is.

Absolutely. I also use adventures mostly for inspiration and spare parts.