Nyuk nyuk nyuk!

Shoulda worn the goggles....

Quote from: droogNyuk nyuk nyuk!

Shoulda worn the goggles....

Ya think those'll save ya, huh?

Long, long ago, when I first tried to run a game at a con, I wish I'd known of this rule and used it.

I see this as best used when time is of the essence, such as a convention game and recommend it for them most of all.

Quote from: rumbleIf you're trying to run a mystery, or a horror scenario, how are you supposed to indulge false leads and dead ends with this law in place?

Dead Ends and False Leads actually DO lead somewhere, in those kinds of games.  That is to say, they serve a purpose.
I'm talking about indulging the players in attempting things that serve NO purpose.

RPGPundit

Quote from: RPGPunditDead Ends and False Leads actually DO lead somewhere, in those kinds of games.  That is to say, they serve a purpose.
I'm talking about indulging the players in attempting things that serve NO purpose.

What I find odd about these discussions is the underlying assumption that the players in general are in the habit of suggesting absolutely pointless things. Perhaps it's just a matter of being very lucky when it comes to putting together a group, but I've always taken it for granted that my players have something particular in mind during play, some actual purpose for their characters to pursue, and that completely ignoring that would be equivalent to staying home to beat your head against the wall when you've already made plans to go out and have fun with your friends. And even if they do temporarily drift away from any concerns which really should require their attention, it's easy enough to drop little hints along the way so as to remind them of what's going on elsewhere while they are loitering, or to link whatever it is that they are doing to those events more directly.

This advice should be redundant with a really good group.  There will be an unstated understanding of what is, and is not, acceptable, and furthermore a good group would mean nobody is interested in random, nonsensical actions.  Unless of course, that's the whole point of your game.