Quote from: Eric Diaz on December 09, 2022, 09:07:08 AM
Illusionism is a tool for railroading, IMO, and I do agree it is worse than railroading, since players can agree with railroading but illusionism (which requires they do not know the illusion):

https://methodsetmadness.blogspot.com/2022/01/improvisation-railroading-illusionism.html

I also agree there is a big gray area, which is why I think railroading happens in specific MOMENTS ("the monster hit you for... uh... 4 damage. You're still standing, right?"), not entire adventures or plots.

However, I'm curious to hear your definition of railroading, since you disagree with that one.

(This feels like an endless subject, but very interesting to me).

I think railroading, like obscenity, isn't subject to a precise definition that will clearly say X is across the line and Y is not.  It's more of a "no it when you see it" thing, because it is so dependent on the surrounding context. 

Quote from: S'mon on December 11, 2022, 03:02:58 AM
I have very general planned events like "the frost giants will attack over winter", but I normally leave the results of events to die rolls, typically a d6. I definitely try to avoid "Lord X will be assassinated by Y" type stuff, but I might have "Y will try to assassinate Lord X", then set a chance of success on d6, and roll when it comes up. I find this gives a much better feel of a living world and helps avoid the setting feel like a film set.

Totally agree with all of it.

Quote from: jan paparazzi on December 09, 2022, 01:29:38 PM

Quote from: Angry Goblin on December 09, 2022, 02:41:43 AM
I used to play urban horror campaign for years and the GM clearly had something in the sleeve already designed along with letting the players to
fool around in whatever direction they wanted and improvising those, so IMO it should work whichever the setting.

And if they take the subway from downtown to the harbor district?


Edit: I meant about not letting your players reach their destination untill next session. That seems pretty off in a modern urban horror setting.

We tend to conclude the session when something "major" happens, going to harbor district might be like that, if there is something important happening.
I try to end all sessions to a cliffhanger if possible and also try not to start new scenes (if compared to movies or tv-shows) when there is not enough time in the session left to play it through. For example, I wont start a party among noblemen when we have 30 mins left before we need to conclude the session and likely stop just before that and start the next session from the party. If whatever happens it is just a routine change of scenery, then there´s no problem letting the players do what they want and go where they want. Then it´s not so much restriction, more like postponing to keep up either tension or immersion up.

Quote from: S'mon on December 11, 2022, 03:02:58 AM
I have very general planned events like "the frost giants will attack over winter", but I normally leave the results of events to die rolls, typically a d6. I definitely try to avoid "Lord X will be assassinated by Y" type stuff, but I might have "Y will try to assassinate Lord X", then set a chance of success on d6, and roll when it comes up. I find this gives a much better feel of a living world and helps avoid the setting feel like a film set.

100%

Quote from: Angry Goblin on December 12, 2022, 02:01:53 AM
We tend to conclude the session when something "major" happens, going to harbor district might be like that, if there is something important happening.
I try to end all sessions to a cliffhanger if possible and also try not to start new scenes (if compared to movies or tv-shows) when there is not enough time in the session left to play it through. For example, I wont start a party among noblemen when we have 30 mins left before we need to conclude the session and likely stop just before that and start the next session from the party. If whatever happens it is just a routine change of scenery, then there´s no problem letting the players do what they want and go where they want. Then it´s not so much restriction, more like postponing to keep up either tension or immersion up.

Yeah, I get it. Awesome! 

What's the setting about? Lot's of cults, demons, witchcraft and hauntings?

The original AD&D Oriental Adventures has some nice tables to set up future events a year ahead monthly events.

These are nice to give the world the feeling that everything doesn't center on the adventurers and it allows me foreshadow some things. Of course I am willing to let the players derail some events, but not all.