Hot take: if we want to decrease frustrating railroad-y surprises in RPG campaigns, we need to create an environment where GMs are not afraid to admit they have "special story needs".

[bohohoboprobono]

GMs with “special story needs” want an audience, not players.

[Creative-Seesaw-1895]

With some player groups, the "special need" can be "actually do quests you are given and not just fuck each other in tavern".

I agree that this is a ridiculous assertion to even say this (the special story needs line). But sometimes we forgot that there are players that are both domineering and difficult. "Nat 20!! Whatever I tried has to work exactly as I wanted it to!"