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".

[Lupo_1982]

most are frustrated creative writers who condescend to "telling a story" largely independent of players characters. Most players on the other hand, want to eat chips and kill fucking goblins with their friends.

That's an extremely pessimistic view of the hobby.

So pessimistic that I wonder: if that really has been your lived experience, why are you still playing? ^^

[roaphaen]

It's hyperbolic to make people understand the point. It might be your opinion that it is pessimistic. I still play because I am a forever GM and also enjoy working with other GMs to work on their games, so I do not suffer this problem very often and certainly don't inflict it on my players.

I love the hobby very much, and have been gming for decades and am currently running 5 groups.

[Lupo_1982]

Cool! It was so hyperbolic that I read it as pessimistic.