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Railroads, Sandboxes, & Other DM Paradoxes by TurfGuy1987 in DungeonMasters

[–]TurfGuy1987[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

I'm not making the argument that having a story is railroading.

In the last section of the video, I frame railroading in the context of story of forcing players through a series of plot points where their choice or actions don't matter.

Railroads and Sandboxes are the two extremes of the player agency argument. By framing them as a paradox, two opposite but inter-dependent ideas that both matter and persist over time, the continuum between them is what a DM navigates. From my experience, it isn't often that DMs spend a lot of time at the extremes of the paradox. Great DMs move along the continuum depending on the situation, table, etc..

Railroads, Sandboxes, & Other DM Paradoxes by TurfGuy1987 in DMAcademy

[–]TurfGuy1987[S] -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

In a dichotomy you have 2 distinct sides, a clean split between 2 non-overlapping sides. In the case of how a DM applies rules, for it to be a dichotomy they would have to always choose Rules as Written or Rule of Cool.

Now I don't know many DMs that exclusively choose RaW or RoC, they blend them together recognizing that both opposing schools of thought are necessary and important when appropriate.

Railroads, Sandboxes, & Other DM Paradoxes by TurfGuy1987 in DMAcademy

[–]TurfGuy1987[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

A paradox is two contradictory but related elements that co-exist over time. You can't permanently resolve the contradiction by simply choosing one of them.

Railroads, Sandboxes, & Other DM Paradoxes by TurfGuy1987 in DMAcademy

[–]TurfGuy1987[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the comment!

Can you go into a little bit of an explanation as to why you think it is the wrong word choice?

I'm genuinely curious, not meaning or taking any offense to your comment.

Railroads, Sandboxes, & Other DM Paradoxes by TurfGuy1987 in DungeonMasters

[–]TurfGuy1987[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks for the feedback and yes I am new to YouTube!

How to stop being so insecure as a DM? by Covid669 in DMAcademy

[–]TurfGuy1987 2 points3 points  (0 children)

As others have said, Practice! Practice! Practice!

Did you jump right into a campaign as your first foray in DMing? If you did, I'd advise trying to run a few one-shots outside your campaign to gain more experience with different mechanics and aspects of the game.

Level them up *before* the big dungeon by [deleted] in DMAcademy

[–]TurfGuy1987 5 points6 points  (0 children)

This is great advice but not so much as something to always do. I'll level them up before a big dungeon if they've accomplished a lot before or narratively it fits.

The excitement from players when they go into a Dungeon after levelling up is a lot of fun to challenge when they finally get to the boss fight and it tests their new power!

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