this post was submitted on 19 Jan 2025
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To railroad or not to railroad? (ttrpg.network)
submitted 1 day ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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User Monomyth posed an interesting question on the Traveller discord that I wanted to replicate here:

hi team, just a quick discussion based question with no right answer; if youre running a game, and the players decide to veer off course into something completely out of left field (such as going to a planet you do not have prepped), is it appropriate to come up with some "delaying issue" so you can have it ready for next session?

Transposing to other settings: what do you do when the players go off-script?

I can summarize some answers we’ve got on that server, but I don’t want to prime your answers from the start.

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 hours ago

Traveller Discord?

As the others have said, I just straight talk with my players. I don't mind if they take a different direction and I honestly enjoy when they take the initiative to do what they want. I don't try to force them back onto the railroad track, but I will save bits of whatever they would have encountered for later (especially if I've already prepped it!).

If, however, they are taking that exit because I gave them the wrong directions, I will try to get them back on track. I don't consider this railroading, but nudging them in a direction. My players are willing participants in the adventure, but they don't always pick up subtle clues. If they need some more-obvious direction, I try my best to do that without taking away their freedom of choice.