Editing Railroading

'''Railroading''' is a pejorative term for techniques used by a GM to coerce the game to follow a particular plot irrespective of the actions of the PCs.  The term is drawn from the metaphor of a train which can follow only the track laid out for it in advance, without deviation.

Different forms of railroading include:

*  Outright stating that a character has taken a certain action in the time prior to the start of the adventure, or in the time between the previous adventure and the current one ("on your way, you helped out an old man...");

*  Manipulating situations such that only one action is available, or the choice of action is obvious;

*  Creating situations where the PCs choices are meaningless ("you have no map and no knowledge, do you go left or right?  (You get to the same room either way)");

*  Arranging situations such that a particular event or consequence occurs regardless of the PCs actions ("No matter what the PCs do, Doctor Devious escapes..");

Most groups believe that at least some level of railroading is essential for the game to run coherently, while others strive to eliminate it completely from the roleplaying experience.