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Filling the Sandbox

There have been a lot of box sets when it comes to the history tabletop games like Dungeons & Dragons. Red boxes, Blue boxes, white boxes, reprints, fan collections, etc. That isn’t the kind of box we’re talking about this time, though. On the surface, roleplaying games may look like the ultimate sandbox: you can do or create anything within the context of the agreed-upon rules. When it comes to actually running your own campaigns, of course, your actual mileage may vary. One key factor in that is the nature of the Game Master's role. Even a seasoned storyteller with years of experience may not have the bandwidth to keep up with a campaign that allows a very wide latitude - this is likely why pre-printed campaigns and adventures remain fairly popular. While we all want to tell our own stories, it's a huge benefit for the GM to have a framework of  pre-made challenges, pre-rolled bad guys, and previously-seasoned flavor text. For those running game, the time savings are immense, and, given IRL schedules, frequently necessary. How, then, can we add a little wide-open sand to the pre-made Box Factory box to make these things just a little more customizable?

The Weave

If you’re looking to get at least a little sandbox sand into your adventures and campaigns, there are plenty of ways to do so - you may even already be doing it, if your particular group uses house/table rules. Even when players know you're starting from something existing, you're likely allowed a little leeway through the types of characters available, and their backstories. Taking the next step, though, requires you to be a little more open... we don’t want to be one of those "Railroading DMs," after all. Even when it seems like you have to keep they players on set tracks, it's easy to allow them some space in the process of getting from points A to B. As you read through your campaign, keep an eye out for opportunities where the players might feel compelled to branch out. You should know your players, and what they expect, well enough, and understand that this won’t incorporate every nook and cranny of the game. Identify those potential branching spots, and then make plans to include that divergence, and as well as how they can get back where they need to be for the story to continue.

The Clock in San Dimas

The big fear when adding sandboxing, though, is just how far off the tracks the players might take you. Are they going to skip an entire chapter of the adventure? Miss a character that will be important to the plot? While those track rails may be set in the book, the train can keep going without them. Remember, the clock in San Dimas is always running. If you feel your group has gone too far from the beaten written path, there's no reason you can’t call the session short to prepare for the changes that have just occurred. Be honest with your players, and let them know that you'll need to do some adjustments before they can continue. If they’re missing an important NPC, think about why that NPC is so important. Could the player characters meet them later, in another part of the story? Or perhaps another NPC could pick up the role they were going to play, as well as information the the skipped NPC was able to provide. There are obviously information sources and actors outside your table’s team, and we can’t be afraid to make those available. It's also important to stop and consider the ramifications of the players skipping sections. What Big Bad Evil Guy plans are they failing to stop when they do so? How will it help that antagonist as we move along in the story? Taking the time to plan that out can allow you a chance to determine a way to guide the players back into the pre-written adventure AND tweak it to allow for deviations.

Allowing the players to play around in a sandbox shouldn’t be a scary thing. After all, that's really what our tabletop games are designed for. Even when it seems like you have a railroading pre-written adventure, you can always open it up by taking notes, planning for deviations, and taking early breaks as needed. Your players may be disappointed if you need some extra time, but they’ll understand. They'd much rather have the room to explore than feel trapped in a train that's potentially driving off a cliff into Shonash Clayton Eastwood Ravine. So put a little sand in your boxed adventure, even if it means a little bit of extra work, you’re still saving yourself from being crushed under the weight of a full sandwormbox. Until next week, enjoy your dice and your tables... whether they're box-shaped or railroads-long.

- A

Send questions, comments, and your favorite white sand and cheese recipes to neversaydice20@gmail.com or tweet us @neversaydice2.

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