Yes, but...

The "Say yes" style of GMing. DavidG writes:

There are really five ways to answer a question, only one of them is "no" (but one of them is worse than "no")

Yes - this is the most boring answer. You should hardly ever use it.

"Can I have a lightsabre?" "Yes."

No - this answer is also kind of boring, but sometimes you just gotta.

"Can I have a lightsabre?" "No."

No, but - this answer is pretty good at keeping things moving.

"Can I have a lightsabre?" "No, but you can have a journal from a former Jedi Master. Clues contained therein might lead you to the place of his final battle with Darth Plotdevice, where his lightsabre may have fallen."

No, and furthermore - this one is nasty, use with great care.

"Can I have a lightsabre?" "No, and furthermore, you are being hunted by the bounty hunters loyal to Darth Plotdevice for just asking around about one."

Yes, and furthermore - this one is usually a bad idea, but your players will like you.

"Can I have a lightsabre?" "Yes, and furthermore, you also have a Jedi Holicron."

Yes, but - this is where the money is for the "never say no" style of gaming.

"Can I have a lightsabre?" "Yes, but it's non-functional. The crystal is shattered. You can harvest more on the moon of NextEncounter in the My Plot is Over Here system."

Or "Yes, but you're being hunted by Darth Plotdevice because one of his agents recognized it, and he suspects you're a Jedi."

Or "Yes, but you have not yet attuned to it. Oh, you've never heard of needing to attune to a lightsabre? That's because this is a SPECIAL lightsabre." (evil grin)

The trick is to try to say yes, without giving out blank checks. At some point, the players have to accept responsibility for making their additions to the game fun.

"Can I have a lightsabre? and the plans to the deathstar? and the way to defeat Darth Vader? and to avoid the bountyhunters? and..." eventually leads to a story that goes:

"Once upon a time, there were some people so powerful that nothing bad ever happened to them, and because I don't have much fun as GM if nothing bad can ever happen, we're going to play a different game."

David G.

Very good advice. I've tried to follow it, with mixed success.

Also, What I learned to do/not do as a GM