Hiding important things from your players.

[Wolfsbane706]

Basically, as a GM, you've already set up how something works in your mind but instead of telling your players, you keep it to yourself so that whenever someone tries to do something about that certain thing, they're no-selled and made to look like an idiot. Personally, I see this as an unnecessary dick move. What do you think?

Ex: >Player tries to get by something with a disguise.
>GM pulls out a fact about the player characters that renders disguises useless.
>Said fact is not actually wtitten down anywhere in the OOC posts.

 

[Jorick]

Depending on what is actually being done, it could be a dick move or it could be fine. If it's something to do with how the world works, for example rules of magic or limits of technology, and the player tries something crazy and then is informed that they failed because that simply isn't possible, then that is fine. Player characters shouldn't be expected to actually know the boundaries of the universe they live in, so it makes sense for them to try and fail sometimes.

The example you gave does indeed feel like a dick move. Seems almost like nonsense pulled out of the GM's ass because they want to kill the disguise idea, not because it was something they already had planned beforehand. Whether or not that is actually the case, the appearance of it to the players is very bad. Nobody wants to feel like their creative problem solving is being blocked simply because the GM wants you to follow a very narrow path they have planned out for them.

 

[Elle Joyner]

I find a lot of times communication is lacking where players and GMs are considered ICly, and for this reason, a lot can be misunderstood or go flat out wrong. This, really, is why you see a lot of RPs die. Something in the OOC breaks down when no one is communicating their thought or ideas, be it the GM or the other folks involved.

It might seem like a crappy move... And it's possible it is, but in the end, as Jorick said, it's much more likely that the GM is acting to preserve a scene they had in mind but that neither party properly communicated this.

I always try to ask my GMs first if I have a plan for a scene and heartily encourage my players to do the same when I GM. Roleplaying is cooperative and GMs should always try to flexible, but it's important to remember that they are ultimately A.) In charge of the story and B.) Responsible for keeping the RP alive. It's a tough and demanding job and the best thing any player can do is be willing to discuss their ideas before they cement them into place!