[RPG] Is it appropriate to disallow the players building the world

dnd-5egroup-dynamicsworld-building

I finally made it to host my first session of DnD.
We had a lot of fun and no one appeared to be one of all these kinds of problem players I read here about every now and then.
All had fun and told me they were satisfied by the way I made the story as DM, so that we just in the same evening took out our agendas to find a date to continue.

That's well so far. But I'm a bit worried about a behavior the players had.

They were describing the world themselves.

For example, when they were looking for cover to hide, when they expected an assault. They told me they are taking cover between the trees to their right side of the path. But they didn't ask me if there are any trees nor did I mention any trees, actually I wasn't even expecting there to be any trees. But as there also was nothing like an assault upcoming I just dropped my version of the area and proceeded with theirs.

This happened a few times1, and I let them go, except one time, when their description was contradicting with something coming up later what they were not aware of yet. That time I told them when they said "We are going to the temple of … in the city" I told them "But there is no temple of … in the city" And the players appeared pretty disappointed to me.

So when we ended the session with a long rest, I told them they spotted a small cave on a lawn which provides cover from behind so a perfect spot to make a camp for a long rest. They started preparing what they had to do, and just wanted to fill their waterskins and fill a pot so they can cook a meal. So they needed water and just discussed with each other (not even including me, the DM into the discussion) the best way to get it is taking it from the stream next to the lawn. So I told them, I allow them to make it this time. But the next time they are going to say "We do x with y which is just right here" instead of asking me "Is there some y around, so we can do x with it?" I'll deny it on principle.
Again they appeared disappointed to me.

TL&DR

So I'm asking, is it appropriate to disallow this?

On the one hand they obviously had a lot of fun in creating this world together in their imagination. And as long it isn't contradicting with any events of adventure there is no reason for not letting do them so (expect if I keep it that way, they will earlier or later be able to assume to be on an important point for the adventure when ever I deny them to change the world as they want it). But on the other hand I (as DM) felt kind of excluded from the game when the players started describing the world to them selves.

So should I just let them go on with describing them the world to them self, as long it isn't contradicting with the adventure? since the players seemed not to like it the 2 times I told them the place actually looks different to what they assume.

Or is the DM under any circumstance expected to be the descriptive part, and in case I'm assuming correct and they don't like that, DnD might not be the correct game?


noteExcept one person (who played just one time before some years ago) we all played for the first time a pen and paper RPG, if this information is useful for something.

1funny was, they expected arrows sticking in dead horses to be poisoned and handled them all time that way. When they captured a goblin and interrogated him about the kind of poison, it made up a funny conversation while the goblin had no idea what poison they are talking about; Since the arrows were not poisoned.

Best Answer

It's ok if it's ok with you.
But from your question I'd say you are not 100% cool with it.

D&D, like many RPGs, boils down to a conversation between the DM/GM/Narrator and the player(s).

The DM describes the scenario.
The player describes what his character does.
(Possibly dice are rolled)
The DM describs the results, how the scenario is changed.

This is in the very first pages of the PHB.

Common things that interfere with this, apparently simple, process:

  • Players not letting the DM finish the initial description. Enthusiasm is good, but they need to understand that if you didn't say 'light' they are in the dark.
  • DM planning too much. Be flexible, players won't do what you expect. Be prepared to be surprised.
  • DM planning too little. Free-styling everything is a myth, very very few people can pull that off effectively.

So, back to your question.
No, the players should not be able to materialize a forest just by saying that it's there. That's your job.
Painting an accurate scene with few words is an important DM skill, you will get better at it. If your players hide a lot, anticipate in your description how easy would that be for them to try.
"You are on a road in the forest. The road is wide enough for two carts to proceed side-by-side. If you stay in the middle you are in the open."
"You are on a path used by wild animals in the forest. You can only proceed in a congo line and the last in line cannot see the first because of vegetation.
Lothar, since you are 6'9" wearing full plate, you have disadvantage on pretty much every action that involves movement."

Same players, same forest, very different situation.

Thing are what you say they are.
Do they need a tree stump to tie a rope? Sure.
Do they need a coal mine? Maybe not.
Do they want to grow a forest? One of them better be an high level druid...

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