The Plan

Robert Zemeckis said it best when he said, "I like to let the heroes work up an elaborate plan first, then I make sure anything and everything that can possibly go wrong goes wrong."  I bring this up because my players like to plan.  Out loud.  While I'm within ear shot.  (insert evil laugh here)

 "No, this plan is brilliant, please continue...  I'm listening..."

As they plan their next move, I'm carefully and quietly doing the "anti-plan" in my head, figuring out all the cinematic and exciting ways I can make everything go wrong.  Now while that may seem counterproductive or even frustrating for the players, it's actually what helps transform an otherwise simple board game into an action-adventure epic.  Let's face it, if everything went exactly the way the players planned it, it'd be pretty straight forward (and kinda boring after a while).  A good story needs conflict.  And it's so much more fun when the players have to think quick on their feet.  It's why they still plan out loud even though they've caught on to my dastardly ways.  It's advantageous for me too because it helps me fill in the gaps of the story.  

 "I can honestly say I did not see this coming.  Still, good plan though."

There are times when the whole "planning process" becomes so elaborate that it consumes most of the campaign session, and that drives me nuts!  I remember once while running a game of Shadowrun, the heroes had caught a breather after running for their lives in a safe house and began planning their next move.  And planning.  And PLANNING.  Holy crap, this was the most complex plan in the long sad history of crappy plans and it just kept going.  It went away from role playing in character into player debates on what was scientifically possible (in a world where people can conjure living fire elementals and leap 30 feet in the air).  So I interrupted their talk with a missile.  Yes, a missile.  I sent it streaking towards the safe house, giving them seconds to get the Hell out and start running again.  It was the first time I had to completely squash a plan -- I prefer it when the players actually start their plan and then struggle to reach their goals.  But this was just too much.  I couldn't keep track of what it was they were trying to do anymore.  So -- yeah.  Missile.  Not very subtle, I know, but it got 'em hopping again.

 "Hey, we were talking, damnit!"

I refer back to Star Wars.  Their planning is so wonderfully simple.  Their plan on defeating the Death Star?  Fly at it, shoot it, then fly away.  Great plan!  Took all of 3 minutes to figure that one out.