Where does the system break down in terms of power level

[Captain Indigo]

I have to agree completely with that. While I'm not currently playing in a DV game (I'm up next as GM in rotations of who runs the game in my group, so hopefully soon),  I'm in two other games a week. And my least favorite is my Saturday game. We have 4-5 PCs there every week, and while I generally like all the characters and the setting is interesting, the GM always gives us leads and then nothing happens. We don't really progress the story or figure things out. Things just resolve as a matter of fact. The only reason I continue is that I like spending the time with my friends whom I wouldn't get to see otherwise due to IRL constraints.

A GM isn't a writer, trying to get people to read his story. Well, not just a writer. He has to be able to engage his players and work with them in a way that lets everyone have a good time. Otherwise, what's the point?

Games like that can be tedious. But does nothing happen in session b/c the GM is trying to keep you on the rails or because he's running a more sandbox style game the players aren't actively driving the story? Lack of story development isn't always the GM's fault.

[Tedronai]

While it's not necessarily the GM's fault, or even (sole) responsibility, they are generally the ones with the most resources available to them to fix such a problem

[Captain Indigo]

True, and my other post wasn't as clear as I meant it to be. I intended a helpful "Take charge of your gaming experience man! Be pro-active!" and it came out more "Hey! Maybe it's your fault! Huh huh? Yeah, you jerk!"

I've been on both sides of the "This gaming is going nowhere," and I'll say it's much harder to get players to step up and be driving forces in the story if they don't want to be, or are unaccustomed to being strong driving forces, than it is to get the GM moving.