As a GM or player, what do you love or hate about the actual playing of Traveller? This can be anything from minor rule hangups to player types you don't get along with or GM styles you'd rather avoid.
As a referee, I lovelovelove most of my players, and am constantly amazed by their ingenuity and ability to think on their feet. They're also very open to me taking them aside and adding/changing plot hooks, and feel they can come to me with suggestions about their characters and the game. I have a very interactive group experience that almost feels like a family. <3
Things I hate goes in list form.
- Players who don't understand that OTU is not MTU. I make substantial changes to the setting and canon, and one of my players has a background in heavily-houseruled CT. Roughly thrice per session we will get into it about planetary details, tech levels, and more recently mortgages (the previous ref changed the price of ships by a couple decimal points). He's getting better, though.
- Munchkins. Traveller is hard to Munchkin, but some people still try. I demo games at my FLGS, and that's where I have the biggest problem. I really tone down my Angry GM when I'm demoing, so I let a lot of little things slide if it means the players have more fun. However, I've had players complain when I wouldn't let them train three skills at once by taking stims (seriously), when I wouldn't allow them a chance to test for psionics whenever they met a Zhodani, and when I pointed out that stomping around the J-drive in magnetic boots DURING JUMP was not the smartest idea. I get that it's a demo, but that means I need to accurately represent the rules, guys. The players are otherwise lovely, these requests just made me /facepalm.
- Players who are afraid to think outside the box. I get the World's Most Popular RPG(tm) has a specific skill for everything, but That Game is not Traveller. Nothing makes me happier than seeing someone ask to use Soc with Gun Combat or Art (Vilani Epic) with Dex and being able to justify it. (The reverse doubles as a LOVE for my players.)
- SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP DON'T MAKE ME TELL YOU AGAIN, I SWEAR TO GOD I WILL TURN THIS GAME AROUND DON'T MAKE ME COME BACK THERE. *Ahem* My players like to socialize if I'm not paying attention to them rightfrakkingnow. They're better now, but chargen took three six-hour sessions.
As a referee, I lovelovelove most of my players, and am constantly amazed by their ingenuity and ability to think on their feet. They're also very open to me taking them aside and adding/changing plot hooks, and feel they can come to me with suggestions about their characters and the game. I have a very interactive group experience that almost feels like a family. <3
Things I hate goes in list form.
- Players who don't understand that OTU is not MTU. I make substantial changes to the setting and canon, and one of my players has a background in heavily-houseruled CT. Roughly thrice per session we will get into it about planetary details, tech levels, and more recently mortgages (the previous ref changed the price of ships by a couple decimal points). He's getting better, though.
- Munchkins. Traveller is hard to Munchkin, but some people still try. I demo games at my FLGS, and that's where I have the biggest problem. I really tone down my Angry GM when I'm demoing, so I let a lot of little things slide if it means the players have more fun. However, I've had players complain when I wouldn't let them train three skills at once by taking stims (seriously), when I wouldn't allow them a chance to test for psionics whenever they met a Zhodani, and when I pointed out that stomping around the J-drive in magnetic boots DURING JUMP was not the smartest idea. I get that it's a demo, but that means I need to accurately represent the rules, guys. The players are otherwise lovely, these requests just made me /facepalm.
- Players who are afraid to think outside the box. I get the World's Most Popular RPG(tm) has a specific skill for everything, but That Game is not Traveller. Nothing makes me happier than seeing someone ask to use Soc with Gun Combat or Art (Vilani Epic) with Dex and being able to justify it. (The reverse doubles as a LOVE for my players.)
- SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP DON'T MAKE ME TELL YOU AGAIN, I SWEAR TO GOD I WILL TURN THIS GAME AROUND DON'T MAKE ME COME BACK THERE. *Ahem* My players like to socialize if I'm not paying attention to them rightfrakkingnow. They're better now, but chargen took three six-hour sessions.
