Experience in Traveller

[Dragoner]

Yeah, they're there.

I never liked the concept of experience points in Traveller. It was a design concept for D&D and similar games to reflect your improvement with your weapon over various bad guys and what not, but it seen became the "real game reward" which was never meant to be the case. The game and achieving the goal was the reward, not the exp pts. you earned.

But soon the game became all about killing stuff for experience. Plot, story and general experience suddenly didn't mean a whole lot.

Traveller took a pragmatic approach to the concept, so as not to make it an issue. I like it that way.

Yes, DnD promoted the concept of being "murder hobos" just wandering around and killing stuff, while the deadliness of trav combat made everyone more leery of it; quite the opposite situation.

 

[Riik O'Shae]

That's 'cause your DM is not doing his job.

A competent DM awards experience points for good ideas, good problem solving, good jokes (puns), good team participation, good planning.

Things that aren't just hack and slash.

And if you are really good, the points awarded for roleplay outweigh the points for slaying creatures.

Riik

 

[Dragoner]

That's 'cause your DM is not doing his job.

A competent DM awards experience points for good ideas, good problem solving, good jokes (puns), good team participation, good planning.

Things that aren't just hack and slash.

And if you are really good, the points awarded for roleplay outweigh the points for slaying creatures.

Riik

Sure, the hindsight of how it should have been done 33 years later is very clear, but I didn't know that in 1979.

 

[Shonner]

I find that GMs that hand out XP are really making up for their poor NPC and world development.

 

[Riik O'Shae]

Sure, the hindsight of how it should have been done 33 years later is very clear, but I didn't know that in 1979.

It's what I have done with every game I have ever run, up to and including my current games, both D&D and CT.

Good DM/GM'ing is a learning process. Some folk are born with a natural talent and others put in the time and studies needed to become good.

I have had campaigns last anywhere from a couple of weeks to as long as seven years; same 5 core players with another 5-6 in and out as their jobs, schooling, health allowed them...

Sto lat'

Riik

 

[Riik O'Shae]

I find that GMs that hand out XP are really making up for their poor NPC and world development.

Interesting perspective...

BS, of course.

I utilize the materials produced by the parent game companies as it was meant to be used.

I have more than 600 D&D NPC's to draw from. With CT, I use the material that was thoughtfull provided by Mr. Miller and friends.

Sto lat'

Riik

 

[Dragoner]

It's what I have done with every game I have ever run, up to and including my current games, both D&D and CT.

Good DM/GM'ing is a learning process. Some folk are born with a natural talent and others put in the time and studies needed to become good.

I have had campaigns last anywhere from a couple of weeks to as long as seven years; same 5 core players with another 5-6 in and out as their jobs, schooling, health allowed them...

Sto lat'

Riik

I barely even remember many of the games it was so long ago, my first GM, Dan Lawrence, died some years back, RIP. Though even if it was marathon hack and slash as 12 year olds fueled on like cola, we had fun.

Definitely as I found trav, it was a more mature take on the rpg theme, and an instant favorite. Even when playing DnD or Gamma World or whatever, I'd get chastised for bring trav into the game, as this is so and so, not Traveller! People would even call me Traveller Bob in my gaming group because there were three Bobs.

 

[Shonner]

Once a Traveller, always a Traveller.

Players that start with D&D role-playing almost never play Traveller in their lifetime. So it's important to get RPG players interesting in Traveller first.

 

[Riik O'Shae]

Players that start with D&D role-playing almost never play Traveller in their lifetime. So it's important to get RPG players interesting in Traveller first.

Strange...

I find that many of my newest Traveller players are looking for a more mature RP game to play...

I help them chose Traveller.

Riik

 

[Shonner]

I find that many of my newest Traveller players are looking for a more mature RP game to play.

Define mature.

 

[Garyius2003]

Sure, the hindsight of how it should have been done 33 years later is very clear, but I didn't know that in 1979.

+1

In my defense, The Keep on the Borderlands.

 

[Riik O'Shae]

It is when after an evening spent hacking and slashing your PC's look across the table at you and say, "This isn't fun anymore..."

That's when it is time for you, as the DM, to introduce your players to Traveller.

Riik

 

[Riik O'Shae]

Good Module to start with!

Riik

 

[Garyius2003]

I suspect we were not the first (10,000) players to return to the keep to purchase all the lamp oil after cave one, along with a wagon and bearers for dumping into the chimney holes.

We thought we were so smart.

 

[Riik O'Shae]

My DM, Bob Peterson, had no mercy for PC's that played stupidly...

Everybody rolled up new PC's after the first couple of caves...



Riik

 

[Shonner]

It is when after an evening spent hacking and slashing your PC's look across the table at you and say, "This isn't fun anymore..."

That's when it is time for you, as the DM, to introduce your players to Traveller.

Riik

So do your players hope you are a better GM with Traveller?

 

[Riik O'Shae]

So do your players hope you are a better GM with Traveller?

Hmmm...

Go suck lemons, shonner!

The duration of my campaigns in D&D speak volumes as to the my ability to keep my players entertained.

There just comes a time when you have had enough of something after consuming a steady diet of nothing but D&D...

That's when a break is called for. Traveller is a good break.

Else, why are You here, shonner?

Riik

 

[McPerth]

Once a Traveller, always a Traveller.

Players that start with D&D role-playing almost never play Traveller in their lifetime. So it's important to get RPG players interesting in Traveller first.

I also disagree here, Shonner.

Most of the playres I played Traveller with (mostly MT, some CT) had begun with D&D (some of it with basic D&D, before AD&D reached Barcelona), and we enjoyed both (along with other RPG).

The fact you like one RPG doesn't mean you don't like others (usually you do), as much different as they can be, in theme, concept and game mechanics (while usually the one that is good GM in one game is not the better for another, but that's also a good thing that GMing takes turns, so everyone palys and everyone GMs).

 

[McPerth]

McPerth, you say "instruction allows you to teach (and so, to learn)". Instruction doesn't allow you to learn anything, it allows you to teach. And, it only allows you to teach less than you really know, iirc. But, someone else having instruction allows you to learn.

You're right my phrase whas quite poorly worded, sorry for that.

What I mean is that as Instruction skill allows the instructor to teach a skill level in 6 weeks, it allows skills to be learned in 6 weeks per level, not that if you have instruction skill it allows you to learn.

Hope that clarifies.

 

[Riik O'Shae]

You're right my phrase whas quite poorly worded, sorry for that.

What I mean is that as Instruction skill allows the instructor to teach a skill level in 6 weeks, it allows skills to be learned in 6 weeks per level, not that if you have instruction skill it allows you to learn.

Hope that clarifies.

That runs pretty close to how I was increasing skill levels with my folk. Thanks for making it clearer.

Riik