General What's Your Payoff?
- Thread starter kilemall
- Start date
Pretty much this. I've spent more time playing AT Traveller than actual playing, but with my odd time constraints (starting a masters at mid-50s is an bold choice, or in Apple's view, a courageous choice [meaning this was not a good idea perhaps!]) so when I ref, I get to create entire worlds. And as witness, my various world write-up are the results of getting to play.
I would like to actually play as well at some point in a face to face game, but in the meantime, the rare refereeing is still just fun.
And now I've got the itch again - I'll have to see if I can squeeze in the time somehow to start a new game! Darn you!
ShawnDriscoll
SOC-14 1K
Teaching new players how they can be Referees for games that they run.
This. The tree doesn't really fall if no one is around to hear it.
Murder.
Death.
Kill.
:rofl:
Death.
Kill.
:rofl:
- It's fun. It's social. It's a reason to get together with friends.
- Because not a single person in the two games I referee had ever heard of Traveller before I I asked if they wanted to play.
- To exercise my creativity, not only in story telling and world building, but in programming as well.
- To improve my organizational skills.
- To meet new people.
And what's the payoff in playing RPGs (as player or referee) or, for what's worth, in playing in general?
Fun, social relations, learing (as you always learn something)...
I started the PbP game here as a "thank you" to atpollard for running his game. I limited the scope to just two people, one of whom I knew personally.
As we've discussed elsewhere, there are lots of playing styles for Traveller. Mine, as DM, is "Here's the environment and here are some things going on. What do you do?" As the game progresses the player(s) show interest in various aspects of the environment. I have my "big picture" thing going on in the back of my mind and then develop the environment in the places the players are showing interest.
What winds up happening is that I mentally create stories for the player(s) to encounter. I'm never quite sure who enjoys the stories more, me or them. In some ways it's like enjoying CharGen; you throw out a few NPCs. For some reason the PC thinks one or more of them are important. Then you go build the backstory for that NPC.
Because of this Play By Post suits me nicely. I have time to enjoy the environment and NPC creation. Sometimes the NPCs take on a life of their own. Sometimes the NPC story starts months before the PC meets the character.
As we've discussed elsewhere, there are lots of playing styles for Traveller. Mine, as DM, is "Here's the environment and here are some things going on. What do you do?" As the game progresses the player(s) show interest in various aspects of the environment. I have my "big picture" thing going on in the back of my mind and then develop the environment in the places the players are showing interest.
What winds up happening is that I mentally create stories for the player(s) to encounter. I'm never quite sure who enjoys the stories more, me or them. In some ways it's like enjoying CharGen; you throw out a few NPCs. For some reason the PC thinks one or more of them are important. Then you go build the backstory for that NPC.
Because of this Play By Post suits me nicely. I have time to enjoy the environment and NPC creation. Sometimes the NPCs take on a life of their own. Sometimes the NPC story starts months before the PC meets the character.
To act as host to the players, providing them with an evening's entertainment.
I get to play Traveller.
Keklas Rekobah
SOC-14 1K
Somewhere, perhaps in a parallel universe...
Kilemall: "What is your payoff in playing the role of Referee?"
Traveller Player/Referee: "Open space, a fleet ship, cargo in your hold, and starlight in your eyes."
Kilemall: "Wrong! Keklas, what is your payoff in playing the role of Referee?"
Keklas Rekobah: "To challenge your friends, see them playing before you, and to hear the lamentations of their characters."
Kilemall: "Hao! Dai ye! That is good!"
(With apologies to Kilemall, Genghis Khan, and Conan the Barbarian.)
Kilemall: "What is your payoff in playing the role of Referee?"
Traveller Player/Referee: "Open space, a fleet ship, cargo in your hold, and starlight in your eyes."
Kilemall: "Wrong! Keklas, what is your payoff in playing the role of Referee?"
Keklas Rekobah: "To challenge your friends, see them playing before you, and to hear the lamentations of their characters."
Kilemall: "Hao! Dai ye! That is good!"
(With apologies to Kilemall, Genghis Khan, and Conan the Barbarian.)
Works for me! :rofl::rofl:
Specifically in being the Ref - I get more direct control over how enjoyable things are. Certainly for me, but if I do my homework and pay attention I know what makes it fun for my players as well.
I definitely enjoy being a player... but lots of times I feel that old adage "if you want something done well, do it yourself."
I definitely enjoy being a player... but lots of times I feel that old adage "if you want something done well, do it yourself."
I'm a fan of this guy's vids, and where I thought of posting the link in the Starship section, I believe this video is more fitting for this thread;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKfU7S1wr30
Charles.Darney
SOC-10
I just started running my first game of Traveller in 30 years or so.
Aside from what was already stated (primarily being able to play Traveller), I get a huge dose of enjoyment when my players take the reigns and start to actually direct the game, going in directions I never anticipated. Because that tells me that I have succeeded in drawing them into the universe, not just the adventure I've written.
We're not there yet (only had one session so far), but I'm hoping this game goes that way.
Aside from what was already stated (primarily being able to play Traveller), I get a huge dose of enjoyment when my players take the reigns and start to actually direct the game, going in directions I never anticipated. Because that tells me that I have succeeded in drawing them into the universe, not just the adventure I've written.
We're not there yet (only had one session so far), but I'm hoping this game goes that way.
That is one of my favorite things, even if most of the stuff never really gets used. It is just a way to express my creativity and build worlds to share (after all, at its heart all role playing games are just a codified way of playing make believe, and I want to believe in Alsan, Droyne and Vargr, oh my!)
Enoki
SOC-14 1K
I like to go outside on a clear night and wonder what it would be like if we could visit every star in the sky and there was something like a Traveller universe out there...
Similar threads
