Re: Talking about psychopaths in Traveler (and TFT)

["Tom Ellis" <trellis66@verizon.net>]

I was lucky to play with mostly mature individuals, more or less.  Still, I
had my share of incidents.  Most of the Traveler campaigns I ran were fairly
hardcore.  Death was quite possible if someone did stupid things.  There
were NPCs every bit as skilled and dangerous as the PCs.  It's also the
nature of the game.  As has been noted the rules favor mercenary or even
illegal behavior.

When I did one on one character generation it also helped to help the player
work out a good strong backstory and basic personality type.  I suppose in a
way that was a loose analog to alignment in D&D.  I wasn't above penalizing
characters in subtle ways when the player was acting out.  

I did have one group that I made go dry (no alcohol) for a month of games
because two of them liked to shoot up places when they were drinking.
Still, I have a hard time condemning that since it was usually in a bar (in
game that is).   

I actually found that a private aside with the player is a great way to curb
behavior that ultimately impacts everyone's fun.  'We are all friends here
playing a game.  Stop being a $#@!"

All that rambling being said, I've also run games in not just Traveler but
in other systems where one player would roleplay a psycho and when done
right with the right other players it can be a blast.

"I thought it was your turn to watch him! Look at all that blood!!"

"Crap...sorry my brother.  Come, we must find him and get out of town."

"*SIGH* Yes.  Again."


Regards,
Tom

-----Original Message-----
From: tft-owner@brainiac.com [mailto:tft-owner@brainiac.com] On Behalf Of
Rick Smith
Sent: Wednesday, October 26, 2016 7:38 PM
To: tft@brainiac.com
Subject: Talking about psychopaths in Traveler (and TFT)

Hi Tom,
  If it is rpg game related, or even game related, no one will mind.
 
  I like picking descriptive subject lines.  It make it easier to skip those
that don't interest people.

  I was in a pbem rpg, (using TFT rules) and a couple of new players were
bored with a touchy negotiation with an enemy (representatives of a crime
lord we had been fighting).  So they attacked them.

  They said that they were just playing in character because they had the
berserk talent.

  So I kicked them out of the party.  They were so mad that they quit the
campaign.

  :-/

  Warm regards, Rick.
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