Getting players into a complex Traveller setting

[Leitz]

When I create a Traveller campaign, something huge and bad is going on. The PCs have agency, and they can stop the big bad thing from happening. How they do it is up to them, and what path they take is also up to them. However, I've run a couple of games here that bombed because I don't know how to get players deeply involved into a new Traveller setting quickly. One player had his character commit suicide right near the one week of play mark. This is one of the reasons I don't run campaigns any more.

In many settings, like Star Wars, Star Trek, Champions, most any fantasy sub-genre, etc, the setting is familiar to the players. Especially when the game has levels and the PCs start low, the amount of world detail can be minimal. But in Traveller, the setting is almost always DM created, and the characters bring a wide variety of experience and background that the players need to know and the DM needs to integrate.

How do you quickly and deeply immerse the players with a shared vision?

[Rex]

It isn't the DM really. The players have to want to play in a game where they need to know that information and be willing to work with the DM to get it. That is a commitment you need to set the expectation for up front and the players need to commit to before play even starts.

[gurusql]

If you are looking for a specific type of play or players it is best to understand that and communicate it in the call for players to see if there is a match. For example you want player to run and understand a lot of material the GM needs to supply that and you need to look for players that are going to read and understand that information.

[TheMyth]

That whole character suicide phenomonen is just... Disturbing. Every time I see a player make that choice, it usually becomes clear they are not worth playing with. I mean, grow a spine and just quit. Or ghost!

Following up on Rex, it might be wise to tailor a task or agenda for each character (with input from the player). Give them a REASON to get involved.

If you set the expectations but they still want to play a game other than the one you are running, then you can either pivot to a different story... or find a way to get them involved (e.g. via a new NPC, a needed resource, using a pre-established contact, etc.)

Edit to add: Or just carry the consequences of the PC inaction into the game. If the Sancuomo Conglomerate is trying to scare all the settlers off of Zeta-12, and the players wanted to make bank off of gunrunning for the settlers instead of espionage to stop the Conglomerate, then make the scare tactic succeed. Now the players have no clients to gunrun for. Let them tell you what they want do, or spin up a few ideas of your own. Maybe the Conglomerate knows they were gunrunning...now what happens?

[Spearmint]

One of the issues I have with Traveller, I played using Mongoose rules but so infrequently that I am admittedly only a novice in the game lore, but 'Player Influence' can be quite limited.

By that I mean, a Spacecraft has one Captain and generally they give all the orders, set the navigation, instigate the actions. Unless you are Captaining a ship, playing a subordinate can be restricting in how you influence the game which is a big factor I think in RPG's. We want our character's actions to matter and have consequence, even on a basic level.

[Hvalreki]

I've had some PBP Traveller experience as a referee and a player. I agree that complete free agency is hard on the referee. Killing off yourself a week in game is kind of a jerk move on the part of the player IMO. Not everyone clicks with every game. They could have just politely bowed out and no harm no foul. There is so much written about the Third Imperium that for a lot of people that is Traveller. However, if you go back to the box it was a generic setting that the referee could use to create whatever Sci-Fi universe they wanted.

I think one way to facilitate immersion (and I'm going to try this out) is get everyone playing the game as soon as possible while excitement is high. It can take literally weeks of real time in PBP to get characters rolled up and actual game play started. I think the best start is try to get characters done quickly (I gave players the option for using the rando generator even) and then just drop them in the game and start interacting and playing the game. Also for me anyway I think using pictures in posts helps a lot with my own immersion. (Inferno was the master of this IMO).

[Leitz]

One of the issues I have with Traveller, I played using Mongoose rules but so infrequently that I am admittedly only a novice in the game lore, but 'Player Influence' can be quite limited.

By that I mean, a Spacecraft has one Captain and generally they give all the orders, set the navigation, instigate the actions. Unless you are Captaining a ship, playing a subordinate can be restricting in how you influence the game which is a big factor I think in RPG's. We want our character's actions to matter and have consequence, even on a basic level.

I think that can be an issue, and in Traveller, the DM has to give everyone a chance to "play". I had some great players for Imperial Gambit, and they all managed to contribute fantastically. It also depends on the "captain" PC, and gurusql did a great job of leading. Which was doubly awesome, as he didn't design his character as a captain!

Tiglath's 268 Game is another good example. He gives each of the PCs plenty of screen time despite a formal military organizational structure. shaidar's PC "runs" the unit, but doesn't micro-manage.

[shaidar]

For Tiglath's game there is both a player and character reason.

As a player I realised the other players had more Traveller experience than me.

As a character they realised that those working for them had way more experience in their areas of expertise than Frank has. His job is to make sure they have what they need to do their job effectively and without distraction. Interesting
ly, Frank Cross as a character was not created as a leader either.

As a player I try to discuss things with the other players OOC so I know they don't have issues with the job they might be given.

[Rex]

In real life that is what a good leader does. They empower those who they lead to get the job done, they don't do it themselves.

[Tiglath]

Thanks very much to Leitz for the shoutout!

The simple answer is "Have great players"! I am indeed most fortunate that I have folk who make me look good - or, at least, better!

As referenced above my players actively fit themselves into a cooperative hierarchy (in my campaign a Merc Unit). This gaming "generosity" with their characters simply makes the game work.

Arguably Traveller was always rather "sparse" in concept and laid the heavy burden at the GM's feet of "creating everything in between". I believe this onus remains in the game despite modern updates and newer editions. I think I'm saying it might be harder to GM than to DM!

I'll try to explain. The skills / careers generated for each PC tend to make them specialists and the rub with Traveller is that these skill sets can demand a certain geographical separation of the PCs. While a dungeoneering mage may be "at the back" he or she is definitively still with the group - and the action. Also a fantasy group's skills may often complement and synergize with each other while those of the individual Traveller "specialists" simply may not. The issue with such "skill niches" perhaps comes to the fore with starships (rather central to a sci fi game!) in that those specialists required to fly them can't really join the "away team" - especially if they are required to "drive the getaway car"!

This above is perhaps too basic an example and surely something GMs here have already overcome but hopefully it illustrates that a Traveller GM must be predisposed to dealing with a "split party".

Of course this won't always be the case or even mean the actual separation of PCs in space and time but if the GM creates plots to cater for the diverse "skill niches" of all his players (and therefore how their minor "sub plots/threads" contribute to the greater story arc) then everyone gets their vital "screen time" and surely feels more engaged in the game.

[shaidar]

I also forgot to say that Tiglath is a great GM and very helpful and patient with the newbies.