Running Traveller Games

I've tried running a few Traveller games with my current group, and sadly it never really seems to work out well. While part of it is me, I think another part is that Traveller is, in many ways, a lot different than most RPGs.

The obvious differences start with it being a level-less game. Though it is really does have levels - your skill levels. But: you don't start out as a kid off the turnip wagon. You start play usually as a middle-aged person who has already had a full life. You start the game already leveled up.

Which brings up the 2nd point: there is no reward other than credits and surviving. Most games you level up, improving stats or skills. At some point you become basically gods depending on the game, though not all games do it that way obviously. Traveller, no matter how long your character has been in play, can be killed by a laser blast as easily as dying in character generation (which is another major difference!) And yes, there are rules for improvement. But it takes a lot of in-game time! And you can still fail to learn anything new.

And for my group, the nail in the coffin, so to speak, is that space travel in the far future is expensive. Getting a ship is a major expense. While I understand a lot of those rules are designed to force the player into taking risks to just be able to survive, to players used to Star Wars or Star Trek, having to work for an adventure just does not go over well. Add in the mechanics for fuel, jump, and the deliberate "communication at the speed of ships" and it is a SF universe they just don't enjoy. Personally, I have no idea how the economics of the Star Wars or Star Trek universes work: people have spaceships as easily as people have cars now it seems. And unless it is a plot point, never worry about fuel or life support.

I'll admit a large part is on me, and I've tried more rules-light versions where they had benefactors and NPCs to handle all those details. Details I like for a number of reasons, and I can work with that. And I get stressed a good bit beyond my normal levels of stress as Traveller is my favorite RPG (you never forget your first love!) and want them to like it as much as I do. 

I cannot compare our games to my college games. First, 40+ year old memories are always burnished to a high shine, and second. most of us in that group all owned and both refereed and played Traveller. We lived Traveller for those glorious years. And we were in our late teens, early 20s. That is an entirely different gamer than those of us *cough* a bit older now.

Anyway, between a new, high-intensity job and my desire to make them like the game too much, the last game fizzled out. I think I mentioned I may just take a break from running games for a while: still adjusting to a new job, and also very disappointed in myself. To be honest, I feel make a better assistant referee I think: I love creating maps, deck plans, NPCs and the like. But effectively running a game seems like something I am just not doing well. 

However, I know I'll try again anyway. Though I may do the Space:1889 concept instead and so bypass some of those pesky OTU details that they seem to not particularly enjoy. I just love the game too much to give up so easily!