Freelance Traveller - Columns - Essay Question - What sort of campaign do you prefer to run, or to play in?

What sort of campaign do you prefer to run, or to play in? Why? Within such a campaign, what sort of activities are the most fun or most interesting for you? Again, why?

Originally posted in the July 2010 issue of the magazine

“Leitz” answered in the August 2010 issue:

When the DM sets up a game I try to learn about the universe as they draw it. There are often interesting points or conflicts that get my attention, and I will take some character concepts and form them around aspects of that particular game. In the campaign I want my characters goals to be advanced and their story to be made enjoyable. The campaign is just a backdrop.

“kafka” answered in the August 2010 issue:

Multifaceted campaigns, I think work the best for running. A bit of everything – Trade & Profit, with Merc Ticket leading to an Exploration adventure. Thus far, I have been severely disappointed by SFRPGs in being able to deliver a decent adventure/campaign and Traveller in particular. I can take ideas from all from them all.

As I grew up with Dragonlance and similar modules in which campaigns were not entirely sandbox but also not entirely railroaded just gently guided. To date, I have found no SFRPG that does this adequately. I am a big fan of the purpose of those TSR products even as I would manipulate them to my heart’s content.

If were to be a player, I think, exploration is campaign style that best suits my nature – with a bit of room for gunplay. For me, Star Trek is both the best and worst example of what I like – but having said that I do not think Traveller should be reduced down to that one element. Where I have found an adventure that comes close to my ideal (that was not homebrew or modified) – was the old DGP/GDW adventure, Lords of Thunder.