[ericthered]

Originally Posted by trooper6

So they'd arrive on a planet ... black market ... smuggling something illegal...are refugees ... are criminals ... want to assassinate... illegal cargo/passengers.

This is one of the things that causes a huge disconnect for me. When someone says a "traders" campaign, it seems to often mean a "criminal" campaign. Is this a fair assumption? Are most traders games about folks more or less on the outs with the law? is "smugglers" or "illicit dealers" a better name for this type of game?

Originally Posted by Stormcrow

A trading game is one in which the characters deal with obstacles that impede their ability to trade. It is not about the actual transaction. There may be some financial concern—e.g., this cargo is too risky for the amount we'd be paid—but it is secondary.

Ok, that's somewhat helpful. Thus they need to be in a business or an area where there are lots of obstacles to making transactions. hmm

Originally Posted by Culture20

It could be as simple as "one character is a farmer with a new crop of barley, another is a blacksmith, a third is an expert traveller/scout, and the fourth owns a large wagon and has heard 'Greendale to the South is paying extra for goods because of the Violet King' or as complex as a scheme to recycle a truckload of aluminum cans in Michigan. Brigands, serendipity, and car thieves throwing golfs clubs could be complications, along with organized crime asking for protection money, monsters, a superhero fight nearby your store, forcing you to take cover or help injured customers.

Now, all that happening really breaks my sense of disbelief. One or two instances might happen, but it feels wrong to have more than a few. I'd really struggle to run either of the above campaigns.

Originally Posted by whswhs

...So the "game" aspect of trading is less exciting than the "game" aspect of killing and looting; the players are in it almost entirely for the roleplaying.

So then what do players need to do to make the game work? Is it all just about exploring and getting into trouble?

Originally Posted by Rindis

So the real base idea is that ship becomes the stick of continual expenses, with any adventures beyond regular trading offering the 'carrot' of money for the main hook.

So you have a bunch of folks who don't really own the ship trying to find ways to make a buck on the side. With the implication that this will get them into all sorts of trouble. Hmm.