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Old 02-02-2018, 05:03 PM   #11
johndallman
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Default Re: [Basic] Disadvantage of the Week: Chummy

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Originally Posted by GWJ View Post
Where is it? I canīt find it.
Apologies, I was mistaken. Edited the first post.
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Old 02-04-2018, 11:39 AM   #12
johndallman
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Default Re: [Basic] Disadvantage of the Week: Chummy

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Originally Posted by Icelander View Post
Mostly, Chummy is an awesome trait for PCs, because it is inherently a pro-'engagement in the game world' trait. It encourages treating NPCs as people, not just threats for foes, bonus-granting devices for allies or mobile scenery if neither applies.
This all seems strange to me. In real life, I'm probably Uncongenial, owing to a terrible time in childhood making me instinctively adverse to exposing my feelings. I can play the part of someone being reasonably sociable, but it isn't natural to me.

In RPGs, I can try to role-play someone who is highly social, but it's quite hard work. But I treat NPCs as people because that's part of playing the game properly, and you aren't engaging with the GM if you don't. Not doing it makes an RPG thoroughly uninteresting.

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I even imagine espirit de corps would essentially train people to be Chummy.
Not sure about that. I have very strong long-term attachments to several groups without it overcoming my Uncongenial at all.
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Old 02-04-2018, 05:58 PM   #13
Flyndaran
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Default Re: [Basic] Disadvantage of the Week: Chummy

Yeah, I agree that you can't train an instinctive need for constant socialization.
Even ignoring my anxiety issue, I just don't need to interact with as many people or as often as is the human norm.
My brother is the opposite and may qualify for Chummy. I don't envy his need.
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Old 02-04-2018, 06:14 PM   #14
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Default Re: [Basic] Disadvantage of the Week: Chummy

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Yeah, I agree that you can't train an instinctive need for constant socialization.
Even ignoring my anxiety issue, I just don't need to interact with as many people or as often as is the human norm.
My brother is the opposite and may qualify for Chummy. I don't envy his need.
Eh, personality traits may feel instinctive, but they might just as well result from nurture as nature. It's not as if 18-19 year old teens have such strong and fully formed identities that it's impossible from their personalities to evolve and change as they grow up and learn their chosen profession.
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Old 02-04-2018, 09:40 PM   #15
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Default Re: [Basic] Disadvantage of the Week: Chummy

That some people change over time is not really proof either way.
Believe me, I wish it were possible to change my nature in quite a few ways, but it's not.
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Old 02-05-2018, 03:58 AM   #16
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Default Re: [Basic] Disadvantage of the Week: Chummy

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That some people change over time is not really proof either way.
Believe me, I wish it were possible to change my nature in quite a few ways, but it's not.
How is the fact that some people appear to develop Chummy through enfoced close association and other socialisation as teenage volunteers in the military not evidence for the position that Chummy can be learned behavioir?

The facts that only some people seem to develop it and that people's personalities appear to vary in degree of plasticity, according to age, experiences, inborn predispositions and many psychological factors, are evidence that people are complex and that nature also plays a part.
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Old 02-05-2018, 01:35 PM   #17
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Default Re: [Basic] Disadvantage of the Week: Chummy

Its sounds too much like using the fact that sexual orientation changes in some people over time as evidence that everyone's can change in any direction if given the right "impulse". I don't buy it.

And even in your scenario, I don't see it as evidence that people become Chummy which includes lowered ability to function when alone. That sounds rather sad, not adaptive as you imply. It's a disadvantage for a reason.
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Old 02-05-2018, 01:42 PM   #18
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Default Re: [Basic] Disadvantage of the Week: Chummy

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Its sounds too much like using the fact that sexual orientation changes in some people over time as evidence that everyone's can change in any direction if given the right "impulse". I don't buy it.
Some /= Everyone.

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And even in your scenario, I don't see it as evidence that people become Chummy which includes lowered ability to function when alone. That sounds rather sad, not adaptive as you imply. It's a disadvantage for a reason.
Not all learned behaviour is universally positive. And something that is a beneficial adaptive evolution for a given environment can easily be disadvantageous outside of it.

Soldiers exist within a very social organisation, and with very few exceptions, aren't supposed to spend too much duty time alone. Even off-duty, it can be difficult for anyone other than fairly senior people to get much privacy. In general, soldiers operate in groups, are assigned 'battle buddies' and the military makes every effort to avoid having people face operational stresses while alone and unsupported.

Coming into full adulthood in an environment where you grow to rely on an enforced cohesive social network of close co-workers, not to mention learning to accept living and working side by side with a lot of other people as the normal state of affairs, strikes me as an excellent way to become dependent on near-constant social interaction.
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Old 02-05-2018, 06:35 PM   #19
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Default Re: [Basic] Disadvantage of the Week: Chummy

Let's just agree to disagree.
Being a gaming thread, these views don't really matter for creating characters anyway.
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Old 10-18-2021, 08:46 AM   #20
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Default Re: [Basic] Disadvantage of the Week: Chummy

What does it mean "you react to others at +2". Is there something like a reaction roll for players towards NPCs?
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