D&D mindset in other games

[Bullgrit]

But one of the major points of switching systems is to get players (and myself) out of the DND mindset of kill monster / take treasure.

All my game groups through the decades all got together to play D&D first. All my game groups eventually played other games too, but invariably, the D&D mindset (kill monster, take treasure) reared its head in our non-D&D campaigns.

Do you find this? Do you see the D&D mindset in Players regardless of the game and setting?

Have you ever seen Players come into D&D, for the first time, with other mindsets -- like not attacking the bad guys on sight, not looting bodies, and not searching for secrets passages?

Bullgrit

 

[GMforPowergamers]

I have seen for good and ill both sides of this...

I have seen people play oWoD as if it was D&D... but then the GM of that game went so far the other way in responce I use to get very angry with him...

I have also seen players come from storytellign games and nto understand why D&D is so 'combat heavy'

 

[Crothian]

It was odd. When we took a group of people that had only played D&D for the decades they've gamed they adapted to the new games nicely. We played M&M, Star Wars Saga, and Scion as campaigns with no problems. I've seen them enjoy many other games as one shots at conventions and have no problem with the play style.

However, one thing that has burned me out some of running convention games is getting the D&D player that playes everything else like D&D.

 

[Janx]

I sort of see this as a role-playing problem (or lack thereof).

If you have a D&D player running his vampire char (in the game of the same name) the exact same way (literally trying to kill every enemy and then stopping to take their wallet, keys and weapons), in a sense, that player is not role-playing the role of a vampire as the campaign setting describes them.

I'm sure the "there's no wrong way" crowd would disagree, but I see the point of playing a role is to take on the behaviors of the role you've chosen. if you play every role the same (ie. the problem the OP describes), you are in effect in a rut or NOT ROLEPLAYING.

I'd suggest that folks who play all games and genres the exact same way are probably not really role-playing. They're just applying a strategy that worked in one campaign to the next, regardless of rule-set.

On the other hand, if Game A has recommended Style A, and Game B has recommended Style B, it stands to reason that playing Style A in Game B could have in-game consequences or side-effects. Namely trouble with the law that the GM could try to reign in such players.

However if a GM like Crothian is complaining about it, it also stands to reason that these problem players aren't observing the Style and are in effect ruining the game. Having to bring in the "police" to reign in out of control PCs usually means your campaign of "brooding and reluctant heroes" is already turned into the "bloody anarchist outlaw" campaign.

 

[Doug McCrae]

I've been told about the problem of players approaching non-D&D games (superhero was the example) with a D&D mentality - kill everything and take its stuff - but not actually experienced it first hand.

I have experienced a player approaching D&D with an attitude that was far too realistic and cautious - he would always run from fights, never expose himself to danger, etc. We were a six man party in that game and two of the players were like this so we were at two-thirds strength for every fight. It was kind of annoying.

It's a big mistake to think D&D PCs are like real people. They're not. They are much more violent, much less risk averse and have no moral code. Basically they're psychopaths.

 

[CorditeJimmy]

We sometimes have this with new players in an ongoing WFRP campaign, and have taken to writing "This isn't D&D" in large letters on the chalkboard, for the GM to point at every time someone starts thinking about killing all the guys and looting the room.

 

[InVinoVeritas]

I have a WONDERFUL tale about this.

Once, for a game day at our FLGS, I prepared an adventure to run, and waited for the players. They turned out to be a group of 12-year-olds. One of the boys' mother dropped them off, slightly wondering what this experience was going to be like. In my most professional demeanor, I assured her that everything was okay.

Then I quickly censored the adventure to PG.

The kids were quite new to the game, but very excited, and had characters already prepared. I looked them over, and we were off!

First, the plot hook--they found a poor, bedraggled girl having just escaped from some goblin mine, and the local constable let them know that yes, this goblin hole was becoming a greater threat to town. If only someone would help...

"WE'LL SAVE YOU!" the players proclaimed simultaneously. No, "What'll you pay us?", just a pure, just, heroic call to action.

It brought a tear to my eye.

The group was amazing. Every step of the way, they acted with the purest of intentions, and were an incredible team. The only problem was that they would tend to get excited and call out what they wanted to do all at once--but some quick-paced discussion of initiative, and everyone knew that they would get their turn to shine, so no problem. They always made sure the other members of the party were safe. At one point, one PC has become disabled, and told the rest of the party to go on without him, he'd only slow them down. "We won't leave you here!" the others called back, and protected him as they moved forward to find a healing potion.

It was a true and utter joy to be able to run a game for such a naturally noble, good, stout-hearted group of friends like that. When the mother came to collect them at the end of the game, I let her know just how wonderful they were, and how proud of them she should be.

If only we all could keep that kind of magic in our hearts.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

In a similar vein, one of the first Paladins I ever saw in play (our group was mainly 13 year olds) killed a fellow party member.

Why?

Because the miscreant had the temerity to grope the Princess we were on a mission to save...and he didn't survive the backhanded flat-of-the-blade blow the Pally delivered to his dome. (Non-lethal damage rules? What non-lethal damage rules???)

And yes, previous actions by that PC had earned him more than one warning.

I'd say the Pally acted appropriately.

 

[rgard]

The only exceptions were 2 Star Wars (WotC D20 Revised version) campaigns; one I played in and one I DM'd. Both of these were Jedi-centric with over 1/2 the party being Jedis. All the PCs were good guys to a fault except for one scoundrel who occasionally went off the plan, but the others roped him back in.

For all the rest: Dragonquest (SPI/TSR), Traveller (Black Box and T20), Gurps (Conan, Fantasy & Space), Mongoose Conan and believe it or not, The Morrow Project (we went rogue ambushing other teams, took over what was left of Pittsburgh and invaded Ohio)...

Kill your enemies, take their stuff.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

One way to break out of the rut of the so-called "D&D mindset" is to play a superheroes campaign, especially one that is "4-Color"/"Golden Age"/"Silver Age" as opposed to "Iron Age" or "Noir."

The reason is that the superheroic campaign simply doesn't reward the "D&D mindset" for the most part. Most supers don't improve by buying new stuff or taking others' gear, they improve themselves.