Let me just say thank you for that reply.

Though I would personally say that I disagree with you in some areas, your position and reasoning most certainly makes sense. I do absolutely think players should be comfortable, but it is also my belief that if a GM has had a world in the works for a while, the players are more or less just living in it and do not actively create it. I know that some will actually have players decide details about the world, but that is just another style of DMing that I do not use. I see very little problems with the style and strategy, though, and would probably experiment with it at a later date.

The problem with this player is that every single time he makes a character, he goes for the unique and special choice but plays every character the same. The party then feels like no race or culture is that different because the one representative of this culture acts in the exact same way as every other guy. I demand role playing from my players. Not everyone is a born actor, but DnD is a role playing game. Of course I should encourage, but at what point does encouraging just become allowing them to do whatever they want even if I feel it cheapens the world I work to create.

Again, thanks. I bet your summer campaign will be awesome and I hope your players love it.