Traveller & Star Trek RPG

Nefaro · July 11, 2015, 05:59:23 PM

Quote from: Banzai_Cat on July 11, 2015, 12:16:20 PM
Okay, so I bought that basic Traveler bundle and went with the extra books. I have no idea what else there is as there's several different versions of Traveler out there on the DriveThru website, so I wouldn't know what else I should get, just based on that basic 1e universe. Any recommendations from those of you that have been there?

The latest version is published by.. Mongoose I believe? Dunno, I don't currently have any Traveller stuff since I have other sci-fi RPGs sitting around, waiting to be explored.

Quote
I'm also thinking of buying the T2013 rules...not that I'm ever going to play it but I do love Twilight: 2000.

I loved the original T:2k and also the revised edition (book with the yellow cover from early 90s) that improved some things. The original T2k was one of the few RPGs I actually played (therefore, GM'd) back when I was young, and the more realistic post-WW3-apocalypse setting was great. Was a lot of fun and seemed easier for RPG novices to get into since there wasn't a bunch of fantastical stuff to learn - it's all real world hardware and such.

From what I understand, the T2013 rules are pretty much the same as the '90s "yellow book" revised version, although it may have some more material in it judging from the size. Supposedly the back story was changed and less well received in the latest version, but without any extra supplements out there you can easily change that to suit your tastes.

One thing I thought the revised rules did a good job of improving was tracking individual bullets instead of counting three rounds as the individual quantity. Doing that never made much sense to me in the original T2000, especially since you were still tracking the numbers, but with the odd mechanic of firing in threes. Good riddance. I was rather sad to see the original armored vehicle component damage charts go, but those were predicated on the penetrating round actually travelling straight through the vehicle, listing the possibly struck components in a row depending on hit angle. Of course, that wouldn't necessarily be the case with an AV pen, so it had been criticized as not properly modelling it despite the detail and they changed it in the 2nd edition (maybe making it too generalized like other RPGs). Still, there were numerous things cleaned up in the later version so it was probably better on balance.

I've really been wanting to pick up the T2013 version but since it's Out Of Print, there are only a handful of reasonably-priced ones floating around (and they are probably used, even).

Emeraldlis · July 15, 2015, 03:34:35 PM

After buying the traveller RPG I've managed to read through the getting started book and book one about character creation . And after MUCH reading of the rules ;D. I came up with a character .

I called her Emma stryder , just because I think it's a cool name ! She joins the scouts , only just as I rolled a 7 and that was the minimum roll to join , so she narrowly escaped the draft O:-)

She spent four years exploring the universe and scouting out new far flung mysterious territories . Things got tough there for a while , but being the bad ass that she is , she managed to become a pilot and a gunner and is now trained and proficient in using a pistol and a dagger , don't mess with stryder !!
She didn't get through the re-enlistment program . Instead she came out of the service with money in her pocket to burn . She's 22 and ready and waiting for her next traveller adventure O0
I had a lot of fun playing this and getting this far with the game . I hope y'all are having fun with traveller too :)

Dammit Carl! · July 15, 2015, 08:51:37 PM

Traveller character generation is part of its unique charm.

bbmike · July 15, 2015, 09:00:16 PM

Quote from: Dammit Carl! on July 15, 2015, 08:51:37 PM
Traveller character generation is part of its unique charm.

Same for Star Trek The RPG. I haven't started my game yet because I'm having fun creating characters! :D

bbmike · September 04, 2015, 03:53:36 PM

And now it looks like an updated Traveller is on the way! From the email I received:

A new Traveller has arrived, the product of many years tweaking, adjusting and listening to the thousands of players who have travelled the universe of the Far Future.

Available as a beta playtest PDF, the Traveller Core Rulebook is a 248 page adventure into the Far Future that you can directly influence over the next few months. You can grab your copy here;

Travel to the Far Future and start exploring.

No time for this, though. I'm still setting up my Star Trek and Gamma World campaigns. :)

bbmike · September 06, 2015, 07:53:13 AM

Ok, I caved. After looking at this again I had to jump in. I also suspect that Traveller Prime Directive might not be far behind this release. Anyway, I'll post thoughts here if I find the time and am allowed.

DriveThruRPG is my new Steam. :D

bayonetbrant · September 06, 2015, 08:14:16 AM

bbmike · September 06, 2015, 08:23:46 AM

Quote from: bayonetbrant on September 06, 2015, 08:14:16 AM

;D I can't wait to see what they've done with character generation!

Dammit Carl! · September 06, 2015, 09:49:28 AM

Another Traveller iteration? Jeez.

Pinetree · September 07, 2015, 12:30:59 AM

Quote from: bayonetbrant on September 06, 2015, 08:14:16 AM

LOL, so true

Nefaro · September 07, 2015, 02:36:26 AM

Quote from: Dammit Carl! on September 06, 2015, 09:49:28 AM
Another Traveller iteration? Jeez.

What I was thinking. Didn't the last version come out about 3 or 4 years ago?

Drives me nuts when they revise them so quickly.

Dammit Carl! · September 08, 2015, 05:55:50 PM

Traveller5 - the latest version from M. Miller - showed up last year (IIRC).

I'm not liking the whole, "buy our beta and help us iron things out," kind of approach that Mongoose, Miller, and goodness knows who else is taking nowadays but maybe I'm just an old stick-in-the-mud like that.

bbmike · September 08, 2015, 07:09:11 PM

Quote from: Dammit Carl! on September 08, 2015, 05:55:50 PM
Traveller5 - the latest version from M. Miller - showed up last year (IIRC).

I'm not liking the whole, "buy our beta and help us iron things out," kind of approach that Mongoose, Miller, and goodness knows who else is taking nowadays but maybe I'm just an old stick-in-the-mud like that.

Yeah, but the last Mongoose version was 2008. Also, if you buy into the beta you get the hardback release version for free. And you know if I decide to run a play by forum game here you'll be the first to sign up. ;D

Dammit Carl! · September 09, 2015, 02:55:45 AM

Eh, got me pegged correctly! :)

Silent Disapproval Robot · September 09, 2015, 06:37:53 PM

Traveller....I remember how various people would try and run the game for our group when I was a wee nipper. We'd roll up characters and then, having attained a ship, ruin anything the GM had prepared by immediately forcing him to use the planet development rules to find one that allowed us to carry around fusion rifles for "self defence". Upon arriving it was only a matter of time before half the party was dead in a glorious hail of plasma bolts.