Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*TTRPGs General
Explore Far Distant Worlds in the Traveller Core Rulebook
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="pemerton" data-source="post: 7913084" data-attributes="member: 42582"><p>As far as lookup goes: I have a habit of spending some of my commuting time rewritingcollating RPG rules for systems I want to play but which have editing and layout that produces clunky lookup. So for Classic Traveller I actually work from a rules document that pulls togeher all the rules under (what are for me, at least) more intuitive headings. Eg my Use of Vacc-Suits heading has the rules from the skill entry in Book 1, and the use of vacc-suits to evacuate in Book 2, plust some stuff from modules.</p><p></p><p>On the resolution aspect of things, and still sticking to Vacc-Suit skill as an example: the rules provide a well-defined conflict resolution process. First make a roll (10+) to avoid trouble, with skill adding +4 per rank (so even a little skill makes it easy to avoid most trouble); then if you get into trouble make a roll to get out of it. Simplifying the actual mechanical expression found in Book 1, this second throw is 11+ at +6 for the first skill rank with further expertise adding +2 per rank.</p><p></p><p>I've found that, in play, setting it up in this two stage process produces rather engaging play. For instance, if the first check is failed, the player has to decide whether or not to ditch their suit. Or other players can try and help out. In a uniform system it's harder to configure things in this sort of way, and to make differences in skill rank so important.</p><p></p><p>Looking at MegaTraveler Players' Manual, it has the following UTP:</p><p></p><p style="margin-left: 20px">To avoid a dangerous situation when attempting an unuusal manoeuvre in a vacc-suit: Routine, Vacc Suit, Dex, 1 min (fateful; hazardous)</p><p></p><p>This makes DEX as important as skill in most cases (eg DEX 5+, which is pretty common, is as good as Vacc Suit-1), and makes the die roll more important also (Routine requires an overall result of 7+).</p><p></p><p>I don't object to DEX mattering - influenced by a module (maybe Shadows or Annic Nova), in my write-up the initial throw required is 11+ rather than 10+ with +1 for DEX 6+ or +2 for DEX B+. But this doesn't let stat overwhelm skill.</p><p></p><p>And in the MegaTraveller write-up there is not the two-roll configuration that moves it from task resolution with the GM deciding the outcome to conflict resolution. (The mishap system to my mind doesn't really substitute for it. It gives result of arbitrary damage or referee-fiat damage.)</p><p></p><p>In my current campaign we've used the Classic Traveller resolution systems for trade; interstellar travel; , surprise, morale and evasion; both melee and firefight interpersonal combat; space combat; vacc suit use; dealing with officials; meeting and dealing with patrons; general reactions in social contexts; and on-world exploration. The only one that didn't produce satisfactory conflict resolution was the last one - we had rules to determine whether, on any given day, the ATV broke down or not, but had no system for determining whether or not the PCs had actually reached their destination. I just had to make that up by referee fiat.</p><p></p><p>I haven't read MegaTraveller cover-to-cover, but every bit I have looked at, from the introduction to UTPs and resolving tasks through to the skill descriptions like Vacc Suit, seems to me to push away from what has worked for our campaign in Classic Traveller towards the unsatisfactory character of the CT rules for on-world exploration. It seems like a GURPS-ification of the system.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="pemerton, post: 7913084, member: 42582"] As far as lookup goes: I have a habit of spending some of my commuting time rewritingcollating RPG rules for systems I want to play but which have editing and layout that produces clunky lookup. So for Classic Traveller I actually work from a rules document that pulls togeher all the rules under (what are for me, at least) more intuitive headings. Eg my Use of Vacc-Suits heading has the rules from the skill entry in Book 1, and the use of vacc-suits to evacuate in Book 2, plust some stuff from modules. On the resolution aspect of things, and still sticking to Vacc-Suit skill as an example: the rules provide a well-defined conflict resolution process. First make a roll (10+) to avoid trouble, with skill adding +4 per rank (so even a little skill makes it easy to avoid most trouble); then if you get into trouble make a roll to get out of it. Simplifying the actual mechanical expression found in Book 1, this second throw is 11+ at +6 for the first skill rank with further expertise adding +2 per rank. I've found that, in play, setting it up in this two stage process produces rather engaging play. For instance, if the first check is failed, the player has to decide whether or not to ditch their suit. Or other players can try and help out. In a uniform system it's harder to configure things in this sort of way, and to make differences in skill rank so important. Looking at MegaTraveler Players' Manual, it has the following UTP: [indent]To avoid a dangerous situation when attempting an unuusal manoeuvre in a vacc-suit: Routine, Vacc Suit, Dex, 1 min (fateful; hazardous)[/indent] This makes DEX as important as skill in most cases (eg DEX 5+, which is pretty common, is as good as Vacc Suit-1), and makes the die roll more important also (Routine requires an overall result of 7+). I don't object to DEX mattering - influenced by a module (maybe Shadows or Annic Nova), in my write-up the initial throw required is 11+ rather than 10+ with +1 for DEX 6+ or +2 for DEX B+. But this doesn't let stat overwhelm skill. And in the MegaTraveller write-up there is not the two-roll configuration that moves it from task resolution with the GM deciding the outcome to conflict resolution. (The mishap system to my mind doesn't really substitute for it. It gives result of arbitrary damage or referee-fiat damage.) In my current campaign we've used the Classic Traveller resolution systems for trade; interstellar travel; , surprise, morale and evasion; both melee and firefight interpersonal combat; space combat; vacc suit use; dealing with officials; meeting and dealing with patrons; general reactions in social contexts; and on-world exploration. The only one that didn't produce satisfactory conflict resolution was the last one - we had rules to determine whether, on any given day, the ATV broke down or not, but had no system for determining whether or not the PCs had actually reached their destination. I just had to make that up by referee fiat. I haven't read MegaTraveller cover-to-cover, but every bit I have looked at, from the introduction to UTPs and resolving tasks through to the skill descriptions like Vacc Suit, seems to me to push away from what has worked for our campaign in Classic Traveller towards the unsatisfactory character of the CT rules for on-world exploration. It seems like a GURPS-ification of the system. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*TTRPGs General
Explore Far Distant Worlds in the Traveller Core Rulebook
Top