[Mongoose Traveller] What do you want to see?

[dmccoy1693]

I asked this on RPG.net as well. Post what you would like to see in Mongoose's Traveller. Or even post what you'd like to see come out from a 3rd party company.

Me?!? I'd like to see:

1) Well I'd like to see Mongoose publish the sum total of what's will comprise the Traveller SRD in a single volume,

2) I'd like a char gen system where you can die, and

3) SHOT GUNS!

 

[Flynn]

I want:

1. A 2d6 task resolution mechanic rather than a dice pool mechanic, because I want experience to weigh more than natural aptitude.

2. Alien character generation (at least Major Races) included in the SRD.

3. At least all of Books 1-3, if not Books 1-8, as part of the Core SRD.

4. The ability to publish works that build on the OTU.

I'll have more to add later, I'm sure.

With Regards,
Flynn

 

[Korgoth]

I would like it to stick as close to Classic Traveller as possible, but integrate the extra stuff from the supplements into the basic character gen (like MegaTraveller did, with the new skills from advanced character gen like Gravitics available on the standard skill tables).

I would like it to not have the standard Mongoose rules 'innovations' that are ridiculous in play: nerfed combat damage, skills that actually get numerically worse as you 'improve' them, the fear rating fiasco from Starship Troopers, the Space Combat from B5 1st ed., the torpedo fiasco from Victory at Sea, etc., etc. ... Mongoose seems determined not to release a product that isn't somehow disastrously flawed, despite all its promise. I would like for them to avoid this self-sabotage so I don't get burned yet again for buying one of their products.

It would be nice if they could stick to the relatively clean style of presentation from Classic Traveller. I don't need glossy pages and comic book-style illustrations of rejects from Miami Ink like your typical 3E manual.

Finally, I hope they retain the character gen system's charm, especially in its tendency (as opposed to most recent games) to produce older characters. In a civilized, 'modern' society, those individuals most likely to be both financially independent yet also competent enough to adventure as free agents will tend to be slightly older individuals compared to the typical 13-year old ninja swordmaster archmage Ph.D. former Supreme Court Justice that you find in anime and in those things under its influence. These days, a game that encourages you to play someone who already has an education, military service and career under his belt is a refreshing prospect. And for the same reason, I hope they keep the skill advancement system very low-key and restrained.

 

[painandgreed]

Pretty much Classic Traveller (a combination of all old books and supliments) except:

1) Some default skills and such for each career. Something like a cross between the basic generation and the expanded like you saw in High Guard. I like the unpredictablity, but I'd like to be pretty sure of getting a usable character out of generation (when he doesn't die that is). Even if it's just a set of 0 level skills. Not sure how they'll work psionics in there. Probably just leave it up to the referee on how and when to allow non-Villani characters to have them.

2) Experience system. Certainly not a D&D XP per kill system, some something besides going to college for four years of game time.

3) Alien races as PCs. Including Villani.

4) Some higher tech stuff to help include newer developments in sci-fi such as cyberware.

5) a more realistic modeling of computers between TLs

 

[Arkham]

I want the impossible. Something well playtested and edited.

( Sorry, just had bad experiences with their products... )

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I want its look to explicitly emulate the classic Traveller booklets. I want black background, white text and a colored stripe.

I want it black and white inside, and mostly pen and ink, with very little other techniques for shading.

I, too, want it playable with one book. If they have access to the Third Imperium setting, I'd like the Spinward Marches or something comparable in a supplemental book.

I want them to draw upon the most popular stuff from the Travellers Aid Society magazine.

I'd like them to give me something that I can play with immediately, without jumping through a ton of hoops and creating my own huge setting or waiting for the licensed works.

Even without licenses, I want to be able to play something very much like the Aliens series. (Again, see classic issues of the Travellers Aid Society.)

With the exception of psionics, I'd like to see it remain pretty darn hard sci-fi. The sci-fantasy stuff should be in licensed works, if it has to show up at all.

 

[Teflon Billy]

It would be nice if they could stick to the relatively clean style of presentation from Classic Traveller. I don't need glossy pages and comic book-style illustrations of rejects from Miami Ink like your typical 3E manual.

Hell yes. Yes yes a thousand times yes.

Finally, I hope they retain the character gen system's charm, especially in its tendency (as opposed to most recent games) to produce older characters. In a civilized, 'modern' society, those individuals most likely to be both financially independent yet also competent enough to adventure as free agents will tend to be slightly older individuals compared to the typical 13-year old ninja swordmaster archmage Ph.D. former Supreme Court Justice that you find in anime and in those things under its influence. These days, a game that encourages you to play someone who already has an education, military service and career under his belt is a refreshing prospect.

See above.

Honestly though, they have some real shoes to fill if they are going to outdo GURPS Traveller without the built-in crowd that D20 would provide.

 

[SWBaxter]

I like the black book look of Classic Traveller. Doesn't have to be the same size, just the plain black with white and red text is great. Referring back to the Beowulf* would be cool, though IIRC GURPS Traveller already did that best**.

Inside, I'd like a pretty modular ruleset, with different character generation and equipment options for different types of sf. Maybe have a whole bunch of different careers, and I'll pick the ones that work best for my setting, or perhaps have a template system for building careers. Coverage otherwise similar to Books 1-3 - starships, world generation, etc. Add in a good solid campaign-building section that discusses how to create and run different types of sf campaigns, and we may have a winner. Optionally, include some common sf tropes such as robots and psionics.

What I don't really want to see is any setting info. As fun as the Third Imperium is, I personally don't use it, and I know there's lots of other folks like me. Save that for a setting book (or better, a series of setting books for different eras).

* For those who haven't seen the original Traveller box, on the cover is a distress call: "This is Free Trader Beowulf calling anyone... Mayday, Mayday... we are under attack... main drive is gone... turret number one not responding... Mayday... losing cabin pressure fast... calling anyone... please help... this is Free Trader Beowulf... Mayday..."

** The original tagline to announce GT was "Hang in there Beowulf. Help is on the way."

 

[Bishop Odo]

What I’d like to see in Traveller:

1. Quality, like the Digest Group Products, the Starship Operation Manual was great as was their Digest. Great art and writing really well thought out, DGP really set a high standard in game material in my mind.
2. Comprehensive starship design, using a system’s who complexity falls between that of Fire Fusion and Steel and Star Wars, “D6”the last one I played, which is almost none at all.
3. Miniatures, for PC and Ship combat. Lots of miniatures.

I will be a happy camper if they can do all these.