Payn's Ponderings Traveller Editions

[Thomas Shey]

I'm not a fan of 'Emperors in Space'.

Ironically, I had an Empire in mine, but it was very much wrapped around the founding family having access to Old Human technology that could not at that time be duplicated. And later, they'd used what they learned from that to develop some technology they kept under their hat. It was just waaay too much trouble for the worlds they brought in to buck them, and they were smart enough to know when to use a light touch.

 

[pemerton]

Yeah, none of the Traveler games we ran back in the day had anything to do with the native setting.

The Classic Traveller game I've been GMing over the past few years is set in the default setting with a bit of influence from old White Dwarf magazines and Book 6 Scouts. So there is an Imperium with an Imperial Navy, Imperial Marines and an Imperial Interstellar Scout Service; and there are nobles who lord it over everyone else in their interstellar yachts.

But I don't use any of the Imperium campaign stuff. It's never had much appeal to me. I've not used the Alien Modules either.

 

[Committed Hero]

My favorite thing about watching Traveller evolve is the steady increase in the chance that your randomly-generated gas giant had rings.

I also wanted to add a note about Gurps Traveller - while the 4th edition book is set in the Interstellar War period, the 3rd edition books are set in an alternate Imperium where Dulinor doesn't assassinate the Emperor. Are there any other games in which you can play an official alternate setting like this?

 

[Thomas Shey]

My favorite thing about watching Traveller evolve is the steady increase in the chance that your randomly-generated gas giant had rings.

I also wanted to add a note about Gurps Traveller - while the 4th edition book is set in the Interstellar War period, the 3rd edition books are set in an alternate Imperium where Dulinor doesn't assassinate the Emperor. Are there any other games in which you can play an official alternate setting like this?

You can at least make an argument for the Mage 20th Anniversary Edition. Its got an assumption of how things played out, but has a whole bunch of sidebars showing places it could have gone differently.

 

[Eyes of Nine]

My Traveller games often take place on the edge of empire space (Spinward Marches/Trojan Reach). I like having the imperial backdrop, but games that take place outside its strongest influence.

For those homebrewing its a good time to check out the sector generator guide that Mongoose just dropped.

Having an empire in the background makes it so the imperial forces can be used as both an ally and a foil; as well as having an organization large enough that there can be factions within the organization (The science foundation wants to preserve planets in their original state while the commerce dept wants to exploit new planets for example). Having it distant leaves room for the PCs to maneuver in the gray areas of the law, leading to fun games.

 

[5atbu]

I really enjoyed Andy Slack's write ups of his Drinaxi campaign which has just finished. Interestingly he uses Savage Worlds.

Charted Space – Halfway Station 3.0

Posts about Charted Space written by andyslack

hws3.wordpress.com

I often think of using Traveller when looking at other SF settings, I have the John Snead and Sarah Newton Traveller books on my shelves for when I think about running Mindjammer.

This is a good free quickstarter

Mindjammer Press Webstore

Mindjammer Press publishes tabletop roleplaying games: Mindjammer, Capharnaum, The Chronicles of Future Earth and Monsters & Magic.

www.mindjammerpress.net

 

[Eyes of Nine]

I really enjoyed Andy Slack's write ups of his Drinaxi campaign which has just finished. Interestingly he uses Savage Worlds.

Charted Space – Halfway Station 3.0

Posts about Charted Space written by andyslack

hws3.wordpress.com

I often think of using Traveller when looking at other SF settings, I have the John Snead and Sarah Newton Traveller books on my shelves for when I think about running Mindjammer.

This is a good free quickstarter

Mindjammer Press Webstore

Mindjammer Press publishes tabletop roleplaying games: Mindjammer, Capharnaum, The Chronicles of Future Earth and Monsters & Magic.

www.mindjammerpress.net

I like the Mindjammer setting; we even tried to play it one time. But the GM and a couple other players couldn't really grok FATE. So we shelved it and I sold off my MJ books.

 

[dragoner]

I like the Mindjammer setting; we even tried to play it one time. But the GM and a couple other players couldn't really grok FATE. So we shelved it and I sold off my MJ books.

I have the Fate MJ core, it is funny, I offered to sell it, and someone offered $15, and it would have cost me $20 to send it, so I declined, I think they still hold it against me. The fate point economy, and the dice, plus some other things, make me not a fan of that system. I mean we have tried it, it just always sort of focused things in towards that.

 

[Mezuka]

The fifth and last character of my campaign is an Agent Law Enforcement (detective).

The group is comprised of a pilot, an archelogist, a diplomat, a surveyor and a detective. I'm hoping they will choose the exploration group skill package. Fits in perfectly with the Coriolis setting.

Session zero this coming Friday.

 

[Mezuka]

Our first game of MT2 Updated went very well. Their first contract, as an explorer team, is an investigation into the disappearance of an archeologist.

We did an hour of system explainations + setting info-dump and two hours of roleplay. The first 30 minutes were vignettes of PCs getting to know each other during their career phase. They have a scout ship.

We are scheduled to play for the next two weeks.

 

[Mezuka]

How do you handle social actions like Detect Lie in Traveller? Intelligence DM seem appropriate as the attribute. Do you use Recon VS Deception for skills? Psychology (science) could be another possibility to detect lies.

(don't tell me, 'just role play it'. It's not helpful.)

 

[payn]

How do you handle social actions like Detect Lie in Traveller? Intelligence DM seem appropriate as the attribute. Do you use Recon VS Deception for skills? Psychology (science) could be another possibility to detect lies.

(don't tell me, 'just role play it'. It's not helpful.)

I have a new gamer to Traveller right now that I have had this discussion with. They think that being a good or bad liar should be dictated by the Soc score. I told them they are making the mistake of assuming Soc is the D&D charisma of Traveller. I certainly do not see it that way as a ref. Typically, I'd use Int as the stat mod, but maybe Soc if its appropriate.

I always look at the situation and the Traveller/NPC skills. For the recon example above, I might go that route if its an interrogation scene or perhaps the person is covering up a crime. If you are having a conversation in a dive bar, and with a sketchy individual, its likely to be streetwise, opposite for a swanky cocktail party with well to dos where I'd call for carouse.

One of the things I love about Traveller is the skills can usually shape how a Traveller perceives, acts, and manages any particular scene/event. My current group has a couple of Travellers that connected over a diplomatic event. One is a solider the other an agent/noble. The noble gave the solider some high class customs experience, and the solider showed the noble the lower workings of the blue collar folk. Fun times.

 

[Mezuka]

I have a new gamer to Traveller right now that I have had this discussion with. They think that being a good or bad liar should be dictated by the Soc score. I told them they are making the mistake of assuming Soc is the D&D charisma of Traveller. I certainly do not see it that way as a ref. Typically, I'd use Int as the stat mod, but maybe Soc if its appropriate.

I always look at the situation and the Traveller/NPC skills. For the recon example above, I might go that route if its an interrogation scene or perhaps the person is covering up a crime. If you are having a conversation in a dive bar, and with a sketchy individual, its likely to be streetwise, opposite for a swanky cocktail party with well to dos where I'd call for carouse.

One of the things I love about Traveller is the skills can usually shape how a Traveller perceives, acts, and manages any particular scene/event. My current group has a couple of Travellers that connected over a diplomatic event. One is a solider the other an agent/noble. The noble gave the solider some high class customs experience, and the solider showed the noble the lower workings of the blue collar folk. Fun times.

We had to Soc score discussion too. He was taking the D&D shortcut but he didn't object when we explained it to him. I'll review his character because he built it on the assumption without telling me.

I really like your Streewise vs Carouse example.

Do you use Diplomacy vs Deception?

 

[payn]

We had to Soc score discussion too. He was taking the D&D shortcut but he didn't object when we explained it to him. I'll review his character because he built it on the assumption without telling me.

I really like your Streewise vs Carouse example.

Do you use Diplomacy vs Deception?

I do! The agent/noble Traveller was a diplomat for several career terms. I usually will call for a diplo in situations of negotiation (particularly stressful ones like ship to ship surrender negotiations and/or cease fires).

 

[Mezuka]

The second session took place last Friday because our Dune GM wasn't ready. The investigation moved along nicely. The mystery was resolved but it opened the door to another one which requires PCs to go down to the nearby planet.

So far they earned 15000cr. 5000 for finding an alien statuette, 5000 for transporting freight down the planet and 4000 for offering a bunk to two civilians who want to go down on the planet without using commercial transports.

Part three (conclusion) of their first mission this Friday.

 

[Mezuka]

The third game last night. PCs were finally involved in a combat scene. All PCs were very careful entering the alien compound. BUT, the scout (planetologist) was too adventurous despite seeing multiple dead human bodies on the ground. He triggered the alien automated defences and was hit by a 3 meters long metal tentacle with a spearpoint that came out of a column. Never fired his weapon. 4D6 of damage with an Effect of +4. Unconscious with only 2 strength remaining. First aid was administered.