Bryn the 2300AD guy
Cosmic Mongoose
Allow me to quote MWM from Challenge 27:
Traveller: 2300 is GDW's new science fiction role-playing game, but the conceptualization, design, and development of the game has taken more than a year. During that time, the GDW staff working on the project has thought and rethought just about every possible approach to a high quality science fiction game and sought out the best possible approach.
From a design standpoint, I adopted a guiding phrase early in the process- playable realism. My aim was to produce a game that had the utmost in realism, but was also totally playable. Realistic games that aren't playable tend to sit on the shelf; playable games that aren't realistic are unsatisfying. I made it a goal for Traveller: 2300 that it would be both. One of the central concepts in the philosophy of playable realism was the concept of tasks.
[Skip half a page on the task system]
OTHER PARTS OF TRAVELLER: 2300
Task resolution is not the only part of Traveller: 2300 that we spent a lot of time on. Frank Chadwick produced an excellent personal combat system, and he wasn't above making the great movie tricks (such as leaping attacks and wrestling holds) part of the action. The GDW staff simulated the course of history from 2000 to 2300, creating a totally plausible, consistent future which reflects developments of technology, and centuries-old power struggles. Tim Brown crafted a space combat system that plays well and also reflects realistic future battle systems. I built on my Traveller researches to develop a realistic system that creates star systems with a minimum of effort.
Next Month: The Traveller: 2300 star map- the most accurate star map ever produced for a game.
THE RELATIONSHIP OF TRAVELLER: 2300 TO TRAVELLER
The common name for Traveller: 2300 and Traveller leaves some room for confusion, and it helps to clear that sort of thing up early. Frankly, I consider Traveller one of the best games ever designed. To quote a recent review, it "set the standard for science fiction games." Traveller: 2300 is not advanced Traveller; it is a completely different game. The similarity of names is due to the continuing dominant theme in each game: players are travellers to the stars. Traveller: 2300 is not intended as a direct replacement for Traveller. They have different backgrounds, different approaches, different rules. Traveller is going to be around for a long time, and we will continue to support it. Traveller: 2300 is an alternative game system that incorporates new game technology and a different approach to background. The two game systems can co-exist and will for years to come.
-Marc W. Miller
Traveller: 2300 is GDW's new science fiction role-playing game, but the conceptualization, design, and development of the game has taken more than a year. During that time, the GDW staff working on the project has thought and rethought just about every possible approach to a high quality science fiction game and sought out the best possible approach.
From a design standpoint, I adopted a guiding phrase early in the process- playable realism. My aim was to produce a game that had the utmost in realism, but was also totally playable. Realistic games that aren't playable tend to sit on the shelf; playable games that aren't realistic are unsatisfying. I made it a goal for Traveller: 2300 that it would be both. One of the central concepts in the philosophy of playable realism was the concept of tasks.
[Skip half a page on the task system]
OTHER PARTS OF TRAVELLER: 2300
Task resolution is not the only part of Traveller: 2300 that we spent a lot of time on. Frank Chadwick produced an excellent personal combat system, and he wasn't above making the great movie tricks (such as leaping attacks and wrestling holds) part of the action. The GDW staff simulated the course of history from 2000 to 2300, creating a totally plausible, consistent future which reflects developments of technology, and centuries-old power struggles. Tim Brown crafted a space combat system that plays well and also reflects realistic future battle systems. I built on my Traveller researches to develop a realistic system that creates star systems with a minimum of effort.
Next Month: The Traveller: 2300 star map- the most accurate star map ever produced for a game.
THE RELATIONSHIP OF TRAVELLER: 2300 TO TRAVELLER
The common name for Traveller: 2300 and Traveller leaves some room for confusion, and it helps to clear that sort of thing up early. Frankly, I consider Traveller one of the best games ever designed. To quote a recent review, it "set the standard for science fiction games." Traveller: 2300 is not advanced Traveller; it is a completely different game. The similarity of names is due to the continuing dominant theme in each game: players are travellers to the stars. Traveller: 2300 is not intended as a direct replacement for Traveller. They have different backgrounds, different approaches, different rules. Traveller is going to be around for a long time, and we will continue to support it. Traveller: 2300 is an alternative game system that incorporates new game technology and a different approach to background. The two game systems can co-exist and will for years to come.
-Marc W. Miller
