2300AD timeline question

[Ferretz]

I don't have the new 2300AD book yet, and I'm not very familiar with the old rpg. But what I've gathered so far, is that the setting is a kind of continuation of the old Twilight 2000 rpg.

So, my question is, for the new version of 2300AD, has the timeline been updated, or was there a third world war in around the year 2000 in the new rpg too?

-E.

 

[Colin]

Sometime between 2000 and 2050, there was an event, or series of events, called Twilight. Most electronic records were destroyed, and there are few details of what happened. There was a limited nuclear exchange, though there is no clear evidence of what caused it, or who fired first.

 

[Ferretz]

Ok, thanks. That works for me.

I've ordered the book, and looking forward to the postman dumping it into the mail box.

E.

 

[middenface]

You need large mail box !

 

[Ferretz]

Ah, need to pick ut up at the post office then.

I don't know the setting. What kind of sci-fi movies would it be most like?

E.

 

[middenface]

Alien, Aliens etc, Prometheus, Outland, Event Horizon, Odyssey 2: 2010, Bladerunner, Moon 44, Moon, a few other, the book list other sources...

 

[Ferretz]

Very nice, especially for me, being a huge fan of Ridley Scott.

E.

 

[middenface]

Oh yeah I'm a bit of a ALIEN nut... he's says as he fondles his Nostromo cap...

 

[Ferretz]

Really looking forward to Prometheus, which makes me wonder if there are any sorts of huge mysteries to be solved in 2300AD. Are there some kind of metaplot going on?

E.

 

[GJD]

Really looking forward to Prometheus, which makes me wonder if there are any sorts of huge mysteries to be solved in 2300AD. Are there some kind of metaplot going on?

E.

Not a metaplot per-se. There was the Kafer war, but that was more of a background to plot adventures against. There are plenty of mysteries to be explored in the established background, though, some glactic-scale, some very small scale. The Nyotekundu sourcebook, Ranger, Bayern and Energy curve all involve unwravelling a mystery of some kind.

G.

 

[Ferretz]

Interesting. I really look forward to it. I've never played Traveller before, but I'll read the setting before I decide if I'm starting a campaign.

E.

 

[Colin]

There are some metaplot(s). The Kaefer War is the only one that was really explored previously. One question that really wants to be answered is why there are so many intelligent aliens in such a small volume of space, and if that sort of concentration is normal.

 

[Yatima]

I've received my 2300 core book and I'm very pleased with it, but also a little surprised that the timeline starts at 2300. I suppose that after 2320, I expected that these rules too would move the timeline on from the Kaefer War (respecting the copyright issues with 2320, of course). No good reason for me to believe that, it was an unfounded assumption of mine.

However, now that we sit on the verge of the Kaefer war in MgT 2300, can you say something, Colin, about how the Kaefer war will play out? In the original game it was the dominant plot line. Can we expect to see the Kaefer war unfold just as it did in Invasion? How do you see other stories or themes develop against the un-ignorable noise of the events on the French Arm set out in Invasion? Do you intend to change those events at all?

Interested to hear your thoughts on these matters, and apologies if this was discussed in another thread.

 

[Colin]

I didn't like the way the Kafer War in the original 2300AD came to dominate the setting. For me, there were many possibilities in the setting, most of which were drowned out or at least muted by the War. That being said, the War is an important part of the setting.

Things will likely proceed differently from Invasion, though there will be a conflict. One option is to develop three mutually-exclusive campaign books, supported by folio-type books, for a military (Kaefer War) campaign, some sort of Troubleshooter campaign involving Core High tech, and an exploration campaign that brings Cthulhu to human space... (edited)

Or maybe not.

(and no, there is no Cthulhu in 2300AD)

 

[GJD]

Things will likely proceed differently from Invasion, though there will be a conflict. One option is to develop three mutually-exclusive campaign books, supported by folio-type books, for a military (Kaefer War) campaign, some sort of Troubleshooter campaign involving Core High tech, and an exploration campaign that brings the FNORD to human space...

Spoilers...

 

[Yatima]

Things will likely proceed differently from Invasion, though there will be a conflict. One option is to develop three mutually-exclusive campaign books, supported by folio-type books, for a military (Kaefer War) campaign, some sort of Troubleshooter campaign involving Core High tech, and an exploration campaign that brings Cthulhu to human space... (edited)

I like the sound of these separate campaign books, supporting different aspects of the setting. I enjoyed playing through the Kaefer war in the original incarnation, but it got old fast. Glad you have some changes planned.

 

[Rikki Tikki Traveller]

Well, if you basically limit the Kaefer War to the French Arm, you can develop your three campaign books by setting each in a different Arm.

French Arm: Military/Kaefer War
American Arm: Troubleshooter/High Tech stuff
Chinese Arm: Exploration

Of course, you can really do any type of campaign in any of the Arms. There are ALWAYS wars going on (even if it is isolated to a single colony) and exploration will be part of all arms (even if it is covert exploration of Kaefer space). Troubleshooting likewise takes place everywhere; the darn Foundations are always tinkering with something...

 

[Yatima]

Well, if you basically limit the Kaefer War to the French Arm, you can develop your three campaign books by setting each in a different Arm.

This makes sense to me for campaign material, so long as we get enough information to run any style campaign anywhere if we choose.

Of course, you can really do any type of campaign in any of the Arms. There are ALWAYS wars going on (even if it is isolated to a single colony)...

This brings up a related point, about the depth of adventure possibilities on each world. Traveller, in general, is a game of traveling. Well duh! But the side effect of that is that players often don't spend so much time in each place and everywhere starts to feel more or less the same. I'd very much like 2300 to develop in a different direction, such that:

• Travel between worlds is entirely possible, but flitting between them is not the norm.
• Each world has a great deal of depth and feels large. Planets are (generally) big places. You shouldn't feel like you've exhausted a world after playing through a violent incident in a bar at the spaceport.

Now, much of this is down to the referee and the style of game players want, but providing maps of worlds and locations beyond the default icosahedral Traveller globe would be a positive thing, and more chance to get into the outback or onto the city streets of a sprawling colony would be great enablers.

J