A few questions for a new Traveller campaign.

[Tyrant]

So I'm getting ready to introduce people to the Mongoose Traveller system (MTU featuring instant jumps to the edge of a solar system like in Batlestar Galactica and sublight travel into and out of systems to the jump point) and I'm looking for some ideas or advise about the following:

1- Is there any good source material on scifi Bounty Hunters? My game will revolve around Bounty Hunter "culture". The traditions and rules that hunters follow as part of the lifestyle.

2- Has there been any attempt at stating out Aliens or Predators for MT? I'd LOVE to spring this on my players : )

3- Silly question; when it comes to Turrets, do the characters physically sit in a gun turret a la Star Wars? Or do they sit at weapons consoles on the bridge? I couldn't seem to find anything that would be affected either way in the starship combat system. Guess it's purely an aesthetic choice (sp?)

4- When I look at starship deckplans, I always wonder how the designers came up with how many squares on the sheet to dedicate to any given item. I mean, how many squares is a stateroom? How many is a bridge? Does it even matter? Is it listed somewhere?

5- Lastly, I could have sworn that I read somewhere, that during starship combat, the engineer can "increase the agility of a ship". I think it was under the Engineering skill writeup. But for the life of me I can't seem to find any rules on how that happens... Can anyone shed some light? I'd like to involve the engineer in combat as more than just damage control.

Thanks!

 

[EDG]

1- Is there any good source material on scifi Bounty Hunters? My game will revolve around Bounty Hunter "culture". The traditions and rules that hunters follow as part of the lifestyle.

The Cowboy Bebop anime is a very good source
Also, there's a small GURPS Traveller booklet on Bounty Hunters (Traveller Heroes 1: Bounty Hunter).

2- Has there been any attempt at stating out Aliens or Predators for MT? I'd LOVE to spring this on my players : )

The Chamax are decent Aliens clones.
I think someone (in one of the old Traveller magazines?) actually wrote up a "Reticulan" which actually was a very blatant ripoff of the Alien, and made no attempt to hide it.

3- Silly question; when it comes to Turrets, do the characters physically sit in a gun turret a la Star Wars? Or do they sit at weapons consoles on the bridge? I couldn't seem to find anything that would be affected either way in the starship combat system. Guess it's purely an aesthetic choice (sp?)

They're shown on CT deckplans as having seats in them. (and hooray, someone actually spelt "aesthetic" correctly! ).

4- When I look at starship deckplans, I always wonder how the designers came up with how many squares on the sheet to dedicate to any given item. I mean, how many squares is a stateroom? How many is a bridge? Does it even matter? Is it listed somewhere?

Each square is properly thought of as a cube (I forget how high the rooms are assumed to be). But you can figure out the volume from that, and the total has to match the volume of the ship.

5- Lastly, I could have sworn that I read somewhere, that during starship combat, the engineer can "increase the agility of a ship". I think it was under the Engineering skill writeup. But for the life of me I can't seem to find any rules on how that happens... Can anyone shed some light? I'd like to involve the engineer in combat as more than just damage control.

You used to be able to use extra energy points from the Power Plant in Classic Traveller to bump up the Agility of the ship. In Mongoose Traveller however, you can't do that because they did away with Energy Points in the MGT playtest (though there is still the mention in the skill list of being able to increase the agility of the ship, there's no context for what that actually means anymore). Agility is still a stat for Vehicles though.

 

[AndrewW]

4- When I look at starship deckplans, I always wonder how the designers came up with how many squares on the sheet to dedicate to any given item. I mean, how many squares is a stateroom? How many is a bridge? Does it even matter? Is it listed somewhere?

Each square is properly thought of as a cube (I forget how high the rooms are assumed to be). But you can figure out the volume from that, and the total has to match the volume of the ship.[/quote]

3 metres. Low profile ships (ie: fighters) are only 1.5 metres high.

1 square = 1/2 ton. (or 1/4 for low profile ships).

 

[Tyrant]

Thanks guys.
That's great info.
Cowboy Bebop! I had completely forgotten about that. Great Anime.
I'll check out the GURPS supplement. Thanks.

I appreciate the crunchy info on volume too. Thanks again.

 

[BP]

...looking for some ideas or advise

(a few of these are just restating what AndrewW and EDG related)

1 - SciFi Bounty Hunters? Star Wars (Bubba Fats) Traditions and rules? SciFi Bounty Hunters I've come across are all loners - so there basically are none (other than get your man and get paid!). (Non-SciFi - Stephanie Plum )

2 - Aliens/Predators are licensed material - but Core Rulebook (see from pgs 41 & 69) gives you enough to create your own (and there are several third party products that tend in these directions).

3 - Manned turrets? Generally, though rules allow for expert computer programs to control.

4 - Deckplan squares? Generally 2 squares per 1 ton. Tonnage is listed in spacecraft design (pg 105). Though standard leaway and creative license often means the deckplan square tons are not really accurate. Also, Bridges and Stateroom tonnage generally imply some of their tonnage is for common systems (hallways, plumbing, wiring, etc).

(More technically: Each square = 1.5 x 1.5 x 1.5 cubic meters. 2 squares 2 squares high is 13.5 cubic meters. Based on the volume of a metric ton of liquid hydrogen ~ 14 cubic meters. IIRC).

5 - Engineer skill and a ship's agility? Errata - there is no ship's agility (though one might use this to increase G thrust?).

 

[Garuda]

Theres a nice section about Bounty Hunters and how bounties, warrants and such work in one of the MGT source books. I believe it is in Book 5: Agent.

And then of course theres the new Strontinium Dog - though I have no idea what the content of the book is like.

 

[AndrewW]

Theres a nice section about Bounty Hunters and how bounties, warrants and such work in one of the MGT source books. I believe it is in Book 5: Agent.

Yup that's covered in agent.

And then of course theres the new Strontinium Dog - though I have no idea what the content of the book is like.

Well, some of it could be applied to a regular Traveller game.

 

[Rikki Tikki Traveller]

Spica's Career Book 1 (available on DrivethruRPG) has an expanded Bounty Hunter Career.

While it doesn't have much on the culture of bounty hunting, it does give you expanded Event/Mishap tables and 3 specialties.

 

[Tyrant]

I desperately want to get my hands on the Agent book.
I've purchased all the other career books so far and have loved them all.
My local store hasn't gotten it yet though, but I check almost every week.
Looking forward to checking out Stronium Dog too.

I have the Star Wars Bounty Hunter book. Unfortunately, it's too setting specific to be of any use to me. I will check out Spica's Career Book 1 though. Thanks.

I've decided I'm not going to worry about the square count for the ship design. That's a level of detail I just can't be bothered with. And I'll just handwave a rule that will allow the engineer to add a number of thrust points equal to the effect of the engineering roll during the combat turn. Nice, quick, simple.

One other thing, aside from Dune, which I'm all over already, can anyone think of examples of, well, for lack of a better term, "space Arabs"? I'm taking a cue from Firefly and am designing a campaign universe around a merging of Western culture and something which might be considered more exotic. Since Joss Whedon already did Chinese culture, I figure I'll try for an Arab/Western mix. I re-watched Chronicles of Riddick yesterday for ideas, but there's not much else out there that I can think of.

 

[EDG]

I re-watched Chronicles of Riddick yesterday for ideas, but there's not much else out there that I can think of.

This is why I loved the Riddick setting so much, it's one of the most multicultural ones I've seen in SF.

 

[rust]

One other thing, aside from Dune, which I'm all over already, can anyone think of examples of, well, for lack of a better term, "space Arabs"?

Take a look at the Faded Sun trilogy by C. J. Cherryh, it includes a truly
excellent description of a "space Arab" culture:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faded_Sun_Trilogy

 

[BP]

Take a look at the Faded Sun trilogy by C. J. Cherryh, it includes a truly excellent description of a "space Arab" culture:...

Wow - haven't come across that author since the late 80's - then picked up two of her books last night (Downbelow Station and Merchant's Luck). 8)

IIRC shes a strong character/culture writer and produced some excellent Space Opera - pretty good feel for Traveller 'verses.

 

[rust]

IIRC shes a strong character/culture writer and produced some excellent Space Opera - pretty good feel for Traveller 'verses.

Yes, indeed. While I really like Herbert's Fremen, they are too much a
part of Dune's ecosystem to make convincing spacefarers. Cherryh's
Mri have travelled the stars for centuries (usually as mercenaries), and
therefore are well suited as a spacefaring culture for Traveller.

 

[BP]

... Since Joss Whedon already did Chinese culture, I figure I'll try for an Arab/Western mix.

Perhaps instead of looking to Sci-Fi you might find inspiration in more down to earth works (like Joss did using Westerns) covering Arabian culture (ok - that paints a broad brush - stereotypically bedouins, sultans, etc.)

If you are looking for movies - Hildago was pretty good (though I cannot say how 'realistic'). I'm assuming you are looking at clothing (head-gear, hooded robes like jalabiyya, etc.); the treatment of women, business associates and enemies; concepts of honor and family; cultural myths, taboos and phobias...

 

[GamerDude]

This is why I loved the Riddick setting so much, it's one of the most multicultural ones I've seen in SF.

But it is also, in part at least, scientifically inaccurate...

The one planet in 'Chronicles' that has the burning hot atmosphere as the planet rotates.... so hot the rocks are all sharp points pushed in the direction of this 'flaming wind'... yet anywhere else it is cool enough for humans not just to breath but to exist, spacecraft (with fuel) to exist without exploding, etc.

Pretty much having a situation where the atmosphere above the face of the planet pointing towards the sun is super-heated gas and the rest of the planet has atmosphere that is cool enough that people can survive (and actually run fast enough in the direction opposite of planetary rotation to OUTRUN the approaching flaming atmosphere at least for a bit.

If that's scientifically possible then I give up trying to understand.

MULTICULTURAL
Again in 'Chronicles', isn't a major portion of the known universe destroyed/taken over by the one cult that wants Riddick dead? I don't know how far they got but a large portion of the setting is ONE culture now.

 

[BP]

(Riddick) ...in part at least, scientifically inaccurate...

Quite a few parts :wink: - but then its entertainment - and the periodically burning planet with an atmo is a bit out there over the top realistically - but a nice dramatic effect! (BTW: I've observed that people in Hollywood are universally capable of outruning flames - so that must be real )

MULTICULTURAL
Again in 'Chronicles', isn't a major portion of the known universe destroyed/taken over by the one cult that wants Riddick dead? I don't know how far they got but a large portion of the setting is ONE culture now.

True - made up of various ethnic groups though - and the two movies (and I guess the comic style one) do have a good degree of diversity - between the New Mecca people, the elemental, the furion, the bounty hunters and wardens, etc. It is quite diverse for humans as far as Sci-Fi flicks go. Not to mention quite entertaining and pretty decent Sci-Fi all things considered...

 

[GamerDude]

And I enjoyed it so much I got the "trilogy" (a like 38 minute animated move to bridge two real movies really ain't no trilogy).

It was good, I had fun, I've watched it all several times. It was good escapism screw any realism was all for visual impact that's it.

Kind of like Josh Weaton's Firefly... screw reality this is what I like it to be!

 

[EDG]

But it is also, in part at least, scientifically inaccurate...

The one planet in 'Chronicles' that has the burning hot atmosphere as the planet rotates.... so hot the rocks are all sharp points pushed in the direction of this 'flaming wind'... yet anywhere else it is cool enough for humans not just to breath but to exist, spacecraft (with fuel) to exist without exploding, etc.

Pretty much having a situation where the atmosphere above the face of the planet pointing towards the sun is super-heated gas and the rest of the planet has atmosphere that is cool enough that people can survive (and actually run fast enough in the direction opposite of planetary rotation to OUTRUN the approaching flaming atmosphere at least for a bit.

If that's scientifically possible then I give up trying to understand.

This may surprise you, but I don't expect all my SF to be realistic or possible. I like Riddick the way it is.

Chroniciles of Riddick is a great story IMO. It has a very rich setting that's only hinted at in the second film (and I wish I knew more about it), lots of history there too. The worlds are varied, the societies are varied (that's what I meant by "multicultural", there are clearly people from all sorts of ethnic groups and cultures on Helios (that was the name of the planet, right?)). And yes, its crazy in places, but that just adds to the charm. And the Necromongers and Underverse are another part that we only scratched the surface of (apparently Diesel wants to do a sequel where Riddick goes into the Underverse, which would be obscenely cool IMO).

 

[Tyrant]

Yeah, I've never been one to allow what's scientifically plausible to get in the way of a good game. I prefer high octane action sequences with lots of cinematic high jinks that are fun to play through and lift a middle finger to "reality".


Along with sci-fi flicks, I have started to look at historical info on various Arab or Persian kingdoms. How the government was run, what the social mores and traditions were, and have started to pick and choose which ones I'd like to import to a future society. I've also looked at "Mythic" Arab societies like those depicted in Arabian Nights and have those to be a great source of inspiration. Evil Viziers, exotic belly dancers, sultanate janissaries, Bedouin honor. These are all things that I can easily transpose into a scifi setting.

Also, there are a number of cultural stereotypes that I find amusing, but would tweek to fit into a far future society. For instance,I like the idea of the wealthy and powerful having harems, but it would be equally available to men and to women. So a powerful executive of a corporation might be expected to have a harem regardless of their gender. A harem guarded by chemically castrated cyber-guards no doubt. Or the 40 space pirates might have a secret asteroid base that only deactivates the auto defense systems by transmitting the encrypted code nicknamed "sesame".

I think there's a lot of potential.

 

[EDG]

Though just once (and getting very tangential) I'd like to see something based on Indian mythology ... there's a huge amount of great stuff to borrow from there, and it's scarcely been touched by western media.