Cinematic Traveller

[dirklancer]

I apologize if this has been talked about before, but I am just getting back in to Traveller after an extended absence. I am working on a conversion of a homebrew setting for an upcoming campaign, and my players and I generally prefer a more cinematic vibe in our games. I have a few simple ideas to modify the system to give it that feel, but I was curious what other people have tried and how it worked for them.
My basic plan is to boost the amount of damage player characters can take (2x End), luck points to give a boost on critical rolls (spend one to roll 3d6 and take the highest two dice), and henchmen level foes to act as cannon fodder (drop after taking 1\2 End damage, all their checks only succeed on 10+). I toyed with a modification using the same damage system for PCs that vehicles and robots use, but that felt off. Any suggestions are very welcome.

 

[Rikki Tikki Traveller]

You could also increase the effects of armour, so weapons do less damage and/or make it harder for weapons to hit (lots of bullets, but not a lot of blood ala The A Team).

One thing I considered was using Hit Points instead of characterstics, so that characters could still fight to the bitter end.

The HP total could be (STR+DEX+END) with a multiplier or double-END or whatever you wanted to make characters tougher.

 

[Nathan Brazil]

Each weapon lists the damage it infl icts as a number of d6. Add the Effect of the attack roll to this damage.

Are speaking of using something over and above the standard on p.65 of the Core book?
I would keep it simple, like on a rolls of 6's on the task roll allows to roll another die and add to the roll. If if a 6 is rolled again, keep rolling. Allow only the PCs and Major NPCs to be able to do this. The mooks get squat. This allows players to be more cinematic without change every other rule in the book. Can also be applied to non-combat rolls to distinguish your Skill 4 (best in the world) Scientist/WhatHaveYou from other people running around with the same skill level.

Without the rules modification standard humans can achieve +12 Effect or more, though not often:
Stat 15 (+3DM) (Maximum Human)
Skill 4 (+4DM) (Best in the World)
Equipment (+1DM) (or better depending on type)
Extra Time (+1DM or more) (if applicable)
Roll of 12
12 (roll) - 8 (Standard Task Diffculty) +8 (DMs) = Effect 12 Damage from a dagger becomes 1d6+2 + 12.

 

[Condottiere]

I like karma points, which you can use to tweak, enhance or negate a result.

 

[Tom Kalbfus]

Hit points make sense, in the Traveller version there are no levels or classes I noticed that characters don't fit on the Core Rules Size Table for Creature Sizes and Characteristics, for example I weigh 100 kg, so therefore if I were to roll a character based on my body mass, I should roll 3d6s for Strength, Dexterity, and Endurance, yet according to the core rules system, the maximum characteristics for humans is 15. My wife would weigh around 50 kg, so according to that table she would roll 2d6 for Strength and Endurance, and 4d6 for Dexterity.

 

[dirklancer]

All good suggestions and much appreciated. Hit points might be a good option, since they keep a character fighting fresh until the point they drop.
In regards to karma points, what are some systems people have tried?
I was toying with a damage mechanic similar to the one used for vehicles. Basically you would have a hit location chart (2: head, 3-5 upper limb, 6-9 body, 10-11 lower limb, 12 vitals) and damage would inflict a number of hits to the location rolled as per the vehicle damage chart. Hits to most area would cause damage in the traditional sense, although lower amounts than a standard attack so more lasting power. Limbs could be disabled, head and vital hits would do more damage, and called shots could target certain areas for greater effect. Goons would drop after a hit or two, while important NPCs would use the same system. I don't know if this mechanic would work for characters, but I may playtest it a bit to see. And it might take a little narrative license to explain multiple hits without automatic weapons, like a sword blow clipping the agent's cheek before cutting the arm he instinctively threw up to deflect the blow.

 

[CosmicGamer]

my players and I generally prefer a more cinematic vibe in our games.

One of the things I think of when someone says cinematic is a visual story vs a book and a written story. Are you looking for suggestions for bringing more visual elements into your games? Miniatures, graphics, maps...

Making characters more superhuman and throwing up paper targets for them to destroy isn't cinematic to me.

Yes there are superhero movies, but there is usually a super villain too. Lots of good cinema about average Joes.

Lots of cinema with combat but also lots about love and relationships.

Could you please describe in more detail what cinematic means to you so that we can better provide feedback.

 

[Tom Kalbfus]

my players and I generally prefer a more cinematic vibe in our games.

One of the things I think of when someone says cinematic is a visual story vs a book and a written story. Are you looking for suggestions for bringing more visual elements into your games? Miniatures, graphics, maps...

Making characters more superhuman and throwing up paper targets for them to destroy isn't cinematic to me.

Yes there are superhero movies, but there is usually a super villain too. Lots of good cinema about average Joes.

Lots of cinema with combat but also lots about love and relationships.

Could you please describe in more detail what cinematic means to you so that we can better provide feedback.

What is Indiana Jones?

 

[AndrewW]

What is Indiana Jones?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiana_Jones

 

[Balfuset790]

Not to speak for the OP, but to me, whenever I hear someone talk about a 'cinematic' gaming experience, I tend to think they mean something that is less grit and more pulp.

The difference, for example, between Indiana Jones or Errol Flynn and Citizen Kane or Gattaca. Where the heroes are just that, larger than life individuals able to swash some buckles and perform acts of derring do rather than a bullet wound being a significant danger and combat being something to be avoided.

Does that about sum it up, OP?

 

[dirklancer]

That's pretty much exactly what I am talking about and thank you. Pulpy is probably a better term for what I mean. Heroes that are a bit larger than life when compared to the average, and they can overcome challenges that would kill normal folks. Mind you this campaign will not have heroes that are superheroes, but I don't want them to drop after one hit. I'm letting them roll 3d6 and drop the lowest to determine stats, but character creation will be normal otherwise.
So ideas to make combat less lethal, give them options like karma points to allow a second chance or two, etc. I honestly think Traveller as is works well with little modification, but a few tweaks would help get the right feel.

 

[Balfuset790]

Drawing on something that's already ben stated, I've always liked the idea of 'Goons', 'Mooks', 'Brutes' or whatever you want to call them

I think 7th Sea is a game that did this the best of any system I've played. Squads of Brutes who roll dice related to how skilled they are - an abstract measure rather than individual skill points - and how many of them there are. They were taken down by any attack that hit, and you could take penalties to be flashier and take out more than one at once. As Brutes got knocked out, the whole group became less effective.

So, rather than having 'Attribute' and 'Skill' modifiers, you isntead give them 'Professionalism' and 'Numbers' modifiers, ranging from -3 to +3. A single farmhand might have DM-6 (-3 professionalism, -3 Numbers) to attack you, but 6 of them would overcome their lack of skill with numbers, attacking as a single entity witha DM+0

A single highly trained security guard might have DM +0 (+3 professionalism but -3 Numbers), where six of them would have a ferocious DM+6.

Could say you can take a DM-1 or -2 for each additional Brute you want to take out in a single attack, or you just take out a number of Brutes equal to the number of Damage dice you roll - though that could get silly with 4d6 broadswords or PGMP-16s.

 

[dirklancer]

I like that idea too. The recent FFG Star Wars games do something similar with groups of goons so you can fight a hoard of Stormtroopers without being quickly cut down.
I like that idea because it simplifies multiple lesser foes and cuts down on the number of die rolls that can slow down combat. There was another system I had looked at that boiled minor foes and NPCs down to one single specialty where they had a general skill rating. So a guard might have "Combat 2" or a rival merchant might have "Trade 3." So maybe something like that would work too.

 

[Nathan Brazil]

My cinematic (not superheroic) style is that the major villains have access to the same tricks the PCs have. Mooks no. My example was with 7th Sea and Savage Worlds in mind. Rather than change the laws of physics and rules about how armor works and damage and such, my rule changes are with the "stars" in mind. The bit players do not make use of options that are available with the existing rules. More GM tactics than rules changes:

A.Make the mooks "dumb". Don't have the mooks dodge, parry or react unless it adds flair to the story (p.61-62). i see many movies where the goons just run across the field of fire of the hero, only to have Arnold or other hero mow them down. "Smart" troops would not likely do that.

B.Alter stats and skills on the mooks to be poorer, but within qualifying range for their function, like giving troops only a Gun Combat 0 or 1. Sure they are troops, just not very good ones.

 

[CosmicGamer]

Heroes that are a bit larger than life when compared to the average, and they can overcome challenges that would kill normal folks. Mind you this campaign will not have heroes that are superheroes, but I don't want them to drop after one hit. I'm letting them roll 3d6 and drop the lowest to determine stats, but character creation will be normal otherwise.

Ok. Got it. Not something I've done and experimented with but I have some ideas for you.

So ideas to make combat less lethal

When the heroes are shot at, don't add in effect damage. This might be a feature of the boss opponent and right hand man too. Don't want them killed off by some lowly npc and keeps them on even ground for the grande finale.

The henchmen succumb to the knockout blow but the heroes and main opponent do not. With this, you could have a knockout blow be any time damage is greater than END (starting value). Not just a first blow.

The heroes are knocked out and not dead when the three stats are zero. Makes for your stereotypical hero getting caught and told the plan then escaping and saving the day.
----
For an even more superhero game, characters could pick a "supper power". One characteristic for which any skill check is one step easier. The brain. The strong man.

I thought of allowing a certain # of rerolls, but this still leaves things to chance. How about giving the characters 6 dice or a sheet with the numbers 1 through 6. At any time, they can substitute one of their numbers for a rolled die. Maybe they just need to boost a roll of 1,5 and change the 1 to a 3 to pass a skill test. Maybe they use it to drop an opponents 5,6 to a 5,2. May even allow a heroic gesture to modify fellow player character rolls or maybe even npcs.

 

[Tom Kalbfus]

What if the hero was a robot encased in pseudoflesh? What if he didn't need a space suit and could operate fine in a vacuum?

 

[Nerhesi]

If you just actually use the merc second edition weapon rules (except for the DD stuff) and the armor stacking rules from core, you'll notice players can be pretty epic.

Combat Vacc Suit (15) + Improved Undercloth (2.5) + cyber armor (up to 6) - thats 22 or 23 armor. Basically you'll need to start hitting players with improved/customized HACRs or some terrible illegal stuff

 

[Nathan Brazil]

What if the hero was a robot encased in pseudoflesh? What if he didn't need a space suit and could operate fine in a vacuum?

I do not think that is relevant to making PCs cinematic in general. That is more like statting out the pseudoflesh (armor value, does it regenerate/heal), associating alien traits and qualities to that character's ability in a vacuum and qualities for being a "robot". That individual character sounds pretty more able than Joe Mook though.

 

[Reynard]

The cinematics I hear described on this topic seem more the over the top variety of action movies or a D&D session. For me, running Traveller, or any RPG, involves pacing and description by ref and players to make scenes and encounters stand out. Rather than making players bullet proof and villains paper tigers, consider how tough an encounter needs to be without TPK enthusiasm. It's a challenge, not a ref vs. players bloodbath. Make the opposition exciting or give players options for higher challenge and, if you have to, be generous with in game advise (You notice that rock outcrop behind the merc in battle armor looks unsteady). Cinematic is about thrills, excitement and fast pace until the challenge is met and the players can brag a little. You really don't need to introduce extra to the mechanics.

 

[Condottiere]

You can use redshirts like ablative armour.