Contents of Traveller SRD?

[Flynn]

To Whom It May Concern:

There have been a lot of assumptions about what will be in the upcoming Traveller SRD and thus be available as Open Game Content. I would hate to act on those assumptions and then be disappointed later if we found out that something isn't included. Therefore, I would like to ask which, if any, of the following "core CT" sub-systems will be in the Basic Traveller rules and/or the SRD:

• Character generation
• Personal combat
• Space combat
• World generation
• Animal/encounter creation
• Starship construction
• Trade & commerce

If you don't have answers yet, then what would you like to be in there, or think would be a good fit to be in ther? As fans, we can understand a caveat of "I want to see this, but I don't know what I'm going to be allowed to put in," if that helps. I just want an idea of how extensive or restrictive the Traveller SRD is likely to be.

As feedback, I personally would hope that all of the above make it into the Traveller SRD, as this is the general contents of Classic Traveller Books 1-3, which serves as the most basic core rules for CT. Having this breadth of material opens up many options for diversity in supporting the Traveller OGL.

Please let us know when you can,
Flynn

 

[Old Bear]

Once the rules for Traveller appear, we plan to make them available under the Open Gaming License (OGL). At the same time, we will issue a Traveller Logo License (TLL) which makes the Traveller logo and titling available to licensees.

 

[Flynn]

Once the rules for Traveller appear, we plan to make them available under the Open Gaming License (OGL). At the same time, we will issue a Traveller Logo License (TLL) which makes the Traveller logo and titling available to licensees.

I gathered that much from the announcement.

I was just curious as to what the general contents of that Traveller SRD might be. I didn't know if you guys were far enough along in this to have a good idea on that subject or not. I certainly want to know, and I have read that others are making plans without even an idea of what may or may not be in these basic rules that will be made OGL. If they make something using a set of rules that is not part of your SRD, they are doing work that they can't sell. I just know the folly of making assumptions, and am asking for clarification on general contents, not specific rules.

A general list of overall topics shouldn't be hard to come up with, once you have the T5 rules in hand and can make such decisions. In essence, it would be like asking what the chapter headings will be in the Basic book, all subject to change, of course.

If this is something you can't answer right now, I can understand that. However, please know that there are people that would love to know at least what general topics will make it into these rules, and would appreciate an update in those regards as that information comes available.

Thank you very much for your time,
Flynn

 

[Old Bear]

It'll be a while before we can be more specific, I'm afraid. Right now we are still in the creation process, which can take a while. :wink:

 

[Flynn]

It'll be a while before we can be more specific, I'm afraid. Right now we are still in the creation process, which can take a while. :wink:

I can understand that, and I appreciate the honest answer.

Looking forward to future announcements,
Flynn

 

[Sky Captain]

I think it is great that Mongoose has the rights. I hope that Traveller comes back to stay, before most of my friends ever got distracted by D&D and 40K this was the game. The various itterations over the years (T, MT, TNE), expecially the last ten (T4, GT, D20T and original reprints), have made it very confusing. I would really like to see the boxed games made available again.

The largest point of clairity I think that needs to be established for retailers sake revolves around conversion of the SST RPG to this system. It will effect sales until that point is resolved.

 

[MongooseMatt]

Hi guys,

The best guide to what will be in the Traveller SRD is, funnily enough, the existing RuneQuest SRD. We have similar intentions for both games. . .

 

[P08]

Hi guys,

The best guide to what will be in the Traveller SRD is, funnily enough, the existing RuneQuest SRD. We have similar intentions for both games. . .

Magic in Traveller :shock: :?: :!:

Seriously, though, the question on all of our gearminds is, "will there be rules for creating stuff?" - i.e. planets, vehicles, starships ...

 

[Mage]

Their probably will be as there is something about creating random planets in The Rim for Babylon 5, I believe, but there is not a snowballs chance in hell something like that would be srd.

I believe what the staff are saying is that the following will be srd: the core rules (making a character, basic rules, combat, equipment, character types, etc), possibly a book on species or monsters in space, a companion or second rules expansion, and possibly space ships since they are important to the sci fi genre as monsters are to the fantasy.

 

[Flynn]

I almost forgot psionics. Psionics definitely needs to be a sub-system that is included, simply because NPCs can use it as well as PCs.

With Regards,
Flynn

 

[Marquis-de-Carabas]

I would expect to see something like: the creation rules for ships, star systems and sectors are not OGL, but the resulting stats and data are. That's how T20 does it.

That would be enough for an independent publisher to use the system as presented in the rule books, but unable to do a reprint of these core mechanics.

BTW, since T20 design sequence results don't differ that much from CT, MT or T4, publishing items for Rikki Tikki Traveller could probably be done using the T20 OGL content. ;-)

 

[Flynn]

That's a good point, but one can still hope.

With Regards,
Flynn

 

[P08]

A purely character generation SRD would be pointless for an SF game. An alien generation system is a bit silly, but only IMO because I don't like rubber-suit aliens.

Some kind of starship and world generation systems are essential for a useful SF SRD, otherwise why not just use the RQ SRD? Come to think of it, I've been using RQIII to play Traveller for the last 20-odd years ...