Doing away with Psionics

[MaxTac Transfer]

Granted, but what campaign other than Deepnight is gonna need all that?
I've been a fan of Traveller since 1978 and I don't know anybody who ever finished Adv 0: The Imperial Fringe, which requires the PCs to visit all 300 some-odd worlds in the Spinward Marches. Most Traveller campaigns don't leave the subsector sandbox.

Maybe my players never will. But I need the security of a sandbox that is so large they will not accidentially fly out. Psychology on the GM side of the table in action

 

[ottarrus]

Maybe my players never will. But I need the security of a sandbox that is so large they will not accidentially fly out. Psychology on the GM side of the table in action

Max, that's entirely in your control. You present the plot, you give them the adventure leads, you are in charge of the setting. You are the one that gives them any reason at all to leave the sandbox. If all the elements of the campaign are within the defined space, the players have no reason to push beyond it if you don't give them a reason.
And this takes nothing away from the players. All you have to do is tell your PCs that 'this is a sandbox campaign set 'x' subsector'. For example, 'The Traveller Adventure' campaign has all sorts of influences from outside Aramis subsector, but never requires the PCs to leave that subsector.

 

[Sigtrygg]

And also has a few scenarios that involve psionics - all of which would need cutting out or extensively modifying

the monkeys could imprint on a character using pheromones which also introduce a toxin, as long as they are with the monkey the toxin is neutralised. If the monkey goes away the character dies...
go find a sectret research station into bio-chemical weapons that can cure this

 

[ottarrus]

And also has a few scenarios that involve psionics - all of which would need cutting out or extensively modifying

the monkeys could imprint on a character using pheromones which also introduce a toxin, as long as they are with the monkey the toxin is neutralised. If the monkey goes away the character dies...
go find a sectret research station into bio-chemical weapons that can cure this

That particular scenario can be completely ignored with absolutely zero effect on the overall campaign. It was set up as 'an intro to psionics' and was completely optional from the get-go.

 

[Sigtrygg]

You would still need to re-write the world...

 

[ottarrus]

You would still need to re-write the world...

No, you just need to subtract the psionic trait from the critter, that's all.
The critter imprints on PC A and the PC can't get rid of it. It pops up almost anywhere. There's nothing psionic in that. The Annoying Pet plot device has been around since forever.

 

[Sigtrygg]

Which is re-writing the world.

Once you remove psionics from the Third Imperium you are in an alternative universe Third Imperium. The Third Imperium setting includes the psionic supressions of the 800s...

Can you run a Third Imperium like setting without psionics, yes you can. Does it change much? Not a lot, and what it does change can be easily ignored in the first place.

 

[MaxTac Transfer]

Max, that's entirely in your control. You present the plot, you give them the adventure leads, you are in charge of the setting. You are the one that gives them any reason at all to leave the sandbox. If all the elements of the campaign are within the defined space, the players have no reason to push beyond it if you don't give them a reason.
And this takes nothing away from the players. All you have to do is tell your PCs that 'this is a sandbox campaign set 'x' subsector'. For example, 'The Traveller Adventure' campaign has all sorts of influences from outside Aramis subsector, but never requires the PCs to leave that subsector.

If that works for you - fine for you. There is a reasons for

"Psychology on the GM side of the table"

So what works for you is not helpful or relevant for me in this situation.