EPIC?
- Thread starter Mac V
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dmccoy1693
Cosmic Mongoose
What's the EPIC format for those of us that don't know?
OOPS! Sorry 
I'm really new to Traveller. I've seen EPIC adventures in relation to T20 and thought they have been around awhile. It stands for Easy -Playable -Interactive -Checklist. It's a sort of framework to designing adventures.
So, being so new, do you old schoola's 1) think it's good and 2) will it show up in Mongoose Traveller?
I'm really new to Traveller. I've seen EPIC adventures in relation to T20 and thought they have been around awhile. It stands for Easy -Playable -Interactive -Checklist. It's a sort of framework to designing adventures.
So, being so new, do you old schoola's 1) think it's good and 2) will it show up in Mongoose Traveller?
One of the things I noticed in all of the old GDW stuff was the concept of the basics, the push, the pull, the gimmick and the enigma. It was in MT, T2000 and 2300 AD. It seems to have disappeared from TNE but was back for T4.
It was an easy checklist to work with.
As for EPIC, I haven't had a look at it yet, but Mongoose will have to look at how they present packaged adventures. I'm sure they're still thinking about finishing the core books.
It was an easy checklist to work with.
As for EPIC, I haven't had a look at it yet, but Mongoose will have to look at how they present packaged adventures. I'm sure they're still thinking about finishing the core books.
I'm not aware EPIC actually stood for anything.
Basically, it's a non-linear format that gives the GM a Cast of Characters, Background, and incidents. The major incidents are necessary to move to the next chapter while the players might find a way to avoid minor ones. The chapters provide the order of resolution but not necessarily the order of events.
It leaves the players with a great deal more autonomy, important in a game played on a stellar scale.
It's one of the things I liked about the T-20 version.
Basically, it's a non-linear format that gives the GM a Cast of Characters, Background, and incidents. The major incidents are necessary to move to the next chapter while the players might find a way to avoid minor ones. The chapters provide the order of resolution but not necessarily the order of events.
It leaves the players with a great deal more autonomy, important in a game played on a stellar scale.
It's one of the things I liked about the T-20 version.
You can find more information on the EPIC adventure format here:
http://www.traveller5.com/EPIC.html
I do not know if the format will be considered Open Game Content or not (for future small-publisher products using the Traveller OGL), but I've used it before in Stellar Reaches to great effect. It is definitely easy to write to, in my experience.
Hope It Helps,
Flynn
http://www.traveller5.com/EPIC.html
I do not know if the format will be considered Open Game Content or not (for future small-publisher products using the Traveller OGL), but I've used it before in Stellar Reaches to great effect. It is definitely easy to write to, in my experience.
Hope It Helps,
Flynn
dmccoy1693
Cosmic Mongoose
Flynn said:
Thank you very much.
Flynn said:
It would be nice if the SRD included the EPIC format as well as a standardized stat block for NPCs/planets/bases/ships and standardized map symbols for both space and planetary maps. *Hint, Hint*
Rikki Tikki Traveller
Cosmic Mongoose
It probably won't include those things, but that would be a nice OGL thing for someone to produce quickly... :wink:
Rikki Tikki Traveller said:
You have to be careful about Product Identity and copyright. Unless the creator of the EPIC framework releases it as Open Game Content, we shouldn't be using it.
Now, that being said, it is entirely possible that the copyright holder for that framework could release it today under the OGL, even without a Traveller SRD, so long as it included a copy of the Open Gaming License v1.0A and referenced itself in Section 15.
Since I don't own the copyright, I can't do it.
But I imagine that Marc Miller could (unless that belongs to someone else).
If not, you would have to fall back on another presentation, although you can easily take lessons from EPIC if you wanted to in designing your own presentation.
Oh, and for the record, I am not a lawyer. This does represent my understanding on copyright law, and I wouldn't be surprised if it works as I suggested. However, not being a lawyer, take my advice with a huge grain of salt, and ask a professional if you have any questions.
Hope this helps,
Flynn
Having written adventures under the EPIC system I find it works okay most of the time, really rather well some of the time, and sadly a bit often its really ****ing annoying to have to try to shoehorn something you could just write down into EPIC format. I ended up warping the EPIC format somewhat insrtead of just writing down what I needed to convey.
T20 adventures used the EPIC format because QLI chose to. That meant that the adventures I wrote for Avenger when Avenger was a sub-licensor of QLI used it. Once Avenger became separate from QLI I dropped EPIC like a live grenade.
It's not intrinsically bad; the basic idea is sound. It's just that some adventures don't suit being written that way. It's not really all that different from using 'nuggets' or 'scenes' or whatnot.
This is a personal comment but it's from personal experience too. EPIC may suit some people down to the ground, but for me it just didn't quite work often enough to be irritating. It just tries a bit too hard to neatly put everything in a box. (and do NOT get me started on the 'all adventures begin at the starport' concept. Just don't).
Okay, so...
I used EPIC to write several commerical adventures. These days I'm free to write my adventures using any format I like. You'll notice it's not EPIC. That pretty much sums up my experiences.
Try it - it might well work for you. It ALMOST worked for me. It was okay MOST of the time.... but it was supposed to be a blanket standard system and I just found it a little too restrictive.
But like I say - that could be just down to my adventure writing style.
T20 adventures used the EPIC format because QLI chose to. That meant that the adventures I wrote for Avenger when Avenger was a sub-licensor of QLI used it. Once Avenger became separate from QLI I dropped EPIC like a live grenade.
It's not intrinsically bad; the basic idea is sound. It's just that some adventures don't suit being written that way. It's not really all that different from using 'nuggets' or 'scenes' or whatnot.
This is a personal comment but it's from personal experience too. EPIC may suit some people down to the ground, but for me it just didn't quite work often enough to be irritating. It just tries a bit too hard to neatly put everything in a box. (and do NOT get me started on the 'all adventures begin at the starport' concept. Just don't).
Okay, so...
I used EPIC to write several commerical adventures. These days I'm free to write my adventures using any format I like. You'll notice it's not EPIC. That pretty much sums up my experiences.
Try it - it might well work for you. It ALMOST worked for me. It was okay MOST of the time.... but it was supposed to be a blanket standard system and I just found it a little too restrictive.
But like I say - that could be just down to my adventure writing style.
Rikki Tikki Traveller
Cosmic Mongoose
HEH! Look up one post, it's the guy writing the Spinward Marches Sourcebook!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:wink:
:wink:
captainjack23
Cosmic Mongoose
MJD said:
Yeah, HIM. Now get back to work, smarty pants !
:lol:
The Marches book is being assisted by the Avenger Enterprises folks, who should be able to spot clangers as I drop them. This is pretty much an 'internal' thing as these guys generally keep me right.
I dunno if Mongoose plan a formal playtest and I'm not sure if I should be releaseing files to anyone but the inner Avenger circle folks (or even to them but they're useful, if only for checking that people with an IQ lower than that of a goldfish can comprehend the text...)
So, I don't think I can open the playtest to anyone outside Avenger and a couple of Traveller expert reality-checkers I'm talking to. If anyone wants to be involved in future projects the best thing to do is to get involved with Avenger and help develop our own prducts. If we find we can trust you with those then we'll let you look at other people's stuff.
Sorry to be paranoid but this isn't my product to be cavalier with; it belongs to Mongoose. I've had bad experiences with folks releasing priviliged playtest information in the past (nobody we'd ever work with again) so I'm only allowig people who've proven their reliability to see the documents.
Though I am pretty sure Mongoose will actually publish the final version. That sort of mistake only happens once, and it happened elesewhere...
I dunno if Mongoose plan a formal playtest and I'm not sure if I should be releaseing files to anyone but the inner Avenger circle folks (or even to them but they're useful, if only for checking that people with an IQ lower than that of a goldfish can comprehend the text...)
So, I don't think I can open the playtest to anyone outside Avenger and a couple of Traveller expert reality-checkers I'm talking to. If anyone wants to be involved in future projects the best thing to do is to get involved with Avenger and help develop our own prducts. If we find we can trust you with those then we'll let you look at other people's stuff.
Sorry to be paranoid but this isn't my product to be cavalier with; it belongs to Mongoose. I've had bad experiences with folks releasing priviliged playtest information in the past (nobody we'd ever work with again) so I'm only allowig people who've proven their reliability to see the documents.
Though I am pretty sure Mongoose will actually publish the final version. That sort of mistake only happens once, and it happened elesewhere...
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