Expanding Traveller's Audience

[ShawnDriscoll]

Artwork is important as inspiration and visual aids.

Fantasy art by it's nature comes close to generic, you can practically use it anywhere and in any game. Scifi art is rather more specific, and tends to need to clearly differentiate franchises.

There's plenty of generic sci-fi art out there. Visit any concept art site. And there's plenty of specific stuff. Take your pick.

Fantasy buffs will note if a castle is not the proper style used for a specific fantasy setting. Fantasy clothing/armor will get picked apart also. Dragons have to be a certain kind of dragon.

In a sci-fi setting, dragons can be any style pretty much. As long as they are dinosaur looking.

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

If this is what you are looking for...well Hope my first project does well and I get a second shot at doing some work for the MgT series

If you have any side or 3/4 view shots of a ship of yours, I can do a CG render of it just for fun.

 

[wbnc]

If this is what you are looking for...well Hope my first project does well and I get a second shot at doing some work for the MgT series

If you have any side or 3/4 view shots of a ship of yours, I can do a CG render of it just for fun.

I have some three views, but side views, and 3/4 still have me banging my head on the desk..... I'll let you see a couple of the ships I am not likely to be using as they are in future for print versions...I dont want to give away all my secrets ya know

I hate to say it but most games are highly visual. The visuals get the imagination going more than than the substance of the game. One of the reasons I loved Traveller was that there was just enough art to get my imagination going without it being a pretty book.

one of the issues I have ran into in running the one-shots and short scenarios for new players is that younger layers are used to stacking their characters combining skills and abilities for maximum effect... and to create a specific character archetype..which Traveller does not allow..

Part of the fun for me has always been the mystery of what I am going to end up with, and how do I play it in a way that I have fun, and add to the fun of the group.

Some means of making the mystery of the final build of your character, or giving players hooks to hang the role-play side of things does make it a bit of a thrill A few games have pulled that off with lifepaths that are more than just a quick roll every term then nothing unless the GM patches in something off the top of his head.

one of my favorite characters had to juggle a wife, kids, and business while working a hips that was based in another sector after his career a a merchant ended with the result"competition forced you out of the sector"

Playing up, and selling the way you end up with unique history and background for your character might be useful for getting more roleplay oriented gamers...Power gamers and people used to the MMO style of maxing, and optimizing characters to be the ultimate badass Are still a bit of a challenge for me.

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

Power gamers and people used to the MMO style of maxing, and optimizing characters to be the ultimate badass Are still a bit of a challenge for me.

Those players just need to learn how to die. By their fourth character, they begin to see the light. The genius of Traveller. It is then that they realize the other games they were playing were just games.

 

[Jacqual]

Artwork for ships can be a very big boon to gather players, if stuff looks cool they will attempt to read what is there so they can figure out what the ship does.

When I first started playing Traveller back in the school days in the very early 80's I loved the Empress Class merchant, ya it wasn't fast but I liked the looks and the deckplans. I worked my first character like crazy (a Merchant) so he could get one. I loved playing that game as the Captain of that ship, Then I got to the New Era and saw the Jayhawk. Exact same stats and Deckplan, but the exterier art I felt like my Empress was an old boat I wanted that new sportscar called the Jayhawk. To this day I use the Jayhawk image for the Empress class ships in my games.

That is my view on how artwork can attract folks, it can very well work.

 

[Lord High Munchkin]

I really hate to say it... but dump the 3rd Imperium.

There is just too much arcane, esoteric baggage. Someone has already mentioned the obvious point that new players are most likely drawn in by seeing some "cool" movie, or reading some recent bestselling novel.

Sadly the 3rd Imperium is not in any way either of these. It's based on ideas and tropes from the period of most potential players' grandparents. It's a waste of time explaining it.

I'm sorry, but it's the truth.

 

[IanBruntlett]

I really hate to say it... but dump the 3rd Imperium.

You don't have to dump the 3rd Imperium. Just replace it with a better Traveller Universe. As well as 3i games, I've run Judge Dredd games as well.

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

I really hate to say it... but dump the 3rd Imperium.

The 3rd Imperium books are settings books, separate from the core rules. There are other setting books to choose from for Mongoose Traveller if players can't make up something of their own from the Campaign Guide.

 

[Reynard]

Okay, we hear a few people constantly whine how bad the 3I setting is and, supposedly, the only reason Traveller isn't the most popular RPG in existence. This is definitely the topic to sound out a much better eye candy setting to represent and promote it.

Personally for me decades ago when I discovered Traveller, it was the variety and robust creation system to make my own universes that attracted me and thereafter I was drawn in the 3I from later sourcebooks and the Journal. There are already other published Universes such as Twilight Sector.

So what will be the Forgotten Realm or Eberron of the new Official Traveller universe? Lots of people have no problem saying how bad the established setting is so they must have a well designed replacement.

 

[dragoner]

If nobody knows Mongoose Traveller exists ...

That is the bottom line.

Somebody did ask me if I would drop some posters off at some local stores and I said I would.

 

[dragoner]

Got the posters, thanks to Jeff Hopper, beautiful full sized artwork of a Type S and Imperial Marines signed by the artist David R Dietrick and Marc Miller. I will take them to shops tomorrow.

 

[dragoner]

I really hate to say it... but dump the 3rd Imperium.

You don't have to dump the 3rd Imperium.

Agreed. Alienating loyal customers is bad business, never do that. I don't use the 3I line, own a lot of the books though, but legacy stuff isn't what is wrong.

 

[Gypsy Knights Games]

So what will be the Forgotten Realm or Eberron of the new Official Traveller universe? Lots of people have no problem saying how bad the established setting is so they must have a well designed replacement.

We've been working on Clement Sector for a while and we feel that it is doing quite well. If you don't know it yet, you should look into it!

And we're not the only ones. Spica has it's Outer Veil and Terra/Sol Games has their Terra Sol setting. Wildfire has Cthonian Stars.

Several of them out there for you.

 

[Reynard]

Thanks John, I was being lazy and saw Twilight on my shelf to use as a quick example. Yea, there are a few out there and people should look them over for a fresh experience with the Traveller game mechanics.

 

[Gypsy Knights Games]

Thanks John, I was being lazy and saw Twilight on my shelf to use as a quick example. Yea, there are a few out there and people should look them over for a fresh experience with the Traveller game mechanics.

Twilight is a great example. I just wanted to be sure that everyone understands that there are lots of alternatives to the OTU if folks feel like the OTU no longer speaks to them or their players.

 

[dragoner]

Posters dropped off here: http://www.thesagesshoppe.com/ big place, and packed tonight with minis and board gamers, the owner was impressed that the poster was signed. Here as well, https://www.facebook.com/LegendaryGamesLafayette they had never heard of Traveller, or Mongoose, they said if I wanted to run a game, they would order the core rules. Sage's Shoppe would seem a natural outlet for Mong, lots of minis, plus rpg's. I told them I will stop back by after gencon to see if there is any interest.

 

[wbnc]

Since we are talking about increasing audience....I thought Id share this. I Just finished up running a session tonight, I gave them a break ad ran just a bit of DnD, but for the past few weeks they were getting a taste of Traveller...

I have been running one shops for a local game shop which is trying to build up it's in store gaming crowd. The results have been good. I ran several scenarios using one shot adventures from Crowded Hours, with pre-gen characters for the first few episodes...The younger players are used to hack and slash, and Build the biggest bad....umm boy games.

Having to think on their feet in non combat scenarios and work together or face certain doom seems to have stuck a note with one or two of the players, and presented a challenge to the younger guys.Thy were really shocked by the threat of perma-death, with no resurrection/ magical healing available.

I was very happy when several players wanted to know if we were going to play Traveller again soon...and several were talking about their shiny new Marines, and Merchants which they wanted to resolve the situation I left them in.

The one young fellow who thought an assault rifle and combat armor was all he needed, is now considering a different approach to conflict resolution. Seems getting lit up by locals, after thinking he could muscle his way through a negotiation gone bad, taught him that he needed to think a bit more...but he's still eager to play.

It seems that simply letting people play the game works nicely for finding new converts.