ShawnDriscoll
Cosmic Mongoose
I've been refereeing Mongoose Traveller for six players on Hangout+. Our group hasn't found a need to use any additional software. It would just get in the way of role-play.
Future Traveller - Suggestions Appreciated
- Thread starter MongooseMatt
- Start date
Prime_Evil
Emperor Mongoose
ShawnDriscoll said:
Electronic tools should be as non-intrusive as possible to ensure that they don't get in the way of the play experience. Ideally, they should fade into the background to let the players concentrate on the important stuff. Most play aids fail because they stand between the players and the roleplaying experience mediated by the game system.
ShawnDriscoll
Cosmic Mongoose
Prime_Evil said:
Most role-players can't trouble-shoot software issues. That's why I use Hangout+ with these guys, because it's a no-brainer to use. And you don't have to fuss with it at all during gameplay. We use real dice. Once in awhile, I'll share a URL for the players to click on to see a map or hear some audio.
I'm not such a fan of this idea, primarily because my lady and I have one computer between us and she's usually on it.
Also, I have trouble actually getting people to play Traveller (note - I have trouble getting most of the people I play with to play anything but either board games or Pathfinder/D&D), and the people I do play Traveller with don't use computers to do it. So to me, it's unlikely such things will work well.
Also, I have trouble actually getting people to play Traveller (note - I have trouble getting most of the people I play with to play anything but either board games or Pathfinder/D&D), and the people I do play Traveller with don't use computers to do it. So to me, it's unlikely such things will work well.
Lord High Munchkin
Mongoose
I doubt I would bother with it.
Computers and devices are generally a distraction, not an assist at the gaming table. Besides I like the social and interactive nature of having "live" players. I don't want to talk to an electronic device any more than I have to.
Computers and devices are generally a distraction, not an assist at the gaming table. Besides I like the social and interactive nature of having "live" players. I don't want to talk to an electronic device any more than I have to.
CosmicGamer
Mongoose
I get what some of you are saying. The play style of the in person group I play Traveller with is such that there is little need to look up tables and rules and there is little dice rolling. Lot's of just talking.
Computers are ones and zeros. I would be very interested in Mongoose finally having to make a decision on some of the rules that are currently open for interpretation and often debated here and elsewhere.
A chargen app is just one example of something that would be useful and have little impact on normal game play. Some people might like not having to flip back and forth in the book. Background skills, life event, injury table, aging table, muster out... Give an option for rolling your own dice instead of having the app roll. You could print out the character sheets or use your own or just use the electronic version. The character would be saved in case someone forgets or loses theirs. Perhaps a less interactive version for quickly generating NPCs in case the GM suddenly needs one that wasn't planned for and doesn't want to just wing it.
Whatever the functionality, make it modular enough so that people can easily use the pieces they need when they need them. Just ignore what you don't need or doesn't fit your play style.
Computers are ones and zeros. I would be very interested in Mongoose finally having to make a decision on some of the rules that are currently open for interpretation and often debated here and elsewhere.
A chargen app is just one example of something that would be useful and have little impact on normal game play. Some people might like not having to flip back and forth in the book. Background skills, life event, injury table, aging table, muster out... Give an option for rolling your own dice instead of having the app roll. You could print out the character sheets or use your own or just use the electronic version. The character would be saved in case someone forgets or loses theirs. Perhaps a less interactive version for quickly generating NPCs in case the GM suddenly needs one that wasn't planned for and doesn't want to just wing it.
Whatever the functionality, make it modular enough so that people can easily use the pieces they need when they need them. Just ignore what you don't need or doesn't fit your play style.
I understand the distraction element of various devices but I think some generators could be quite helpful in an electronic environment - PCs and NPCs, but also vehicles, small carft and starships and especially world and system generation could really profit from app-based generators.
IanBruntlett
Emperor Mongoose
Well... there are some useful applications out there that are free and open-source. Things like LibreOffice, Scribus, Inkscape etc (see http://contactmorpeth.wikispaces.com/SoftwareToolkit for more details.Somebody said:
When you are only using one type of computer architecture, free software is good because you don't have to pay for it. Open source software means that as new architectures appear (1), fellow enthusiasts can transfer your beloved software on to your shiny new toys
(1) Architectures. For personal use systems you're typically looking at Intel x86, AMD64 and ARM becoming more popular.
ShawnDriscoll
Cosmic Mongoose
And you have to have enough Traveller players (that play a specific version of Traveller, and know how to use software) to make the programming worth while. Not all Traveller players these days know anything about programming FORTRAN or COBOL on mainframes. They'e only bought apps from iTunes.
Have a solo player option. Be able to world build from the player character all the way to the dynasty level, and be integrated. I have enjoyed how characters can be generated in MGT making it easier to manage and create such characters would be nice. Be able to allow mods sor t of like how Steam recently has added with the Community workshop. Make it also intuitive so the older Grognards don't run away from it screaming.
ShawnDriscoll
Cosmic Mongoose
If I designed a solo play game for the PC, I might as well just design a whole Traveller computer adventure game then. I'd love to do a Mongoose Traveller RPG game like Fallout 3, sandboxed pretty much.
GypsyComet
Emperor Mongoose
jeheregh said:
Cute.
The reason the old players will "run away screaming" will have little to do with interface. Some of us grew up on DOS, after all.
No, I'm less likely to dive into such a thing simply because I prefer my Traveller at a table with friends. I would prefer utilities that enhance *that* experience. If I wanted a FaceBook game, I'd say so.
ShawnDriscoll
Cosmic Mongoose
If there's an app for that, I don't want it.
jeheregh said:
Actually as a Grognard and have used the full panoply of Traveller Software, I expect the interfaces would cause the younger set to flee in panic and incomprehension....
A simple GIS for Star Systems still in my belief for a core app... Though I would be against a finish version of the Traveller Suite either...
ShawnDriscoll
Cosmic Mongoose
I want to see some kid that plays Traveller figure out how to build a 3.5" floppy boot disk (or 5.25" disk for that matter) that has the choice of EMS or XMS memory configuration and an IDECDROM.SYS driver for adding a drive E:, and inits the SB16 MIDI port at 330. All in DOS 5.0.
ShawnDriscoll
Cosmic Mongoose
Are you the oldest kid here, Andrew?
ShawnDriscoll said:
Warning rant incoming!
What has this got to do with traveller :?: Apart from indicating an attitude towards rpgs that is very '80s'. There is no 'one true way' to play traveller, and the original idea had a lot of merit, but evidently scared the grognards here. I dont believe MGP said they were going to suddenly stop producing traveller in print form and go full on into this idea. It is this attitude to rpgs innovation that has put this fantastic hobby into the situation it finds itself now days. If we as role players want the hobby to continue beyond us, then we have to get more people into playing rpgs, and using the technology out there to do this, especially as many 'kids' are 'tech savy' now days. It is also a little ironic that not liking the idea of more software to enhance the game, whilst using google plus to run a game of traveller.
Rant over.
Matthew, go for it, it is a great idea, just what the rpg market needs, a new way of doing things.
(And i will note i like playing rpgs in a variety of ways, face to face, google plus, play by forum. Another way to play is great)
ShawnDriscoll
Cosmic Mongoose
The more phones at the table, the less role-play. The more phones in Google Hangout, the even less role-play. It becomes a different game. Some people may like this way of playing. But it isn't a role-playing game anymore.
Er, using an app to help enhance your rpg experience at the table is not the same as poking your smart phone at the table to read face book. You above statement is just your preferred way of playing traveller. If everyone at a table is using their smart phones to view the handouts, maps etc, and then role playing, the experience for them and their way of role playing is enhanced. No one is going to force you to play in any other way than the way you want to. To claim that a different way of role playing is not role playing is a little arrogant, it comes across as 'my way is the only true way' type of attitude.
