Futuristic Sci-Fi Traveller

[dragoner]

Not so sure about TL23 tho, could get a little too "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic" for me and be very difficult for players to identify with.

I made this image up pretty quick, thinking about this today. Maybe it has relation to the longevity, in as much "One thread to bind them."

To me, Traveller just means to roll up a character and start to play. Higher TL is just more to explore, moving the ceiling, or removing it all together. What is there to fear, like being at the top of a giant trail, ready to ride down: crash and burn? Oh well, it is better to try and fail, or it could be the best ride of your life. I'm not afraid to dream, or to explore new ideas.

Influences? Some are obvious:

Though the idea is to keep it as close to the core as possible, so as I stated, just roll up a character and play. Grab tech from all versions, try to keep stuff that is all ready there as well, difficult? So-so, not impossible. The biggest change I am thinking of is with the general feeling around the maps, adding a 3-D element, using the Atlas of the Universe as an example. I'll post more, but this is just a rough cut, brainstorming.

 

[DickTurpin]

Straying too far from the existing Traveller technology can lead to problems. Many years ago I was briefly in a game that was supposed to be MegaTraveller. But the GM wanted a ultra-high tech universe. That is good in theory, but it must still make sense. He gave each characer a set of armor that was a tiny spaceship all by itself, with armor, weapons, and drives to duke it out with anything that flew; the suits were even jump capable.

Were the suits cool? Yes. But the whole feel of the game was lost. That campaign collapsed quickly because the players just could not make sense of the GM's vision of the game.

So, in my opinion, TL 16-18 is fine, up to 20 if there are only a few worlds at that tech level, maybe some items in the mid-20s but they should be rare and they should require time and RP to figure out how to use them. Those items would be treated like major magic items in a fantasy campaign.

 

[-Daniel-]

You make an interesting point DickTurpin. When the "feel" shifted the game you liked was missing. But I contend that the tech is just part of it. I have seen games being "loyal" to the basic LBBs and still didn't feel like Traveller. Ultra cool power armor clearly pushed the limit, but I also think that any game that over focuses on the tech will suffer regardless of the level of that tech.

 

[Anonymous]

OK, I'm not sure there's much published that defines TL23, Dragoner, do you have a brief timeline with significant tech advances planned out yet?

What will be the defining technology?

 

[dragoner]

My idea is to start people basically same as they do from the core books. Basically, not all societies are the same. The game will take place around the Cat's Paw Nebula, which will run the gamut of TL's similar to current Traveller. Human space will be divided into areas similar to the planetary layout of Core, Outer Core, Mantle, and Crust, the Cat's Paw, being so far out is an interface zone between the Mantle and Crust.

Core concepts will be standard, as I want to keep as much content as can be used. Some differences, there is longevity, so some people that are alive today will still be alive, as the year is something like 2277 or so. Part of that is that it connects to today, to us.

Now with the "Core" in game, yes, in those systems, tech will have been transformative, so much so in ways that the people that stayed in the core will have become almost alien. Some tech items will be available, some not, such as what a TL 23 gun is like? Nothing, because it doesn't exist, the core people, are often called "supers" and like comic book heroes, abhor violence; guns to them are anathema.

This brings up another point, it isn't a dystopian society, there hasn't been any galactic wars or anything. Too little time, too much space with hundreds of millions of worlds to choose from. There have been little wars and there still will be inequality, and still maybe there could be a bigger war, as there are aliens that share common space with the human sphere (which I'm calling the Republic of Earth, or RoE), plus there is conspiracy on the inside.

 

[dragoner]

... but I also think that any game that over focuses on the tech will suffer regardless of the level of that tech.

This. The focus is on people, not tech, tech will mostly be of the same paradigm set forth in Traveller, other stuff will be add-ons.

OK, I'm not sure there's much published that defines TL23, Dragoner, do you have a brief timeline with significant tech advances planned out yet?

What will be the defining technology?

T5 has a higher tech timeline, which I may or may not use, but I view TL's as rather an arbitrary judgment from above.

As far as the game timeline, not totally set, but I'm saying no plateaus, just a progression for 250 years of TL8 to TL23, so 10-20 years per TL. Rudimentary timeline:

2030's the first EM "M" propulsion engines developed, renamed drives to avoid the copying of EMP acronym.
2050's The solar systems is being fully explored, technology is reversing the environmental degradation of earlier eras.
2061 First jump drive developed
2069 Interstellar colonies established
2070's-2090's Era of "moral turpitude" as Earth populations that are found to be undesirable or inconvenient are transported to new worlds.
2097 Unitary World Government established on Earth
2099 - today: Earth tries to help the colonies, though hypocritically, does not offer for the people to return.
2150 Earth becomes Garden planet, like a huge resort or park, as the environment is restored

This is it for about now.

Some key technology: Jump 1-6 parsecs, is a FVME (False Vacuum Metastability Event) "Jump Bubble" interstellar engine. Plus TL15, some call it "Hop", but is a Quantum Arc Tunnel, 10-60 parsecs Arc Drive, and finally, a 100 parsec "Skip" or Fold Space engine. Each also shortens transit times, Jump is standard, Arc is 3 days plus 2d6 hours, Fold is 1 day plus 2d6 hours.

The Arc and Fold engines are difficult to come by, being new (or newish) tech. The core worlds consider the colonials unready for full tech sharing as well, as they are afraid they might use it for violence.

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

I have no problem with whatever tech level is used. Mongoose Traveller's mechanic works in any setting besides "The 3rd Imperium".

 

[Condottiere]

...

 

[dragoner]

Thank you.

 

[Tom Kalbfus]

Straying too far from the existing Traveller technology can lead to problems. Many years ago I was briefly in a game that was supposed to be MegaTraveller. But the GM wanted a ultra-high tech universe. That is good in theory, but it must still make sense. He gave each characer a set of armor that was a tiny spaceship all by itself, with armor, weapons, and drives to duke it out with anything that flew; the suits were even jump capable.

Were the suits cool? Yes. But the whole feel of the game was lost. That campaign collapsed quickly because the players just could not make sense of the GM's vision of the game.

So, in my opinion, TL 16-18 is fine, up to 20 if there are only a few worlds at that tech level, maybe some items in the mid-20s but they should be rare and they should require time and RP to figure out how to use them. Those items would be treated like major magic items in a fantasy campaign.

Sounds like Green Lantern, you have a team of super heros flying through space with a bunch of power rings.

 

[Anonymous]

As far as the game timeline, not totally set, but I'm saying no plateaus, just a progression for 250 years of TL8 to TL23, so 10-20 years per TL. Rudimentary timeline:

2030's the first EM "M" propulsion engines developed, renamed drives to avoid the copying of EMP acronym.
2050's The solar systems is being fully explored, technology is reversing the environmental degradation of earlier eras.
2061 First jump drive developed
2069 Interstellar colonies established
2070's-2090's Era of "moral turpitude" as Earth populations that are found to be undesirable or inconvenient are transported to new worlds.
2097 Unitary World Government established on Earth
2099 - today: Earth tries to help the colonies, though hypocritically, does not offer for the people to return.
2150 Earth becomes Garden planet, like a huge resort or park, as the environment is restored

2099 is "today" yet the time line projects to 2150?

That is a seriously compacted tech advance.

Not that I think it makes a huge difference to play with the possible exception that you have humans in culture shock as such massive changes have wrought havoc with the human psyche.

That of course, may be an objective...

 

[dragoner]

Today is 2277, but not set in stone; that entry should be "2099 to Today".

As far is it goes, bring the question back home, how do you think you would deal with the changes?

I don't know if I would be culture shocked, but with the opportunity to do more, I'd probably leave for the colonies.

 

[Anonymous]

If you're talking about me, the person from the 21st century, hell yes I would be in space.

Looking for a new way to live, free of the old lies.

As far as dealing with the changes, I think in part I would be very open to them and in part I would struggle. The struggle would be about the old lies, that the rich and privileged are the ones benefiting most from the changes.

Perhaps being shipped off world as a political deviant would be in my future.

I think your unitary Earth government might come earlier in the time line too partly as people begin to see themselves as human before they see their nationality and partly because the passage of globalisation will have matured. That's one of my positives looking at globalisation today, the balance of retaining cultural identity and still being part of a whole is key.

Are there to be aliens in this setting?

Stealing them from Blindsight or Banks?

 

[dragoner]

64 different kinds of aliens, life is just chemistry, right? At least that's how I see it. Stolen from everywhere as well. But also every weird dream come true, like people modifying themselves into Wolfmen or Space Elves, because 100% I know people would do it if they could.

Yes, the 21st century people, many will still be alive, maybe not us in particular, but definitely those who come after. Basically the transportees are various groups, as well as those of us who chose to leave. Those in the core, would not have exactly a watershed of goodwill, there is a tension between them and the colonies. By saying it is not a dystopia, the setting still has pathos.

 

[Anonymous]

But also every weird dream come true, like people modifying themselves into Wolfmen or Space Elves, because 100% I know people would do it if they could.

Someone's gonna mention the T word real soon...

Transhuman!!!

 

[dragoner]

Transhumanism? It could be there, I mean, there are 600 million stars within 5000 light years of the Earth. If someone is doing something, there is room to do it.

Part of today I made some images, or searched out some, like this planetary structure:

This is the structure people apply to space as well. The core is the TL 23 worlds, outer core, close to that, 17-18+, sort of like Asimov's spacer worlds like Aurora, the mantle, is standard Traveller milieu type tech, with the crust a true frontier.

 

[Anonymous]

How do you envisage the rate of colonisation?

With so many worlds behind them I can see colonies starting up infrequently.

Will there be independent colonies starting up with next to nothing or does that fly in the face of the resources needed to kick start a colony?

 

[dragoner]

Some more of what I was thinking, doing a small part of space, The Cat's Paw Nebula, I took these from the excellent Atlas of the Universe site: http://www.atlasoftheuniverse.com/index.html

Settled in the early 2100's.

How do you envisage the rate of colonisation?

It will happen in groups around clusters or nebulae, not at all even but people search out the shirt sleeve worlds.

Will there be independent colonies starting up with next to nothing or does that fly in the face of the resources needed to kick start a colony?

They'll have their robots and printers, so it won't be next to nothing. The kicker will be that some who started out in say cold sleep J1 ships will find themselves arriving where others starting a generation later will have beat them there and are awaiting their arrival; ne'er do wells, snake oil salesmen and nascent corporate CEO types. Leaving for Elysium and arriving in Gehenna.

 

[Jak Nazryth]

I love these accurate maps... (almost accurate?)

 

[dragoner]

Atlas of the Universe is a great site, the whole graphical combination is very nice, the downside is that it isn't updated to the latest catalogs of stars, which is something I'd like to see.

Another thing is to represent 3d space in 2d easily, I've been looking at this: