Judge Dredd

[AndrewW]

Whilst Matthew's busy on the figures game, I've spent the last month working on Judge Dredd: Traveller (and will be spending next month on it too). As the name suggests, its a new RPG using the Traveller engine to bring Mega City One to life.

Character creation takes your 5 year old citizen right through Academy of Law training, through Full Eagle Day, and then out into the streets of the city. The book has full rules for arresting perps, applying the law, rapid firing your Lawgiver, and using special techniques to do all those kewl and wacky stunts Dredd and his fellow judges pull off in the comics.

Mega City One itself will also be detailed, with crazies, fatties, muties and perps in abundance. A sector will be detailed, along with a Rapid Sector Creation section so that you can pull together your own MC1 sector on the fly if necessary.

Though I would like to mention I believe you start out at age 4 not 5...

 

[Loz]

You're right.

Chargen does start you at 4, and graduates you at 20 (assuming you do graduate...! There are some tough assessing judges out there, and Mega City One's a rough place.)

 

[AndrewW]

You're right.

Chargen does start you at 4, and graduates you at 20 (assuming you do graduate...! There are some tough assessing judges out there, and Mega City One's a rough place.)

Yeah, if you get one of those strict ones on full eagle day...

 

[alex_greene]

There's strict, and then there's Old Stoneyface himself ...

 

[dayriff]

There's strict, and then there's Old Stoneyface himself ...

If an old comic I read is to be believed, Dredd's favorite trick is to pretend to violate the Law and see if the trainee calls him on it or submits to the authority of his examiner.

 

[Klaus Kipling]

I thought Judges graduate at 25. When did that get retconned?

 

[alex_greene]

The Academy's always been a "start 'em at five, give 'em hell for fifteen, then set 'em loose on the real hell at twenty - IF they graduate" sort of institution.

 

[alex_greene]

Oh, Gods.

Running The Low Life.

And The SImping Detective.

Who's going to stat up Dirty Frank?

 

[SnowDog]

Yes, I have always had this image of kids joining the academy at the age of 5 then (possibly) turning out to be a Judge at the age of 20.

Does the life path include a possibility of flunking at the academy (a bit like dying in character generation) or is it a softened version?

 

[AndrewW]

Yes, I have always had this image of kids joining the academy at the age of 5 then (possibly) turning out to be a Judge at the age of 20.

Does the life path include a possibility of flunking at the academy (a bit like dying in character generation) or is it a softened version?

It's possible to fail and not become a judge.

 

[Columbo]

I thought Judges graduate at 25. When did that get retconned?

As far as I can remember, it has always been "join at age 5, train for the next 15 years" for the vast majority of cadets.

That said, there have been exceptions - Giant Jr. graduated very early - 15 or 16years old, I think?

 

[SnowDog]

Yes, I have always had this image of kids joining the academy at the age of 5 then (possibly) turning out to be a Judge at the age of 20.

Does the life path include a possibility of flunking at the academy (a bit like dying in character generation) or is it a softened version?

It's possible to fail and not become a judge.

I'm not sure how my players will take this but for me it will generate a supply of NPCs that have failed at the academy.

Does the stats and skills of the character affect the possibility of getting the full eagle?

Another question. Does the character generation end at the graduation or is it possible to generate older characters (with a real danger of dying or getting injured in the course of duty)?

 

[AndrewW]

Does the stats and skills of the character affect the possibility of getting the full eagle?

It can.

Another question. Does the character generation end at the graduation or is it possible to generate older characters (with a real danger of dying or getting injured in the course of duty)?

It usually ends there but you can also roll a more seasoned judge with some experience.

Note, this is all subject to change without notice before publication.

 

[SnowDog]

Hi,

Thanks for all the answers! Of course things are fluid during the work in progress but it is always a good disclaimer.

 

[AndrewW]

Hi,

Thanks for all the answers! Of course things are fluid during the work in progress but it is always a good disclaimer.

You are welcome. But don't expect too much or they'll take away my Eagle.

 

[SnowDog]

Hi,

Thanks for all the answers! Of course things are fluid during the work in progress but it is always a good disclaimer.

You are welcome. But don't expect too much or they'll take away my Eagle.

We wouldn't want that Is it possible to get thrown out of the Academy before full eagle day, during the character generation I mean?

I think cadets were constantly watched during their stay in the Academy and if their performance was not good enough they got kicked off at least in the comics.

 

[OldMongooseFordy]

The character creation section is still in playtest at the minute, and may be subject to change. Unfortunately, nothing will be firmed up until I've edited the final text in May. Needless to say though, graduating will still be tough for all cadets!

 

[AndrewW]

We wouldn't want that Is it possible to get thrown out of the Academy before full eagle day, during the character generation I mean?

Ummm, didn't I say that already?

 

[SnowDog]

We wouldn't want that Is it possible to get thrown out of the Academy before full eagle day, during the character generation I mean?

Ummm, didn't I say that already?

I'm sorry if I sound dense but I understood that it was possible to fail to become a judge. As far as I know you can fail during the training or at the very latest during the full eagle day. So there are many chances to fail. I didn't quite catch if there is only one chance to fail or multiple chances (sorry).

If I had to hazard a guess, then I would guess that there are multiple chance to fail.

 

[SnowDog]

The character creation section is still in playtest at the minute, and may be subject to change. Unfortunately, nothing will be firmed up until I've edited the final text in May. Needless to say though, graduating will still be tough for all cadets!

OK, I'm not trying to press you or anything Any hints and info about the new version of the game is much appreciated and I understand very well that it is still a work in progress so anything can change.