Let's just call it "Traveller", shall we?

[EDG]

(split from the T20 to Mongoose conversion thread)

In agreement with some others in the Traveller community, I've decided that I will no longer be calling it "Mongoose Traveller" or "MongTrav" or "MGT" anymore - just "Traveller". I'll still refer to older versions of the game as CT, MT, TNE, T4, GT, T20 etc when I need to, but I think those of us who are embracing the future should show that we are by calling it "Traveller" on its own too.

There's nothing stopping anyone from referring to the old material (and disambiguation is fine for that purpose) of course - but let's face it, Mongoose (and Marc) is hardly going to achieve their goal of unifying Traveller if people keep treating it like just another version of the game. The future of the Traveller is clearly in Mongoose's hands, and they have the will and the means (and the plan) to fully support it for the next decade at least.

If we're talking about the CT versions of the supplements then putting "CT" in front of it makes that clear, but let's refer to the Mongoose versions as just "High Guard" and "Mercenary" - they're the current, relevant versions of the books after all. I think most new folks who get High Guard or Mercenary in the coming months aren't going to care what the older CT rules said about those subjects and won't have a need to refer to them either.

So who's with me?

 

[Rikki Tikki Traveller]

I'm in.

 

[CosmicGamer]

I like the idea but at $30 a pop I don't think everyone will be buying into your unification.

 

[zozotroll]

Makes sense to me. Particularly here on this board.

 

[Xoph]

I concur, unification of the game seems to be the point of this version. Although I'm even more confused about the goal of T5... has it been cancelled?

 

[Gruffty the Hiver]

Although I'm even more confused about the goal of T5... has it been cancelled?

T5 is still being developed; there is a specific forum for T5 over on another board.

I'm all for dropping the prefix and going with just "Traveller".

I'm in.

 

[far-trader]

Meh, as far as I'm concerned the whole "grand unification of Traveller" is a failed concept from the start. Don't get me wrong. It's a laudable idea. But like so many simply cannot work. Prove me wrong, without alienating half (not a real statistic) the players and killing the game

And since RTT (my favorite acronym though not the most descriptive) is NOT the only one (not as long as T5 is dreamed of and worked on by Marc, nor as long as a fan of any previous version still available* plays) I'll stick to calling it MongTrav or whatever. Traveller is what we play. The rules differ significantly of which RTT is but one, and not THE one.

* which are what at the moment? CT (all of it, which btw was Traveller before all the pretenders ), MT, TNE, T20, GT, and HT?

I fully expect Mongoose to simply call it Traveller. And when on these boards it wouldn't bother me in the least for anyone to presume if someone says Traveller they mean RTT, as long as the context isn't ambiguous. Nor would it raise my hackles (as I preceive this idea doing) if someone on this board used any of the alternate names for Mongoose's Traveller rules. Heck I see it as a good thing even from the publisher's perspective. Built in product identity leading to the source. Where if you just say Traveller you might have an interested party wandering off to another publisher and rules set.

imbfofwiw

 

[Omega Man]

I find this discussion to be interesting, but... are we really attempting to achieve a consensus on the noun used to describe the game? What real change is achieved beyond being "correct" on these forums? :?

I'm not trying to make fun... maybe it's my old brain, but I'm just not getting it. Still, it looks like a good, clean, fun discussion.



Good luck anyways!

 

[EDG]

Eh, I don't think the fans of the older versions are as important as you think they are. Mongoose has a pretty big market and they've done a good job in making their version of Traveller as accessible as possible. For one thing, it's actually out on the shelves and is actively supported too, which is more than can be said for any other version of the game. TBH I think even if all the old fans stopped buying Traveller, Mongoose would still be doing pretty well with it with everyone else.

My suspicion is that a lot of people who shied away from the game previously because of all the fragmentation and canon discussions have picked up the new version. And as I said, to them the older stuff isn't going to be that relevant in practice - CT's High Guard and Mercenary are all well and good for CT, but not too useful for the current version (especially if the new versions have at the very least the same info that was in them converted to current Traveller stats).

Calling Mongoose's version "Traveller" on its own just simplifies things for everyone here I think, and in fact you (f-t) stated in your last paragraph a lot of good reasons for why it'd be better this way.

 

[EDG]

I find this discussion to be interesting, but... are we really attempting to achieve a consensus on the noun used to describe the game? What real change is achieved beyond being "correct" on these forums? :?

It's just for simplicity really. There's far too many acronyms flying around , and I think it would go some way to further show that people are behind Mongoose in their endeavours here.

 

[Omega Man]

Too many acronyms? Now that's something I can understand, but doesn't this new-fangled internet promote such craziness? :lol:

The goal is good and I do support Mongoose in their version of Traveller in as far as I buy their material and I'm running a Traveller campaign using their material.

 

[rust]

No problem for me. Since the only versions I actively use are MGT and
GT, and GT's official name is "GURPS Traveller" instead of just "Travel-
ler", MGT may well be called "Traveller" only from now on.

 

[GamerDude]

I like the idea, especially since probably 90% of the people I'll be introducing to the game have never played any version of Traveller, it makes sense.

But, that also means for me I don't want to be hearing about how some non-GDW/FFE/MGP version of Traveller is part of canon, or should be taken into consideration when looking at TRAVELLER. In my thinking, TRAVELLER means the current canon as defined by MWM (and I guess now, MGP).

 

[Allensh]

I am also willing to particpate. And I also like the idea of saying "canon starts over." So...until it makes its way into a Mongoose publication for Traveller, it isn't official., and that includes T5.

I personally think Marc would be better off dropping T5 as a separate concept and publishing the material through Mongoose as expansions to Traveller.

Allen

 

[Emryys]

In any discussions I've had currently IRL, most people don't know about the previuos versions or are a little vague...

So calling MGT just Traveller seems natural, especially around here...

 

[-Daniel-]

I have no problem with it, but I must say I would not expect to see anyone get upset if they say "X in Traveller" and someone else says "What edition". When you elect to try what you are trying you open yourself to that question.

Other then that, I'm game.

Daniel

 

[rust]

In my thinking, TRAVELLER means the current canon as defined by MWM (and I guess now, MGP).

Yep, I really like that idea very much.

 

[Golan2072]

I agree with this measure - after all, Mongoose's version has the potential to finally heal our fractured fanbase.

 

[Sturn]

I have all MGT books thus far, have pre-ordered the rest from my FLGS.

But, I think this "Traveller" rule can only apply to each forum. As in, if I discuss things on the T5 or Gurps boards, I can't just say "Traveller" and have them understand that it means MGT. In fact, it would ruffle feathers for obvious reasons.

On each version's board, if the reference is obvious to its own version of the rules, then sure, use "Traveller". "Traveller" can also be used for the mythos as a whole, as in discussing history.

If it isn't obvious, you are going to have to be more specific anyway. Even in this thread, my opening sentence would not have been as clear if I had instead said, "I have all the Traveller books thus far". Many would have thought I meant every Traveller book, from every version since I used the generic "Traveller" title.

Use the generic term if you want, I applaud the effort, but even on each forum we will have to be more specific sometimes.

 

[far-trader]

I agree with this measure - after all, Mongoose's version has the potential to finally heal our fractured fanbase.

Only through attrition I think Part of the 10 year plan I suspect RTT just has to outlive the old guard and other license holders for the fanbase to be united and the idea of calling it simply Traveller will win out by default.