MPT / T5 .. which do you think you will like/play more?

[GamerDude]

Well, lets have another fun discussion...

If you are interested in the new 'versions' of Traveller (MPT and T5), which are you thinking you like more, which do you think you'll be buying and playing? (and of course a little on why)

{added}What experience do you have with Traveller, either running it or playing it. What type of campaign are you thinking of, and stuff like that too.{/added}

So, lets chat and discuss that.

RULES: you can say it's not 'realistic' in mechanics or not 'cinematic' enough... but NOT turn it into a discussion like the "T5 vs Mongoose Traveller" thread.

 

[Golan2072]

I'd probably be using Mongoose Traveller as it is a less complex system and currently my available free time is quite limited; so far I've heard that T5 is more detail-oriented and caters those interested in complexity, and what I'm after right now is ease of play rather than detailed mechanics.

 

[AKAramis]

I'm going to stick with MoTrav, at least nominally, since I can take the SRD, rework it to meet my needs, and then publish the sucker. Of course, that's only IF I need to.

Right now, I like almost all the concepts embodied in the system, just not the numbers associated with them.

For example, Combat Armor having lower AV's than battledress (CT/MT they are the same), damage multipliers are too low (WAY too low; guy in armor not being killed nor even seriously injured... by an FGMP at 5m), power system concept (The numbers are wrong, but I've posted a fix that works well, and does leave power management an issue).

The Task system was good in draft 1, as a task system, but the results table shouldn't be based upon "1d" but upon "1d(-3 to +6)", to cover the reasonable levels of skill. The trade off between avoiding that "1 effect" and avoiding that "1 time" has been priceless... "Oh, yeah, I need that gun... I'll keep the 1 as my time die..." and one "It's not working verses his armor, so I'll take the 1 effect, drop the gun, and have a 5 initiative..."

 

[hdrider67]

I bought MGT yesterday. It's got kinks to work out but it looks really promising.

There's not as much available for T5 so it's hard to compare. I like MRQ very much so I'm going to give Mongoose the benefit of the doubt, especially since they seem to listen to suggestions.

 

[jerich01]

Well I bought the initial releases for both - given what I now know about both I'm still on the fence. Really what's going to determine which I play is what folks around here have.

I do like the T5 version both for what I've seen recently and also for nostalgia's sake. The other benefit is all the extra material coming with the initial CD purchase; there may be more to work with initially.

We'll see...

 

[Allensh]

I plan to use Mongoose Traveller. I may buy T5 at some point, but not right away and I doubt if I will use much of it.

Allen

 

[GamerDude]

Let me toss something else into the mix.

What experience do you have with Traveller, either running it or playing it.

 

[dmccoy1693]

I'm already starting a Firefly/Serenity game with the Traveller playtest rules. I plan on continuing. I have no plans to even look at T5.

 

[AKAramis]

Let me toss something else into the mix.

What experience do you have with Traveller, either running it or playing it.

I have run Traveller using the following rulesets:

Official:
- CT
- MT
- TNE
- T4
- T20
- MoTrav

Unofficial:
- GURPS (pre-GT)
- Vampire the Masquerade 1st edition
- EABA (during the EABA Playtest)
- FUDGE (one session... BLECH)
- Space Opera (FGU)
- Star Wars (d6, by WEG, 1E with the Companion)
- 2300AD/Traveller 2300
- Space Master

I started playing in 1983 (fall), and started running a year later.

Ive run the following settings:
- Solomani Rim 990-1116, (CT, MT, TNE)
- Spinwards Marches 999-1135, 1205-1210 (CT, MT, TNE, T4, T20, EABA, VTM, SO, SM)
- Judges Guild "domain", ca 1105 (CT, SM, 2300)
- crossing the 3I in the 1100's (MT)
- Domain of Deneb 1116-1135 (MT)
- Star Trek (Classic Trek) using MT
- Tron using Classic Traveller

 

[GamerDude]

Games I have GM'd
OAD&D
Star Frontiers
Marvel Superheros 1st Ed
Space Opera
HERO 5th Ed
Chivalry & Sorcery
GURPS 3rd (Traveller and Fantasy)
GURPS 4th (Traveller)
CT (short campaign and still miss it).
D&D 3.x
Paranoia (original rules)
Paranoia XP
MGT
d20 Modern/Gamma World/Darwin's World
T20
Hackmaster

My MGT campaign setting
In a way it's like dmccoy1693's Firefly/Serenity campaign, except it will be a major ATU.

During the early in the Reign of Man, the Terran Government came up with a plan to "de-vilani-ize" the territories of the Imperium. So, different nations/companies were given 'license' to settle certain regions of the Imperium.

What this created was a series of smaller 'interstellar-states' each with its own culture and government. As part of the effort, the "imperial bank" was rechristened the "Interstellar Bank of Commerce" (or something like that). It provides a stable currency throughout the systems of the old Imperium.

One of those areas will be the "Alliance" (FF/S), there will be a much smaller "Third Imperium" centered around the world Capital, and some others I haven't quite figured out yet. (I REALLY need a good map of the entire section of the galaxy that Traveller OTU is set in).

One other thing I am doing is making a 'small' change to how Jump-Drives work. The only thing that will change is, the ability for ships to drop out of Jump in less than 1 week. This will take up a great deal of fuel (well, each Jump rating will only take 5% of the total volume in fuel, not 10%), allowing ships a little more flexibility. Also allows for more piracy along a trip.

I'm going to be using MGT for this game, even though I've pre-ordered the T5 CD-ROM (who knows what goodies are on it that I can use).

 

[Emryys]

I'll definately buy the main MGT Traveller book and probably other stuff in the line, depending on reviews... I'll be waiting on content reviews for T5, hoping their's good stuff to mine, but probably won't be able to use as is...

 

[Allensh]

I've run CT, MT, TNE, T4 and GT. Traveller was the very first RPG I ever created a character for, two weeks before I played D&D the first time. Didn't play it until after though..reason escapes me.

I ran a very fun campaign using T4 and the Mileau 0 setting (despite its flaws).

Allen

 

[captainjack23]

- Tron using Classic Traveller

COOL. It is green with envy I am. tron = wayfungeekfest. How'd it go ?

Cap

 

[AKAramis]

- Tron using Classic Traveller

COOL. It is green with envy I am. tron = wayfungeekfest. How'd it go ?

Cap

not so well...but I was in HS at the time. I got the PC's in via misjump.

 

[Thuban]

As it stands right now, I have no idea if I'll be playing either one.

I've been following the playtest, and so far nothing in MGT impresses me enough to switch from CT. I have a mountain of CT supplements and adventures that would take years for Mongoose to recreate, and probably never will. The one or two things that I like in MGT I can easily add to CT (or already did via houserules), so right now there are only two reasons I can see for considering MGT at all: (1) a new crop of players will be introduced to Traveller through MGT, and (2) the alternate universe books built around the MGT system.

With respect to (1), finding new players for CT has never been that difficult, and I don't foresee much difficulty in peeling off gamers who cut their teeth on MGT. As far as (2) goes, while reverse compatability between CT and MGT is limited, reverse engineering MGT for compatability doen't look to be too challenging.

T5 has this weird reputation among gamers already, focused on really old playtest documents, but based on some of the materials listed in the promotional blurb, it looks like there may be some cool stuff to port into CT as well. Again, it doesn't look like I'll be making a change anytime soon, but this one I at least want on my shelf.

So, I've preorderd T5 but not MGT, but as of today, I don't expect I'll be making a change to either system. We'll see what the (far) future looks like in a couple of months.

(I started playing Traveller in 1979, with the little black books, The Kinunir, and The Spinward Marches. I played through the arrival of MegaTraveller, then dropped RPGs altogether until a few years ago, when I picked up what is now called Classic Traveller again. I've since read through TNE and T4 as well.)

 

[jerich01]

I've played CT since day 1; in fact until d20 I'd played almost all RPG's released in the US, Germany, France and Japan... I had way too much free time on my hands.

I continued to run CT games until last year when I stopped playing for a while. The T5 announcement got me reinterested and a pal told me about Mongoose Traveller a bit ago...

 

[Flynn]

I am interested in MGT for much the same reasons as anyone else: it will be OGL.

I have run or played Traveller under the following rules: CT, MT, TNE, T4, GT, T20 and HERO 4th Edition.

T20 is the only version where I've been able to find gamers willing to play more than a few sessions, and have had two very successful campaigns under that rules set. That's probably because of the gamers where I live and their preferences.

Hope This Helps,
Flynn

 

[qstor]

As it stands right now, I have no idea if I'll be playing either one.

Same here. I've DM'd GT and CT. I've been trying to put together a game of T20 but I've been playing mostly D&D 3.5 latley.


I don't have much interest in Mongoose Traveller unless it presents new source material. As I've mentioned before, it seems a near rehash of CT. I doubt that it will generate a lot of new younger players.

Mike

 

[GamerDude]

I don't have much interest in Mongoose Traveller unless it presents new source material. As I've mentioned before, it seems a near rehash of CT. I doubt that it will generate a lot of new younger players.
Mike

Personally, I'm looking at MGT because I am expecting updated material for the CT rules. I like the CT rules due to nostalgia, the amount of material already available, etc.

One thing I didn't like about CT is having to pull char gen and other mechanics from different books. It would be nice to play CT and having the rules for something all in one place.

The TOGL (Traveller OGL) helps make MGT attractive because it opens up making stuff for the game by other publishers.

 

[pasuuli]

I am interested in MGT for much the same reasons as anyone else: it will be OGL.

T20 is the only version where I've been able to find gamers willing to play more than a few sessions,

I'm looking for MGT to bring a concise and complete and playable basic Traveller ruleset in one book.

A guy started up a D&D game nearby, and I asked if he might be interested in refereeing a T20 game, which he flatly refused. I think because he really wants to do D&D.